How to Draw Curly Hair

Curly hair is one of the most visually striking and expressive features you can include in your portrait drawings. Its unique spirals, waves, and coils create beautiful patterns that add character and personality to your subjects. However, many artists find curly hair intimidating because of its complexity and the challenge of capturing its volume, texture, and movement. Learning how to draw curly hair not only helps you improve your portrait skills, but also teaches you valuable techniques for rendering different types of textures and details in your artwork.

Whether you are a beginner just starting to explore portrait drawing or an experienced artist looking to expand your skill set, mastering curly hair will open up new creative possibilities. This tutorial will break down the process into easy-to-follow steps, focusing on observing the unique shapes and flow of curls, building up layers for realistic depth, and using shading to create dimension. You'll discover tips for sketching dynamic curls, avoiding common mistakes, and making your hair drawings come alive on the page. If you've ever wondered how to draw curly hair with confidence, this guide will provide you with the essential techniques and encouragement you need to succeed.

Remember, every great artist started by tackling new challenges one step at a time. With patience and practice, you'll soon find yourself capturing the beauty and energy of curly hair in your own unique style. Gather your materials, keep an open mind, and let's embark on this creative journey together!

Materials Required

Before we begin, gather the following materials:

1. Drawing paper
2. Pencil
3. Eraser
4. Fine-tipped pen or marker (optional)

Now that you have your materials ready, let's dive into the process of drawing curly hair.

Step 1: Establish the Shape and Flow

Start by lightly sketching the basic shape of the head. This will serve as the foundation for the hair. Remember, curly hair often has a voluminous appearance, so exaggerate the body slightly. Next, determine the direction and flow of the curls. Visualize how the hair would naturally cascade from the scalp and sketch light lines to represent the curl pattern.

Step 2: Outline the Individual Curls

Now, let's focus on the individual curls. Start at the root of the hair and draw a curved line to represent the first curl. Continue drawing curved lines to form more curls, keeping in mind the direction and flow established in the previous step. Vary the sizes and shapes of the curls to add complexity and realism to your drawing.

Step 3: Add Volume and Depth

To add depth and volume to the curls, lightly shade the areas between the curls. Pay attention to the areas where shadows might be present, such as underneath the curls or in areas where the hair overlaps. This shading will enhance the three-dimensional appearance of the hair and make it look more realistic.

Step 4: Refine the Details

Now it's time to refine the details of the curls. Use your pencil to add more definition and texture to each curl. Study reference images or observe real-life curly hair to understand how the hair strands interact with each other. Add smaller lines and curves within the larger curls to create more intricate patterns and textures.

Step 5: Adjust the Contrast

To make the curls stand out even more, adjust the contrast by darkening certain areas and further shading the shadows. Use a darker pencil or a fine-tipped pen or marker for this step. Darken the areas where the hair overlaps or where the curls are more tightly packed. Be mindful of the light source in your drawing and consider how it affects the shadows and highlights on the hair.

Step 6: Refine and Erase

Take a step back and assess your drawing as a whole. Look for any areas that need refinement or adjustments. Use your eraser to lighten or clean up any stray lines or smudges. Pay close attention to the areas where the curls overlap or intersect, ensuring that each curl is distinct and well-defined.

Step 7: Final Touches

Tip: To enhance the realism of your curly hair drawings, consider using reference images to study how light interacts with the curls, as well as how they cluster and overlap in real life. Observing these details will help you capture the natural flow and volume, making your artwork more dynamic and lifelike. Additionally, don't hesitate to experiment with different shading techniques, such as cross-hatching or stippling, to create varied textures that reflect the unique qualities of curly hair.

Now that you have completed the basic drawing of the curly hair, feel free to add any final touches or details that you feel are necessary. You can enhance the drawing by adding highlights to the hair or introducing additional texture and shading. Experiment with different techniques and styles to make your drawing unique and captivating.

Mistake Alert: A common mistake when drawing curly hair is treating each curl as a perfectly uniform, isolated spiral, which can make the hair look stiff and unnatural. This happens because beginners often focus too much on individual strands instead of observing the overall flow and volume of the hairstyle. To avoid this, start by lightly sketching the general shape and direction of the hair mass, then build curls in overlapping clusters that vary in size and direction. Remember, real curls twist, bunch together, and layer over each other, creating a sense of depth and movement—so let your lines flow and avoid outlining every single curl separately!

Conclusion

Drawing curly hair can be a complex process, but with patience and practice, you can achieve stunning results. By following these step-by-step instructions, you have learned how to establish the shape and flow of the hair, outline individual curls, add volume and depth, refine the details, adjust the contrast, and make final touches to create a realistic and beautiful drawing of curly hair. Grab your materials and start practicing, and soon you'll become a master at capturing the intricacies of curly hair in your artwork!

Gallery of Curly Hair Drawings

Fun Facts About Curly Hair

• Curly hair is caused by the shape of the hair follicle, which is oval or asymmetrical, unlike straight hair's round follicle shape.
• Curly hair tends to be drier than straight hair because natural oils have a harder time traveling down the twists and turns.
• There are multiple types of curly hair, ranging from loose waves to tight coils, classified by the NaturallyCurly Texture Typing System.
• Curly hair is more prone to breakage due to its structure, which makes gentle handling and moisturizing essential.
• Humidity can make curly hair frizzier because the hair cuticle opens and absorbs moisture from the air.
• Curly hair grows at the same rate as straight hair, but its spiral shape makes it appear shorter, a phenomenon known as shrinkage.
• People with curly hair have fewer hair strands on their scalp compared to those with straight hair, but the volume appears greater.
• Curly hair is found in people of all ethnic backgrounds, with unique curl patterns influenced by genetics.

Suggestions for Scenes and Settings for Curly Hair Drawings

• Draw a windswept portrait of a person with curly hair standing on a cliff or beach, with curls blowing dramatically in the breeze.
• Illustrate a cozy indoor scene of someone with curly hair reading by a window, natural light highlighting the curls' texture and volume.
• Create a dynamic action pose of a dancer or athlete with curly hair in motion, emphasizing how the curls bounce and flow with movement.
• Depict a rainy day setting, showing how curly hair reacts to moisture, with defined ringlets and a bit of frizz for realism.
• Draw a close-up profile of a person with tight coils, focusing on the intricate patterns and shadows within the hair.
• Illustrate a festival or celebration with several characters, each showcasing different types of curly hair—loose waves, spirals, and coils.
• Show a nighttime scene under streetlights, capturing how curly hair reflects and absorbs the glow, with subtle highlights and deep shadows.
• Draw a portrait of a child with voluminous curly hair surrounded by flowers or leaves, blending natural textures.
• Design a character with wet, freshly washed curls, emphasizing the difference in curl definition and sheen compared to dry hair.
• Illustrate a historical or fantasy character with elaborate curly hair adorned with accessories like beads, ribbons, or crowns.