Painting hair (without scratching!)

[RetroDan16]

Hello all,
I have a a painting I am doing for a friend of mine which has a lot of red hair and bright highlights. The surface I am painting on however isn't suitable for scratching techniques. What would be your advice on the best way to get these really bright highlights without scratching? Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[AndreZA]

Only other option is to keep it clean. Try liquid mask and then later soften some of the edges afterwards. .

 

[RetroDan16]

Only other option is to keep it clean. Try liquid mask and then later soften some of the edges afterwards. .

I've considered keeping the areas clean and then split frisking the darker hairs that transition into the light. My only concern there is how long it might take!

 

[haasje dutchairbrush]

If you are not using any white of the background just use a thin brush (as there is no soft edge enhancing it with a brush) you won't get much blue shift. To get it to cover quickly I tend to put some white on some glosy paper (magazine cover) and let it dry out a tad the white should be white with one pas than.

ps always try it out on a little test piece

 

[Diegojavbau]

White polychromos pencil ?

 

[RetroDan16]

If you are not using any white of the background just use a thin brush (as there is no soft edge enhancing it with a brush) you won't get much blue shift. To get it to cover quickly I tend to put some white on some glosy paper (magazine cover) and let it dry out a tad the white should be white with one pas than.

ps always try it out on a little test piece

That's a good idea too, some thin opaque white shouldn't shift too much I hope - there shouldn't be any other white on the painting at all I don't think. Thanks!

 

[RebelAir]

I simply avoid portraits with red hair LOLOL, much easier that way but yer I would work it in with a hairy brush and some acrylic whit then blend it, gonna be a challenge either way, good luck with it..

 

[RetroDan16]

I'm thinking of going the way of liquid masking for the brightest parts with possible brushed white parts too. Yep, it's a tough one to have been given!

 

[ad fez]

Don't use poly chromos, they are oil based so any paint that goes on top will not hold, instead use the durer line from faber, these pencils arr acrylic based

 

[ad fez]

I would use a umber base for the darkest bits, preserve the white bits by not painting them an erasing any over spray......put your red bits in with red ocher and then boost the colour where necessary with thin transparent colours (glazes)

 

[basepaint]

I think the eraser would be my chosen way ,and like fez said keeping it white as you go