Painting Hair

P

phantom

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I was wondering if someone could help explain some of the techniques in painting hair?
I know with animal some people use paint brushes but what would you do with human hair?
 
Hi Phantom. Here is how i approach hair. It is not the absolute technique but it works for me.
1. First layer of color. Reduced for maximum effect.
2. I make my first scratches now, to preserve highlights.
3. Layer of next reduced color.
4. Repeat process until desired depth is acquired.

I do this for hard surfaces. For porous materials like shirt i layer long wavy dagger strokes of the different hues of the reference hair.
 
There's a lot of different techniques that can be used when rendering hair... none of which are right or wrong. You have to experiment and find what works for you and your own style. Try to avoid painting each individual strand and you will get better results. I normally pick out different darker shapes I see in the reference and block them in. Once the basic shapes and values are there, I'll add a few individual strands for detail (paint or scratching/erasing techniques both work well for this). Kind of a less is more approach...
 
Thanks for the info I had a look at the tutorial makes sense now which will help and I will try it definitely.
@wickedartstudio - I take it using the scratching / erasing technique is taking it one step more advance?
 
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There's a lot of different techniques that can be used when rendering hair... none of which are right or wrong. You have to experiment and find what works for you and your own style. Try to avoid painting each individual strand and you will get better results. I normally pick out different darker shapes I see in the reference and block them in. Once the basic shapes and values are there, I'll add a few individual strands for detail (paint or scratching/erasing techniques both work well for this). Kind of a less is more approach...

Ditto to what wicked said, on the Marissa course we also sprayed through strands of wire, bounced some paint of the edges of cut paper. The main thing is to build it up in layers picking out the dark and light areas, use a very hard edged eraser, you can cut it to a point if you like but depending on you surface will decide how hard you go.
 
Thanks for the info I had a look at the tutorial makes sense now which will help and I will try it definitely.
@wickedartstudio - I take it using the scratching / erasing technique is taking it one step more advance?

Not sure I would classify scratching/erasing more advanced... it's just another technique to get the job done. Do be very careful when scratching! Depending on the surface you are working on, it can be very easy to cut too deep. I recommend a #10 (curved blade) rather than a #11. I find the curved blade is more forgiving. The straight #11 blade will gouge the surface easily if care is not taken. As I said before... experiment, try every technique and find what works for you and your own style.
 
There's a lot of different techniques that can be used when rendering hair... none of which are right or wrong. You have to experiment and find what works for you and your own style. Try to avoid painting each individual strand and you will get better results. I normally pick out different darker shapes I see in the reference and block them in. Once the basic shapes and values are there, I'll add a few individual strands for detail (paint or scratching/erasing techniques both work well for this). Kind of a less is more approach...

Wicked pretty much hit the nail on the head. Paint what you see, not what you know. In other words don't try to paint hair. Why? Because you know hair is made up of very fine strands and when you paint what you know, you'll try and paint all these strands and end up with spaghetti hair. Just paint the blocks of color and hard and soft edges you see. Add some strands here and there.
 
I used to struggle with hair (not that I've perfected it either), but I paint a base coat, then add detail in a different shade, and then spray a light coat of that detail colour, (before you go to another layer and change colours, or add hightlights etc) ties all the detail strokes together and makes it look more natural.It fills in any spaces and enhances the detail.
 
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