I'm doing a drawing of Stacy London and I need help on how to draw the hair. I've looked at the tutorials and I understand what to do, but how do you get those TINY little details lines, or make the lines flow so the shading fits? I'm so confuuussed! Please help!

Don't know if this will help, I did a search on the site for hair and this was one of the comments that came up:

"drawing hair or fur is pretty much the same. You're looking for areas of light and shade and your lines should follow the direction of hair or fur growth.

As with all things, they become more prominent if a strong contrast in value is next to them. The same applies to hair too. What you're drawing with dark hair is the highlights and with light hair, the shadows. That's what makes it become more distinct and 'read' as hair or fur to the viewer.

Block in your values loosely, then start defining it more by applying individual strokes in the direction of the fur. If you go too dark you can always pull out highlights with a kneaded eraser. Too light? Just add more layers to darken the shadows."

There were other comments if you want to try doing a search. I'm new to drawing hair too, so not a lot of help to you, I'm afraid!

Andrea

Wow. That actually helps a lot... lol kinda puts it into a different perspective. Thank you!

Using a mechanical pencil helps a lot too. It can give you finer lines.
Paulette

What exactly is a mechanical pencil?
Is it one where you put your own lead in and if so can you get various B leads?

Sorry for being dumb

Andrea

Andrea,
Dumb people are the ones who won't ask the question. Mechanical pencils hold leads. They come in .03, .05 and .07 sizes. You can get all the different hardnesses but generally you use 2h and 2b. Here are some links to discussions about using mechanical pencils.
Questions
circulism This one is about shading with circulism, but has very good info on mechanical pencils. Darus has a good picture on how to use a mechanical pencil on the second page.
Paulette

Some mechanical pencils come in .09 leads too. They are harder to find.

I read a lot of advice telling people to always make your pencil strokes in the direction of the hair growth. But there are often exceptions to all rules.

I did a very simple sketch to show where there is an exception to the above rule. When there is a smooth highlight I let my pencil marks move toward the highlight and in the opposite direction of the growth of the hair. In human hair I also go back and forth in some situations like below.

Thanks Paulette, that was really informative. I think I'll get a mech pencil with a variety of leads and give it a go. Circulism looks very time consuming but very effective. That portrait you did was excellent.

This site is sooo cool! Everyone is sooo helpful . Thanks.

Andrea

Sorry, to harp on but just one more point I'm not sure about...
How does circulism differ from squirkling?

Thanks Andrea

Circularism is small controled overlapping circles doen in light layers...squirkling is more of continuious overlapping loose squiggles that's the best way I can think to describe it. Hope it's not to confusing.


Back on topic...for hair you can also use negative drawing to achieve those fine hairs or indent the fine hairs into the paper with a narrow pointy tool like a stylis (sp?) or by laying a piece of tracing paper over your drawing and using a small amout of pressure draw a hair on the tracing paper which will then indent the paper underneath...then as you are drawing the pencil will skip over the indent leaving a white line where the fine hair is needed.
Laura