Hey guys! Today I wanted to drop a quick breakdown of how I render hair so let’s get into it:
Step 1: Shape it Out
First, just block in your base color. Don't overthink it! Just get that silhouette down and maybe add a tiny bit of a soft gradient at the tips so it’s not just a flat block of color.
Step 2: Add Some Depth
Time to find the shadows! Use a darker red to hit those overlap spots and the area right under the hair tie. This is how we actually make the braid look like it has sections instead of just being one big blob.
Step 3: Make it Pop
Grab a soft brush and blend those shadows out a bit. Lightly hit the middle of each hair clump with a slightly lighter color. We’re just trying to make it look round and 3D before we get into the messy details.
Step 4: Get the Flow
Switch to a tiny brush and start drawing some fine lines to show the direction of the hair. Just follow the curves of the braid! This sets the "grain" so the hair looks like it’s actually made of strands.
Step 5: Layer Up
This is the secret sauce! Slowly add strand shadows and highlights one by one. Don't rush it just keep layering those dark and light strokes to build up that realistic texture and depth.
Step 6: The Finishing Touches
Final step! Pop some bright highlights on the curvy parts and add those cute little flyaway hairs around the edges. It makes the whole thing look way more natural and less "perfect."
And that’s it! Thank you guys so much for checking out my tutorial and for being so patient with me. I really hope it helps you with your own art, can't wait to see what you create!
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