Drawing hair for animation doesn't have to be complicated; while creativity is encouraged, it is important to keep it simple and easy to work with, especially when working on 2D animation involving other software.

 

Hairstyles at times can also reflect a character's personality, so when creating your characters, be sure to use a simple but effective hairstyle that will suit them.

 

There's much to be said, but for the purpose of the tutorial, I'll show you how to draw anime hair for character concepts, especially when preparing for 2D animation projects.

 

That being said, let's get right to it.

Drawing Hair (FRONT)

1. When creating a character, I always like to start with a 3D model. This step can be optional, but for those who are working on character concepts, and/or preparing for 2D animation projects, this step will be very useful, especially when you're creating your own characters.

 

If you wish to draw from scratch, you're more than welcome to do so.

2. Using a Lighter pencil (or a pencil of your choice), sketch out the hairstyle that you want; in this case, I chose a simple but original take on a simple short hairstyle. Add an outfit that suits your character if you wish, but if you want to do just the headshot for the sake of time, it's fine.

3. Using a pen of your choice (I used a turnip pen for this one), carefully lineart the hair and the outfit (if you have included it). Where necessary, use a lighter brush to add the shadow effects, so that when you're ready to animate and create animatic scenes, you won't be stuck on lighting and shadow effects on your hair.

Drawing Hair (SIDE)

Undoubtedly, drawing the side view of any hairstyle can be a bit tricky if you're working with a complicated hairstyle. This is the more reason why simplicity is important, to save yourself a lot of hassle.

1. Like in the front view, I begin with a 3D model, but this time, I set it on the side view.

2. Using a light pencil, sketch out the hair (and outfit if you decide to include it). While working on the side view of the hair, pay very close attention to the front view, so that you won't be sidetracked when creating your character's hair in the side view.

3. And finally, using a pen of your choice (in this case, I used the Turnip pen), carefully lineart the hair (and the outfit if included); again, pay close attention to the front view to avoid mistakes.

TIP(s)

Understandably, each hairstyle is different; while it's good to research different hairstyles for your characters, it's important to be original with them, and avoid making hairstyles complicated while creating character concepts for animation.