How to Shade Anime Hair Step by Step

Shade Anime Hair – This tutorial teaches the basics of anime and manga styles with step-by-step examples of twelve different hairstyles.

Above, you can see a preview of the different haircuts shown in this tutorial. Even if you are interested in some of them, it would be good to learn the whole lesson as some hair extensions have detailed explanations about certain shading parts of the hair. It is set this way to avoid duplication.

Things You Should Know About Anime Hair

Before you get into the actual drawing examples below, there are a few things that can help you better understand how to trim anime haircuts and why they have a shade in their way. (Shade Anime Hair)

Also, Read – How to Draw Anime Male Facial Expressions Side View

How Anime Hair Draws

Anime hair is usually painted into large pieces, many of which are based on real hair.

When painting the hair, it can help break the front, sides, and back / top sections as shown above red, blue and blue. This is also how the hair will be broken in this tutorial.

How Anime Hair Is Decorated

Anime and manga hair is shaded without gradients and has a hard transition between light and dark areas. This makes the shading process very fast but at the same time deceptive as it can be difficult to determine where the boundary between light and darkness should be.

The actual shade is placed depending on the lighting conditions the artist wishes to reflect.

Anime characters (hair included) are usually captured in two ways:

Normal blurring when there is a bullet or object well lit on many sides
Blurring with one direct light source

This tutorial will focus on regular shading as it is very common and can be used in many scenes. Please note that even in the setting of “well-lit”, the strongest light will appear somewhere above (sun or indoor light). This means that the shadows will usually form around the lower parts of the hair. (Shade Anime Hair)

However, do not confuse this with one form of an uplifted light source that can be likened to lighting a torch under someone in a dark room.

Lastly, remember that anime/manga style blur does not need to be completely accurate or extremely realistic. The goal is to have a truly good foundation to look credible.

Also, Read – How to Draw a Katana Step by Step

Hair Tips Before Getting Started

Before you start, a few quick notes can help you better prepare for the tutorial.

Adding Shading

When painting, the shadows of this “normal light” setting make them dark enough to stand out from the basic hair colour. If you make them too dark, they will look unnatural, and if you make them too light, they may not be visible.

How you darken shaded areas can depend on the drawing method (paints, pencils, etc.). For example, you can mix black paint or simply press the pencil too hard. (Shade Anime Hair)

Outstanding Drawing (Important)

In this study, the main difference between digital blurring and paper blur can be how you add highlights.

If you are going to dye your hair on paper, you can use a white straightening pen or white paint to draw highlights. Otherwise, you can also just leave the area white and colour around.

You should add digital dimensions at the end, as shown in the step-by-step split if you have digital dimensions.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Before darkening the hair, you first prepare a beautiful and clean line drawing like the example above. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 2 – Color in the hair

If you paint digitally or add highlights using a correction pen or white paint, as suggested earlier, you can fill the entire hair area with one solid color – If you do not have those options, just leave the best white color in the photo gallery next to it.

If you wish, you can also make a clear mark with a pencil to make sure you do not overdo it.

Also, Read – How to Draw Anime Wolf Girl Step by Step

Step 3 – Add Shading

As mentioned at the beginning of the lesson, hair shadows will be added in the usual way. This means that such blurring can apply to many anime or manga scenes where the character is in a well-lit area. (Shade Anime Hair)

Due to the cone-like shape of the hair follicles and the lighting setting described above, the shadows will tend to form near the lower parts of the clumps running along their sides.

You can also add shaded parts to the “cut” type to some of the larger strands to give hair curling advice.

Forehead hair clumps
Next to the hair sections
Internal back hair (neck)

The shaded end will be created because that area of the hair is well covered from the light on many sides as the hair/head forms a kind of “tent” around it.

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

To make the hair look shiny, add highlights. You can draw this as a series of lines joined together into smaller zigzags. (Shade Anime Hair)

Sometimes anime hair will be styled with only one main highlight area, but we will add highlights to each large section of hair (and often in anime and manga).

To this, add the highlights running down the upper part of the hair (around the forehead) and another set of lower extremities running down the sides and back of the hair.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

First, prepare a drawing of a beautiful and clean line of hair.

Step 2 – Color in the hair

Colour in all the hair if you add extra highlights or leave a highlighted white if you want to color the surrounding areas. You can see the final step in shape and layout.

To add an extra highlight to the hair color, it is recommended that you use a white straightening pen or white paint. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 3 – Add Shading

As mentioned at the beginning of the lesson, shadows will be added to the common areas where they may be formed.

Also, Read – How to Draw an Anime Character

In this case, the following will be:

As well as hair follicles on the forehead
Below the side parts

In the lower parts of the back, hair with an inner space between the neck and the sides is fully shaded.

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Like the previous example of long hair, add highlights like curved lines and zigzags.

Draw the main highlights running in the forehead and the other two down the sides/back of the hair. (Shade Anime Hair)

Shading “Hime Cut” Anime Hair Step by Step

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Prepare a clean hairline before you start searching.

Step 2 – Color in the hair

Depending on how you look, you may be able to reduce the appearance of bumps on your hair or leave it exposed.

As mentioned at the beginning of the lesson, you can add more hair colour highlights when painting digitally or using a white straightening pen or paints.

You can also leave the highlighted area white and colour next to it. If you wish to do this, see step four to find out the shape and placement.

Step 3 – Add Shading

This hairstyle will cut hair clumps compared to pointy clumps in other styles. (Shade Anime Hair)

Add large shadows to the sides of these cut lumps and draw a few small shadows randomly “cut” on some of them.

Place shadows in the following area:

Forehead hair clumps
Near the bottom of the hair follicles
On the back of the hair on the neck (large area)

As already mentioned in the example of long shading hair, a large shadow around the neck will be made with that part of the hair that is very closed in light.

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Similar to previous examples, they add highlights like lines and small zigzags.

Apply one large brush to the forehead area of the hair with two small lower lashes on each side.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Prepare a beautiful and “very dirty” case in this case for “long dirty hair” like the example above.

Step 2 – Color in the hair

Depending on how good you are at adding iron or color to your hair, you may need to make sure your hair is white. (Shade Anime Hair)

If you paint digitally or have a white fix pen or white paint, you can paint the highlight over the hair colour. If not, leave the highlights white and colour them.

For the shape and placement of the main points, see step four.

Step 3 – Add Shading

Draw shadows that run along the sides of different hair types to the lower parts of different hair categories.

Add them to the following locations:

On the lower edges of the forehead hair
Below the lower part of the hair follicles
On the back part of the hair around the neck area

However, as mentioned in other examples, this large shadow on the neck is caused by part of the hair closing well to the light. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw highlights such as a series of lines and small zigzags. Apply the greatest brightness running in the forehead area with two small low accents on the floor near the sides.

You can also add a few small highlights near the clumps that protrude from their outer edges to accentuate hair loss.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Start by making a clean line drawing of ponytail hair.

Step 2 – Color in the hair

If you are colouring digital, or you can paint the top of the hair (white makeup pen or white paint), fill in the full colour.

Or you can leave the highlights in white and simply colour them in. In this option, see the fourth step in shape and layout. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 3 – Add Shading

In this case, the hairstyle will have cut hair around the forehead area, such as the “home cut” pattern.

You can also trim these hair follicles by adding dark areas near their sides and adding a few random shades to “cut” these pieces to highlight some hair.

Set shadows at the following locations:

In the hair wrap around the forehead
On the sides of the head
Below the lower part of the ponytail

You will want to completely shade the lower part of the ponytail as the part when it is thin will usually turn away from the light and begin to make itself self-sufficient.

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw highlights such as a series of small curved lines or zigzags. The main highlight will be the fall of the forehead, and the second will fall the ponytail, although this pattern will look like one continuous set. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Have a good hairline before you start blushing.

Step 2 – Color in the hair

If you have the option to add more highlights (digital painting or use white pen/paint fixes), then you can colour/fill the entire hair area.

If you do not have those options, just leave the highlighted area white and colour next. To make this easier, you can easily describe them with a pencil.

Look at the fourth step for finding the perfect shape and setting.

Step 3 – Add Shading

In this hairstyle and normal shading used in this tutorial, many shades will also apply to the sides and lower ends of the hair follicles. (Shade Anime Hair)

Add them as follows:

On the forehead and “eye area” of hair
In the lower part of the side (opposite the covered eye)
The back part of the hair and around the neck are fully shaded near and under.

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Add highlights like a series of small curved lines and zigzags. Apply the main highlight to the forehead area. Then add another drop down to the left of the drawing that falls to the side.

Finally, draw a “broken” look with a few lines on the hair part that covers one of the eyes.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

First, make a drawing of the hairline of the pigtails.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

Fill the hair with a solid color or leave a bright white area, depending on your coloring options.

If you paint digitally or have white paint/paint/paint, you can add highlights over the color.

If those options are not available to you, leave a white one and color in them (see step 4 for their shape and placement). (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 3 – Add Shading

In the previous example, the pigtails will be shaded like a ponytail where the hair follicles are shaded like many other examples.

Add shadows to the following locations:

On the sides and bottom of the clumps of forehead hair
On the sides of the head
Below the halves of the pigtails

Like the ponytail pattern, pigtails will tend to have a cast on their upper part as it shrinks downwards. (Shade Anime Hair)

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw highlights such as a series of small curves and zigzags. In this case, there will be three bright spots where one is across the forehead and the other across each pigtail, but you can simply draw them as one continues the set.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Start by drawing a clean line of hair.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

Apply full colour to the entire hair area or leave the highlighter in white based on the colouring method.

If you paint digitally or have a white makeup pen or white paint, you can add hair colour highlights. Alternatively, you can colour them next to them (optionally mark them slightly with a pencil).

For the shape and placement of the main points, see step four.

Step 3 – Add Shading

As a few hair clumps that include tracing, this hairstyle is very simple. You can trace the parts of the forehead hair placed under the sides with very small shadows near their bottom and other small shadows in the curling lines. Medium hair extensions can be shaded like other similar examples.

Brush your hair as follows:

Next to the hair follicles as described above
Bottom sections of side hair extensions
Fully shade the back hair area between the neck and sides

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw the highlight as a series of curved and curved lines. Apply the first shine to the entire forehead area of the hair. Try and draw connecting strands to flow through the shape of part of the hair on it. For example, draw lines at multiple angles to flow to the curved sections of hair tucked under the sides.

Add the next two sets of beautiful things down the bottom to each side of the hair.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Start by preparing a clean line for curly hair.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

Fully colour the hair if you can add brightness over them, such as digital paint or white/paint fixer. Otherwise, leave the highlights in white and the colours around you.

For the shape and placement of the main points, see step four.

Step 3 – Add Shading

Trimming curls will vary slightly and become normal hairpieces.

In this pre-defined normal shading, you can fully trace the inner parts of the curls and add small streams of shadows close to the outside to give a similar twist to the wrap.

You can usually add shading as follows:

Minimal shading on the forehead part of the hair (including small clumps)
And curls on the sides of the hair (as already mentioned)
The back part of the hair between the neck and curls

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Add highlights (one of the biggest highlights in this case) as a series of thin lines and zigzag.

For key highlights, draw connecting lines facing the hair flow on each side of the head (similar to the example of pre-combed hair). This will help to emphasize the shape of the hair.

After the main highlighting, draw small highlights (just one line each) next to the hair curls on the sides. Place these beautiful pictures near curves as they will often catch the light.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Start by making a beautiful and clean drawing of “hair” hairstyles.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

Fully colour the hair (add highlights later) or leave the highlights white.

You can add hair colour highlights if you dye digitally or have a white straightening pen or white paint.

If you are going to colour the surrounding colours instead of looking at the fourth step of the shape and layout.

Step 3 – Add Shading

The main difference between this model and the obvious is that hair buns are easy to shade. You can place larger shadows at the bottom in the normal light described earlier and their curves facing downwards.

Overall the speed of shadows is as follows:

Below and on the sides are clumps of forehead hair
Below the lower parts of the hair
For hair buns as already described

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

The main highlights fall on the forehead, and the small ones fall on the hair’s side parts draw like a series of small links and zigzags.

On the belts, add a little brightness with one or two liens each next to their various folds.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Same as some examples, start by making a clean line drawing of hair extensions.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

Fill in the hair completely or leave the highlights in white based on the colour scheme you use.

Outstanding additions to the colour can be made if you are painting digitally or using a white / paint fix pen.

If you do not have those options, you can colour the best photos and leave them white. For their shape and placement, see step four.

Step 3 – Add Shading

In this case, a large lump in the middle of the forehead hair will shade on its head as it will curl inwards. Some clumps will be tilted upwards (facing more light) and thus have smaller shadows running downwards.

Set the perfect shades for this hair as follows:

In the hair follicles on the forehead as already described
To the lower parts of the side of the hair (running along the sides and lower parts of the clumps)
Next to the lumps of the back part of the hair and the middle part of the neck and sides fully shaded

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw each highlight as a series of curves and zigzags.

Place the first set of highlights next to the forehead. Try to paint the highlight so that the connecting lines flow in the normal way for that part of the hair.

Then add another set of highlights down below each side.

Lastly, to emphasize hair loss add small points to small clumps coming out of different hair parts.

Step 1 – Prepare Hair Design

Same with another example and start with a clean hairstyle drawing.

Step 2 – Color in the Hair

If you add more highlights, you can fully complement the hair colour. This will work if you paint digitally or have a white fix pen or paint.

Otherwise, you can just leave the highlights white and colour them around. If you do this, it may also help to start drawing them easily with a pencil.

For the shape and placement of the main points, see step four.

Step 3 – Add Shading

This particular example is easy to overshadow. As shown in the example above, do not simply add a few shadows running down the lower part of the pigtails. The remaining hair can be shaded in the same way as described in other examples.

Overall put shadows as follows:

On the forehead, hair running down the sides and hips of clumps
Under the lateral parts of the hair (and on the sides and under the hair follicles)
Along with short pigtails, as already mentioned

Step 4 – Add Outstanding

Draw highlights such as a series of thin lines and zigzags.

Set the main highlight running in the forehead area of the hair. Then add two more main points next to the paragraphs.

Finally, draw the last pair of the most beautiful objects on the top of each pigtail.

Conclusion

The process of applying anime hair is very simple. The Biggest Challenge is knowing where the shadows and exposed objects should be placed. This tutorial should give you a good idea of doing that in light conditioning situations with a few different hairstyles.

Special Keywords – How To Color and Shade Anime Hair, Anime Hair Male, How To Shade Anime Hair Digitally, How To Shade Anime Eyes

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