Please Don’t Draw Hair One Strand at a Time.

3 Patterns That Ruin Your Hair Drawings

Author

brooks kim
March 03, 2026

Many artists struggle with hair.

Not because it’s complex.
But because they start in the wrong place.

When I look closely at awkward hair drawings,
I almost always see one of these three patterns.

1. The Solid Mass

The shape is there.
The volume works.

But everything feels stiff —
like molded plastic.

Hair should flow.
Not sit like a helmet.

The form exists, but the surface feels rigid. There’s volume, but no movement.

2. Detail Too Early

Strands are added
before the main flow is established.

Lines increase.
Clarity does not.

Thin strokes repeat,
and the overall tone becomes harder to control.

Strands are drawn before structure. The effort increases, but the hierarchy is unclear.

3. Separated Clumps

Breaking hair into sections is good.

But when each section is finished independently,
they stop relating to each other.

Each clump carries its own shadow and texture.
The drawing becomes fragmented.

📍 Insert Image Here – Disconnected Clumps Example

Each mass is rendered well, but they don’t connect into a unified flow.

The issue isn’t skill.

It’s sequence.

The Order That Actually Works

1. Shape First

Establish the silhouette and the major direction.

Hair is a form
before it is strands.

Control the boundary.
Think flow.

Start with silhouette and movement. No strands yet — only structure.

2. Value Second

Group light and shadow.

Hair is not a collection of lines.
It is a collection of planes.

Build tones gradually.
Don’t jump to the darkest value.

📍 Insert Step 2 Image – Value Stage

Organize the masses through light and shadow. Think in planes, not strands.

3. Strands Last

Now — and only now — add strands.

But not all of them.

You don’t draw every blade of grass.
You suggest.

A few representative lines
define the texture.

Add selective strands to describe texture. Detail follows hierarchy.

Shape → Value → Detail.

Change the order,
and hair becomes manageable.

This entire demonstration was drawn using my Pencil Sketch Brush Set.

I designed it to control edge variation and subtle value shifts —
especially useful for hair, where line weight and density matter.

If you’re interested, you can check it here:
👉 Pencil Brush Set: https://9brookskim.gumroad.com/l/qrzmk

I also share shorter drawing notes and process clips on Threads.

Visit here:
👉 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@9brookskim

See you in the next topic.