You can adjust the shape of the chin later after you draw the hair.

The exact shape of the outline will depend on the style of the hair you’re drawing. For straight long hair, draw a straight line on each side of the hair, running from the top of the hair to the ends. For wavy hair, use wavy lines to draw the sides of the hair—the bigger you make the wavy lines, the looser the hair waves will look. For curly hair, just draw the outlines of the curls around the top, sides, and ends of the hair. Don’t worry about drawing all of the individual curls yet.

If you’re drawing curly hair, the individual sections of hair will be really defined. Outline each of the curls within the hair.

For example, maybe the light is shining down on your figure, and the hair on the top of their head is reflecting the light. Look at the basic shape that this reflected light makes on the hair, and draw an outline of it in your drawing. The shape doesn’t need to be perfect. You’ll just use this as a reference later. The exact size and shape of the highlights will vary depending on the position and intensity of the light in your drawing. The more intense the light is, the bigger the highlights will be. Generally, highlights appear in thick, distinct sections, and the shapes flow in the same direction as the hair.

Use different grades of pencils if you have them. For example, you could use an 8B for the darkest shadows, a 6B for medium-range shadows, and a 4B for everything else. You’ll be able to create better contrast using a range of pencils.

Use a kneaded eraser to add more highlights if the hair starts to get too dark. Flatten the eraser and swipe the tip across the page to make thin, white strands in the hair. [7] X Research source

The right way to draw the outline will depend on the hairstyle. If the hair is longer on the top than on the sides, outline the shorter hair on the sides of the head so the tops of the outlines are in line with the parts in the hair. Then, draw the outline of the longer hair on top of the head. If you’re drawing short hair that’s the same length all around, just draw one connected outline since there won’t be any noticeable parts in the hair. If you’re drawing curly short hair, draw the outlines of the curls around the top and sides of the head, but don’t draw the individual curls within the hair yet.

For example, there may be a band-shaped highlight that wraps around the top of the hair near the roots. Or, if the light is shining on the front of your figure, there may be a lot of highlights scattered throughout the front of the hair. The exact shape and size of the highlights will depend on how strong the light is and where it’s positioned. The stronger and closer the light, the bigger the highlights will be.

Try using different grade pencils, like 8B, 6B, and 4B, to help you capture all of the different values in the hair. [13] X Research source

If you’re drawing textured, curly, or wavy hair, there will be more clusters of hair throughout the outline.

This part of the process will take the longest. Work on one piece of hair at a time so it’s easier to keep track of your progress.

To become better at drawing read plenty of books about art. Practice by doing sketching. [17] X Research source Find someone who can help you to develop an artist’s eye. [18] X Research source