If you’re looking for girl hair drawing ideas and references, I have a collection that will help you practice drawing hair. Drawing hair from references is a great practice that will eventually lead to you being able to draw from your imagination.
Remember, when you first start drawing hair, you’ll want to draw the hair volume around the head first. That’s because hair doesn’t lie flat on the scalp.
As your drawing develops, make sure you consider whether the character will have straight hair, curly hair, bangs, etc., and draw your lines accordingly.
Drawing your lines early on will allow you to see the hairstyle more clearly. I’ve tried to include a variety of hairstyles for you to practice, such as straight hair, curly hair, and even braids.
Girl Hair Drawing Ideas and References
Check out these 22 women’s hair drawing ideas and references for inspiration for drawing hair.
1. Side Braid
This is one of my favorite hair sketches. This girl has a really cute side braid. If you want to practice drawing braids, this is a great picture to use as a reference.
2. Floral Wreath
This picture shows how a floral wreath would look from behind. I like how the hair naturally flows down to a point at the mid-back area.
3. Long Braid
Here’s another braid reference, but this is a long braid that goes straight down the back. Notice how the hair is tied at the end with a natural hang past the tie-off area.
4. Straight Hair
This drawing is of a woman with straight medium length hair. This reference is great for anyone who wants to quickly practice drawing hair.
How to Draw Realistic Hair Part 1
In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw realistic hair. This is a beginner-level tutorial that anyone can follow along with. We will be using pencil and paper for this tutorial.
Step 1: Start by sketching out the basic shape of the head. Next, add in the facial features. Then, begin sketching out the hairline.
Step 2: Once you have the basic shape of the head and hairline sketched out, you can start to fill in the details. Start by drawing in the individual strands of hair. Make sure to vary the thickness and direction of the strands.
5. Top Knot
I love how top knots look in drawings, but I sometimes have a hard time making them look realistic. I love how the hair is flowing with this top knot bun.
6. Wedding Hair
I called this wedding hair because I think this is a classic hairstyle that’s used for weddings. It’s clear that the artist who drew this is extremely talented.
7. Six Styles
These simple drawings offer you six different hairstyles to choose from. You can draw one of these styles, or all of them for practice.
8. Step-by-Step Hairstyles
I love this drawing because it has three step-by-step tutorials to try out. The artist shows us how to draw each hairstyle in four steps. This is perfect for beginners.
How to Draw Realistic Hair Part 2
Step 3: To add more realism to your drawing, start to shade in some of the darker areas. This will give the hair more dimension and make it look more realistic.
Step 4: Now that you have the basic shape and shading of the hair completed, you can start to add in some highlights. Use a lighter pencil to draw in some thinner strands of hair. You can also add some light shadows to create even more depth.
Step 5: Continue to work on your drawing until you are happy with the results. Remember to take your time and consult reference photos if needed. With practice, you will be able to draw realistic hair with ease.
9. Ponytail with Headphones
This is some original to try out. This picture is of a girl with a long ponytail and headphones. I love how the hair looks in this drawing. It’s so realistic.
10. Two Braided Buns
Here’s a unique style that’s perfect for anyone looking for a bit of a challenge. I’m loving how realistic this style is. Look at the shading, texture, and more involved in creating this look.
11. Elegant Bun
This hairstyle is so elegant and filled with so much detail. From the pulled-out pieces of hair to the texture used for the ponytail, this is all very realistic. What a wonderful drawing.
12. Messy Bun
This messy bun is so cute and would be perfect to use as a reference for drawing hair. You can also use this as a reference for drawing hair from a top angle.
Advice for Drawing Curly Hair Part 1
Drawing curly hair can be challenging, but it can also be a lot of fun. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your experience:
1. Start with the basics: Before you start adding all the intricate details, make sure you have the basic shape of the hair down. This will give you a good foundation to work from.
2. Use reference images: Curly hair is notoriously difficult to capture on paper, so it’s helpful to have some reference photos to work from. Find some pictures of people with curly hair that you like, and use them as a starting point for your drawings.
13. Simple Sketches
This drawing is filled with 18 sketches of different hairstyles. I like this because these styles look great and are great for beginners to try their hands at.
14. Red Bun
This drawing is of red hair with a slightly messy bun. The artist did such a great job with the overall hairstyle as well as the hairline. I love how they have included the colors used to get the hair color.
15. Elegant Low Bun
Practice drawing hair by trying out this elegant low bun. The artist did a great job of drawing the texture of the hair.
Advice for Drawing Curly Hair Part 2
3. Experiment with different tools and techniques. There is no one right way to draw curly hair. So don’t be afraid to experiment with different tools and techniques until you find something that works for you. Pencils, charcoal, and even markers can all be used to create beautiful curly hair illustrations.
4. Have patience. Drawing curly hair can be tricky, so it’s important to have patience and take your time. If you get frustrated, take a break and come back to it later. With a little practice, you’ll be drawing gorgeous curly locks in no time.
16. Pink Hair
I love the drawings of colored hairstyles. This style is so bright and unique. If you want to practice using color on your hair drawings, you should definitely use this for reference.
17. Low Fancy Bun
I call this a fancy bun because it looks so fancy and elegant to me. If you want to practice hairstyles aside from the straight ponytail or another straight style, give this one a try.
18. Blue Hair
This drawing shows you which color was used to create the overall look. I think this is such a great idea because it lets artists know how to use colors to give the hair a realistic appearance.
19. Realistic Hair
This hair is super realistic when it comes to the style, shading, etc. This is definitely an advanced hair look, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants the challenge.
Advice for Drawing Frizzy Hair
If you’re stuck on how to draw frizzy hair, there are a few things you can keep in mind.
First, take a look at the overall shape of the hair. When frizzy hair dries, it tends to puff up and become more voluminous. So when you’re drawing frizzy hair, make sure to give it plenty of body and volume.
Another thing to keep in mind is the texture of the hair. Frizzy hair is usually pretty dry and rough, so don’t be afraid to add some imperfections to your drawing.
Finally, remember that frizzy hair is often unpredictable, so have fun with it. Allow your pencil strokes to be wild and carefree, and don’t worry too much about getting everything perfect. With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way to creating some amazing frizzy-haired characters.
20. Nine Hairstyles
I’m loving this collection of nine different hairstyles for women. Not only are these hairstyles so cute, but they’re also modern, and there’s a hairstyle for every occasion.
21. Hair Tutorials
Here we have a wide variety of hair tutorials. This artist gives plenty of notes on how to draw hair such as how to draw it from different angles, tips for hairlines, etc.
22. Eight Hair Styles
This drawing has eight different hairstyles for you to practice. There are short, long, and medium hairstyles for you to choose from when doing your drawings.
23. Locs
While the drawings are of a man, a woman can also look great with these loc styles. There’s even the addition of a hair scarf in one of the styles. I love these loc updos.
Advice for Drawing Hair with Colored Pencils
One of the most challenging aspects of drawing with colored pencils is getting the right shade and texture for the hair. With so many different colors and shades to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. However, there are a few basic tips that can help you get started.
First, it is important to choose a light color for the highlights and a dark color for the shadows. This will help to create depth and dimension in your drawing.
Next, experiment with different strokes to create texture. For example, try using short, sharp strokes for straight hair, or longer, softer strokes for wavy hair.
Finally, don’t be afraid to mix and match colors until you find the perfect combination. By following these simple tips, you will be well on your way to creating beautiful hair drawings.
24. Braided Red Hair
This drawing is of a woman with long red hair that’s been put into two braids. There’s also the addition of the puffing up of the hair right after the braid. This is definitely a creative hairstyle.
25. Short, Medium, and Long
This hair reference has two short hairstyles, two medium hairstyles, and two long hairstyles. These hairstyles look amazing and would be so fun to draw.
26. Curly Hair
This drawing actually gives a few tips for drawing realistic hair. They’re showing how to draw texture, highlights, shadows, and incorporate halftone.
27. Long Wavy Hair
Here’s another hairstyle that looks like a classy wedding hairstyle. Again, this artist is just so talented when it comes to drawing realistic hair.
28. Long Hair and Starbucks
Okay, I have to admit, I have no idea how this artist made it look like the hair is wrapped around the fingers. This is definitely a lovely photo and it would be fun to learn this technique.
29. Character Hair
Here are some simple sketches of character hairstyles. There are Disney characters like Snow White and Ariel. As well as classic characters like Marge Simpson and Pippi Longstocking.
30. Disney Princesses
If you’re a fan of Disney and Disney princesses, I think that it would be so fun to draw some of these hairstyles. This is a great reference for practicing your hair shading.
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