How to Paint Realistic Hair

I used to struggle with painting hair. I decided to study others, such as and a few others on various sites. In the end, I decided to forget what others taught me and try it my own way. This may have a resemblance to Rachel Tallamy, however I have developed my own way of doing things. If you wish to see her tutorial, click here. She uses the burn tool, which I avoid by finding very dark colors and applying them first. You will see as the tutorial progresses.

I use Photoshop CS 6 for this. I also own Corel Painter 12, and using the airbrush settings will help you use this tutorial. Be sure to set the brush tracking with your drawing tablet, which is in Edit > Preferences. You can use older CS versions of Photoshop with this tutorial. If there are differences, just note me.

The great thing about this method is you can apply it to any shape. Paint whatever shape you desire: up-do, down, curly, straight. If you have the mindset that "It doesn't matter," the shape won't phase you. When I attack a painting project, I view it one spot at a time. I zoom in and paint. I consider the light source, but I don't overwhelm myself. Just take your time and let your painting develop.

You can do it!