Drawing hair seems easy enough at first, but it’s a discipline that challenges artists of every skill level. And no artistic style is exempt from its complexity; whether you draw photorealistically or paint loosely like the old Impressionists, hair’s unique properties can’t be ignored. Stray too far from its intrinsic characteristics (which even casual observers know all too well), and your subjects can quickly lose their natural and relatable feel. 

 That’s why, for any artist who’s keen on characters, learning how to draw different hairstyles is a skill you simply can’t overlook. And there’s no better way to start your path to mastery than by diving into helpful guides, following tutorials, and leveraging handcrafted brushes to give your digital coifs that extra touch of authenticity. 

We’ve curated a list of the most helpful how-to’s and best brushes for drawing any hairstyle, giving you a jump start on rendering characters that suit your style. 

How to Draw Hair (Anime Render) w/ Commentary

Even though anime hair is renowned for its gravity-defying effects—a Super Saiyan needs no hair gel to achieve their iconic look, after all—there’s still enormous diversity across the genre. This primer showcases the semi-cel-shaded style common in modern anime artwork, using a female character portrait to highlight different steps and techniques to achieve a sharp and engaging final result. The guide includes tips on how to draw, color, and polish anime hair for beginners and seasoned pros alike.

With this bundle, you’ll get:

• A 1 hour and 45-minute video tutorial with full commentary that guides you through a step-by-step hair drawing process
• High-resolution steps that demonstrate every technique in superb detail
• An ordered and layered PSD to help you follow along and understand the workflows
• A set of brushes used in the tutorial, which will allow you to continue using the techniques you learned

Draw Characters 108 Drawing Hair and Clothing

In this chapter of Scott Harris’s series on character design, the veteran illustrator walks you through a clear workflow for achieving limitless hairstyles. As an added bonus, Scott will demonstrate cloth dynamics in drawing, which allows you to create realistic folds and bends in clothing. This 6-lesson set encourages budding artists and provides tricks for veterans to grasp the underlying principles of dynamic and believable hair drawing. Check out Scott’s video introduction to this tutorial bundle to learn more!

You’ll discover these assets in the guide:

• A welcome PDF that kick-starts your introduction to drawing hair
• 6 video lessons that uncover in-depth techniques for rendering authentic hair and clothing
• A PDF with assignments to help you cement your newly learned skills

Hair Brushes for Procreate - Paint Realistic Hair

As one of the most popular platforms for digital painting, Procreate has many options for hair-focused brushes. But few of the options you’ll find showcase as much diversity, flexibility, and depth as this pack by Floortje Visser. The bundle contains 2 complete brush sets that will enable you to paint straight, loose, and curly hair effortlessly. You’ll also find brushes to create braids, which are a notoriously difficult subject to draw. These helpful tools will give you a leg up when mastering how to draw different hairstyles—especially those with braids!

The brush pack includes:

• Two complete brush sets with base, flowing, loose, and curly brushes, as well as braid brushes.

Photoshop Hair Brush Set

Italian artist Antonella, also known as Fantasy Universe, has created dozens of Photoshop brush sets for a variety of different styles, from manga to watercolor. These texture brushes are specifically designed for creating vibrant hair, and synergize beautifully with Fantasy Universe’s other tools. The gorgeous hair brushes effortlessly conjure flowing locks, soft fur, elegant eyebrows, lovely lashes, and thick beards with a delicate and natural-looking sheen. 

With this brush bundle, you’ll receive:

• One set of 31 hair texture brushes designed for Photoshop

20 Hair Brushes for High Realism

Award-winning artist Laura H. Rubin is known for her haunting portraiture, but she’s also cultivated a following as a teacher and creator of digital art tools. In this bundle of 20 stabilized brushes, the author behind “Of Strokes and Shades: The Secrets of Digital Art” shares her personal tools for achieving semi- and highly realistic hair. Perfect for both beginners and pros, the pack can deliver a diverse range of hair dynamics in Procreate.

The bundle includes:

• One set of 20 hair brushes designed for Procreate

Drawing Different Hairstyles With Cubebrush

Drawing hair in a way that feels polished and natural is no easy feat; it takes patience, experience, the right guidance, and a few tools purpose-built for the task. But, even if you’re just starting, the brushes and lessons we shared above will light your way to rendering breathtaking, beautiful hairstyles in no time. Already conquered how to draw different hairstyles? Your creative journey doesn’t stop there—nor is it one you have to walk alone! Join the community of artists, teachers, and creators at Cubebrush to continue down this learning path to continue honing your skills and broadening your horizons. 

Jump in, explore, and find the perfect tools or tutorials at Cubebrush to create your next masterpiece!