How To Draw Manga Hair

In order to know how to draw manga hair, it is good to know first what hairstyle you would like to draw. Every hairstyle has its form or shape.

Observe people around you or see photos in magazines and notice how every hairstyle or every head has its personality.

It adds really much to “create-a-person-process” and its individuality.

That is why we spend such (long) time watching ourselves in mirror every morning…;-)

So, it would be better to alter the question on how to draw hair - to how to observe and perceive hairstyle.

To help you to figure out how to draw manga hair, the following series of pictures may give you a good suggestion on how to start.

Apart from the gender of your character, decide first what shape of the hair your character should have. Just draw a simple outer line of the shape that you want to give to your manga creature.

Let's Draw Manga Hair

I outlined the hairstyle-shape by red pencil in order to get clear image and be able to continue the drawing successfully.

Hair on human’s head is really just a large number of hair-chunks layered one over another, just like these above. Take a few minutes and practice these chunks of hair so that you will grasp just the right shape.

Place those chunks of hair on the outlined hairstyle. Keep the hairstyle on both sides of the head (right and left) possibly the same or similar in order to avoid unnecessary irregularities. Just play with it. Make as many mistakes as possible. When you are learning, mistakes come along with the learning process.

To make your picture (face) go live, draw also the rest of the face: eyes, nose and mouth. To give the picture a 3-dimensionality impression, add a little shade under the chin, draw the neck and voila, you have a cute girl looking at you.

Opposite image of the previous childish look let’s draw some calm, silent and slightly sad face of a young woman.

First step is similar like the previous one. Draw a slightly prolonged face and point out the hairstyle. Longer straight hair should fit well the image.

Add the neck with a shade under the chin. Shade can be on the right or left side, it does not really matter.

Now, draw the rest of the detail on the hair. Since this is rather clam type of manga hair, long lines of hair shall be emphasized.

Last step is: simply erase the line on the upper side of the forehead and you’re done. A young lady is ready!


Let’s draw now a young boy’s hair. Again, the sequence is the very same as above, just follow the process.

Give your creature good looking and happy eyes and a big smile.

Finally erase the face line on top of the forehead.

Well, as you see the process is very simple. It may not be very easy in the beginning so keep practicing.

Really draw on everything you have at hand, back of envelope, and tissue paper in restaurant, simply whatever. Then when you practiced enough (you will feel when it is enough), and the number of mistakes will dramatically decrease you can go and draw on nice white paper a couple of sketches you will be proud of.

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