Paint the hair

Painting portraits is a great hobby that gives a lot of pleasure to both the artist and the model. However, it is better for both of you if the texture, color and flow of the hair closely match the model. Follow these steps to get more realistic colors in your next portrait.

Before painting hair, you should always finish the rest of the face first. The color of the meat extends to the hairline. This is so that the color of the meat shows through and the hair does not look unnatural. Remember that hair is much more than a layer, therefore you should paint it in layers. There are also hundreds of shades of hair color. To keep it as simple as possible, try to base each portrait on blonde, brown (this includes red), black, or gray.

Underneath, paint the entire hair area with a very light mixture of one of these colors. These are called nuances. This bottom paint will actually be the highlight because as you work it won’t cover all of this. Notice where the dark or shaded areas are and paint them. Now use a darker color and start stroking the hair strands. Black is the opposite. Start with the darker ones as undertones, then add lighter layers. Continue until you are satisfied with the results. It is very easy to overdo the hair. Know when to stop!

These are the colors that you will use for any hair tone.. Remember to apply the shades first

Blonde (Reds) Titanium White, Medium Cadmium Yellow, (Alizarin Crimson)

Use Burnt Umber to darken blonde and red hair.

Titanium Brown White, Burnt Umber

Use cadmium red or ivory black for red or blackish tones

Black ivory black shades

Warm black – Ivory black and brown touch

Cool Black – Ivory Black and a touch of blue

Titanium gray white, ivory black for a gray tone

Warm gray – Ivory black and brown touch

Cool Gray – Ivory Black and a touch of blue

Start the first coat or shades with a very watery paint mix. Use a medium to large size brush because you are not painting details. Do not try to paint on individual hair strands at this stage. Start adding more paint color to your brush and add a few more layers. Pull the brush in the direction of hair flow. Use an eyeliner brush to add some indications of individual strands. Add deep pockets of color to really add depth to the portrait. I added a deep shadow on the side of the neck.

Congratulations! You should be on your way to being your own master portrait painter. As always, be sure to sign your box.