This tutorial illustrates how to draw anime and manga pilus with twelve step past pace drawings of common anime and manga hairstyles for a female graphic symbol.

Drawing Anime & Manga Hair

Anime hair different hairstyles drawing examples
Anime hair with dissimilar hairstyles cartoon examples

Anime hair is oftentimes based on existent hairstyles but tends to be drawn in clumps rather than individual strands. Ane adept reason for this is that if you are drawing multiple frames of animation or multiple panels of a manga it volition simply be too time consuming to describe anything overly detailed.

A adept arroyo to drawing anime hair is to separate it into several unlike parts such as the front, sides and back/tiptop (as will be shown for each hairstyle below).

For cartoon characters that can go along with these hairstyles run across:

How to Depict Anime Characters Tutorial

For more on drawing anime hair you tin can besides see:

  • How to Draw Anime Male person Hair Stride past Step
  • How to Draw Anime & Manga Male & Female person Pilus

Drawing Long Anime Hair

Anime long hair drawing breakdown
Anime long hair drawing breakdown

Long straight hair is probably 1 of the about mutual hairstyles in anime and is fairly easy to depict.

Above you tin can encounter the breakdown of the long pilus drawing instance into:

  • Ruddy – Front end Hair
  • Greenish – Side Hair
  • Blue – Back/Top Pilus

You lot can use a similar breakup to cartoon other hairstyles likewise. Thinking of the hair this fashion tin make the drawing process a lot easier to manage.

Keeping this in mind we can movement on to the actual drawing process.

Anime long hair step by step drawing
Anime long pilus footstep past step drawing

Step 1

Beginning by first making a drawing of the head and an indication of the hairline. While in this detail hairstyle the hairline is less important every bit information technology'southward full covered by the hair it can yet assist you better estimate the overall length and position of the front and side hair sections. Make the caput/hairline cartoon fairly low-cal so you can easily erase parts of it after.

Footstep 2

Depict the hair right over the peak of the head and hairline as in the example to a higher place.

For this particular hairstyle where the front end section of the pilus has been cut fairly short you tin can draw it in relatively small pointy clumps.

Make the "side hair" fairly long with information technology's overall shape slightly curved. You can also split it into several smaller clumps towards the ends.

Draw the pinnacle part o the "back hair" pretty much following the shape of the caput (a chip of a altitude abroad from it) then widening until it's finally hidden backside the shoulders.

Stride 3

Erase the parts of the head hidden by the hair and add a few lines to show the inner folds of the front and back hair. You will generally want to position these folds in between the hair clumps equally that is where these volition ordinarily tend to form in real pilus.

Stride iv

Next add some folds in the "dorsum hair" to give a scrap more definition of information technology's shape too then that it does not only look similar a flat cut out.

You tin also add some bones shading to make the hair stand out a footling bit more than once you finish the line drawing.

Drawing Brusk Anime Pilus

Anime short hair drawing breakdown
Anime short hair cartoon breakdown

The short hair cartoon case to a higher place is adequately similar to the long hair with the hair once again cleaved down into three basic parts of forepart, sides and back.

The actual breakdown of the drawing procedure can be as follows:

Anime short hair step by step drawing
Anime short hair step by step cartoon

Footstep 1

Over again kickoff the short hair drawing with the caput and hairline. Same as the previous example the hairline will not be as of import hither as information technology is in other hair styles but can still be helpful.

Footstep two

Notwithstanding again very similar to the long pilus draw the "front end pilus" section with a set of small clumps. For this particular example the hair will be a bit more messy so the clumps volition bend more than in different directions. If y'all desire neater looking hair y'all can describe them the aforementioned equally the first example.

Pace iii

Same as earlier erase whatever parts of the head subconscious by the pilus and depict the bottom portion of the dorsum hair. Generally it's a good idea to leave this section of the hair for the concluding part of the line drawing as in the front view of the head information technology volition be in the back backside most of the other parts of the hair. If you attempt and draw it first you without the other hair to sort of "frame" its position you will probably end up with some overlapping lines and accept to do actress erasing.

Step 4

Add together the inner fords (just ane in this case) and if you like, some bones shading.

Drawing Trimmed Anime Hair (Hime Cutting)

Anime hime cut hair drawing breakdown
Anime "Hime Cut" pilus drawing breakdown

For trimmed hair draw the hair dodder with flat ends that look similar they've been cutting off by sissors.

For a neat look the different hair clumps should generally be drawn pointing in the aforementioned direction equally the clumps next to them and any shifts in management should be gradual.

Anime hime cut hair step by step drawing
Anime "Hime Cut" hair step past step drawing

Step 1

Start by drawing the hair and indicating the hairline. For the "Hime Cutting" the hairline will again be covered by the hair.

Footstep 2

For the initial cartoon of the bodily hair you can start with the sides followed by the back. Yous can indicate the front end section of the hair with just one line.

Step 3

Now depict in some small splits into the front and side parts of of the hair to make them look more natural. Erase the line in between the splits when you are done. You tin too erase any parts of the head that are covered past the pilus.

Step 4

Finally over again similar to the first example add some lines to the pilus in the back to show information technology'due south diverse inner folds. Try and draw these with fairly random spacing and slightly varying curves. If you infinite everything evenly and make all the curves trace 1 another likewise closely the hair will non look very natural.

Drawing Long Messy Anime Pilus

Anime long messy hair drawing breakdown
Anime long messy hair cartoon breakdown

The long messy hair is somewhat similar to the get-go example simply with some extra hair clumps. Again information technology tin be divided up into three parts similar all the other examples then far.

Draw the long messy hair equally follows:

Anime messy hair step by step drawing
Anime messy hair stride by stride drawing

Step 1

Every bit the other examples start by commencement drawing the head and hairline. Drawing the hairline volition help you make sure that none of the splits betwixt the hair clumps for the "forepart hair" get also far up.

Step ii

To make the hair look more messy draw the forepart hair clumps pointing into unlike directions and of varying shapes and curves. You can draw some that are wavy and some that juts curve in one direction.

Draw the very middle portion of these clumps reaching farther downward. You tin do the aforementioned with the outer clumps on the sides of the front section. This volition again requite more of an impression of hair that has non been well groomed.

Stride three

Now draw in some boosted hair clumps randomly sticking out of the back sections of the hair. This will make the otherwise neat looking back hair look messy as well. You lot tin can likewise add a pair (or more than) clumps to the inner parts of the "side hair". You can either erase the outlines of the hair where you want to draw these or add them and erase the overlapping outline afterward. Adjacent you can add in some split lines in betwixt the pilus clumps same as some of the other examples. To stop the line drawing again erase the parts of the face and caput that are covered by the hair afterward.

Step iv

Equally this example too has long dorsum hair you lot can again draw in some of information technology'due south inner folds to make that section look more similar bodily hair. You lot can also make them a bit more than wavy than the other examples to again make the hair await more messy.

Drawing Anime Pony Tail /Tied Back Hair

Anime pony tail hair drawing breakdown
Anime pony tail pilus drawing breakdown

Some other fairly common anime hairstyle is the ponytail. Y'all will notice that at that place is basically no side hair in this particular example (other than the tiny bits of the hairline on the sides). So the hair tin can pretty much but be splits into the forepart and back sections. The dorsum consisting of the hair over the top of the head and the pony tail.

Draw this blazon of hair equally follows:

Anime ponytail hair step by step drawing
Anime ponytail hair step past step drawing

Step 1

Describe the head and point the hairline which for this hairstyle is slightly more than of import than the previous examples as some of information technology volition exist visible in the terminal cartoon equally already shown.

Footstep 2

You lot tin can pretty much frame the front pilus for this hairstyle with just iii curves. Ii for the sides and one for the bottom. As mentioned in that location is very little side pilus in this instance as the hair is pulled back revealing parts of the hairline.

Draw the back hair just slightly over peak of the head somewhen merging into the sides.

Though ordinarily pony tails will face up straight backwards for anime pilus y'all can depict it slightly more to one side and so that it'southward shape is more visible. Otherwise the pony tail can only look like a bump on the caput. You lot can draw the pony tail with a sort of question mark like shape. Y'all can also add a small split at the cease.

Step 3

Same as for the "Hime Cut" draw in some small splits into the front section of the hair and erase parts of the bottom line of the "front end hair" to brand spaces in between them. Too erase the parts of the caput hidden by the hair.

Step 4

Y'all tin can again requite the hair some low-cal shading if yous like. You tin also optionally draw in a few more lines into the pilus to brand it expect a piffling more split upwardly than the "Hime Cut" which tends to have more dense "front end hair".

Drawing Anime Hair Over One Middle

Anime hair over one eye drawing
Anime hair over one eye cartoon

For the hairstyle with pilus over i middle y'all can yet again split the hair into the front end, sides and back. In this manner the front section of the hair volition be fairly large and sort of merge into the "side hair" adjacent to the covered eye.

Anime hair over one eye step by step drawing
Anime hair over ane centre step by step drawing

Stride 1

Draw the head and the hairline same as the other examples.

Step two

For this particular hairstyle draw the front end hair clumps going far enough downwardly the face to fully cover ane centre. For the "side pilus" y'all tin can draw the section on the side of the covered middle somewhat blending into the front end hair.

Draw the dorsum hair split into tow curves that pretty much hug the shape of the head as they go down somewhen sticking out in clumps to each side.

Step 3

For the very bottom section of the front hair describe a few small clumps sticking out around the height of the neck area. Erase whatever overlapping lines from the caput that should be subconscious by the hair when y'all are done.

Step 4

To wrap upwardly the drawing you tin once more add a few lines to prove some splits and curves of the hair going from between the hair clumps.

Drawing Anime Pigtails

Anime pigtails hair drawing breakdown
Anime pigtails hair drawing breakdown

The pigtails are another very mutual style of anime pilus. Same as the ponytail example you tin run across that this particular drawing tin pretty much exist cleaved down into the front and dorsum section of the hair. With the "dorsum hair" separate into the hair covering the head and the pigtails. There are really only tiny bits of bodily "side hair".

Anime pigtails hair step by step drawing
Anime pigtails hair step by step drawing

Step i

Draw the caput and the hairline. In this example a large section of the hairline will be visible in the last drawing. It will besides help the states place the forepart department of the hair.

Pace two

Though about of the hair in this detail instance will exist pulled back yous tin draw some clumps for the front department of the pilus to just one side to make the hairstyle look a picayune bit more than interesting.

Every bit already mentioned at that place will pretty much be no side hair other than the tiny bits around the meridian of the ears. Draw the top/back section of the hair blending into that side hair.

For the actual pigtails describe them similar to the "Ponytail" example vaguely resembling ii questions marks in their overall shape with one being flipped over.

Step 3

At present add some random hair clumps sticking out from the pigtails to make them look a fiddling more interesting and erase any overlapping lines that this creates. Besides erase the outline of the head where information technology'southward subconscious by the hair.

Step 4

Add a few more lines to bespeak some folds in the hair to the pigtails and optionally some shading.

Cartoon Neatly Combed Anime Hair

Anime neatly combed hair drawing
Anime neatly combed hair cartoon

This hairstyle tin can again be split into three parts with the front, side and back hair. The front section of the hair even so is a little different from the previous examples.

Anime combed hair step by step drawing
Anime combed pilus pace by step drawing

Step one

Draw the head and hairline. The hairline in this case volition be specially useful for placing the front role of the hair.

Step 2

Describe the side sections of the hair with steady cures somewhat hugging the shape of the face up. Roughly from the middle of the hairline depict 2 curves going downwardly towards the "side hair".

This volition exist the "forepart hair" tucked underneath the sides which will be combed downwardly over tiptop of it. Draw the back hair with a fairly obvious split in the middle with two curves going in each direction. This will help show that the hair has sort of been neatly combed to each side.

Step three

Add together some small hair clumps for the bottom groundwork hair.

Footstep 4

Finally you can add a little clump of pilus hanging downwardly from the centre of the front section of the hair. As sometimes the hair in that area volition be to short to exist tucked under the sides and part's of it may hang down. This will make the hairstyle wait a lilliputian more than natural and interesting. Finally add some fold lines to the front sections of the hair going to the sides to help show that the pilus is tucked underneath there.

Drawing Curly Anime Hair

Anime curly hair drawing breakdown
Anime curly hair drawing breakdown

Curly pilus is probably the most challenging anime hairstyles to draw. This particular hairstyle can again be split into the front sides and back with the front end hair beingness similar to the previous example.

Anime curly hair step by step drawing
Anime curly hair step by step cartoon

Step 1

Offset the cartoon the the head and hairline sketch.

Stride ii

From the hairline depict two lines going towards the sides of the caput to indicate the forepart hair. To testify that the pilus is curly you tin can draw these lines in low-cal waves.

The "side hair in this example will be completely curled. You can get-go draw some lines at the base of the curves to betoken the volume of the hair that will and then transition into the sort of "spires" of hair beneath.

To describe the actual curls first draw the parts of them that are in the foreground. You lot tin can sort of think of them as a cone that's been sliced on an angle and pulled apart.

Pace 3

At present erase any parts of the caput hidden by the hair to avoid confusion and add the groundwork lines of the hair curls. You lot can retrieve of these every bit the forepart parts filled over.

Finally you can draw some splits at the cease of each curl.

Footstep 4

For the final stride you tin depict a little squiggle of hair hanging downwards from the middle of the front section and add some lines to the lesser of the background hair to bespeak some inner folds. Make these lines more wavy than in the previous examples to evidence that the hair is curly.

Drawing Anime Hair Buns

Anime hair buns drawing breakdown
Anime pilus buns drawing breakdown

The hair bun's are somewhat more rare merely still popular fashion of anime hair. This style can too be split into the front, side and back hair.

You can draw the hair buns hairstyle as described beneath:

Anime hair buns step by step drawing
Anime hair buns pace by footstep drawing

Step 1

Once once more starting time the cartoon with the caput and hairline.

Step 2

Draw the "front end pilus" in small clumps pointing towards the centre of the face and the sides aforementioned as most of the other examples.

Draw the "side pilus" with light curves somewhat "hugging" the face.

Make the "dorsum hair" pretty much curve around the shape of the head.

Finally draw the actual hair buns with somewhat of an oval shape for each with role of it hidden behind the "back hair".

Step 3

For this step merely erase the parts of the head that are hidden past the pilus

Step 4

Describe some o the inner curves of the pilus bun. Y'all can pretty much depict these at random but try and somewhat follow the outer bend of the bun with at to the lowest degree a few lines. This will assist create that sort of "ball of yarn" wait that hair buns tend to take.

Drawing Short Messy Anime Pilus

Anime short messy hair drawing breakdown
Anime short messy hair drawing breakdown

The short messy hair is again easy to carve up into the front, side, and back sections.

You tin draw it in the following steps:

Anime short messy hair step by step drawing
Anime short messy hair footstep past step drawing

Stride 1

Same as other examples depict the caput and hairline to get-go.

Step two

Depict the front section of the hair with the outer clumps sticking out to the sides instead of resting on the forehead like near other examples.

Add the side sections with the splits at the ends sticking out in opposite directions.

Draw the background hair with a slightly split up to one side and the two curves that come out of it somewhen transitioning into hair clumps on each side of the head.

Stride 3

Now add a pair of wavy clumps to the upper split are of the background hair and another pair of clumps to the inner areas of the "side hair". Erase the parts of the hair where you add together the clumps and erase any parts of the caput/face lines covered by the hair.

Step 4

Add the bottom portion of the background hair drawing in small clumps pretty much the same as the other shorter hair examples in this tutorial.

Cartoon Curt/Depression Anime Pigtails

Anime short low pigtails drawing breakdown
Anime short low pigtails drawing breakup

For the final example of anime hair in this tutorial nosotros have the short/depression pigtails. As nearly other examples in this tutorial these can again be divide into the sides, front and back/top hair.

Draw this particular hairstyle as follows:

Anime short low pigtails hair step by step drawing
Anime curt low pigtails hair stride by step drawing

Step 1

Start past cartoon the head and hairline as all the other examples.

Step 2

Add the forepart section of the pilus first every bit in this example information technology will be sticking out a footling more to the sides overlapping the side sections. Draw the "forepart hair splitting into adequately small clumps and exercise the same for the ends of the "side pilus".

Make the "back hair" pretty much following the shape of the caput.

Finally add together the pigtails at the lesser of the head with small splits at their ends.

Stride 3

Clean upwards the drawing past erasing the parts of the head hidden past the hair.

Stride four

Add some lines to show the heads inner curves and fold. In this instance merely ane for the forepart hair clump.

Pilus Highlights

Hair highlights tin actually brand pilus stand out fifty-fifty without any boosted circuitous shading and are adequately like shooting fish in a barrel to add.

For drawing them check out:

Different Ways to Draw Anime Hair Highlights

Conclusion

When drawing hair it can be very helpful to organize it into separate sections. Non merely will this assistance you get a better grip on how to depict it just it volition besides allow you to more easily modify the hairstyle by changing its various parts. For more hairstyles you can experiment past mixing different parts of the front, side, and back sections of the pilus in this tutorial or by adding entirely new designs.

For shading these hairstyles meet:

How to Shade Anime Hair Pace by Step

For more on drawing anime and manga style hair run across:

  • How to Draw Anime Hair Blowing in Different Directions
  • How to Describe Anime Hair in 3/iv View Step by Footstep
  • How to Depict Wet Anime Hair Step by Step

If you would like to learn how to draw the head with all of the facial features check out the:

How to Draw an Anime Girl's Caput and Face

For drawing hats and head ware see:

How to Draw Anime Hats & Head Ware

This tutorial has been almost completely redone and updated with new art but you can see the old examples below.

examples of how to draw anime and manga hair
Examples of how to draw Anime and Manga pilus