How to Draw Black Hair Using Only Plain Colors

Learning how to draw black hair can be useful if you want to create amazing cartoon characters. Tons of hairstyles are available to choose from and it's important to illustrate all of them properly. In this lesson, I will show you how to sketch a female version made from basic shapes and plain colors.

This hairstyle is mostly made from short curved lines. I also like the fact that the result is not symmetrical nor perfectly identical on both sides. Let's see how we can end up with a character like the one above in just eight easy steps.

Sketching the silhouette of the head

First, you can start this lesson by sketching the silhouette of the face. Notice how curved lines are used for this step. The chin is round and soft while the jaw is a little bit narrower. We can also add the neck to make the character more appealing. The rest of the body is not needed since this lesson is focusing on a particular hairstyle.

working on the hairstyle using short curved lines

It's time to draw some hairs using tons of short curved lines. Make sure to use lines that are created using various length. The left side and the right side of the head are also slightly different. More lines are needed above the forehead to complete this step.

adding more details to create more volume

A few additional lines can be drawn inside the hairstyle to create more volume. These lines might seem a little useless for now, but you will see why they are important later in this tutorial. More hairs can be drawn on the forehead too.

drawing the eyes, the nose and the mouth

Although this lesson is focusing on a unique hairstyle, it can be a good idea to draw the facial expression of the cartoon character to make this one more enjoyable. We don't need to sketch tons of details, only the most important body parts can be sketched.

First, add the eyes and the pupils using perfect circles. On top of the eyes, add large eyebrows as shown below. The nose is made from a single broken line. For the mouth, four different curved lines are needed. Great work! This lesson on how to draw black hair is progressing nicely. :)

It's time to add some colors

Inside the head, add plain colors to bring this character to life. Although we are working with black hair, you can use a very dark brown color for this lesson. It will be easier to read that way. The skin is dark and the mouth and eyebrows are slightly darker. The pupils are also brown.

sketching brighter elements to add more depth

You can draw smaller shapes inside the hairstyle to create a little bit more depth. These new elements can be brighter. Add these reflections near the small curved lines added around and inside the hairstyle. Small circular shapes were also used to complete the effect. You can see the new shapes below (surrounded by a temporary blue line).

adding subtle shadows on the face

More simple shadows can be drawn inside the cartoon character to create more volume. You can draw these new elements under the eyebrows, around the eyes, below the nose and under the mouth. Another simple shadow is used to separate the neck from the head.

Nice work! this lesson on how to draw black hair is over!

Now that all shapes, lines and effects are added, you can see the final result below. Don't hesitate to create more variations using different lines, styles and designs. Creating these small reflections really make the image visually more appealing.

If you need more assistance to draw this unique hairstyle, then you can use the image below as a reference. This one includes all eight steps required to learn how to draw black hair quickly and easily.

Nice work! You can also learn how to draw more body parts using these additional lessons below. Don't forget to practice on a daily basis. It's the key to becoming better at drawing. :)