Watercolor portrait painting tutorial - How to paint curly hair, by Vacabalo on YouTube. 30 min 50 s.
- Video length
- 30 min 50 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a reference photo with clear light and shadow on the curls. Sketch the head and hair outline lightly in pencil, keeping the hair mass as one shape.
Mix a light wash of warm brown. Paint the whole hair area, leaving the brightest highlights dry so the paper shows through.
While the wash is still damp, drop in a slightly darker brown along the shadow side and under the top curls. Let it dry fully.
Load a medium round brush with mid-brown and paint the main curl shapes. Follow the direction each curl turns, not straight lines.
Switch to a darker mix and a smaller brush. Add shadow where curls overlap and where hair meets the face and neck.
Use the rigger or fine brush to paint a few loose strands over the edges. Keep them thin and varied, not evenly spaced.
Deepen the darkest areas with a strong dark mix, but keep some light paper in the highlights. Step back to check the overall shape.
Soften any hard edges with a clean damp brush. Let the painting dry flat before you judge the final contrast.
Tips and common mistakes
Let each layer dry before adding the next, or the curls turn muddy.
Paint curls as groups of shapes rather than single hairs.
Keep the lightest highlights as bare paper, since white paint looks chalky.
Test dark mixes on scrap paper first so they stay transparent.
Questions
Do I need special brushes for curly hair?
No. A medium round brush does most of the work, and a rigger or fine brush helps with loose strands. A mop brush is handy for soft washes.
How do I stop the hair looking flat?
Build contrast in stages and keep strong darks next to your lightest paper highlights. Varying the warmth of your browns also adds depth.
Can I fix hair that got too dark?
Lift some color with a clean damp brush and blot with a paper towel. On cotton paper you can usually lighten small areas before they set.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
