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Lots of different styles

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In this tutorial, we'll look at drawing multiple hairstyles that tend to be popular choices for natural, afro textured hair: afros, locs, braids, and twists. While these styles could potentially be worn by people with other hair types, we will primarily focus on Type 4 hair.

We'll take a stylistic approach in this tutorial. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list; there are a myriad of styles and options out there, and no two subjects are exactly alike. People come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors (as does their hair!). One of the best ways to observe a subject is to do just that: observe. When in doubt, look at properly sourced reference materials.

1. Hair Types

Step 1

"Type 4" generally refers to the Andre Walker Hair Typing System, a general classification system for identifying hair's attributes. It is not a flawless system, nor is it without valid criticisms, but we'll use it as a general starting point in this tutorial.

Type 4 is coily hair-or very tight curls-which are typically quite voluminous. Note, for example, the difference between a ponytail on Type 1 hair (straight) and Type 4 hair (coily). Denser curls or coils will typically result in volume that you would generally not see in straighter hair types.

Step 2

That said, It's important to keep the hair's volume in mind, when observing and visually experimenting with hairstyles. Note, for example, how the hair varies when parting Type 1 hair (straight) and Type 4 hair (coily). Changing the way the hair is sectioned on the head can redistribute its volume.

2. How to Draw Afro Hairstyles

Step 1

Let's begin by looking at afro inspired hairstyles. I have Type 4 hair myself, and it's my favorite style to wear!

Type 4 hair is generally separated into 4A, 4B, and 4C, but some people may have a combination of more than one type. Generally speaking, the scale relates to the density or tightness of the coils. This, then, often affects how the volume is distributed on the head. Again, people come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors-these are overall insights and not a representation of every person out there (as we all vary!).

Here are some basic contours that illustrate different ways the volume could be distributed on the skull, inspired by 4A, 4B, and 4C hair.

Step 2

Something I like to keep in mind, when drawing this hair type, is that the hair is coily (or curly). So, this generally isn't a time when I would use straight lines-as the hair isn't straight. Instead, varied contours will often make for a more organic aesthetic.

For more on drawing this hair type, I recommend checking out my How to Draw Natural, Afro Textured Hair tutorial.

Here's an example of how we could take those basic contours and add varied lines to begin to define the hair's shape.

Step 3

Now, let's explore some different ways afros can be styled.

These are examples, but by no means an exhaustive list. Again, note that when the hair is pulled back, volume is redistributed.

Here are some basic, initial contours that explore three different styles.

Now, use varied lines to further define the forms and create an organic look and feel.

3. How to Draw Locs

Step 1

Locs are beautiful, aren't they? Visually, they are typically defined as thick "locks" of hair, permanently bound in strands. That said, when drawing them, I like to approach them as a long, cylindrical shape.

In green, you'll see a long, cylindrical shape that has some variation to it. These are my initial contours, where I've explored the shape I want to draw. Then, I can draw details on top.

We won't be looking at value or color in this tutorial, but texture and other variations can still be implied with line. Again, I like to use varied, organic lines to establish a more natural look.

Step 2

So, when drawing an entire head of hair, I like to work in a series of layered, cylindrical shapes. In this case, I started at the hairline and continued to build upon it. It's important to think about how the lines move and flow on the skull.

This might sound a little silly, but I like to think about wrapping thick spaghetti around a round surface, like a bowling ball.

Step 3

Once I've blocked out how I'd like the hair to sit and flow on the head, I can begin to refine my work. Again, note the varied lines on the outer contours of the strands.

Then, personally, I like to add a little implied texture with line. Note the purple ovals here; they visually represent the depth of the loc. Notice how it visually implies the circumference, in comparison to the green line, which does not. The surface of the loc is not straight, so a curved line may be a better choice for defining depth and texture here.

Step 4

Let's try this with some variations. Below, I've blocked out some other ways one might wear locs.

Step 5

Once you're happy with where your shapes have been placed, you can refine your work with varied lines.

Step 6

And finally, line can be used to further establish volume and texture.

4. How to Draw Braids

Braids and locs have some visual similarities; both are generally cylinder-like, when thinking about basic shapes. There are many, many different ways that braids can be created and worn. Personally, I've worn braids both layered and flush against my scalp. The difference is exactly as they sound.

Step 1

In the first style, the hair is sectioned and braided in a layered fashion. This concept is similar to what we explored in the previous section of this tutorial.

I laid out some simple lines to decide how I'd like the hair to flow. A big difference here, in how I like to draw braids, is the outer contour of the braid. Personally, I like to draw them with a more uniform look.

Step 2

Braids themselves tend to have a pattern to them, as the hair is braided in a repetitive fashion. I like to draw braids via a series of swooping lines, as shown in purple. Then, I create the same kind of lines, in the opposite direction, as shown in blue.

I like to focus on the general texture and pattern that these lines create, when drawing this style with line.

Step 3

In some styles, the hair is sectioned, but braided in a way that conforms to the head. Styles like this come in a wide variety of patterns and beautiful, artistic interpretations. Note the visible scalp area.

Similarly to other styles, I like to start by blocking out basic shapes. Then, I can continue by creating a braid-like pattern on top, keeping the flow that I created in mind as I draw.

Step 4

Now, let's explore this further with some additional examples. Keep in mind that hair can also be partially braided!

Again, I started with basic contours that help establish what I want to draw, how the hair will be placed, and how it sits on the head.

Step 5

Then, using the same method of creating patterns, I followed my guidelines. Again, I don't like to focus too hard on geometric perfection in my personal, stylistic choices. Interpret this the way that works best for your artistic goals.

5. How to Draw Twists

Step 1

Let's also take a look at drawing two stranded twists. You'll notice similarities in the basic shapes here-again, I like to think about long, cylindrical shapes when I'm drawing. However, we'll work with a different pattern.

Instead of three braided strands, we're working with two twisted ones. The blue line illustrates how I would start the strand, and the pink illustrates how I would "close" it up.

Step 2

Keep in mind, however, that the way the hair sits on the head can vary! Let's try the same techniques, but with the hair layered on the head in a different way.

Again, I started by blocking out the forms (in green), and then added detail and pattern using the method described in blue and pink.

Step 3

So, when drawing this type of twist, I would recommend keeping the context of the other styles we've reviewed in mind. You will generally see similarities in layering and volume, but a difference in pattern.

Let's try this with some additional examples.

Again, start with basic contours and shapes. Think about how you'd like the strands to sit on the head.

Step 4

Then, you can refine your initial concept, keeping pattern and variation in mind, in a similar fashion to braids.

And There You Have It

We've explored multiple hairstyles that are often popular with Type 4 hair. Again, this is by no means "the end"-there are so many different ways hair can be styled! Hopefully, this tutorial provided you with some insight and inspiration to go draw and experiment with your own lovely looks.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, here are some others that might interest you! Happy drawing!

In this tutorial, you'll learn to draw a simple braid that consists of three elements, using just a couple of graphite pencils.

Afros are beautiful-and so is space! Let's put them together in this galaxy-inspired portrait tutorial for Adobe Photoshop.

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How to Draw Natural, Textured, Afro Hairstyles (Afros, Locs, Braids, Twists)

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In this tutorial, we'll look at drawing multiple hairstyles that tend to be popular choices for natural, afro textured hair: afros, locs, braids, and twists. While these styles could potentially be worn by people with other hair types, we will primarily focus on Type 4 hair. We'll take a stylistic approach in this tutorial.

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Gettin' Sketchy - Drawing an Elephant with Pencil - Season 4 Episode 7

This episode aired live on YouTube on July 14, 2021.

Grab your sketchbook and a soft pencil and let's get ready to sketch an elephant.

In this timed drawing exercise, we'll tackle drawing an elephant walking towards the viewer. This angle presents a few challenges. We can see that the animal is foreshortened and there is some awkward overlapping of the front leg and trunk. But these challenges are easily met through careful observation and visual comparisons. The real challenge here is the time constraint of just 45 minutes.

See also: Foreshortening

Here's a look at the completed drawing...

Laying Out the Drawing

Typically, I like to construct a drawing by stacking shapes. I look at the overall shape of the subject and visually break this shape down into simpler shapes. These shapes are loosely sketched with many lines as I try to find the larger shape. This approach, commonly referred to as "construction", allows me to work faster and with better accuracy.

See also: Drawing Basics - Construction

However, for some subjects and compositions, I prefer to work through the layout process by making pure observational comparisons. Usually, this is not a conscious decision, it just happens. In other words, I just "go with the flow" and do what feels natural.

This is the approach I took with the drawing of the elephant.

The drawing begins with a few simple measurements. First, a light line is drawn from the top of the head to the bottom of the elephant. This initial line helps to ensure that the drawing will fit within the picture plane.

From there, I drew a line for the width of the head, including the ears. I used the height of the elephant to measure this line against. So with just a couple of lines, I knew the height and width of my drawing.

Using these two lines as a starting point, I began building each section of the elephant from the top down, continually making visual comparisons.

Shading the Drawing of an Elephant

Shading is the process of developing the value within the drawing. Value, one of the seven elements of art, refers to the darkness or lightness of color. In nearly every situation, our goal should be to develop a full range of value within the scene. This means we should strive to include the darkest darks and the lightest lights.

Since the paper is white, we rely on the paper to influence the lighter values, while using our pencil to develop the dark tones.

As the value develops through shading, the texture is also addressed. Texture in a drawing is often developed through value. The relationships of the values inform the viewer of how light behaves on the surface. The relationships of values result in the illusion of texture in a drawing. There are other influences as well. The drawing medium and the surface texture of the paper also plays a role in the creating convincing texture.

In this case, our sketch subject - the elephant - features a textured skin so the value and the texture are developed concurrently. Due to the time constraint, the shading and texture are developed rather quickly.

Since speed was important, loose directional strokes were made during the shading process. By adjusting the amount of pressure placed on the pencil, middle and darker values were developed quickly. This approach is great for sketching, but for longer drawings, a slower approach may be better.

Below, you'll find another graphite pencil drawing of an elephant that I created for a Live Lesson series. In this lesson series, we worked on Stonehenge drawing paper (a higher quality paper that is 100% cotton). Instead of just one pencil, several different grades of graphite were used.

See also: Artists Graphite Pencils Explained

A slow, methodical approach to shading was taken. But just like our quick sketch here, the pressure placed on the pencil was adjusted in order to develop the textures and range of value.

See also: Pencil Shading Techniques

In contrast, this drawing took around 20 hours to complete...

Watch the full lesson series of the drawing here... Graphite Pencil Drawing of an Elephant Live Lesson Series

So it's important to note here that the level that you develop a drawing often happens during the stage in which you are developing the value. When more time is spent developing the value and texture, the result is usually a more realistic drawing. However, even with a quick sketch, we can still communicate the subject as long as there is a full range of value developed.

Materials Used For Drawing the Elephant

On the surface, the materials used in this sketch of an elephant are relatively simple. We only use a single pencil and white drawing paper. However, the specific paper and the pencil are important. In this case, the paper is 80 lb. white drawing paper that features a weak to medium tooth (texture). The pencil used is the Matte pencil by Blackwing. This pencil is soft like a 3B pencil but is not quite as shiny as traditional graphite, making it more closely related to a carbon pencil.

The Blackwing pencils are also smoother in feel compared to other brands of graphite pencils. This makes the marks made with this pencil a little more gratifying since the pencil seems to glide over the surface.

See also: Blackwing Pencil Review

Photo Reference

The photo reference for this drawing exercise comes from Pixabay.com. The image was slightly altered to include a white background. The values were enhanced and the contrast was adjusted. A cast shadow was added on the ground to the left using Photoshop.

Here's a look at the photo reference...

Drawing an Elephant with Pencil - Timed Drawing Exercise - Conclusion

Any drawing that we undertake will present challenges. The more challenges that we face, the more that we grow. Although this elephant sketch was completed in just 45 minutes, we were able to exercise the same "artistic muscles" we use when we create a longer, more developed drawing. Sketching is important and should be practiced often. Setting a time constraint gives us a starting and ending point. It gives us a window of practice so we're not overwhelmed.

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Drawing an Elephant with Pencil - Timed Drawing Exercise

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This episode aired live on YouTube on July 14, 2021. Grab your sketchbook and a soft pencil and let's get ready to sketch an elephant. In this timed drawing exercise, we'll tackle drawing an elephant walking towards the viewer. This angle presents a few challenges.

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You can do this.

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In this guide, I will demonstrate how I simplify the drawing process and I hope that by the end of it, you will be able to draw your favorite tree.

In order to draw realistic trees with pen and ink, it is important to pay attention to accuracy of the form (structure), and to learn how to create the illusion of brightness values and transitions with pens.

Bamboo

When looking at ANY tree, we examine its basic shapes.

It is a good practice to draw its simple shapes first:

Once we understand these simple shapes, we can use our artistic license and our knowledge to recreate it.

There is no point drawing every single leaf as we see it (when using a reference image as a guide).

Bamboo pen drawing

Banana Tree

For trees with big leaves, like a banana tree, first draw a study of the leaves from different angles.

Make sure there is no symmetry, and that each leaf is unique, for a realistic result.

You can use markers; they work well with pens.

Olive Tree Trunk

Look at some reference images, or actual trees, before drawing the tree trunk.

First, draw outlines to create the form (structure).

Next, add some guidelines and basic details.

Last step is texture drawing.

Focus mainly on brightness values, while drawing marks with shape and direction like the reference image.

Olive tree trunks pen drawing

Remember:

Each olive tree trunk has its own "personality", but all olive trees share common basic shapes.

With practice, it is quite easy to draw them from imagination.

How to Draw Leaves

Drawing leaves can be challenging. Understanding their structure and breaking the drawing process into steps, will produce a satisfying and realistic result.

Each tree leaf is in different direction, has a different degree of foreshortening and is overlapping other leaves.

Simply put, the form and texture of leaves is abstract and messy.

To draw that, we need to be sketchy and loose with our marks, and to avoid any pattern!

Next step is to pay attention to brightness values. That is how we create the illusion of volume. Meaning, three-dimensional and not flat.

To create that illusion, we scribble more lines for darker values and fewer lines for brighter values:

We also pay attention to leaves size, depending on the tree type and how distant it is from the observer.

For big leaves, we sketch big marks and vice versa:

While the treetop is messy, at its edges, we add some indication of leaves type and size.

Olive tree pen drawing

After understanding the characteristics of a specific tree (olive tree in this case), it is quite easy to draw it from imagination.

If some terms like foreshortening and overlapping are new to you, it is advisable to read my article on how to draw with a sense of depth. It has 15 proven methods to add depth to your drawing or painting.

Good to know:

Mostly, I use a pen with nib size 0.1. It is small enough to create fine details.

Photos & Contrast

When I am taking photos of a tree, I do it from several angles.

If possible, I circle the tree to get a photo from every angle.

I select a photo that has high contrast as my reference image.

Contrast between highlights and shadows is crucial for a drawing to stand out and to have presence.

Not enough contrast will lead to a flat drawing with no depth. Too much contrast will look cartoonish.

Olive tree drawing

Pine Trees

Important:

Before we dive into complex texturing and rendering, if you are a beginner, you might want to practice the next step.

Create any random tree shape, sketch some random marks to fill it up and then, draw more sketchy marks in one side and at the bottom of the tree.

This should not take more than 5 minutes! The advanced texture you will see after this example is just a matter of many hours of practice to refine the texture marks.

Pine trees are relatively easy to draw from imagination.

They have very small, needle-like leaves.

I like to start by gently drawing the form and then fill it with small, random marks that are NOT in any specific direction or with reoccurring shape.

Last step is to create more marks for darker areas, depending on the direction of light you choose.

Pine trees come in many types and shapes.

Looking at a reference image can help at the beginning, just as a guide to draw the form and to pay attention to dark and light areas.

Other than that, try to be loose and sketchy with your marks.

When drawing a close-up view, you can indicate the needle-like leaves at the edges of the tree.

Pine tree pen drawing

Snowy Pine Tree

A pen has only one brightness value. Therefore, we have to use different techniques to create the illusion of transitions in brightness values.

One technique (or style) is to use hatching. Hatching means drawing parallel lines.

By drawing lines with different degree of spacing between them (or with different line width), we can create an illusion of different brightness values.

Another method is to use cross-hatching.

Cross-hatching means drawing sets of parallel lines in different direction. The more cross-hatching sets we draw, the darker it will look for the observer.

We can use ANY pen for drawing. I prefer artist-grade technical pens (also fineliners). They create lines with fixed width and their ink is made of pigments and is very durable and lightfast.

For the snow part, we can leave it empty ("white") or we can use hatching in some areas.

In this example, I used some hatching and some marks with very light gray marker.

Snowy Pine tree

If you want to know more about markers, visit my markers review for artists.

Aspen & Birch Trees

Aspen & birch tree trunks are easy to draw when doing it in steps.

We draw the form first:

Then, we add some basic details:

Finally, we draw some brightness values and texture:

Birch & aspen tree trunks

We can use gray marker pens for coloring:

Overlapping

Overlapping means an object that partially covers another object.

When we see an object that overlaps another object, we assume that this object is in front of the object it covers.

Therefore, we use overlap to create the illusion of depth on a flat paper.

Overlapping trees

Because we cannot erase pen marks, we draw foreground objects first!

If we want to draw a house in front of a tree, we draw the house first:

We do the same for tree branches.

First, we draw the branch that overlaps a tree, then the tree trunk.

For trees that have a complex structure, with many branches, we can use a pencil to draw the basic shapes.

When we are happy with the result, we can draw with a pen, and gently erase the pencil marks.

Birch trees pen drawing

Transitions

Transitions are part of drawing (and painting) fundamentals. They exist everywhere!

For example, different areas of a flat plane will have different relationships with any light source, reflections and shadows.

Therefore, we always need to look for transitions (in brightness values) for our drawing to look realistic and natural.

First, look for light and dark areas.

Then, look for transitions within each area. Transitions from dark to light, from light to lighter and from dark to darker.

Oak tree pen drawing

By drawing with NO transitions (and using hard edges), we can create something that looks unnatural, as opposed to something realistic with transitions.

The same way a gardener trims bushes and trees, we can use our artistic license to create something that looks artificial or man-made:

Artistic license means to use our knowledge and experience.

Once we understand how to draw leaves, we can draw anything with leaves texture. Objects, figures, vehicles or even a refrigerator:

Good to know:

Transitions are not limited to brightness values. Transitions exist in colors, texture, edges & temperature (transition from warm colors to cool colors).

If you are struggling with realistic drawing, you might want to read my realistic pencil-drawing guide. It covers the 4 important fundamentals (accuracy of the form, brightness values, edges and transitions).

Weeping Willow

A weeping willow tree is a bit tricky to draw.

Its leaves are easy to draw at an up-close look. As we get farther away, we can see long clusters of leaves with no single leaf shape.

We can start by drawing an outline for the tree form. Do it gently.

Then, one way is to draw the treetop (crown), section by section.

Alternatively, like in this example, we can draw the dark values first.

Something to consider:

As mentioned above, a pen has one brightness value (usually black, though other colors exist).

By drawing gently and swiftly, with a sharp angle, we can produce lines that are less defined and therefore, with a lighter value.

Last step is to add the light values.

Pay attention to brightness values, transitions and texture. Be abstract with your marks, yet with a sense of direction.

Weeping Willow pen drawing

How to Draw Huge Trees

For some large trees, like Ficus, it is better to use a large paper sheet (A3 in this case).

If the tree is too complex to draw, we can draw a grid (softly with a pencil), to divide the paper into smaller sections (and use the same grid for our reference image).

Keep in mind:

Drawing on a large paper with pen (or pencil) is time-consuming. For a tree like this it can easily take more than 20 hours to complete.

Ficus tree pen drawing

Sometimes, huge drawings may not look so big on a small screen.

We can give it context by adding background trees (from imagination in this case).

Background drawing

Something to consider:

We use the rules of atmospheric perspective when drawing backgrounds (landscape).

When objects are far away, there are more atmosphere particles (that scatter light) between them and the observer.

For far away objects, we use less contrast and fewer details. In addition, background layers will become lighter and have soft edges.

Adding Background

Trees are beautiful on their own. Sometimes though, we want to add a background.

Drawing grass is a simple and easy solution for background.

Start by drawing some short lines. The lines in the front should be a bit bolder and longer.

Add more lines; some can be longer (mostly in the foreground).

Avoid any pattern and try to be abstract with your marks.

With a tree (eucalyptus in this case), grass (as background) will add depth.

There is no actual depth in a drawing, our paper sheet is flat. The higher we draw on our paper (until the horizon), the farther away it will look.

By drawing cast shadow by the tree, we add a sense of space to our drawing.

To draw cast shadow, add more marks (lines) for that area, to create the illusion of dark value.

Another option is to add some plants. For example, cattail plant (Typha).

Remember:

Natural plants and trees have an abstract shape. Make sure you do not draw them too round and uniform.

When drawing long leaves, pay attention to cast shadows:

After we test-draw the plant's parts, we can draw some loose outlines.

For realistic results, we draw each flower or leaf with different size, shape and direction (but, keep in mind the tree or plant characteristics).

Additionally, we pay attention to overlapping.

Then, we add some brightness values and cast shadows.

Cattail pen drawing

Size & Context

The way to define the size of objects is by placing them near other familiar objects.

Although a worm is usually quite small, by drawing it big compared to known objects like trees, it is possible to create a giant monstrous worm.

Giant worm

On the other hand, we might want to draw a small tree, like a bonsai tree.

In this case, we need context.

Drawing a tree in a plant pot can help, but sometimes even large trees are sold inside pots.

Drawing familiar surroundings, like a room, can help a lot in defining the bonsai's size.

Bonsai tree

Summary

While there are no lines in nature, pens can only create lines!

Drawing is creating an illusion. The world is three-dimensional but our paper-sheet is two-dimensional.

We create this illusion by paying attention to brightness values, edges and transitions (among other things).

A pen has only one brightness value, so, unlike other drawing mediums (graphite, charcoal, pastel...), we have to create the illusion of different brightness values and transitions.

When drawing trees, focus on accuracy of the form and on brightness values.

Accuracy in brightness values will create the illusion of depth and space.

Make sure you have enough contrast between highlights and shadows for the drawing to be noticeable.

After you master drawing the form and brightness values, details (texture) will make all the difference.

If you liked this article, you might like my flower pen-drawing guide too.

For my recommended pens that I used in this guide, visit my review for fineliners and technical pens for drawing.

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