Vectoring hair in portraits is usually a time-consuming course of and is typically tough to grasp in a brief house of time. Just a few years again, I needed to assist remedy this subject by making a set of brushes in Adobe Illustrator. Since then, they’ve change into the third best-selling AI brush on GraphicRiver!
On this tutorial, I’ll present you create one set of brushes (4 particular person brushes) after which create a free-flowing, detailed coiffure with them. You possibly can simply adapt this course of to create additional brushes and hairstyles. Alternatively, you should purchase the total set of vector Hair Brushes on GraphicRiver.
Observe together with us over on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:
1. The best way to Create a Tapered Artwork Brush
Let’s begin by making a primary tapered brush. That is the bottom form for this set of brushes but in addition a helpful brush for drawing particular person hairs.
Step 1
Utilizing the Ellipse Instrument (L), click on as soon as in your canvas, and within the popup, set the Width to 30 px and the Peak to 2 px. Click on on OK. Be sure your ellipse is stuffed black.
Step 2
Utilizing the Direct Choice Instrument (A), choose the rightmost level on the form. Then click on on the Convert chosen anchor factors to nook button to show the curve into a degree. This will provide you with one tapered level.
Repeat this with the leftmost level. This can full your tapered form.
Step 3
With the form chosen, within the Brushes panel click on on the button Create New Brush. Choose Artwork Brush from the popup, and you will be introduced with the Artwork Brush Choices window.
The important thing setting you may want to vary is the Colorization Technique to Tints. As your form is black, it means it can tackle the 100% saturation of the color you choose. Due to this fact, no matter your stroke color will probably be, your brush will tackle this color.
I’ve named this brush Tapered Brush after which I click on on OK.
2. The best way to Create a Hairline Brush
The hairline of any portrait is usually uncared for and infrequently lacking in vector portraits. That is primarily as a result of it is time-consuming and tough to good. Nonetheless, by making a scatter brush, you possibly can create a near-realistic hairline impact. So as an alternative of drawing one stroke per hair, you are solely creating one stroke for the whole hairline!
Step 1
It’s best to nonetheless have your tapered form. So for now, Copy and Paste it and conceal the unique.
Choose your duplicate and go to Object > Remodel > Rotate. Let’s rotate the form by 90 levels and click on on OK.
Step 2
With the form nonetheless chosen, within the Brushes panel, click on on Create New Brush after which choose Scatter Brush.
The settings I need you to vary are:
- The Spacing to 5%. That is so the comb will overlap on itself.
- The Scatter to Random after which 25%/0%. That is so the comb alters its placement above and beneath the place the road is positioned.
- The Rotation relative to: Path as I need the comb to remain perpendicular to the course of the trail you are drawing.
- Lastly, good outdated Colorization Technique to Tints.
Then click on on OK.
3. The best way to Create a Hair Shine Brush
The hair shine brush can be utilized for a number of issues, relying on the way you tailor the comb. This particular model will show you how to create a textured shine on the hair. When layered at totally different Opacities, it may give a sensible contact to a silhouette design.
Step 1
It’s best to nonetheless have your vertical tapered form. Copy and Paste this and, utilizing the Choice Instrument (V), transfer it to the aspect of the primary. Repeat this till you have bought 5 to eight shapes as proven beneath.
Step 2
With the shapes chosen, let’s create a New Artwork Brush. The principle settings to concentrate to are:
- Course is vertical (up/down or down/up would not matter with this one).
- Colorization Technique: Tints.
Click on on OK when you’re achieved.
4. The best way to Create a Hair Piece Brush
This explicit brush is beneficial for drawing a number of clumps of strands in a single stroke. It is a nice time-saving brush and will be helpful for lengthy or brief types of hair.
Step 1
First, take away your vertical tapered form, and let’s return to the unique horizontal form.
Utilizing the Rectangle Instrument (M), draw over half of the form. With Sensible Guides (Management-U) enabled, you’ll discover the midpoint of the tapered form extra simply.
Choose each shapes, and with the Pathfinder panel, choose Minus Entrance. You may be left with half of the tapered form.
Step 2
Let’s begin by Copying the tapered form. Utilizing the Direct Choice Instrument (A), click on on the rightmost level and drag it out.
Paste in Entrance (Management-F), after which drag out the rightmost level once more however this time pulling it to the aspect.
Paste in Entrance, drag out the rightmost level once more, and place it in a brand new location. Proceed doing this till you have bought a fanned-out assortment of tapered shapes, with the 2 vertical factors on the left remaining in place.
Step 3
Choose all the fanned-out, tapered factors, and create a New Artwork Brush. The settings to concentrate to are the Course to be left to proper (so your place to begin is the foundation of the clump of hair) and the Colorization Technique to Tints. Then click on on OK.
5. The best way to Use Vector Hair Brushes
Let us take a look at the 4 brushes you have created. These are all the identical Stroke Weight, aside from the clump of hair, which is 3 pt. They have been utilized to a straight horizontal line.
For this train, I’ll be utilizing a clean head form which is included within the Straightforward Hair Brushes pack so you possibly can apply. Nonetheless, you possibly can apply these to any head base you would like!
Step 1
This coiffure goes to be in silhouette, with some added shine in greyscale. With the Pen Instrument (P), draw a line which traces alongside the hairline. Do not convey this utterly to the underside of the sideburns on a female face. You possibly can, nevertheless, do that on a extra masculine face to create fashionable, 70s-style sideburns.
Step 2
Utilizing the tapered brush and the Paintbrush Instrument (B), add some hairs to merge the sideburns into the hairline.
Step 3
With the Pen Instrument (P), draw an arched form with a black fill for the mass of hair which covers the remainder of the top. This accomplished coiffure is an total nice base to apply additional hairstyles on. So for those who’re not eager on the free-flowing model that is coming, you possibly can return up to now and begin once more.
Step 4
Create a New Layer behind your portrait so as to add hair with the Hair Piece Brush with the Paintbrush Instrument. The smaller the Stroke Weight, the extra detailed the hair strokes will probably be.
My recommendation is to start out with a bigger stroke (akin to 8 pt) to create the primary construction of the hair, after which come down steadily to a 1 pt so as to add finer strands for a extra life like look.
Step 5
With the unique Tapered Brush, you possibly can add smaller particular person hairs which move away from clumps of hair. This helps to interrupt any patterns you could have created with the Hair Piece Brush.
It is also nice to have particular person hairs overlapping onto the face or shoulder as that provides easy element.
Step 6
With the Hair Shine Brush, draw lengthy and brief strokes inside the mass of hair set to Mixing Mode Regular, Opacity 10%, and with a white stroke.
Make the strokes overlap to create extra intense shine results within the hair.
Step 7
Lastly, with the tapered brush by including white strokes so as to add additional life like shines. Set these to Opacity 20% to face out.
Superior Work, You are Achieved!
You would be stunned how rapidly you possibly can create hairstyles with these brushes and the way life like you can also make them. With apply, it can take you minutes fairly than hours!
By creating a number of totally different brushes to suit totally different hair size, textures and types, you possibly can create many alternative seems.
When you’re serious about buying the entire Straightforward Hair Brushes for Adobe Illustrator set, they’re out there solely on GraphicRiver.
