This is just a very basic hair tutorial for sleek, straight hair.  If you would like to see a larger, more detailed image just click on the thumbnail and the larger image will open.  Use your back button in your browser to return to this page.

I started by painting a very basic head to use as a template for all future hair tutorials.  This is a good idea if you want to practice with various hair colors, styles, techniques, etc.   I kept it grayscale so that the focus could be on the hair. 

Then I created a new layer and made a quick (and crappy) sketch of basically how I wanted the hair to flow.

Keeping the sketch layer visible, I then created a new layer (beneath the sketch) and filled in the base (mid) hair color.

Then, I just began blocking in highlights and shadows, getting a feel for where I wanted to see the most strands.  I am usually not very good at this and the hair that I paint doesn't start taking good shape until near the end but I do my best.

Once the basic areas are blocked out, I do a combination of things.  I use a small brush (3 pix) and a high smudge pressure setting (85-90) and I begin drawing the areas together with the smudge brush, painting highlights and lowlights as I go along to begin to bring out more depth and definition. This is also the point that I usually turn the hair sketch layer to 0% opacity or I delete it entirely.

The next step is a bit different.  I widen my smudge brush and decrease pressure a great deal and begin smoothing the strands a bit before adding individual strands with a single pixel brush as well as a spotted, custom brush. 

Then I begin really working in more highlights and shadows using a soft edged brush at a VERY low flow setting further defining the light and shadow.  I also use the eraser to clean up the bangs and outer edges, painting a few more strands here and there.

Just for kicks, I changed the color balance, bringing both the face and hair into the same color area.  I also tweaked the contrast a bit and with the soft edged brush, added a bit more highlight and shadow.  This tutorial is fairly basic.  You will want to perfect your own work much more than I have here.

I hope this was helpful or at least interesting!