I think maybe you're getting distracted the texture of the hair! You're doing these straight planes on the face that follow the shadows, so I think the best way to improve this is by doing the same thing for the hair. For example, the shape you've done where the hair meets the forehead? That still follows your technique, and that works well.
Like, yes, that is going to get rid of his hair texture, but if you aren't satisfied by it you can go back in and add small planes for details and texture later, or try to solve it with the way you colour in the shading. But it's the sudden switch from straight to very loose lines that make it not fit in as well with the rest in this particular image.
(I would offer a redline, but since I don't have the reference picture you've used that's a little difficult to do.)
Maybe you could split the hair into smaller shapes, breaking them into different parts at the points where the angle changes. It looks a bit flat compared to the rest of the face.
Try to see the hair as a whole and just focus on the details, if that makes sense. Try looking at the reference and blurring your eyes to block in the lightest and darkest values first, before focusing on the details. And instead of trying to draw in the direction of the curls like on the top of the head, try to use the negative space to show where they are. With the strands that you have, if you think about it, the values should be inverted; the spaces in between those strands will be darker and the squiggly parts you see are highlighted. Also, this method of shading makes it appear as though the hair has different textures; the direction of your shading is important as well. Like on the front bottom of the hair like underneath the bangs, it is shaded with straight lines, but the top of the head is squiggly lines.
I like the shading on the hair. I think doing in this way, you are appreciating the hairstyle as a whole, so maybe that's why it doesn't seem to mesh so well with the style of the head overall. You have a lot of lines defining the planes of the face, so maybe it would help to use lines to define planes of the hair, too. I would pay special attention to the volume of the hair, as well as how the hair meets the head, focusing on key places like the hair line, the parts behind the ear, and the back of the head.
I really love your use of shade and light, this is a lovely piece. To improve hair, I would really focus on your use of light and trying to implement negative space. Something I like to do when drawing hair is to use an eraser to add shiny highlights.
I hope this is helpful! Good luck :)
Li13eo
3 weeks ago.
