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Learn to draw female hairstyles by mapping volume shapes, parting lines and fall lines, then compare three styles and invent a new one with the same method.
Hair looks complicated because it is drawn as thousands of strands. A more reliable approach is to build each hairstyle from three decisions: the volume shape around the skull, the parting line on the scalp, and the fall lines where hair leaves the volume and drops. This lesson uses an explicitly defined convention so you can compare styles fairly and still draw valid alternatives. X-height means the distance from the baseline to the midline of a letter; letter styles vary, so treat x-height as a proportional guide, not a fixed measurement. All numerical values below are hypothetical examples for practice, not manufacturing standards.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Layer one is volume: a simple closed shape that sits around the head and shows how much space the hair occupies. Layer two is the parting line: a line on the scalp that divides where hair is directed. Layer three is fall lines: the paths hair takes as it leaves the volume and drops toward the shoulders or face.
Use one convention throughout: draw the volume as a light outline, the parting as a single darker line, and fall lines as arrows or curved strokes that follow the hair direction. This convention is a teaching aid, not a universal rule; other valid styles may use different line weights or colors as long as the three layers remain distinguishable.
A comparison plate shows the same head oval three times. Style A is a rounded bob with a center parting and fall lines that curve inward at the jaw. Style B is a layered shoulder-length style with a side parting and fall lines that sweep diagonally. Style C is a high-volume style with a zigzag parting and fall lines that drop straight before flaring.
Compare by asking three questions: how wide is the volume, where does the parting sit, and which direction do the fall lines travel? These questions keep the comparison about construction rather than about taste.
Use a blank frame beside the comparison plate. Choose a volume shape, a parting type and a fall direction, then draw the three layers in the same order. The goal is not to copy one of the three styles but to combine decisions deliberately.
A valid alternative may change the volume width, move the parting, or reverse the fall direction. Check that the three layers remain readable and that the face area stays clear.
A student draws a head oval 6 cm wide and 8 cm tall. They choose a rounded volume that extends 1 cm beyond the oval on each side, a center parting, and fall lines that curve inward. Describe how to check the construction.
The volume width is 6 + 1 + 1 = 8 cm. The volume height stays 8 cm because the rounded shape does not extend above or below the oval. The center parting runs from the top midline to the back of the scalp. Fall lines start at the volume edge and curve inward toward the jaw. Check that the face area is clear, that the parting is a single darker line, and that at least three fall lines are labeled. These values are hypothetical examples, not standards.
A head oval is 5 cm wide and 7 cm tall. A side volume extends 2 cm beyond the oval on the left and 0 cm on the right. What is the volume width?
5 + 2 + 0 = 7 cm.
Why: Add the oval width and the extensions on both sides. The left extension is 2 cm and the right extension is 0 cm, so the total is 7 cm.
Check: Re-add the three values: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7. Confirm the units are centimeters.
A comparison plate shows three styles. Style A has a center parting, Style B has a side parting, and Style C has a zigzag parting. A student says all three partings are the same. Is that correct?
No. Center, side and zigzag are three different parting types.
Why: The parting line is a construction decision. Center, side and zigzag place the division on the scalp differently, so they are not the same.
Check: Look at each parting line and name its type. If the names differ, the partings differ.
A student draws a volume outline that covers the face area. Which layer should be redrawn, and why?
The volume outline should be redrawn so it sits around the skull and leaves the face area clear.
Why: The volume layer shows space occupied by hair around the head. Covering the face area breaks the convention and makes the construction unreadable.
Check: Trace the volume outline and confirm the face area is empty. If not, redraw the outline.
A new hairstyle uses a rounded volume 8 cm wide, a center parting, and fall lines that drop straight then flare. The comparison plate styles use inward, diagonal and straight-then-flare fall lines. Is the new style a valid alternative?
Yes, if the three layers remain distinguishable and the face area is clear.
Why: The convention allows valid alternatives. The new style combines a volume width, a parting type and a fall direction, and it matches one fall direction already on the plate while remaining a deliberate combination.
Check: Confirm the volume is a closed outline, the parting is one darker line, at least three fall lines are labeled, and the face area is clear.
No. The lesson excludes face rendering. Use a simple head oval and keep the face area clear.
No. The convention defines three layers, but valid alternatives may change volume width, parting type or fall direction as long as the layers remain distinguishable.
X-height is the distance from the baseline to the midline of a letter. Letter styles vary, so use it as a proportional guide, not a fixed measurement.
No. Any numbers are hypothetical examples for practice. Measure your actual equipment and label chosen values as examples.