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Contour Drawings of Hair: Silhouette and Strand Edges
Learn to draw hair using only contour lines: capture the outer silhouette and overlapping strand edges without shading or rendering.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Object Drawing Lessons
Contour drawing asks you to describe a form with lines alone. For hair, that means two jobs: define the outer silhouette and show where strand edges overlap inside it. This lesson uses a simple convention: draw only visible edges, keep line weight consistent, and let overlaps create depth. You will study three hair-contour variants (loose, tied, short), redraw each in a blank contour-only box, and note where strand edges cross. No shading, no blending, no hairstyle proportion guides. The goal is accurate edge observation, not finished rendering.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
The contour convention for hair
Use one continuous line weight for all edges unless an edge is hidden. Where one strand passes in front of another, stop the rear line at the front line and leave a small gap; do not draw through. This gap is the overlap note. The outer silhouette is the boundary between hair and background or face. Inner contours are strand edges that meet that boundary or each other.
Work from large to small: silhouette first, then major strand groups, then individual edges. Keep the pencil moving slowly and compare each line to the previous one. If two lines meet, decide which is in front before drawing. A contour drawing is correct when a viewer can trace every visible edge without ambiguity.
- Draw the head outline lightly as a reference boundary.
- Draw the hair silhouette as one closed contour, leaving gaps where hair meets the face.
- Add major strand-group edges inside the silhouette, stopping at overlaps.
- Add smaller strand edges only where they change the silhouette or create a clear overlap.
- Label each overlap gap with a short note describing which strand is in front.
Three contour variants and their overlap notes
Loose hair: the silhouette is wide and irregular. Strand edges fan outward and cross near the shoulders. Note overlaps where a front lock crosses a back lock; stop the back line at the front line. Tied hair: the silhouette narrows at the tie point. Strand edges converge toward the tie and overlap in a tight cluster; draw the tie as a simple contour shape, not a detailed knot. Short hair: the silhouette follows the skull closely. Strand edges are short and mostly meet the silhouette; overlaps occur at the crown and near the ears.
For each variant, the blank contour-only redraw box is for a second pass from memory or observation. In that box, draw only edges and overlap gaps. Do not add tone, texture, or proportion guides.
- Study the loose variant: mark three overlap gaps where front locks cross back locks.
- Study the tied variant: mark the tie point and two strand edges that converge there.
- Study the short variant: mark two crown overlaps and one edge meeting the silhouette near the ear.
- Redraw each variant in its blank box using only contour lines and gap notes.
Checking contour accuracy
A contour drawing is checkable by tracing. Start at any silhouette point and follow the line; every inner edge should either stop at another line or return to the silhouette. If a line passes through another without a gap, the overlap is ambiguous. Count the overlap gaps you intended and compare with the gaps you drew. Use a simple arithmetic check: intended gaps minus drawn gaps equals missing gaps. Zero missing gaps means the overlap notes are complete.
Line weight is a convention, not a universal standard. Choose one weight for visible edges and keep it consistent. If you vary weight, state the rule before drawing and apply it to every edge. Valid alternatives include slightly curved versus straight strand edges, as long as overlaps remain clear.
- Trace the silhouette and confirm it is one closed contour with face gaps.
- Trace each inner edge and confirm it stops at an overlap or returns to the silhouette.
- Count intended overlap gaps and drawn gaps; record the difference.
- Check that no shading, blending, or proportion guide lines appear.
Worked example
A head outline is given. Draw a loose-hair contour with three overlap gaps: one at the left shoulder, one at the right shoulder, and one near the crown. Use one line weight and no shading. State the overlap order at each gap.
Worked answer
Silhouette: a wide, irregular closed contour from the crown around both sides to the shoulders, with gaps where hair meets the face. Inner edges: three major strand groups fan outward. At the left shoulder, the front lock crosses the back lock; the back line stops at the front line, leaving a gap. At the right shoulder, the front lock crosses the back lock in the opposite direction; the rear line stops. Near the crown, a short front strand crosses a longer back strand; the back line stops. All lines use the same weight. No shading. Overlap notes: left shoulder front-over-back; right shoulder front-over-back; crown front-over-back. Check: intended gaps = 3, drawn gaps = 3, missing = 0.
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
Draw a tied-hair contour. The silhouette narrows at a tie point. Draw two strand edges that converge at the tie and one overlap gap where a front strand crosses a back strand. Use one line weight and no shading. State which strand is in front at the gap.
Show answer and check
A closed silhouette that narrows at the tie point, with two inner edges meeting near the tie. One overlap gap is drawn where the front strand crosses the back strand; the back line stops at the front line. The front strand is stated as in front. All lines use one weight; no shading.
Why: The tie point is a convergence zone, so strand edges should meet there rather than pass through. The overlap gap resolves which edge is in front. One line weight keeps the contour convention consistent.
Check: Trace the silhouette: it should be closed with face gaps. Trace the two converging edges: they should meet near the tie. Count intended gaps (1) and drawn gaps (1); difference should be 0. Confirm no shading.
Exercise 2
Draw a short-hair contour. The silhouette follows the skull closely. Draw two crown overlaps and one strand edge that meets the silhouette near the ear. Use one line weight. Label each overlap gap with the front strand.
Show answer and check
A close-fitting closed silhouette around the skull. Two crown overlaps are drawn as gaps where front strands cross back strands; the back lines stop. One strand edge meets the silhouette near the ear and stops there. Each gap is labeled with the front strand. One line weight; no shading.
Why: Short hair has few long inner edges, so most contours meet the silhouette. Crown overlaps are the main depth cues. Labeling the front strand makes the overlap order checkable.
Check: Confirm the silhouette is closed and close-fitting. Count intended gaps (2 crown) and drawn gaps (2); difference 0. Confirm the ear edge stops at the silhouette. Check labels name the front strand at each gap.
Exercise 3
A loose-hair contour has four intended overlap gaps. Your redraw shows three gaps. Using the arithmetic check, state the missing gaps and describe where one missing gap should be placed.
Show answer and check
Intended gaps minus drawn gaps equals missing gaps: 4 minus 3 equals 1 missing gap. The missing gap should be placed where a front lock crosses a back lock and the back line currently passes through the front line without stopping.
Why: The arithmetic check isolates the count difference. The placement rule is the overlap convention: the rear line must stop at the front line. Finding a line that passes through another identifies the missing gap.
Check: Recount intended gaps (4) and drawn gaps (3). Confirm the difference is 1. Inspect the drawing for any line that crosses another without a gap; that is the missing gap location.
Exercise 4
Draw a contour-only redraw of a loose-hair variant in a blank box. Use exactly two overlap gaps and one line weight. Then write a note stating the overlap order at each gap and the line-weight rule you used.
Show answer and check
A contour-only drawing with a closed silhouette, two overlap gaps where front strands cross back strands, and one consistent line weight. The note states the front strand at each gap and the line-weight rule (for example, one uniform weight for all visible edges). No shading or proportion guides.
Why: A redraw in a blank box tests whether the contour convention is understood without copying. Two gaps are enough to show overlap order. The note makes the convention explicit and checkable.
Check: Trace the silhouette and confirm it is closed. Count intended gaps (2) and drawn gaps (2); difference 0. Read the note: it should name the front strand at each gap and state one line-weight rule. Confirm no shading or guide lines.
Common mistakes
- Drawing through overlapping strands instead of stopping at the front edge. Decide which strand is in front, stop the rear line at the front line, and leave a small gap.
- Adding shading or texture to suggest depth. Remove tone; use only edge lines and overlap gaps to show depth.
- Treating the silhouette as a smooth outline and ignoring strand edges that meet it. Mark every point where an inner strand edge meets the silhouette and draw that junction.
- Using inconsistent line weight without a stated rule. Choose one weight for visible edges or state a clear rule before drawing and apply it consistently.
Self-check rubric
- Silhouette is a closed contour with clear gaps where hair meets the face.
- Every inner strand edge either stops at an overlap gap or returns to the silhouette.
- Overlap order is stated or visually unambiguous at each gap.
- Line weight follows one stated convention consistently.
- No shading, blending, texture, or proportion guide lines are present.
- Valid alternatives are accepted if silhouette, overlap order, and line-weight rule are preserved.
Questions and answers
Do I need to draw every strand?
No. Draw only edges that change the silhouette or create a clear overlap. Fewer, accurate edges are better than many ambiguous ones.
How do I show depth without shading?
Use overlap gaps: the front strand's line continues, the rear strand's line stops. The gap tells the viewer which edge is in front.
What counts as a valid alternative contour?
Any line path that preserves the silhouette, the overlap order, and the stated line-weight rule is valid. Slightly different curves are acceptable.
Can I use a ruler for straight strand edges?
Yes, if your stated convention allows straight edges. Keep the same rule for all edges so the drawing remains consistent.