Short wavy hair can look surprisingly complicated. You can see dozens of little bends in the reference, and it is tempting to copy them one by one. But without a clear overall shape, all those lines can turn into a tangled cap.

This guide breaks down how to draw short wavy hair with pencil using stages from my portrait demonstration. We will look at the silhouette, the main overlapping sections, and the smaller waves near the temple and ear. The aim is to show the hairstyle’s structure before adding texture.

The source lesson is a portrait drawing demonstration with very little spoken explanation. The notes below explain the visible stages as a written guide, rather than presenting them as a word-for-word transcript.

Start with the Head Underneath the Hair

Before drawing the hairstyle, place the skull, jaw, ear and facial features. In this example the head is turned, so the far side of the face is narrower and the visible side of the skull helps establish the angle.

Use light construction. Hair will overlap some of the skull guides, but it still needs a solid head to sit on. If you build the hair first and squeeze the face underneath it, the cranium can end up too small.

If you need help with the head, follow my three-quarter Loomis face tutorial before working on this hairstyle.

1. Find the Outside Shape of the Hairstyle

Look at the whole hairstyle as one shape. How far does it rise above the forehead? Where is it widest? How does it narrow behind the ear?

Lightly mark those limits before drawing interior waves. Compare the hair’s height with the face and its width with the skull. The outer shape contributes to the person’s likeness, so it deserves the same attention as the nose or mouth.

Avoid outlining every tiny flyaway at this stage. A few broad changes of direction are enough to establish the silhouette.

2. Divide the Hair into Large Overlapping Sections

Now study the main flow. In this reference, the top hair sweeps across the forehead in several broad waves. Smaller sections turn down toward the temple and around the ear.

Draw those groups as connected ribbons of volume. Follow a section from its beginning to where it disappears beneath another. That overlap is more useful than adding a lot of separate strands.

Keep the lines flexible. Repeated, identical S-shapes look decorative rather than observed. Vary the width and bend of each section according to the reference.

3. Check the Hairline and the Area Around the Ear

The hairline is where the hair meets the skin; the silhouette is the outside edge of the hairstyle. They are different boundaries. Leaving space between them gives the hair its thickness.

Pay attention to the temple, sideburn and the small shapes above the ear. These areas connect the large hairstyle to the face. In the demonstration, they are developed after the main top sections have been indicated.

Use shorter, more controlled strokes near those boundaries. Don’t give every edge the same heavy line. Some strands break into the skin area, while others disappear into a larger mass.

4. Use Selective Dark Accents to Separate the Waves

Once the main shapes read clearly, add darker strokes where one section folds beneath another and where the reference shows deeper shadow. Leave lighter spaces on the outward-facing parts of the waves.

In a loose pencil study like this, you do not have to shade every area completely. A few stronger lines can separate overlapping locks, while lighter marks suggest the rest. Keep checking the reference rather than automatically darkening every outline.

Use strokes that follow the flow you have already established. A wave moving across the forehead should not suddenly become a set of vertical lines just because you are filling a space.

5. Add Only the Strands That Help the Form

Finish with a few finer marks inside the large sections and around the silhouette. Let some lines fade. Vary their length and spacing so the texture does not look mechanically repeated.

Step back and check whether you can still see the main waves. If the small marks have hidden them, stop adding strands and restore a few larger light and dark shapes.

Common Problems When Drawing Short Wavy Hair

• The hair looks like a helmet: check the uneven silhouette, overlapping sections and broken edges near the face.
• The skull looks too small: separate the skull guide from the hair volume outside it.
• The texture looks tangled: return to fewer, larger groups and make their direction clear.
• Every lock has a dark border: vary the line weight and reserve the strongest marks for selected overlaps.
• The hair competes with the eyes: soften unnecessary detail and judge the hairstyle as part of the whole portrait.

A Quick Wavy-Hair Drawing Exercise

Make a small study of just the hairstyle. Draw the silhouette first, divide it into five or six large sections, and add one darker overlap to each. Stop before drawing individual strands.

Then make a second study with a few fine strands. Compare them. If the simpler version shows the flow more clearly, reduce the texture in the second rather than adding still more lines.

Build the Portrait Before Adding Hair Detail

Hair becomes easier to organize when you understand the head underneath it. My Complete Loomis Method Course provides guided lessons on head construction and facial features. For pencil shading and realistic drawing practice, explore the Realistic Pencil Drawing Course.

For a different texture exercise, try my white beard drawing tutorial, where light hairs are reserved before the surrounding shading is added.