How to Draw Braids (Colour Pencil)

 

Hello internet lovelies! I've got another drawing tutorial this week; braids. So, like always, before we begin gather up a few things;

• Pencil (HB will do for now),
• Set of colour pencils (ensure the set includes a range of brown shades),
• Rubber,
• Sharpener,
• Good quality paper/ Sketch pad.

(Click to enlarge images)

 

Firstly, I have no idea why this image is so dark yet the rest are fine- sorry. Anyway, lightly draw or sketch a line around a similar length to what you would like your braid drawing to be. Begin to draw leaf shapes from this central line (See image above) on both sides. These will be your basic outlines for shading and adding tone. Continue to draw these down the original line, becoming slightly small each time.

 

Finish off your basic sketch by drawing a bobble and hair at the end. Take the following coloured pencils ready to begin adding tone; medium brown, dark brown, reddish brown and black.

 

Use the medium brown to add a base tone to the plait/braid, ensure that the tone is darker at the corners; do this by pressing harder on the pencil and shading in the direction of the hair (It's a good idea to look at an image for this).

 

Next apply the dark brown ONLY around the darker areas of tone, again using shading to mimic the direction of the hair.

 

 

Then, use the reddish brown and shade the area where the dark and medium brown tones meet. This will add new colour into the braid and reduce the overall saturation.

Next add the black, shade only in the very darkest places and use this colour with caution. Too much black is hard to undo with a rubber! Add the black in the corners and around the edges. Continue to shade each plait individually until it looks like this:

 

And, VOILA! You've drawn yourself a realistic looking plait in around 20 minutes!

 

Why not experiment with more exotic colours?

 

Hope you enjoyed this weeks quick tutorial! Please share and follow me on my social media, the support really is appreciated! :) x