ImagineFX_Issue_150_August_2017

ImagineNation Artist Q&A

Answer

John replies

When done correctly,

painting rough stubble

or patchy beards can be a

great technique to add

character to an anti-hero or a young

rebel. However, if it’s handled the

wrong way then it can make the

character appear dirty or messy.

It’s important to note that the beard

or stubble on a man’s face will make

the skin tone in that area cooler –

mostly a blue/grey colour. This is true

whatever colour hair the character

has. Another equally critical element

is having an understanding of what

direction whiskers grow.

The sample image is a rough

illustration of the direction hair grows

on a man’s face. It’s important to paint

the hair in this manner. If you paint

the stubble or patchy beard simply

growing straight down, it’ll look odd

and less believable. Furthermore,

stubble doesn’t grow evenly, making it

lighter in some areas and darker in

others. Generally, the area around the

chin, under the nose, and along the

jaw line tends to be darker, while the

cheeks tend to be lighter.

Start by blocking in the basic shape of the

stubble by using a brown/grey tone. Keep the

grey tones around the lower jaw, and the brown

tones around the chin and just under the nose.

Reduce the Opacity of the layer. If it looks too

grey, then experiment with a layer effect, but

take care not to mess with the colour too much.

Blend the edges of the stubble so that it’s smooth.

Add the darker parts of the stubble with a small

brush. Make sure to follow the direction of hair

growth, as specified earlier. Then add a few

highlights, again following the direction of the hair.

Question

Got any tips for adding stubble or

a patchy beard to a face?

Shu Yen, Australia

Step-by-step: How to add

realistic-looking stubble

to a male character’s face

3

2

1

It takes a few minutes to add

stubble to a portrait, but it

creates a more interesting

image when going for a

rough rugged look.

This image shows how facial hair grows on a man.

It’s important to follow this growth pattern when

illustrating a character’s facial hair.

32 August 2017