Step-by-step: Paint manga-style hair in sections

I sometimes sketch out the bald head underneath beforehand, to give myself a rough indicator of where to establish the hairline. I always try to draw hair in thick masses, taking note of the point of origin: in this case it’s roughly the top left of his scalp. I drop the sketch layer’s Opacity and use it as a guide to paint underneath on a new layer. I treat each section as a clump of hair, rather than single strands. Clumps create shadows over others; I play around with this, and make sure there’s enough volume and credibility. I use lighter values of the hair’s base colour to add details, such as thinner sections of hair. This gives a more natural look, while also giving the impression of being slightly dishevelled. I add a thin, dark outline, and deepen the shadows that the hair casts over the face to introduce depth.