How do you do it? I've been experimenting different methods, but I can't seem to get it to look professional. What's the secret on inking black hair with the white streaks in it? I see so many people do it (both professional and indy), so it can't be that hard, can it? Does anyone have any suggestions/tips/tutorial links?

Here is a pic of what I'm talking about:

I've seen a few demonstrations in old newtype magazines and such, and there are a few ways it seems to be done.

1) Black ink with a brush or crowquil - you add the black, brushing into the highlights, but leaving them white obviously. - takes time to master, but most realistic one to figure out.

2) Using artist white on solid black to create the white highlights. I've found it to be very messy and difficult.

3) using something like manga studio to paint white lines onto the black.

It would probably be easier if I actually made a little video of it, since there is a technique to it... But I'll bet that this particular example is done with a black inking technique.

ShadowsMyst
1) Black ink with a brush or crowquil - you add the black, brushing into the highlights, but leaving them white obviously. - takes time to master, but most realistic one to figure out.

So for this method, are you actually drawing every single fine line in black ink for each of the brush strokes to give it the effect of white strokes in the hair?

I do it sort of like that, but I wouldn't try to tackle complex shading like in the drawing you provide right off the bat. Try something a bit simpler at first. Remember that the white points are where light is hitting the hair most directly, and even straight hair is slightly wavy. I hope that's at least moderately helpful.

Thanks for the advice.. so it really does take hours to shade hair like that since you have to draw in each little strand of hair that's white for the shine?

I don't think it takes that long. Looking at your sample pic, I can see the artist's steps:

1. Visualize his hair as separate long flat strips, like flaps of cloth. Draw them as such in pencil sketch.

2. Mark out areas that will be most direct to light and therefore will be areas of shine.

3. Draw in black with brush or marker. Leave white as negative space at the areas where hair will shine.

4. Draw in some long loose strands for accentuation.

5. In Photoshop, draw in additional white areas and lines. Easier than white ink.

Awesome. Thanks for the help. I'm going to try that and see what happens.

That's roughly what I do with SP.

Just draw the black and leave the white as negative space. In instances where strands of hair overlap, I just use white as a way of "seperating" the clumps or strands of hair.

I use Manga Studio to lay my line art down. It cuts the time of drawing it on paper, then scanning, then redrawing it essentially on the software.

That and I can't spill soda on my manga studio drawings >.>

mlai
I don't think it takes that long. Looking at your sample pic, I can see the artist's steps:

1. Visualize his hair as separate long flat strips, like flaps of cloth. Draw them as such in pencil sketch.

2. Mark out areas that will be most direct to light and therefore will be areas of shine.

3. Draw in black with brush or marker. Leave white as negative space at the areas where hair will shine.

4. Draw in some long loose strands for accentuation.

5. In Photoshop, draw in additional white areas and lines. Easier than white ink.

I gotta tell ya... that's really clever!