i-m-a-g-i-n-efx-august

ImagineNation Artist Q&A
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.
Step-by-step: How to add
realistic-looking stubble
to a male character’s face
Start by blocking in the basic shape of the
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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.
Question
Got any tips for adding stubble or
a patchy beard to a face?
Shu Yen, Australia
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
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.
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.
Reduce the Opacity of the layer. If it looks too
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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
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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.
32 August 2017