OK I just got myself a Graphire 2 tablet and I'm pretty amazed by it. I've just started to try to paint hair and here's my first proper attempt. I'm also trying to create Eliza Dushku's face but that's beside the point (still trying, so this is not the final result). I'm not using any fancy brushes, just those that come with PSP7. Any tips, tricks and constructive opinions would be welcome :D Thanks JoeBlack

Look in the tutorial section for Crasher's hair tut....and go to the tutorials section of Daz they can do so much better a job than I could.

I don't think this is bad at all, for just starting out. I'm no expert, the only hair I've drawn is with my mouse (argh) but it looks to me like you need to practice a couple things here. First, find some proper hair brushes, Crasher's tute mentions where to get them (I think that they should be compatible with PSP7). The other thing I noticed is that your line needs to be smoother - try to move the pen at a slightly faster rate, to create a nice smooth non-jaggy line (it'll take practice). Finally, don't worry about shadows and highlighting until you are satisfied with the hair as is; then examine the highlights from your sample pic and use dodge and burn to reproduce the hightlights and shadows - much more realism that way. Really, check out Crasher's tut, you won't be sorry. Keep on painting! Jack

OK cool thanks, Crasher uses the same tablet as me so that should help. JoeBlack

JB: This isn't bad at all. You'll find amazing results with the "smudge tool" in Photoshop. It's the hand-with-index-finger-pointing-downward icon. On a separate layer, select a fairly small brush--maybe 9 pixels or so (depending on the size of the image)-- and an opacity of about 70 or 80 percent, and smooth-out/blend the lighter hairs into the darker, and vice versa. Experiment with larger brushes and different opacities. Good luck...

I couldn't live without hair/fur brushes. There are some decent freebies out there as well as some in the MP. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to develop your own tricks. Not bad for just starting though. Buying the Graphire tablet was a wise investment...makes painting hair ten times easier.