How do you guys do hair?

I recently did a couple of 1/35 GIs sleeping and I added Woodland Scenics Static Grass for their messed up hair (if you have ever worn a helmet for days on end, you know your hair gets pretty wild).  I started by painting the area where their hair was with the base color, in my case black.  Then I added a thin coat of white glue and sprinkled on the Static Grass (color doesn't matter too much, you're going to paint it).  While the glue is still a little wet, use a paintbrush or toothpick to move the new " hair" (Static Grass) around, close to the way you want the hairstyle to look/the direction the hair to lay.  Once it is completely dry, paint it the base color, let dry.  Now is when you become the barber.  I used the scissors on my Swiss Army Knife to cut the figures' hair.  Blow and gently brush away the clippings.  Your haircut will allow some of the Static Grass color to show through, but now is the time to add the highlight color(s).  It turned out looking a lot better than I thought it was going to and I was really happy with the results.  (I don't have a camera, otherwise I'd post pics...sorry.)  Give it a try. 

Hi Chris

I use a basecoat, then highlight with my lighter colors, mixing lighter and lighter as I go. Using acrylic figure paint like Vallejo (Im using Reaper WG paint, very similar) I mix it with Luiquitex SloDri and blot my color mix off on a towel, then use the side of my brush to run across the hair strands, depositing a smoother layer than drybrushing will. Slo dri keeps the brush wetted even tho you think there is no paint in the brush, and this works vey well . Using the acryic paint I build up layers, but with crew cuts this may not be necessary.   I learned this from the Reapermini forums, they have great skin tone and hair painting tutorials. 

 

HTH

David

 

       Well, that looks like all the replies I'm gonna get, huh?    Thanks AJ!  I'll try out those wash and highlight ideas.

 

                Chris

If there's noot much texture there, I'd scribe the area with a razor saw. Alternatively, you might try mixing some flocking material with FUture to get more texture as well. (There used to be a product called Hair-Cote that did this, in essence.) One you have some texture, choose a color for the base. When dry, lay a darker shade in a wash. Finally, use a lilghter shade for highlights. The exact colors will depend on the color of the hair. Blue or brown works well for black hair highlight and adding green to the base yelllow/ochre works well as a darkener for blond hair.