The following is a tutorial I worked on as a request on how to draw hair. If you click on the thumbnail it will open a 1024x768 image which will show more detail. Always work with a large image, the minimum size should be 1024x768. My friend Feri did the background and did the finishing touches of the finished image, you can visit his site While you Were Asleep. As an artist nudity is not an issue, but for the sake of keeping my site PG I decided to crop the bottom of the image. You'll need Painter 6 and a lot of patience. Hope you find the tutorial helpful. :)

First, start with a big image, this one is 1024x768 and take it to Painter.

I'm using the Digital Airbrush, size 1, Opacity 47%. I'm going to use a very light blue for her hair, almost white.

With the white, I trace the lines marking where I want the hair to go. Making it like a "coloring book" to define where the hair will flow.

Using different shades of the blue, color the forms and as you paint the hair decide where you want the darks and the lights. I also picked the sun color for the hair highlights on the left side and the brown of her shadow for the darks. For something like this, you don't need to fill the whole area with color, but you will need to do that for a darker color.

Select the liquid brush with the "just add water", set the size to about 5 and the opacity to 35%. Start blending the colors. From dark to light and light to dark. Try not to mix them too much so you don't lose the texture. Make sure to always follow the hair flow, always avoid straight lines.

Now that the colors are blended, make the darks darker and the lights lighter.

Blend again with the liquid brush, but change the opacity to 20%. Don't forget to add a bit of shadow around the forehead. You can keep blending and airbrushing until you are happy with the drawing.

You can also start with a rendering with hair on it already and just paint it the same way this was painted.

Eat your heart out Vidal Sassoon. ;)