Graphic Haircolor: Salon-Friendly Techniques Every Stylist Can Try

Viral Graphic Hair Trends: Follow These Steps

In an endless social feed of lived-in looks—sometimes, you scroll upon something that stops you right in your digital tracks. Something so highly creative and technically challenging, it brings you back to what first inspired you to see hair as a canvas for art. And there’s a great chance that the scroll-stopping post was from @xpresioncreativos. 

For the X-presion team—the award-winning collective of disruptive hair artists from Spain—creating intricate graphic designs, pixels and “tie dye” hair is just another day in the studio. Not only does their work inspire, but it makes you ask: How did they do it? 

Aveda teamed up with X-presion to bring that technical mastery directly to hairdressers in a North American educational tour, ushering in a new era of techniques: where graphic design meets organic color shapes and patterns: The Graphic Organic collection. 

What is Graphic Organic hair design? 

This technique features X-presion’s signature graphic lines and fuses color shapes and patterns inspired by nature using Aveda’s Full Spectrum haircolor. Sounds a bit intimidating, right? We’re here to help.

From layering panels of horizontal lines to using a hemp string for a “tie-dye” effect, we’re breaking down the key steps you need to try these techniques in the salon with ease. 

Wondering how you could offer this to an everyday client? Consider peekaboo placement for a more commercial approach: Fringe, hairline, a panel tucked underneath natural hair. Your clients get new nail designs every two weeks. Why not offer hair designs?

Here are the tools you need: 

• Aveda Full Spectrum hair color 
• X-presion spatula and precision comb 
• Transparent foils 
• Flat iron
• Aveda Air Control Hairspray 
• Hemp string 

Step 1: Create the graphic lines

• Prep: First, flat iron the hair so it’s pin straight at natural fall, all in the same direction. 

• Body Position: Make sure you’re at eye level with the hair to prevent any elevation that will disrupt the preciseness of the horizontal graphic color lines. 

• Foil Key: Use transparent foils so you can see the layers underneath while you work through each section. This will visually show you where lines are placed and gaps to fill in on the stacked sections. 

Pro tips for precise lines:

• Use Aveda Air Control Hairspray to keep clear foils in place. Keep it minimal—using too much product will alter the color outcome. 

• As you start painting horizontal lines, use your hand to keep the section in place to avoid lifting up the hair and disrupting straight lines. 

• Try this weave cheat: X-presion creates the ultra-clean weaves that are KEY to creating the layered hair panels for graphic line work using a custom comb that creates consistent weaves/sectioning.  

Step 2: Create the organic color shapes overlapping the graphic layers

Remember tie-dye parties—wrapping an old tee in rubber bands to create the design and layering it with colored dyes? The X-presion team created a similar concept:

• Take the graphic section and create a three-strand braid, using a hemp string as one strand.

• Work down the section to the ends and secure. 

• To customize the pattern, pull and pinch sections as desired. Then, start applying color to the braided section. 

• Pro Tip: The more hair you pull out of the sections, the darker the finished look will appear. 

BTC Editor All Access Pass: Get an exclusive look at the stage show, class & finished looks!

BTC Editorial Director Steph & the X-Presion team

Become an Aveda artist or salon: Click here to learn more. 

Watch The IG Reel Below To See The Workshop Experience

 

 

 

 

 

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