Step 15: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the lion's body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Add a few lines inside the body for extra detail. Use quick, short strokes to indicate a furry texture. Draw the neck, then connect the top part of the front leg to the neck. Use the curved line on the left side as a guide to draw the lion's tail. Make the shape of the tail thick as you follow the guide. Add quick, short strokes on the end for the brush-like tip.

Step 16 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your lioness drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Continue adding the value until the entire body has the appropriate shadows.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the lioness so it doesn't appear to be floating.

You can add even more value throughout your drawing for extra detail. Lionesses are basically a single color. They don't have spots or stripes, so just use a single value for the whole body. Use a lighter value around the eyes, the muzzle and on the nose. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the coat a furry texture.

As you shade, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. Adding the value can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. You can add the value to different sections of the body at a time to break up the shading process. Continue shading until the entire body is covered in a single value. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate lioness. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

Thanks for watching! Subscribe to the How2DrawAnimals YouTube Channel for a new tutorial every Tuesday.

To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

RELATED TUTORIALS