Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Lioness" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

 

Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

 

Written step-by-step video tutorial:

 

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

 

Step 1: Draw two circles as guides for the lioness' body. First draw four small marks for the height and width of the circle, then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. But don't worry if the circles aren't perfect. They're just guides. If you do want perfect circles, trace the outer rim of a coin, a lid or any other object with a circular edge. The circle on the left should be a bit smaller than the one on the right. Don't draw the circles too close together, otherwise your lioness will end up too short.

 

Step 2: Draw another circle on the right side as a guide for the lion's head. This circle should be about one- third the size of the first one. Their edges should touch.

 

Step 3: Draw two curved intersecting lines (one vertical and one horizontal) inside the head. These are construction lines that will help you place the lion's facial features later on.

 

Step 4: Draw a small circle on the lower, right side of the head as a guide for the lion's muzzle. First draw four small marks to indicate the height and width of the circle. Then connect the marks using curved lines to complete the shape of the circle. This circle should be about one-third the size of the head. The lower left side should stick out of the head.

 

Step 5: Draw two small arcs on top of the head as guides for the lion's ears.

---

 

Step 6: Draw four lines under the body (two below each circle) as guides for the legs. Bend the lines near the middle and at the bottom to indicate where the joints and the feet will be. The lioness will be stepping forward , so the front line should angle down. The first guide line for the hind legs should extend back before it angles down. The guide line for the other hind leg should not angle back because the lioness is stepping forward.

 

Step 7: Draw a series of curved lines that connect the major shapes to form the rest of the lion's body. The two lines on the right side create the neck, and the lines in the middle make up the torso. Add a long, curved line on the left side of the body as a guide for the tail.

 

That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

 

Step 8: Lightly sketch the lion's eyes inside the head as two small circles. Place the circles slightly above the horizontal construction line and on either side of the vertical line. Draw the outer shape of the eye around the circles. Start by drawing a line over the circle. Add another line under the circle to create the left corner of the eye. Draw the right corner of the eye. This corner droops down toward the muzzle more. Darken the initial circle to create the shape of the iris.

For the eye on the right, first draw an angled line on top and on the left side of the circle. Then darken the initial circle to create the shape of the iris. Shade the space inside the eye around the iris using a dark value. Darken the area around the iris on the eye on the right as well. The eye on the right should be smaller because of the perspective.

Draw a tiny circle near the left side of the iris to represent glare and a dot in the middle for the lion's pupil. Draw the glare and the pupil inside the eye on the right too. Shade the inside of the irises except for the tiny circles. Use a very light value as you shade the irises. Draw a few lines around the eyes for the fur. Use quick, short strokes for a fur-like texture. For the eye on the right, draw a few lines up against its left edge to represent the bridge of the nose. Use a few quick, short strokes at the top and bottom too for the fur.

 

Step 9: Lightly sketch a triangle inside the small circle for the lion's nose. Place the triangle between the vertical construction line and the edge of the circle for the head. When you get the placement and shape right, darken the top part of the nose. Draw two thick lines on either side that extend outside of the shape to create the nostrils. Darken the bottom corner of the nose and add a small slit at the tip. Make the nostrils thicker. Notice the line that extends from each nostril and curves up above the nose.

---

 

Step 10: Draw the lion's muzzle by first drawing a line under the nose. Follow the lower edge of the main circle as you curve the line to the left to create the mouth. Draw the top, right side of the muzzle by following the basic path of the small circle. Follow the lower edge of the small circle to create the chin. Use quick, short strokes to represent fur. Place the chin a bit higher than the lower edge of the small circle. The whole muzzle should fit within the circle.

 

Step 11: Use the small arcs on the head as guides to draw the lion's ears. Follow the basic path of the arcs as you darken the lines to create the shape of the ears. Add a series of quick, short strokes for the fur inside the ears. Add the fur using quick, short strokes to the ear on the right as well.

 

Step 12: Use the main circle as a guide to draw the rest of the lion's head. Follow the right edge of the circle to create the side of the face. Make the line for the face come inward more. Use quick, short strokes as you draw to give the head a furry texture. Follow the basic path of the initial circle on the lower, left side to draw the jaw. Add a few more lines inside the head to emphasize the texture of the fur. Add a series of short horizontal lines within the shape of the muzzle. Remember to use quick, short strokes to create a fur-like texture.

 

Step 13: Use the lines on the right side of the body as guides to draw the front legs. Lightly sketch the shape of the leg as you follow the path of the guide line. Make the shape thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom. Bend the leg to indicate the joints. When you get the basic structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Use a few curved lines at the tip of the foot to create the lion's individual toes. Add a few quick, short strokes within the shape of the leg for the fur.

Use the line to the right as a guide to draw the front leg on the other side the same way. First lightly sketch the basic shape of the leg around the guide line. The lioness is stepping forward, so this paw should point down. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Draw the toes at the end of the foot using a few curved lines. Because the paw is pointing down, the toes should have shape similar to the letter U.

 

Step 14: Use the lines on the left as guides to draw the hind legs. Start by lightly sketching the shape of the leg as you follow the basic path of the guide line. When you get the basic shape of the leg right, darken the lines. Use curved lines at the tip of the foot for the toes. The lines should be similar to a backward letter C. Use curved lines to emphasize the shape of the muscles. The top part of the lion's leg whould be wider than the bottom.

Draw the other hind leg the same way. Sketch lightly at first, then darken the lines when you get the shape right. Notice that the joint in the middle comes outward more because the lioness is stepping forward. Don't forget to add the toes at the bottom! From this angle only three toes on each foot should be visible.

---

 

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