Use the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to draw a lion. Follow along with the video, or use the images in this article. By the end of this tutorial, even beginners will have a completed drawing of this majestic big cat!

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To draw this lion step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to go at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step images below the video. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. 

Materials You'll Need Before starting, gather these basic drawing supplies from Blick Art Materials. If you choose to purchase through these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Pencils (an HB lead pencil is best for light sketches)	Kneaded Eraser	Drawing Paper
Black Ink Pen (or Fine-Line Marker)	Colored Pencils (or Markers)	Markers (or Colored Pencils)

Step 1: Create the Initial Guidelines Sketch

Before jumping into the fine details, establishing a basic structure helps create the correct proportions for your lion. Sketch lightly at first so that it is easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Proportional Circles

• The Front Body Circle: Using the "four marks" method to draw your circle, first make two small marks to indicate the height and two more marks on the sides to indicate the width. Connect these marks using curved lines. This serves as a guide for the front section of the body. You can trace the outer edge of a bottle cap or lid if you have trouble drawing one.
• The Back Body Circle: To the right, draw another circle using the four marks method. Make this circle about two-thirds the size of the first circle. Keep the top edges lined up and pay attention to their distance apart so the body is not too short.
• The Head Circle: On the left side, draw another circle as a guide for the head. Make this circle about half the size of the first circle. The edges of the head circle and the first circle should touch, and the top edges must line up.

Construction Lines and Limb Guides

• Muzzle and Ear Guides: Draw a long sloping line across the head circle for a construction guide, making the bottom part extend outside the circle. On the left, add a short sloping line for the muzzle guide, connecting it back to the head with a couple of lines to form a rectangle. Add a short arc on top of the head for the ear.
• Leg and Torso Connectors: Under the front part of the body, draw a long angled vertical line for the front leg, bending it near the middle to indicate a joint and adding a short line at the bottom for the foot. Add a sloping line to the left for the other front leg. Under the right circle, draw a longer angled line for the hind leg, bending it slightly lower than the middle, and add a foot guide. Add another angled line to the left for the other hind leg. Connect the head to the body with shorter lines for a wide neck shape. Connect the body circles with longer lines to finish the torso guide, using an angled line along the bottom to emphasize the chest. From the right side, draw a long curved line for the tail guide.

Step 2: Draw the Facial Features

With your structure completed, you can begin refining the contours and adding individual facial features. Sketch lightly at first and only darken your lines when you are satisfied with the shapes.

Facial Anatomy

• The Eye: Lightly sketch a small circle for the eye inside the head, placing it close to the top edge of the muzzle. Darken the right edge using an angled line similar to a greater-than sign (>), make the top line slightly longer for eyelashes, and add angled lines on the bottom left for the inner corner. Place a tiny dot close to the top edge for the pupil and add a few short texture lines around the eye.
• The Nose: Sketch a small triangle for the nose against the left edge of the muzzle. Make it large in relation to the muzzle, add a curved line on the right side for the nostril, and use curved lines to give it an organic feel, keeping the bottom thin and pointy.
• The Mouth and Chin: Darken the guide above the nose for the top of the muzzle and curve the outer forehead area for the brow. Draw a curved line below the nose for the mouth, ending near the head circle. Add another curved line below that for the gums, a short angled line inside for the teeth, and a furry chin using short, quick strokes.

Step 3: Add the Mane

A lion's mane is its most defining feature. Use overlapping clumps rather than drawing individual hair strands.

Mane Framing

• The Ear and Framing: Darken the ear arc, extending the bottom part inward to make it slightly bigger. Add an angled line inside for the opening and a few short angled lines below it for clumps of fur. Outline the front part of the mane above the head using a series of short angled shapes similar to triangles. Create a broken line across the head between the eye and the ear for the inner edge of the mane.
• The Full Mane: Lightly sketch the overall shape of the mane across the initial guidelines down to the front leg. Darken the lines using a series of small triangular shapes and short strokes of different sizes. Use a horizontal orientation for the internal lines to indicate the correct direction of the fur.

Step 4: Draw the Front Legs and Feet

Build upon your vertical leg guides to create this big cat's powerful limbs.

Forelimbs Details

• First Front Leg: Sketch the first front leg around its guideline, making the top wider than the bottom, and add a small curved shape for a fur clump at the joint. Curve the bottom for the foot and add a couple of short curved lines on the front of the foot to separate the toes.
• Raised Front Leg: Use the left front guideline to sketch the other leg. The bottom part of this shape should be curved because this leg is raised. Add a short curved line at the top for the thumb-like toe, more curved lines along the bottom for the rest of the toes, and a couple of lines inside for the padding on the foot.

Step 5: Finalize the Hind Legs and Body

Complete your sketch by finishing the lion's powerful rear legs and body contours.

Rear Anatomy and Torso

• The Hind Legs: Follow the rear guidelines to draw both hind legs. Make the top part of the legs wider than the bottom, curving the lines along the path of the guide to create the joints. Darken the lines once the shapes are correct and add a couple of curved lines inside the front part of the feet to separate the toes.
• Torso and Tail Outlines: Darken the outer edges of the remaining body guidelines to create the final silhouette. At the tip of the tail guide, draw a small circular shape made up of short strokes to represent the furry tuft.

Step 6: Erase Guidelines and Ink Your Sketch

Preparing your drawing for color requires inking over your final lines and erasing any leftover pencil sketch marks.

Clean Inking

• Inking: Go over the final lines with permanent ink. Take your time and be careful when you ink your drawing to avoid any accidents. Redraw any of the final lines that you may have accidentally altered.
• Erasing Guides: Once the ink dries completely, erase the pencil marks. You can use a thin click eraser or a kneaded eraser to get between the final lines without smudging. Add a bit more ink to key areas to create deep, definitive shadows.

Step 7: Begin Adding Color

Applying your initial color choices helps give your lion depth, realism, and a proper three-dimensional structure.

Base Tones and Shadows

• Shadow Positioning: Pick a light source coming from the top so your shadows remain consistent throughout the body. Most of the shadows will be on the undersides of the shapes. Use a light brown to create base shadows across the body to give the figure more dimension and volume. Use a standard brown to create deeper shadows on top.
• Body Coloring: Use different shades of brown and yellow to color the rest of the body. Color the mane using darker shades of brown and a bit of orange at the front. Shade using the lighter colors at first and then slowly add the darker shades on top. Tilt your strokes to follow the natural orientation of the hair inside the mane.

Step 8: Finish Coloring and Add Grass

Ground your subject in its natural environment by enhancing your pencil shading and adding environment details.

Environmental Details

• Color Blending and Highlights: Slowly and gradually add darker shades across the body to emphasize the shadows and make the figure more three-dimensional. Blend the colors on the body using lighter shades. Use darker colors to emphasize the muscle structure, too. Add a bit of blue or purple to the shadows and yellow to the highlights. Go over the final ink lines one more time to emphasize the shapes.
• Grassy Ground Texture: Draw a series of short strokes across the bottom to create a grassy texture. Color the grass using different shades of brown and yellow. Use a white pen to create a few highlights on the mane. Coloring can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

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