In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw the head detail of a Lioness step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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To draw this Lioness portrait step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The 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 a big circle as a guide for the lioness' head. First make four marks to determine the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Space out the marks. The farther apart the marks are, the bigger the circle will be. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a bowl or a lid. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: Draw a long, horizontal line across the circle as a guide to help you place the lioness' facial features later. Draw this line slightly higher than the middle and curve it so that it contours to the circle. Add a shorter, curved, vertical line on the top, left for another construction guide.

Step 3: Draw a small circle on top of the horizontal line and to the left of the vertical line as a guide for the first eye. To the right of the vertical line, draw another small circle as a guide for the lion's other eye. Use the lines as guides to determine the size and placement of the eyes in relation to the big cat's head.

Step 4: Draw another circle below the horizontal line as a guide for the muzzle. Use the four-marks method again to draw this circle. Place the left and bottom marks outside of the head. Connect the marks using curved lines to form the circle. The lower, left side should stick out of the head. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the lion's head. Sketch lightly at first to get the size right.

Step 5: Inside the muzzle, draw a small triangle as a guide for the lioness' nose. Draw the triangle on the left side of the muzzle so that it overlaps the edge of the big circle.

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Step 6: On the top, right side of the head, draw a small arc as a guide for the first ear. On the left side, draw a slightly longer and thinner arc as a guide for the lion's other ear. Make the bottom of this arc wider than the top. The tops of both arcs should be at around the same height.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing of a lioness.

Step 7: Inside the head, darken the small circle on the left for the big cat's first eye. Make the top side and right side flatter and narrower for the eyelid and corner of the eye. Make the lines thicker and darker. Add an extra long line on the top, left side for eyelashes. Extend the bottom, right corner downward for the inner corner of the lioness' eye. Draw a line over the small circle on the right for the other eye's eyelid. Darken the small circle and make the edge thicker. Add a short, vertical line to the left of the circle for the outer side of the eye shape. On the bottom, left side, draw a thin, triangular shape that points toward the nose for the inner corner of the lioness' eye.

Step 8: Inside the eye on the left, near the middle, draw a tiny dot for the first pupil. Draw a slightly bigger dot in the middle of the eye on the right for the other pupil. On either side of each pupil, draw a tiny circle for highlights. Draw a series of small strokes around each eye for detail on the lioness' fur. Curve the path of the strokes around the eyes. Don't draw the strokes too far away from the eyes.

Step 9: Use the triangle inside the muzzle as a guide to draw the lioness' nose. Darken the top edge of the guide but make the line wavier. Curve the top part of the left edge a bit as you darken it. Draw a long, curved line on the right side of the nose for the nostril. Make the right edge wavier as you darken it and add a small line on the bottom corner.

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Step 10: Under the lion's nose, draw a line that curves to the right for the first half of the mouth. The line should stretch all the way to the edge of the big initial circle. Use short strokes for fur. To the left, draw a shorter, sloping line for the other side of the big cat's mouth.

Step 11: Darken the bottom edge of the initial muzzle circle to create the chin. Use a series of short strokes as you follow the path of the circle to create a furry texture. Stretch the right tip of the line so that it curves inside the head.

Step 12: Draw a long, sloping line from the big cat's nose to the left eye for the top part of the muzzle. Darken the left side of the initial circle to create the side of the muzzle. Curve the side of the muzzle inward so that it connects to the lioness' mouth. Draw a series of short lines between the eye on the right and the nose to give the muzzle more structure.

Step 13: Use the arc on the top, right side of the head as a guide to draw the lion's first ear. Draw a series of short strokes along the edge of the arc to make the ear more furry. Make the bottoms of the arc longer so that the lines stretch inside the head. Stretch the right tip of the ear lower than the horizontal construction line and curve it to the left. Inside the big cat's ear, draw a smaller arc that's made up of short strokes for the ear's furry opening. Draw longer strokes across the ear and along the bottom for more fur.

Step 14: Use the arc on the left as a guide to draw the lion's other ear the same way. Use short strokes along the edge to make the ear furry and curve the lower, left side a bit. Draw a wavy line inside the ear that's made up of strokes for the ear's opening. Draw a series of longer strokes across the big cat's ear for more fur.

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Step 15: Draw a curved line that's made up of short strokes above the edge of the initial circle for the top of the head. Draw a sloping line near the edge of the initial circle, across the bottom of the ear, for more of the lion's head. On the left, follow the basic path of the initial circle to create the side of the head. Curve the lines next to the eye to form the brow at the top and the cheekbone at the bottom. Draw a curved line along basic path of the initial circle on the lower, right side to create the bottom of the head.

Step 16: Draw a series of lines and short strokes inside the head for fur and structure. Draw a couple of sloping lines below the eye on the left to emphasize the lioness' cheekbone. Draw some strokes at the top and bottom for a bit of the neck.

Step 17: 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 you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your lioness drawing for extra detail. Make the lines around the eyes thicker and darker. Add a medium value inside the eyes but don't overlap the tiny highlight circles. Use a dark value on the edge of the big cat's nose, inside the nostril and on the mouth. Add a dark section on the side of the mouth and inside the ears. Draw a series of dots for the whiskers' base. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Shade the rest of the lioness' head using a series of strokes of a medium value for a furry texture. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. As you shade, separate each individual stroke a bit so that the white of the paper comes through. Use a darker value near the top of the big cat's head. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to darker values. Make a few strokes slightly darker on the forehead for an almost spot-like pattern. Leave the area around the lioness' eyes blank. Use smooth shading on the section above the nose. As you shade, use strokes that go in the general direction of the fur. The strokes should basically radiate outward from the middle.

Use a medium value to shade the lioness' nose and leave the area around the mouth and chin blank for white fur. Add a bit of light value on the front part of the muzzle to create some shadows. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Continue to add layers of short, medium-value strokes to build up the texture of the fur. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of a lioness. Add some light value to the front of the muzzle to give it texture and so that it isn't so blank. Add some long strokes above the mouth for whiskers. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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