Ready for a fun and detailed lion face drawing tutorial? Grab your pencils and let’s dive into a step-by-step approach that puts you in control. You’ll learn how to sketch a lion’s most distinctive features using simple shapes. By the end, you’ll have a majestic lion staring back at you from your page.
Table of contents
- Gather your supplies
- Sketch a cross for proportion
- Outline the face shape
- Place the eyes
- Draw the nose
- Shape the muzzle and mouth
- Refine the ears
- Build the mane
- Add shading and texture
- Wrap-up and encouragement
Gather your supplies
- A 2H pencil for light sketching
- A darker pencil (4B or charcoal) for shading
- An eraser (kneaded or standard)
- Paper or a sketchbook
- A reference image (optional but helpful)
Sketch a cross for proportion
Begin by lightly drawing a cross on your paper. This cross sets the eye line and vertical midpoint of the head and helps you align the major features. Keep your pencil pressure gentle so you can erase construction lines later (Studio Wildlife).
Outline the face shape
At the intersection of your cross, sketch a circle for the lion’s main face area. From there, block in rough shapes for the forehead and cheeks, plus gentle curves where the jawline will be. This quick outline helps you keep track of overall proportions (EasyDrawingTips).
Place the eyes
Mark two small circles just above the horizontal line, with each eye sitting in its own “half” of the face. The entire eye is about one-fifth the face width, and the spacing on each side should feel balanced. Then, draw an elliptical outline around each circle for the lion’s eyelids (Studio Wildlife).
Draw the nose
Below the eyes, sketch a squashed heart shape for the nose. Lightly draw “arms” extending up from the top of this shape to connect with the face circle. Add a bold Y-shaped ridge down the middle, which forms the nose bridge and nostrils. Keep everything symmetrical but not rigid, as a bit of natural variation adds realism (Studio Wildlife).
Shape the muzzle and mouth
Next, capture the lion’s muzzle by placing two soft circles or ovals under either side of the nose, merging into the mouth area. For the mouth, draw curved lines that align gently under the nose. Slight upturns at the edges give your lion a relaxed, lifelike expression (We Draw Animals).
Refine the ears
Move to the top of the circle and add two rounded triangles for ears. Each ear should curve inward slightly. Then, add small curved lines inside to hint at the inner ear structure. Erase extra guidelines for a cleaner look (Studio Wildlife).
Build the mane
Drawing the mane can be as simple or detailed as you like. Use zigzag or wavy lines around the head for a full, regal look. You can frame the face with shorter lines near the top and longer, looser lines around the sides to mimic fur variation (We Draw Animals).
Add shading and texture
Switch to a softer pencil or charcoal to shade around the lion’s cheekbones, eyes, and along the mane. Treat each tuft of hair in small clumps, and let some lines overlap for a natural effect. Don’t forget whiskers; erase thin lines or use a white pen to draw them last, ensuring they vary in length and curve (Studio Wildlife).
Wrap-up and encouragement
Step back and assess your work. Adjust any lines and add final touches like subtle fur details or deeper shadows around the eyes. You’ve built a confident lion face from scratch, and it only gets better with practice. Each line you draw hones your eye for proportion and detail. Keep experimenting with different references and angles, and soon you’ll feel ready to tackle full-body lion poses too (Wacom).
5 FAQs about your lion face drawing tutorial
How do I erase construction lines without smudging?
Use a kneaded eraser and gently tap over the pencil lines. Work in small areas and keep your hand off heavy bleeds of graphite to avoid smears.Is it okay if my lion’s face isn’t perfectly symmetrical?
Absolutely. Slight asymmetry can add natural depth and personality. Real lions are not perfectly symmetrical either.What if I don’t have multiple pencil grades?
You can still get good results with a single pencil by applying different pressures. Lighter for guidelines, heavier for final lines and shading.Can I try markers or colored pencils instead?
Go for it. Markers add bold lines, and colored pencils help create fur tones. Just keep the initial light sketch outlines so you can easily tweak proportions.How do I capture the lion’s true expression?
Focus on the eyes and mouth. Subtle shading around the eyelids and slight mouth curves can convey a relaxed or fierce look. Experiment with small variations to see which mood you like.
- 11shares
- Facebook0
- Pinterest11
- Twitter0
