How to Draw a Lion

This step-by-step lesson will show you how to draw a lion, one of the largest and most majestic animals in the cat family.

A lion has a very recognizable appearance that sets it apart from other felines. First of all, we are, of course, talking about its voluminous mane and the tuft at the end of the tail.

In this lesson, we will use a classic academic drawing approach, building the lion’s figure by starting with the overall shape and gradually defining and refining the forms, adding smaller details in the way a sculptor works.

This method is slightly different from the one we used in our cat drawing lesson, where we constructed the figure using an initial framework and then added volume step by step.

At the end of the lesson, we will show how to add volumetric shading and how to make the overall lion drawing look three-dimensional and convincing.

How to draw a lion step by step

Step 1: Sketch the lion’s overall silhouette

Start by sketching the overall contour of the lion, placing the figure on the sheet and defining the general proportions and composition. With light lines, indicate the placement of the main forms and very roughly mark where the head will be located. For a correct and balanced academic composition, we recommend positioning the lion so that there is a small amount of space between the edges of the figure and the edges of the paper. You can leave slightly more space at the top and in front of the lion.

Step 2: Add mane and limb placement

Now gradually begin adding the main parts that make up the lion’s figure. With light movements, first sketch the outline of the mane. Then, in the lower part, mark the placement of the limbs. It is very important not to confuse the proportions here – draw each part of the lion close to what you see in the reference images. Measure the proportions and compare them with each other for greater accuracy.

Step 3: Construct the animal’s head volume

Now move on to the head and begin adding the general contours, creating volume in this part of the drawing. First, sketch the lion’s face shape, then indicate the muzzle and the animal’s rounded ears. With a couple of light lines, mark the positions of the eyes and the nose. Try to think in terms of volume and three-dimensional form, building the basic structure of the lion’s head in this area. With a few basic lines, sketch the lion’s tail.

Step 4: Sketch the facial features lightly

Once the general forms are in place and the volume of the lion’s head is indicated, begin gradually adding the facial details. First, using the horizontal guideline, draw the lion’s eyes with smooth but still very light lines. Then move to the front part of the muzzle and carefully sketch the nose and mouth. Here again, it is important to think three-dimensionally so the lion’s head looks dimensional.

Step 5: Draw the face of the lion in detail

Now, using more confident and finished lines, smoothly outline and complete the eyes, adding small pupils inside them. After that, use the same smooth lines to carefully draw the lion’s nose and mouth, gradually erasing any unnecessary construction marks. Refine and finalize the overall contours of the face, correcting any inaccuracies if needed.

Step 6: Detail the ears and mane fur around face

Now, using short, smooth strokes, draw the fur surrounding the lion’s face and forming its iconic mane. After that, use smooth lines to carefully outline the ears, giving them a finished look. With short, gentle strokes, add fur around the ears as well.

Step 7: Draw the mane of the lion in detail

Now continue using light, smooth lines to refine the contour of the lion’s mane. Try to give the shape a full and voluminous appearance, and also keep in mind that the fur strokes should not be too uniform or, on the other hand, stick out in random directions. Do not try to draw the texture inside the mane of the lion at this stage – only define the outer contour, as shown in our example.

Step 8: Draw the front and hind legs

Now move on to the animal’s limbs and begin detailing the front and hind legs. Using smooth and clear lines, carefully draw the legs, add the toes, and gently remove any unnecessary construction lines in this area. Keep volume and perspective in mind as you draw the legs, and remember the characteristic bends of the front and rear limbs.

Step 9: Draw the front paws of the lion

Now finalize the front limbs, giving them a more voluminous and realistic appearance. Add a few light strokes to suggest the fur on the upper parts of the front legs. Then make the overall contours of the limbs smoother and clearer, finish the toes, and add any necessary details if needed.

Step 10: Finalize the hind legs and torso

Now do the same with the hind limbs. Using clearer lines, draw the legs and paws of the lion, removing any unnecessary construction outlines. Try to emphasize the characteristic shape of the hind legs and add a few short strokes to indicate muscles and tendons. In this same step, give the torso a more authentic appearance as well.

Step 11: Draw the tail of the lion in detail

Now it’s time to finalize the tail and give it a more realistic appearance. Start by outlining the contours, making them smoother and clearer. Then, with light, short strokes, indicate the fluffy tuft of fur at the tip. Check this area carefully and erase any unnecessary lines.

Step 12: Clean up the full lion outline

Now it’s time to finalize the overall outline and give the lion sketch a clean look. Go over the entire drawing and carefully erase all remaining construction lines, refining and correcting the necessary parts and adding small details if needed. Step back from the drawing and check the overall proportions of the individual parts and the sketch as a whole.

Step 13: Mark shadow areas lightly

When drawing shadows, you need to consider many factors, such as the volume of the figure, the light source, its intensity, and the level of detail in the shadows themselves. After determining where the light is coming from, lightly mark the outlines of the shadows with soft lines, keeping in mind that they appear in areas where direct light does not reach.

Step 14: Fill the shadow areas with hatching

Inside the shadow outlines from the previous step, begin drawing short, even hatching lines. Remember that to emphasize volume, the hatching should follow the form of the object. To make the shadows look more realistic, you can darken the edges of the transitions between light and shadow more than the shadow areas themselves.

Step 15: Check and finish the lion drawing

Now your lion drawing is complete, and it’s time to make a final check of its volume and proportions, correcting any necessary parts and adding details. We used academic and realistic but fairly minimal shading, but you can make it more complex and also add more halftones and highlights if you wish.

In this lion drawing lesson, we tried to show you one academic drawing approach that works well for depicting any animal as well as the human figure.

Now you can use this method to draw a dog or any other mammal. Or, on the contrary, you can try using a different approach – such as the one we used in our horse drawing lesson – to depict a lion.

In this way, you can learn more different techniques for creating volumetric and natural-looking animals.

Of course, these are only two of many possible methods of drawing, and we will show other approaches in our future lessons.

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