The lion is a regal animal with feline grace and a royal appearance. It is not surprising that many artists quite often turn to the image of this beast. Reliably draw it under the force not only of professional painters, but also to those who have just begun to take their first steps in the field of fine art.
How to draw a lion so that it looks like a realistic animal with the correct proportions? To do this, you can periodically evoke in your head the image of an ordinary domestic cat. After all, this little prankster is in a direct, albeit not very close, relationship with the royal person.
In this article, we will tell you how to draw a full-length lion in two ways: cartoony and realistic. Both examples are for beginners in the field of art. Therefore, the lessons will show readers how to draw a lion in stages. This will simplify the process and make it more enjoyable. And people who decide to use the tips on how to draw a lion are more likely to be satisfied with the result of their labors. So let's get started.
We will start with the simplest task -
how to draw a lion in a cartoon version. First you need to sketch a trapezoid with rounded corners - the base of the animal's face. Then add two small circles-ears and an acute-angled trapezoid of a slightly smaller area - the body of the beast. After that, draw four semicircles at the base of the image (paws) and outline the location of the mane (red oval).
Now draw the regal hair, add the tail, erase all unnecessary lines and color the lion. Do not forget about the muzzle: a triangular nose, eyes and jaws. You can add a mustache, a crown and other decorative elements at the request of the artist. Cartoon king of beasts is ready.
We turn to a more difficult task - how to draw a lion with a full-length pencil in a realistic design. Just in this case, a pet walking by itself can be useful. After all, it is here that the characteristic features of the structure of the cat's body in general and the lion in particular will be noted.
So, let's start by drawing two circles, one slightly larger than the other. In this case, the distance between them should be equal to half the larger figure. Connect them with two lines: the upper one will be almost horizontal, and the second will go downhill from the larger circle to the smaller one. This is the specificity of the structure of the cat's figure, which we will consider a little later. Next, sketch the base of the muzzle and draw the paws. We form a clearer picture, add the neck, ears and tail.
Please note: if you decide to draw a lioness, it will be enough for you to stop at this stage, clearly drawing all the necessary lines and removing the extra ones. In order to portray not a queen, but a king, you just need to add a mane. Do not forget that it covers almost a third of the body of the animal, so you do not need to skimp. Long hair reaches almost the middle of the back and abdomen of the male.
Now a little more about the structure of large cats.
The shoulder girdle of this graceful family is larger than the pelvic, but the hind legs are longer than the front due to the hock. This applies to all cats, so remembering such a simple fact, you can easily draw a tiger and a cheetah using a similar scheme, only slightly changing some details. So, the tiger will be more massive than the king of animals, and the cheetah will be lean and long-legged. This information will help you realistically portray a lion, even if you don’t have step-by-step instructions at your fingertips.