Sketching Lions: Simplifying Head and Torso with Basic Shapes

Recorded a still life of a lion head this week, it just so happens that this mane is suitable for practicing the feeling of expressing a block.
On a side note, when we talk about lion's head in class, there's always a picture of roasted meatballs 🤤.

In the second half, I've organized the lion's movement and structure, and this time I'll focus on the lion's head and torso, if you're interested, please look down together.

Lion body structure:

The upper right side panel divides the body into several segments, such as a square for the head, a cylinder for the torso, and a rectangular form for the legs and tail.

1. Head:

Cubes can be used as a base, and the shape of the lion's head can be broken down into cubes to make it easier to grasp its entire appearance, see the small picture on the right.
The protruding part of the face (the mouth) can be overlaid with small squares to give the lion's face a three-dimensional look.

2. Trunk structure.

The body can be simplified by using a rectangular form, especially the line of the back spine which shows strength and curvature.

The structure of the chest and pelvis is summarized in ellipses and squares, and when drawing, note that the distribution of the muscles affects the simplified square features, for example, the hips are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and so on.

3. structure in action:

When the lion runs or hunts, the extension and contraction of its backbone can be observed in the small painting in the lower left corner, and the tension in the movement can be seen in the curvature of the spine and limbs.

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I hope this introduction to the structure can help you recognize and understand the knowledge of the lion's body. If there are any subjects you would like to see or drawing methods you would like to know, please feel free to leave a message or private message me, and I wish you a happy painting!

Other Extended Animal Sketching Articles.

How to Draw Birds: Mastering the Sketch of Body Structures

How to Sketch a Pet Dog: A Practical Approach to Perspective and Proportion

How to draw a Koi in pencil: a lesson in fish sketching

Drawing a Dynamic Orangutan: How to Master Body Proportions and Dynamic Structures