How to draw a dragon sitting down

Step 1 of 60Guide lines

Tower guide

Start light with the tower he sits on: two long lines down for its sides, a little closer at the bottom, and a gentle curve across the top where his feet will rest.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 45.

Step 2 of 60Guide lines

Head and body guides

Up on the right, an oval for his head, tipped down at the front. Then a long oval for his body along the top of the tower, down to the left of it.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 45.

Step 3 of 60Guide lines

Wing guides

For the big wing: a line from his back up to the wrist, then three long lines fanning out from the wrist to the three tips, the lowest by the tower.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 45.

Step 4 of 60Guide lines

Tail guide

Then one long curve for his tail: from his hip, down the left of the tower, across the front of it, round a loop on the right and back to a point.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 45.

Step 5 of 60

The head

From the back of his head, along the top and down his long snout, round his nose, then back under his jaw to his cheek. Then his mouth, from the front.

Step 6 of 60

His eye

Halfway along his head, the eye: a line in to its pointed back corner, then the lids, round to the front corner and back. Then a round iris and a thin slit.

Step 7 of 60

Brow, crease and nostril

A curved crease under the eye, then the brow over it. Near his nose, a short line on his snout, then a little curve and a teardrop nostril under it.

Step 8 of 60

The frill

Behind his head, a long pointed frill: from his head out along its top to the point and back. Then the line under it, from his head out, and a small spike on top.

Step 9 of 60

The horns

From the top of his head, the near horn: up its underside to the point and back down its top. Then the far horn behind it.

Step 10 of 60

Ridges on the horn

At the near horn's foot, a few little ridges in one zigzag along the top of his head.

Step 11 of 60

A spike on his cheek

Under the frill, a little spike on his cheek: from his jaw out to a point and back, pointing towards his neck.

Step 12 of 60

The back of his neck

From under the frill, one long line down the back of his neck, round at its foot and along his back to where the wing will start.

Step 13 of 60

Neck spikes

Five spikes down the back of his neck, from under the frill, each out to a point and back to the line.

Step 14 of 60

Spikes on his back

Five spikes along his back, from his neck towards the wing. Then, in the crook of his neck, a line from the neck down to the spikes.

Step 15 of 60

The front of his neck

From under his chin, down the front of his neck and chest to the front of the body oval. Then a short line from the cheek spike down to it.

Step 16 of 60

The near wing's edge

From his back, up the arm to the wrist, round its claw, along the top to the first tip and back inside it. Then short lines across the claws.

Step 17 of 60

The wing's fingers

Two long thin fingers from the wrist: down to the second tip and back up, then a short line across its claw. Then down to the third tip and back, and across its claw.

Step 18 of 60

The wing's last bone

From the wrist, down the last bone to the third tip, back up its other side and along under the arm to his shoulder. Then a curve from his back up to the arm.

Step 19 of 60

The wing's skin

Three scoops of skin between the tips: from the first tip down to the next finger, from the third tip to the second, and from the last bone to his body.

Step 20 of 60

The far wing

Behind his neck, the far wing: from his neck out along its top, round the claw and back. Then the claw's foot, two lines along it, its lower edge, and a light line beside that.

Step 21 of 60

The near front leg

The near front leg: down its back from his shoulder to the heel, then its front from his chest to the foot. Then a short line at its top, and one on his shoulder.

Step 22 of 60

Toes and claws

One short toe line down from the leg, then three curved claws hooked over the stone, left to right.

Step 23 of 60

Bands on his neck

Down his neck, the strip's edge, from under the cheek spike to the top of the front leg. Then fourteen bands across the strip, top to bottom, from its edge out to his throat.

Step 24 of 60

The far front leg

The far front leg peeks out behind: a line down its back and along the top of its toes, then one down its front and under them. Then small toe lines and three claws.

Step 25 of 60

The back leg

His back leg: from his tail, up over the big round thigh and down its front to the foot.

Step 26 of 60

Back toes and claws

Three short lines for the back toes, left to right along the top of the foot. Then three claws hooked over the stone under them.

Step 27 of 60

His belly

Between the legs, the belly strip: its top line, its bottom line, then the bands across it.

Step 28 of 60

The outside of his tail

From his hip, one long line down the outside of his tail, then on along under the coil and up round the inside of the loop.

Step 29 of 60

Spikes down the tail

Fifteen spikes down the outside of his tail, from his hip to the bottom, getting smaller. Then five small spikes under the coil, from the left, each down to a point and back.

Step 30 of 60

The inside of the tail

From the back of his thigh, the inside of the tail: down the tower's left side, across its front, round the outside of the loop and back along the bottom.

Step 31 of 60

The tip

The tail's tip: from its point along its top edge and round inside the loop, then its bottom edge, and two lines inside it.

Step 32 of 60

Bands on the tail

Down the inside of his tail, the strip's edge, from his hip to the coil. Then bands across it, top to bottom.

Step 33 of 60

The battlements

Now the tower behind him, its top blocks. Up, across and down the first; then from its top, its thick side, along under his claws, over the big block and down.

Step 34 of 60

The last blocks

The big block's slanted side, then along to the front claws. Past them, up, over and down the last block and on along the top to the tower's right side; then down its corner.

Step 35 of 60

The top of the wall

Under the blocks, the wall's sides and its rows of stones: the long curved lines first, then the short joints between the stones.

Step 36 of 60

The ledge

Under the wall, nine blocks hanging down, left to right: each block's front, then one line for its slanted side. The middle block has none, just a short line in the gap before it.

Step 37 of 60

The tower's sides

From under the ledge, the tower's left side, down to the tail. Then a short piece of its right side, under the last block.

Step 38 of 60

The window

Under the middle block, a small arched window: from its top, down the left side and along the sill, then down the right side and back. Then the arch inside it.

Step 39 of 60

Stones on the wall

Rows of stones across the wall, down to the tail: the long lines first, then the joints between them.

Step 40 of 60

Stones in the loop

Through the loop of the tail, the tower's edge and a few more stones.

Step 41 of 60

The bottom of the tower

Below the tail, the tower's two sides, then its rows of stones and the joints.

Step 42 of 60

The pointed roof

Behind him, a pointed roof: from its right foot up to the point and down the left. Then two curved lines along its base.

Step 43 of 60

Roof tiles

Rows of tiles across the roof, top to bottom, then the short joints between them.

Step 44 of 60

The hills

Last, the hills, lightly: on the left a long line from the page's edge to his tail, two below it. On the right, one from the edge, one from the loop to it, one below.

Step 45 of 60

Erase the guides

Rub out all the guide lines. Only the dragon, his tower, the roof and the hills stay.

Step 46 of 60

Go over his head

Now press harder on his outside edges: the ridges, then round his head to the spike on his cheek. Then the horns and the frill in one line, and the frill's lower edge.

Step 47 of 60

Go over his neck and back

Down his neck and along his back, round every spike, in one line. Then the line in the crook of his neck, the front of his neck from his chin, and the cheek spike's line.

Step 48 of 60

Go over the near wing

In one line, up the near wing's arm, along its top and in and out round the tips. Then the fingers' inner edges, the last bone and its scoop, and the curve from his back.

Step 49 of 60

Go over the far wing

The far wing: round its top and claw and back. From the claw, down its lower edge, back up beside it and down a line along it; last, the other line along it.

Step 50 of 60

Go over his legs

Round each leg and its claws: the near front leg, the far one, then the back leg, its claws and on under his belly. Last, the belly's top line.

Step 51 of 60

Go over his tail

Last, the tail: down its outside and spikes, under the coil round the last two small spikes and inside the loop. Then the other three small spikes, and the inside, round to the tip.

Step 52 of 60

Shade the wing

Now some soft shading. The light comes from the right, so shade the near wing's skin along the fingers on their shady side.

Step 53 of 60

Shade his head and neck

A little under the horn, between his brow and his eye and on along his snout, and down the back of his neck.

Step 54 of 60

Shade the far wing

Along the far wing's skin, under its top edge.

Step 55 of 60

Shade his body

Under the wing on his back, under the belly, and at the top of the front legs.

Step 56 of 60

Shade the tail

Along the inside of his tail, and under the coil as it crosses the tower and loops round.

Step 57 of 60

Shade the tower

On the tower: its left side, and under the ledge's blocks.

Step 58 of 60

Deep shadows

Press a little harder in the darkest places: inside the window, between two blocks at the top, and on the stones in the coil's shadow.

Step 59 of 60

The hills' shadows

A light tone on the far hills and at the foot of the tower. Keep it soft, as they are far away.

Step 60 of 60

The darks

Last of all, fill in the slit in his eye.