How to Make a Lion in Illustrator
Make a lion in Illustrator by using the "Pen" and "Direct selection" tools to shape ellipses into the parts of a lion displayed in a reference image. Most experienced artists use ellipses and other simple shapes to teach themselves how to draw complex images. Learning to apply this process easily usually requires a significant time investment. However, the payoff is immense: You'll have the skill to draw any image you want after studying the image briefly.
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Instructions
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1
Click the "File" menu's "Open" command, and then navigate to and double-click a picture of a lion you'd like to use as a reference for your own lion graphic. Illustrator will load the picture to guide your illustration.
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2
Click the ellipse icon from the tool palette to run the "Ellipse" tool, and then drag over the lion's torso to roughly cover that part with your ellipse. Do not try to fit the ellipse exactly to the torso at this stage.
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3
Use the previous step's instructions to trace ellipses over the remaining parts of the reference image. For example, you could trace ellipses over the head and mane, each leg, and the tail.
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4
Click the tool palette icon shaped like a nib pen to run the "Pen" tool, and then click a point on the outline of the torso ellipse. Illustrator will add another control point to the ellipse. The more control points you add to a shape, the more easily you can customize the shape.
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5
Click the tool palette icon shaped like a white arrow to run the "Direct selection" tool, which allows you to move control points like the one you just added to the torso ellipse. Double click the control point to select it, and then drag it to move it so it matches the outline of the torso on the underlying reference image.
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6
Use the instructions from Steps 4 and 5 to add and move control points on the ellipse so that it matches the torso of the reference image as closely as possible. Repeat this step until you have fitted the ellipse to the torso with as few new control points as possible.
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7
Fit the other ellipses to the reference image, as you did the torso ellipse. Remember to add as few control points as possible. When you're done with this step, you'll be able to make the complete lion by arranging and cutting out the ellipses.
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References
- Illustrator CS5 Bible; Ted Alspach
- How to Draw What You See; Rudy De Reyna
