How to Paint a Lion Paw
Lions are a unique animal which lend themselves well to being painted and drawn. However, certain body parts of a lion can be difficult for beginning artists to get a handle on. The lion's paw is one of these challenging areas. Because of its shape and form, painting a lion paw requires you to be familiar with the basic skills of figure drawing and oil painting. Once you have a handle on these principles, you can paint a lion paw with ease.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Paint brush set
- Oil paint set
- Palette
- Paint rag
- Canvas
- Eraser
- Lion paw reference picture
Instructions
-
-
1
Review your reference picture of a lion's paw. You can find a reference picture by following a link in the Resource section. Observe the paw's structure and anatomy. Take note at how large the paw is, how the fur sticks out between the toes, and the texture of the foot pads.
-
2
Sketch the rough draft of the paw onto your canvas. Start by mapping the basic pose of the shin by drawing a curved vertical line. Create the shape of the paw by penciling an oval at the bottom of the shin. Map out the lion's four toes by drawing small circles onto the tip of the paw. Look at the different color hues seen in the lion's fur. Place the basic paint hues you will need onto your palette. You can make a simple palette by using a dining plate.
-
-
3
Draw the basic outline of the lion paw, using your rough draft as a guide. Follow your vertical line and create the shape of the shin. Review your reference picture when needed to draw the basic shape of the paw and toes. Press lightly with your pencil and used curved lines to develop the organic outline of the paw. Erase the markings of your rough draft.
-
4
Paint on the base colors of the lion's paw using your oil paints. Follow the outline drawn previously and add the middle tones of the fur onto the shin and paw of the lion. If the foot pads of the lion are visible, paint them using a dark brown color. Work slowly and use a broad paint brush to lay down the base colors.
-
5
Apply the shadow tones to the paw. Review your picture when needed and create the shadows found on your lion by gradually layering dark tones until you reach black. Avoid adding too many shadows onto your painting, keep them minimal and concentrated for a realistic look. Draw in detailed strands of dark fur along your paw with a fan brush.
-
6
Clean off extra paint from your brushes with a paint rag. Paint the details of your lion's paw using a thin, straight-tipped brush. Paint small lines along the paw to create fur strands. Work slowly and paint each fur strand individually. Paint minor shadows found in between the lion's toes and foot pads. Review your painting and adjust any areas as needed.
-
7
Paint the highlights found on the lion paw. Use a liner brush and paint in concentrated areas of light fur to give your lion a realistic look. Erase any visible pencil marks drawn previously. Paint on different hues of fur such as gray, orange and dark red using your fan brush. Let the painting sit for several days to dry.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Practice using oil paints regularly. The more you practice the better your paintings will become.
Study the anatomy of a lion's paw. Practice drawing it in different poses to get a better understanding of its structure.
Observe other artists and the techniques they use to create paintings of lions. This will give you ideas for your own work.
Each artist's painting method will be slightly different. Continue to practice painting and see what styles work best for you.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
