Real-Time Character Drawing - The Lion Rider

Most drawing tutorials edit out the actual decision-making process. The hesitation, the corrections, the moments where construction principles are being applied instinctively rather than consciously explained. This three-and-a-half-hour session draws a lion rider character from imagination in Photoshop, fully narrated and uncut, showing how structural construction, animal anatomy reference, and stylized character design work together across the full process from gesture to color.

The Art Ritual format demonstrates that finished illustration comes from a reliable sequence of steps: rough gesture, structural construction, inking, flatting, and color rendering. Each phase builds on the previous one, and watching the entire process reveals where foundational principles actually matter and where intuitive mark-making takes over.

The session begins with rough gesture exploration, establishing the relationship between rider and lion before committing to any construction. Rather than starting with a detailed thumbnail, the approach involves playing with compositions directly, treating the early phase as exploration rather than planning.

A core principle that runs through the entire construction phase is overlap. Every element, from the rocks in the environment to the relationship between the lion and rider, relies on one thing being placed in front of another to create depth. The approach is compared to working in a film prop department: the question is not just how to draw rocks, but where to position them so they build visual depth through overlapping silhouettes. Getting these basic overlaps right means much of the image takes care of itself.

Constructing the lion involves working from anatomical reference rather than guessing. In this case, Ken Hultgren's "The Art of Animal Drawing" provides the structural foundation, with particular attention to how the rib cage, shoulder blades, and spine create the underlying form. The anatomy stays stylized, but the construction underneath follows real structural logic: center line first, then rib cage and pelvis as separate masses connected by the spine.

The character rider follows the same principles. The figure construction uses basic forms and proportions, then pushes them toward a stylized result. Armor, costume details, and personality elements layer on top of solid structural underpinning. The deliberate approach of keeping things rough and sketchy in the early stages preserves the character and energy that tighter initial construction would eliminate.

Leaving and returning to an image is treated as a strategic tool rather than a disruption. The key is to handle tricky elements before stopping and to leave clear visual notes about what comes next, so re-engagement is smooth. Coming back with fresh eyes catches proportion issues that were invisible during the flow state, like the lion's head being slightly too large.

The color phase uses Photoshop actions to flatten shapes quickly, selecting areas with the wand tool and Quick Mask to create clean flat layers that clip the line art. Color choices stay limited and warm, with contrast pushed through gradients and texture overlays rather than complex rendering. The approach demonstrates that unsophisticated, direct color application creates effective results when the underlying line work carries the image.