How To Draw Dragon Scales

January 3, 2008 in Tutorials by Vyoma | 11 comments

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  • Sketching / Drawing
  • Level: Beginner
  • Subject: Dragon Scales

Dragon Workshop: Head | Body | Scales | Wings | Limbs And Talons | Horns And Other Addons | More…

As mentioned earlier, after drawing the main body of the dragon, it would look bare and naked without all the addons like scales, horns and wings. In this short tutorial, you can learn how to draw scales on the dragon’s body you constructed.

Construction Lines

It is quite simple to draw construction lines if you want to draw a patch of scales.

Dragon Scale Construction Lines Type 1

You should actually take care of the angle and curve of the cross hatched lines – but for practice, just have two sets of straight lines perpendicular to each other.

Sketching Scales

Dragon Scale Sketching Type 1

After that sketch over it. Do it in a separate layer if you are doing it in digtal medium. Use the construction lines as guides, and draw the ‘U’ shaped lines.

Scale Types

Dragon Scale Construction Lines and Sketching Type 2

Drawing the construction lines with a different angle between the two sets of straight lines, gives you a base to draw a different type of scale. After you experiment with those angles, you should be able to draw patches of scales of varying types.

Dragon Scale - Line Art of different types

Drawing a patch of scale is easy – but wrapping it around the dragon body is a bit tricky.

Shape The Scales

Let us consider the neck (or the tail part) of a dragon.

Dragon Neck Or Tail

Now we need to draw the construction lines of the scales – but remember that the area is curved and not flat.

Dragon Neck Or Tail - Scales Construction Lines

When you draw one set of parallel lines, it will be curved around the part of the dragon – it might be a bit tricky, but visualizing and practicing helps. This is the important step and take your time and practice.

Dragon Neck Or Tail - Sketching Scales

Once the construction lines are layed down, sketching the actual scales is an easy exercise.

Dragon Nect Or Tail with scales - Line Art

Practice applying different types of scales to different parts of the dragon. You will need to experiment with the ‘flow’ of the scales – which go from the tip of the nose to tip of the tail.

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  1. David W.’s avatar

    David W. on February 29, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Thanks! Helped me a lot

    Reply

  2. Vyoma’s avatar

    Vyoma on February 29, 2008 at 4:34 am

    You are welcome, David!

    Reply

  4. helen’s avatar

    helen on November 7, 2008 at 8:29 pm

    a bit lumpy … but if you smooth it out and minimize the scales it could be even better …

    Reply

  5. Ian’s avatar

    Ian on November 28, 2008 at 11:59 am

    All your dragon parts have helped me no end, Thanks

    Reply

  6. Chris’s avatar

    Chris on December 23, 2008 at 5:06 am

    Thanks for another very useful part of the dragon workshop! (Also, sorry about the double post on the dragon head’s page, feel free to delete one of those comments!) :)

    Reply

  7. Vyoma’s avatar

    Vyoma on December 23, 2008 at 5:40 am

    You are welcome!

    And Chris – no worries of that double post. Only the first comment from a reader gets held up in the moderation queue. :)

    Reply

  8. Scotty’s avatar

    Scotty on January 26, 2009 at 8:09 am

    THanks, man this will help tons on my new sketch.

    Reply

  9. Vyoma’s avatar

    Vyoma on January 26, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    You are welcome Scotty!

    Reply

  11. johnny’s avatar

    johnny on July 11, 2009 at 8:13 am

    ok i got that and it seems easy but when i draw dragons mine are not only coiling but also twisting as well and i cant figure it out. some times i can get it but when my dragon is coioing and twisting it gets really hard and i give up…

    Reply