How to draw an dragon eye

Welcome! This blog post features a guided tutorial of how to draw a dragon eye for beginners. This activity helps artists to build skills using the elements of art: LINE, VALUE, and COLOR. Additionally, this lesson explores how to create a sense of IMPLIED TEXTURE, which is suggesting how something looks like it would feel in a 2d artwork. This composition can be done with a range of art materials, and finalized with creative color choices and added details.

To begin, all you will need is a pencil and piece of white drawing paper! Once sketched with pencil, you can add color using any color tool of your choice. Some recommendations include bendable oil pastels, paint, markers, and more! Let’s begin!

*NOTE* In this tutorial, added steps will be drawn in red. It is recommended that you draw these steps light. Draw it light ’til you get it right!*

Step 1:

Use pencil to lightly draw/trace a circle in the middle of the paper. This will become the iris or the colored part of the eye.

Step 2:

Add two ‘v’ shaped lines on the left and right side of the circle.

Step 3:

Follow the curve of the bottom line to add a lower eye lid.

Draw a line for the upper eye lid that overlaps slightly onto the iris circle.

Step 4:

Draw a vertical line down the middle of the iris circle.

Step 5:

Draw the pupil. Explore creative shapes for the pupil.

Additionally, draw a highlight to suggest that the eye is glossy and reflective. The highlight can be a square, circle, or shape of your choice. Consider overlapping it with the pupil slightly.

Step 6:

Fill the pupil in solid black with a tool of your choice.

Step 7:

Draw a curved line which will become a tear duct on the eye.

Follow the contours around the eye to draw an outline of the shape.

Step 9:

Follow the same method creating an outline of the eye shape til you reach the edge of your picture plane.

Step 10:

Draw another set of scales. Consider “staggering” each scale. This will ensure more of a realistic appearance.

Step 11:

Continue the method until you reach the edge of the paper.

Step 12:

With a color tool of your choice, begin adding color the iris. Create a gradient that goes from dark to light towards the middle pupil.

Step 13:

If you wish to add detail, add some white lines that radiate outwards from the pupil to add some texture to the iris.

Step 14:

Add some shading underneath the upper eyelid onto the eye.

Step 15:

Fill in the pupil and the lower eyelid with a color of your choice. Explore adding highlights to make it more realistic.

Step 16:

On each scale, explore creating gradients to make it appear dimensional. Gradients can be created by gradually blending two or more colors into one another.

*Recommended, choose a light color and dark color and repeat the same direction of the gradient for each scale.*

Step 17:

Finalize all the scales. If needed, use a dark color such as black to refine the lines and shadows between each scale.

Step 18:

Consider what additional details you can add to your dragon eye to give it personality. Some examples include eyelashes, horns, and more!