Step by step drawing a colorful dragon

1-Imagine your dragon in a specific position, like laying down and guarding treasure. Using line and shape, sketch out its form.

2-Define the form by lightly sketching the basic anatomy.

TECHNIQUE STUDY
Constantly refer back to references to see common points in anatomy to figure out how to sketch them. Most creatures have the same basic structure represented in slightly different ways. When attaching a head to a different body, use the neck and clavicle area as a meeting point. For wings, connect them near the shoulder and scapula. In merged areas, draw an anatomical structure that is a cross between the structures in both references.

3-Using a neutral shadow color, lightly rough in areas covered by mid-tone and shadow.

4-Decide the body color for your dragon, and apply more pressure and change stroke direction to blend color and shadow together. Slowly build up value and blend neatly into mid-tone.

KEY-DETAIL PRACTICE
Toning down the saturation of a color can make the dragon more realistic. Practice blending complementary colors together or more neutral shades into more primary ones to see what works for your tools.

5-Blend the mid-tone into the lighter value, not touching areas in major light. Change your color to a lighter shade.

6-Indicate texture by using a variety of pressure, colors, and marks to represent scales, horns, feathers, ridges, and so on.

7-Add more details; a slant to the eyelid or a hint of a smile can bring some personality into your dragon. Choose a couple of key areas to really push detail in the scales, wings, and claws.

8-Add your own background scene.