#i am aware that the SandWing has an earring

[abby-wolf]

miscellaneous tribe doodles

[willoillo]

do you have a process for drawing dragon faces? their expressions are so fun and lifelike to look at :]

Sure I do!! I don't think about it too much consciously nowadays but I definitely have a process. Mostly it's informed by previous experience doing human expressions? Specifically a loooot of anime style characters, but I also use the same basic layout for pretty much every character I draw from dragons to ponies; only thing that changes is the proportions and whether or not I need to add a snoot.

I threw together my best shot at a guide, hope it helps~!!

(I am aware that my chicken scratch is very messy and accessibility is a good idea so I'm gonna throw plaintext of what I wrote beneath the cut)

Willoillo's Hastily Drawn Guide to Dragon Faces!!

Step 1: Circle [image ID: a sketchy circle]

Step 2: Where they lookin'? [Image ID: the same circle, but with a cross drawn on it. the lines that make up the cross are curved slightly to show dimension.]

Cross roughly where the eyes are

Step 3: Top Snoot [Image ID: The same circle with the cross, but now with a collection of curved lines making up the top half of a dragon's snout attached. The mouthline is curved upwards to show a smile.]

top half first

I add a circle for the tip of the nose if there's foreshortening so I can tell where things will overlap

this line determines mouth shape. Important!!

Step 4: Eyes + Brows [Image ID: The circle with the snout, now with a pair of eyes and raised brows looking at the viewer.]

Sometimes I swap steps 3 & 4

Mini Eye Tangent [Image ID: a series of three drawings showing how to build an eye shape, starting with a circle, then adding a top and bottom lash to create a specific shape, and finally showing the eye with an iris looking at the viewer. Next to it are other eyes with different shapes and expressions, with the circle behind them shown to show how they were built from the same template. One of the eyes has a heavy eye bag drawn, following the shape of the circle behind it.]

Eye shape determines personality and expression but they're all based on the same base

Start with a circle, then do the lash shape, and finally the iris

The circle can also from wrinkles/eyebags

Step 5: Jaw!! [Image ID: The same dragon, but now with a lower jaw. The line for the back jaw is drawn visible through the snout to show how it connects to the face on the other side.]

Connect the back jaw behind the snout to make the cheek

Step 6: Neck + Ears [Image ID: Same as previous, but now with a curved neck added connected to the circle, as well as leaf shaped ears. An additional circular sketch has been extended behind the original circle past where the ear is connected.]

Start extending our circle back to make room for horns

When I'm drawing full bodies I usually have a neck already in place

Ear shape can differ a ton!! [Image ID: examples of how I draw different ear shapes for icewings, nightwings and sandwings; the icewing ear is sharp and jagged, the sandwing ear is long like a rabbits, and the nightwing ear is twisted like a goat's.]

Step 7: Features [Image ID: A finished sketch of Kinkajou from the Wings of Fire series with a happy expression. An arrow is pointing to her with the line 'oh look it's kinkajou now' written next to it.]

These vary depending on dragon.

Horns, frills, freckle scales, nostrils

Can't really show all of these, lol

... And that's pretty much it!! Hope it helps!!