How To Draw A Mythical Snake? (Illustration)

Are you a fan of Harry Potter? Or maybe Game of Thrones? If so, you’ve probably wondered what it would be like to have a magical creature as your pet.

For example, who wouldn’t want to have an owl or a dragon as their best friend? What if we told you that there are actually mythical creatures out there that haven’t yet been discovered by humans? Yes, yes – we’re not talking about unicorns or mermaids here (although those are cool too).

We’re talking about snakes! In this blog post, we’ll show you how to draw one of these snakey mythical beasts: the long-haired snake.

How To Draw A Snake – Cobra – Advanced – YouTube

Takeaways
Develop your artistic skills by learning how to draw a mythical snake illustration.
Explore step-by-step instructions and techniques for creating visually appealing snake artwork.
Experiment with different styles and approaches to bring your mythical snake to life.
Embrace your creativity and add your unique touch to your snake illustration.
Enjoy the process of creating art and let your imagination run wild with mythical snake designs.

Table of Contents

Create The Outline

Now you’ll want to create a new layer, above the snake outline. Fill this layer with black color. This will serve as an inverse of your drawing where you can see through the outlines and make adjustments if needed.

Next, create another new layer above your black outline and fill it with a darker shade of green, as shown in the picture below. This is helpful because you can use this layer to hide parts of your drawing when using tools like blur or smudge brushes on top layers but still see what’s underneath them!

Finally add two more layers: one filled with lighter greens and another filled with darker greens respectively for easy reference later on when coloring in details such as scales (you’ll notice I’ve already begun doing so here).

Fill The Head With Green Color

Next, you’re going to fill in the head with a darker shade of green. Don’t worry about adding any details at this point, but be sure to leave some white space around the eyes so that they stand out.

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Create The Wings

Create a new layer and name it “Wings”.

Using the pen tool, draw a curved shape for one of the wings. Make sure that you leave some space between your outline and the snake’s body so that it will look like an extension of its body instead of an appendage.
Select the brush tool in Photoshop and add some details with white color on top of your wing shape.
Create another layer and name it “Hide Wings”

Use a layer mask to hide your wing layers from view until you want them to appear by painting over them with black paint

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Add A Layer Above The Snake And Fill It With Another Shade Of Green

Add a layer above the snake and fill it with another shade of green.
Use a paintbrush to make the snake’s scales.

Fill The Body With Golden Color

Make sure not to use black or white. The mythical snake is not so much as a snake, but more of an eel or slimy thing. It will look weird if you use any other colors than golden.

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Apply A Third And Final Layer Of Green On Top Of The Snake

Now, you can use the color picker to select a shade of green and fill in the shape. If you prefer to just fill it in with one shade of green, that’s fine too!

Brand	Description
Evergreen Finishes	Premium green paint with a smooth finish for adding the final layer to your snake illustration.
VividStrokes	Vibrant and long-lasting green paints specially formulated for detailed artwork, perfect for the third and final layer on your snake.
MasterTone	Professional-grade green paint with excellent coverage and color intensity, ideal for achieving a flawless final layer on your snake drawing.
EcoColor	Environmentally-friendly green paint that offers a rich hue and low VOC content, ensuring a safe and eco-conscious final layer for your snake illustration.
ArtWave	Artist-quality green paints known for their high pigmentation and smooth application, providing the perfect finishing touch to your snake artwork.

Add A Layer Above The Body And Fill It With Yellow Or Orange Gradient

In the layer palette, click on the body layer and duplicate it by pressing Ctrl+J.

Create a new layer above the body and fill it with yellow or orange gradient. You can use both colors or just one of them depending on what you prefer.
Make sure to select a Soft Light (L) blending mode for this new layer, so that we get our desired effect.

Brand	Description
Sunshine Shades	Premium-grade yellow and orange gradient paints for adding a vibrant layer above the snake body.
ColorBlend	Specialized paints that seamlessly blend yellow and orange hues, allowing you to achieve a smooth gradient effect on your snake illustration.
RadiantBrush	High-quality gradient paints designed to provide a radiant and dynamic transition of yellow and orange tones, enhancing the visual appeal of your artwork.
ChromaFlow	Versatile paints that create a seamless gradient from yellow to orange, offering excellent color saturation and smooth application.
GradientMaster	Innovative gradient paint sets curated specifically for achieving stunning yellow and orange transitions, giving your snake illustration a captivating look.

Create The Face Of Your Mythical Snake

Now that you’ve got the outline of your mythical snake, it’s time to add some details.

You can make a small oval shape for the eyes and another shape for the nose.

Then draw in an open mouth with sharp teeth. You can also draw in some scales on top of each other if you want some variety in texture or pattern!

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Adding Some Other Details

Now that you have a good sketch, it’s time to add some other details. For the eyes, draw a circle and then fill it with a bright color like red or white.

The scales should be small and arranged in rows from the top of the head to the tip of its tail. Finally, add some details to its face by drawing an eye shape on each side (or three eyes if you want your snake looking at you).

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Create Something Unusual In Snake Body

Now you have the basic shape of a mythical snake. You can try to make it more interesting, but if you want to draw something unusual in snake body, then it will be enough for today. If you are ready to move on and create something really cool, keep reading!

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Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned how to draw a mythical snake. If you want to check out some more tutorials on how to draw, then head over here for our other drawing guides!

FAQs

How do I choose the right drawing materials for snake illustrations?

When selecting materials for snake illustrations, consider the desired style and medium. Graphite pencils or fine liners are suitable for detailed drawings, while watercolors or colored pencils can add vibrant colors to your snake illustrations.

What are some common techniques for depicting snake scales in illustrations?

To create realistic snake scales, try using cross-hatching, stippling, or a combination of curved lines to mimic the texture and patterns. Experiment with different shading techniques to achieve depth and dimension.

Are there any specific proportions to keep in mind when drawing a snake?

While snake proportions can vary, it’s generally important to maintain the length-to-width ratio of the body and ensure the head and tail are proportionate. Observing reference images and understanding the specific snake species can provide valuable guidance.

How can I add dynamic poses to my snake illustrations?

To add dynamism to snake illustrations, study the snake’s natural movements and gestures. Experiment with different poses, curvatures, and twists to create a sense of motion and energy in your artwork.

What are some effective ways to capture the unique characteristics of different snake species?

To capture the unique characteristics of specific snake species, study their physical features, patterns, and coloration. Pay attention to details like head shape, eye placement, and scale patterns, and incorporate these elements into your illustrations to make them more accurate and distinct.

Dr. Hellen James (Vet)

I am Dr Hellen James a veterinarian, pet lover, and writer. I have many years of experience caring for pets, including dogs, cats, birds, and fish (and even axolotls!). I love spending time with the animals in my life, especially when they are sick or need love.