If you’ve ever scrolled through LoL fan art forums and wished you could recreate your main’s signature pose or splash art vibe, you’re not alone. Thousands of fans pick up pencils and digital drawing tablets every month to learn how to draw League of Legends characters that feel true to the game’s iconic style. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never drawn a human figure before, or if you’re a hobbyist artist looking to branch into fan art: the distinct, expressive design of LoL champions makes them a fun, rewarding subject to practice with. I’ve been drawing LoL fan art for 6 years, and I’ve picked up dozens of tricks to cut down on frustration and make your art feel like it belongs in Runeterra, no fancy art degree required.
How to Draw League of Legends Champions: Start With Core Character Traits
When you're first learning how to draw League of Legends champions, it's easy to get caught up in small details like the exact pattern on a champion's cloak, but that's not the priority. Every champion in the game has 2 to 3 non-negotiable, instantly recognizable traits that make them stand out, even to casual players. For example, Ahri will always be identifiable by her nine fox tails, pointed ears, and floating orb, even if you simplify the rest of her design. Garen’s massive broadsword, bulky Demacian armor, and bold crest are far more important than getting the exact number of rivets on his shoulder pads right.
I used to skip this step entirely when I first started, and I once spent 3 hours on a full color drawing of a character that none of my LoL-playing friends could recognize, because I forgot to add her signature winged headpiece. Don’t make that same mistake. Spend 10 minutes studying a champion’s splash art and in-game model before you start sketching, and note 2-3 features that make them instantly recognizable to other fans. Even if your proportions are a little off, those core traits will make sure people know exactly who you’re drawing right away.
Pick the Right Tools for Your Skill Level and Preferred Style
The tools you pick will have a big impact on how easy it is to learn how to draw League of Legends art that matches the style you're going for, but you don’t need to drop hundreds of dollars on fancy gear to start. If you’re a total beginner, a regular graphite pencil, a kneaded eraser, and plain printer paper are more than enough to practice sketching poses and core features. You don’t even need to buy special art paper until you’re ready to start making finished pieces.
If you want to try digital drawing, free apps like Krita for desktop or Procreate Pocket for mobile have all the features you need to make polished LoL fan art without paying for expensive software. A lot of new artists make the mistake of buying a top-tier drawing tablet before they’ve even drawn 10 sketches, and end up overwhelmed by all the settings and features they don’t know how to use yet. If you’re a total beginner, start with traditional sketching first to build muscle memory for character proportions, before moving to digital tools. It’s also okay to adapt the official design to fit your personal style, whether you prefer chibi art, realistic portraits, or cartoonish stylized drawings. You don’t have to copy every single detail of the official splash art to make a great piece.
Break the Sketch Process Into Simple, Manageable Steps
A lot of new artists get stuck trying to draw every detail of a champion all at once, and end up erasing the whole page 20 minutes in because their proportions are way off. I use the same 4-step process for every LoL drawing I make, and it cuts my sketch time in half while reducing the number of big mistakes I have to fix later. This step-by-step process works for every type of character, whether you're learning how to draw League of Legends yordles, human champions, or even massive beast characters like Malphite.
- Rough shape block-in: Draw simple circles for the head, torso, and joints, plus lines to mark the pose and limb placement. Don't worry about details here, just make sure the pose feels natural and matches the champion's personality (for example, a playful, bouncy pose for Zoe, a stiff, confident stance for Caitlyn).
- Core feature sketch: Add the key traits you noted earlier first, like Yuumi's cat ears and magic book, or Darius’s giant battle axe. This lets you confirm the character is recognizable early on, so you don't waste time on a pose that doesn't work.
- Full line art: Fill in the rest of the character's clothing, hair, and smaller details once you're happy with the pose and core features. Keep your lines light so you can erase mistakes easily without ruining the rest of the sketch.
- Color and shading: Start with flat base colors that match the champion's official palette, then add shading to match the light source you picked for your piece. You can add extra flourishes like ability effects (like Lux’s glowing light magic) at the very end.
I used to skip the block-in step entirely, and half the time I'd end up with a champion that had one arm way longer than the other, or a head that was too big for their body. The block-in step only takes 2 to 3 minutes, and it saves you so much frustration later. Don't be afraid to use reference photos for poses, especially if you're drawing a champion doing a dynamic action like casting an ability or fighting. Even professional fan artists use references all the time, it’s not cheating, and it will make your final piece look far more polished.
Add Small, Personal Flourishes to Make Your Art Stand Out
Once you get the basics down, you don't have to stick strictly to the official champion designs. A lot of the most popular LoL fan art online adds small, creative touches that feel true to the character but aren't in the official art. For example, you could draw Vi wearing a casual hoodie when she's off duty, or Ahri holding a boba tea instead of her orb. You can also draw champions in alternate skins, or even crossover designs if you want to mix LoL with another franchise you love. Lots of new fans who want to learn how to draw League of Legends characters worry that their art isn't "good enough" to share, but that's never the case. The LoL community is incredibly supportive of fan creators of all skill levels.
Even small touches like adding a champion's favorite snack or a reference to their backstory can make your drawing feel far more personal and memorable. For example, adding a tiny Jarvan IV sticker to Vi’s gauntlet, or a bag of cookies in Lulu’s bag, will make long-time fans notice and connect with your art more. If you plan to share your art online, tagging the official League of Legends accounts or using relevant fan art hashtags can help other fans find and enjoy your work. Just make sure you don’t copy another artist’s unique original design without credit, but taking inspiration from official art and other fan pieces is totally normal when you’re learning.
At the end of the day, learning how to draw League of Legends characters is all about having fun and practicing consistently. You don't have to make perfect art on your first try, and even messy sketches are a great way to improve your skills over time. I still have folders full of bad early drawings of champions that look nothing like their in-game counterparts, and those mistakes helped me figure out what works and what doesn't for my personal style. Grab a pencil, pick your favorite champion, and start sketching today—you might be surprised at how quickly you improve.