Below is the original sketch I scanned into the computer to paint on top of.  After talking with Thomas Casmer, my advanced illustration teacher at Ringling, he adviced me to tilt the lions head down and forward into the frame to create more drama.  I shot my own photo reference with a model and painted with the photo on hand.  The central idea surrounding the girl was a combination of mythology and symbolism.  Painted in Adobe Photoshop on a Wacom Cintiq 13" tablet.

This is the photo I took for the painting reference of my main subject.  To paint her, I literally just place my reference next to my sketch and paint what I see in it's correct place.  Then, I check my painting by flipping it horizontally and upside down to see if there are any changes I need make to the overall painting design based on looking at my reference.