Drawing A Dragon
This is the finished product:


                                                  _
                       /                            )
                      (                             |\
                     /|                              \\
                    //                                \\
                   ///                                \|
                  /( \                                 )\
                  \\  \_                              //)
                   \\  :\__                          ///
                    \\     )                        // \
                     \\:  /                        // |/
                      \\/ \                       //  \
                       /)   \     ___..-'        ((  \_|
                      //     /  .'  _.'           \ \  \
                     /|       \(  _\_____          \ | /
                    (| _ _  __/          '-.       ) /.'
                     \\ .  '-.__ \          \_    / / \
                      \\_'.     > '-._   '.   \  / / /
                       \ \      \     \    \   .' /.'
                        \ \  '._ /     \  /   / .' |
                         \ \_     \_   |    .'_/ __/
                          \  \      \_ |   / /  _/ \_
                           \  \       / _.' /  /     \
                           \   |     /.'   / .'       '-,_
                            \   \  .'   _.'_/             \
               /\    /\      ) ___(    /_.'           \    |
              | _\__// \    (.'      _/               |    |
              \/_  __  /--'`    ,                   __/    /
              (_ ) /b)  \  '.   :            \___.-:_/ \__/
              /:/:  ,     ) :        (      /_.'_/-' |_ _ /
             /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\    /        (/(/(/
            (_(,_/V .'/--'    _/  __/ |   /
             VvvV  //`    _.-' _.'     \   \
               n_n//     (((/->/        |   /
               '--'         ~='          \  |
                                          | |_,,,
                             snd          \  \  /
                                           '.__)
This is how I started drawing it :
I usually start off with an eye or nose and build up a face around it.
                        ,  ,
                       /--/ )
                 ,,___(, , '\
                 ( _ ,___     '.
                 'V-V'v v\  /   '._
                    ____.'.'_\     \
                   '._.--'   \_\_(  .

Hmmmmm not quite the look that I'm looking for!
Lets start again.

                     /\    /\
                    | _\__// \
                    \/   __  /
                    (  | /b)  \
                    / /   ,
                   /:/  __/\ /
                  (_(,_/V .'/
                   VvvV  //
                     MM_//
                     '--'

Ok thats a bit better.
That is one big head! It looks like this is going to be a large picture. Since this will probably be one of the largest Ascii pictures I've ever done, I'd better get a basic outline first, then fill in the details.
                                                    _
                                                   ( ._
                                                   / /  '-.__
                                                  / /        '\_
                     /\    /\                    / /            \
                    | _\__// \                  / /              \
                    \/_  __  /                 / /                \_
                    (_ ) /b)  \_              / /                   \
                    /:/:  ,     \_           / /                     \
                   /:/: __/\ )    \_       _/ |     __
                  (_(,_/V .'/       \_    /  /  _.-'
                   VvvV  //\_\        \__/  \-'
                     n_n// |__\         (   /
                     '--'   \___\            \-\
                             |___|              \
                             /\____\_            \
                          _.' |_____\(             \
                         /    \_____/|               \
                       .'      \____/                  \
                           _.-'  \   /                  \
                                  \                      |
                                   \_                     \
                                     \__     /              |
                                        \  .'                 \
                                         \|                    \
                             _____       /                      |
                                  '._   /        \__                \
                                     '-'              \___            \
                                                       \________      |
                                                              \       \
                                                              \      |
                                                                \      |
                                                               |
                                                                     |
                                                                 |
                                                                 |
                                                                 /
                                                                /
                                                             __/
                                                            /
                                                           /

I added a few more features to the head, however I don't really like the positioning of the body. Its a bit too boring ! I think I'll try again.


                             _..-'
                            /  /      ___________
                            (  '-----'           '-.__
                             \___                     \__
                                 '---------.             \
                                            \             \
                                             \             \
                                              \
                                              /
                                             /
                                            /
                                          .'
                     /\    /\        _ _(   \                   )
                    | _\__// \    _.'                          /
                    \/_  __  /--'`                          ___/
                    (_ ) /b)  \  '.                 _____.-'__/
                    /:/:  ,     ) :         (      /__.'_/-'
                   /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\     /
                  (_(,_/V .'/--'    \      _/ ___/
                   VvvV  //            _.-' _.'
                     n_n//           (((/=>/
                     '--'               '-'

Thats better, overall it doesn't take up too much space....... yet! The claw does look a bit awkward. Hmmmmm, the thumb looks like its on the wrong side. I'll just move that claw to the other side, and with a bit of diddling, I should be able to get decent looking limbs.
                             _..-'
                            /  /      ___________
                            (  '-----'           '-.__
                             \___                     \__
                                 '---------.             \
                                            \             \
                                             \        _____\_.--.____________.--------.__--.-,)
   --------------------------------------.,  |   __.-' __     _______.-'__________ ______\-'`
                                          /\_|  /_____/ ___.-'   _____________.--------'
                                       _.'   / >   \ _.'    ____/
                      _______         /    ___/__.--'  ___.'    \_
                             '---,    \  .'       ___.'           \
                     /\    /\     )  _|_(    .---'              |  |
                    | _\__// \   (_.'      _/                   /   |
                    \/_  __  /--'`    ,                     ___/   /
                    (_ ) /b)  \  '.   :             _____.-'_/ \__/
                    /:/:  ,     ) :         (      /__.'_/-' |   /
                   /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\     /         ((((/'
                  (_(,_/V .'/--'     _/ ___/ |   /
                   VvvV  //     _.-' _.'     \   \
                     n_n//     (((/=>/        |   /
                     '--'         '='          \  |
                                                | |_,,,
                                                \  \  /
                                                 '.__/

Doh! Now its getting far too wide!
I don't want linewrap to come into play when I post this on the alt.ascii-art newsgroup. I think I'll figure out different positioning of the wings.

                                                         _
                                                          \
                                                          |\
                                                           \\
                                                            \\
                                                             \|
                                                              )\
                                                             //)
                                                            ///
                                                           // \
                                                          // |/
                                                         //  \
                                                        ||  \_|
                             _..-'                      \ \  \
                            /  /      ___________        \ | /
                            (  '-----'           '-.__   ) /.'
                             \___                     \_/ / \
                                 '---------.           / / /
                                            \        .' /.'
                                             \      / .' |
   --------------------------------------.,  |    .'_/ __/\_
                                          /\_|   / /  _/    \
                                       _.'  / _.' /  /       \
                      _______         /    /.'   / .'         ',__
                             '---,    \  .'   _.'_/          \    \
                     /\    /\     )  _|_(    /_.'             |    |
                    | _\__// \   (_.'      _/                 /    |
                    \/_  __  /--'`    ,                     _/    /
                    (_ ) /b)  \  '.   :             _____.-'_/\__/
                    /:/:  ,     ) :         (      /__.'_/-'|    /
                   /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\     /        (/(/(/
                  (_(,_/V .'/--'     _/ ___/ |   /
                   VvvV  //     _.-' _.'     \   \
                     n_n//     (((/->/        |   /
                     '--'         ~='          \  |
                                                | |_,,,
                                                \  \  /
                                                 '.__/

Now its a lot longer than I would like, but some things have to be lived with!
                                                         _
                             /                            )
                            (                             |\
                           /|                              \\
                          //                                \\
                         ///                                 \|
                        /( \                                  )\
                        \\  \_                               //)
                         \\  :\__                           ///
                          \\     \                         // \
                           \\:  /                         // |/
                            \\ / \                       //  \
                             /)   \                     ||  \_|
                            //     /                    \ \  \
                           /|       \ ________           \ | /
                          (| _ _  __/         '-.        ) /.'
                           \\ .  '-.__           \__    / / \
                            \\_'.     > --._ '.     \  / / /
                             \ \      \     \  \     .' /.'
                              \ \  '._ /     \  )   / .' |
                               \ \_     \_   |    .'_/ __/
                                \  \      \_ |   / /  _/  \_
                                 \  \       / _.' /  /      \
                                 \   |     /.'   / .'        '-,_
                                  \   \  .'   _.'_/              \
                     /\    /\      ) ___(    /_.'            |   |
                    | _\__// \    (.'      _/                /   |
                    \/_  __  /--'`    ,                    _/    /
                    (_ ) /b)  \  '.   :            \____.-'_/\__/
                    /:/:  ,     ) :        (      /__.'_/-'|_ _ /
                   /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\    /        (/(/(/
                  (_(,_/V .'/--'    _/  __/ |   /
                   VvvV  //`    _.-' _.'     \   \
                     n_n//     (((/->/        |   /
                     '--'         ~='          \  |
                                                | |_,,,
                                   snd          \  \  /
                                                 '.__/

Dang! the other wing has covered up the tail.
He just doesn't look complete without the end of his tail. This is going to take a bit of reworking. The trick is, not too crowd together too many characters because the focus of the picture will be lost. Unfortunately that makes it a bit tricky to show the curvature near the end of the tail.
                                                   _
                       /                            )
                      (                             |\
                     /|                              \\
                    //                                \\
                   ///                                 \|
                  /( \                                  )\
                  \\  \_                               //)
                   \\  :\__                           ///
                    \\     )                         // \
                     \\:  /                         // |/
                      \\ / \                       //  \
                       /)   \     ___..-'         ((  \_|
                      //     /  .'  _.'           \ \  \
                     /|       \(  _\_____          \ | /
                    (| _ _  __/          '-.       ) /.'
                     \\ .  '-.__ \          \_    / / \
                      \\_'.     > '-._   '.   \  / / /
                       \ \      \     \    \   .' /.'
                        \ \  '._ /     \  /   / .' |
                         \ \_     \_   |    .'_/ __/
                          \  \      \_ |   / /  _/ \_
                           \  \       / _.' /  /     \
                           \   |     /.'   / .'       '-,_
                            \   \  .'   _.'_/             \
               /\    /\      ) ___(    /_.'           \    |
              | _\__// \    (.'      _/               |    |
              \/_  __  /--'`    ,                   __/    /
              (_ ) /b)  \  '.   :            \___.-:_/ \__/
              /:/:  ,     ) :        (      /_.'_/-' |_ _ /
             /:/: __/\ >  __,_.----.__\    /        (/(/(/
            (_(,_/V .'/--'    _/  __/ |   /
             VvvV  //`    _.-' _.'     \   \
               n_n//     (((/->/        |   /
               '--'         ~='          \  |
                                          | |_,,,
                             snd          \  \  /
                                           '.__)

Well thats not too bad.
It is very large though. I think in the future I'll stick to smaller ascii. I dislike having to scroll down to see the whole picture.