How To Draw A Deer

How To Draw A Deer

Here's a photo of the whitetail deer we'll be drawing.

The first thing I like to do is change the original to black and white. Since we will be drawing this deer in pencil, it's easier to "see" the different shades of gray with a black and white photo. If you have a scanner, scan the original to your computer. Change it to black and white or "grayscale" and print an 8X10 copy. I'll refer to this as your original. If you don't have a scanner then use the color version.

Start by placing your original into your "report cover" grid and draw a grid on your drawing paper..

Find Your Starting Point:

Finding the starting point will insure that your drawing is centered on your paper. If you don't find the starting point and begin your drawing at the wrong place, you could "run out of room" on one side of your paper.

To find your starting point, use a ruler and measure down from the top of your original in the report cover grid down to the deer's left eye. Use this measurement on your drawing paper that you drew the grid on with a pencil. Make a tiny reference mark in that square. Next, measure from the left side of your original over to the same eye. Use this measurement on your drawing paper. The square where the two measurements intersect is where you start your drawing.

Start Your Outline:

Referring to your original, start drawing the first eye. Draw exactly what you see in the “starting point” square. Notice on your original where each line is in relationship to the grid lines. Everything you draw will have to be shaded so keep you pencil lines light!

Continue by outlining the other eye. Make sure you draw it in the proper square. Measure from the first eye or count the squares on the original to be sure where to start the second eye. I have removed the grid lines so that you can see what's going on.

Continue outlining the rest of the deer's face. Refer to your original and carefully continue with your outline. Pay close attention where each line crosses the squares on your original and duplicate them on your drawing paper. Again, the grid lines have been removed for this example.

Finish your outline by adding the details to the deer's face, her body and the tree.

Add The Darker Tones:

Start adding the darker tones to your outline with a #7B pencil. Start with the deer's eyes. Refer to your original.

Continue adding the Full and 3/4 tones to your outline. Refer to your original to see where each tone belongs.

Shade and Blend:

Time to bring your deer drawing to life. Use a new tortillon and begin by shading and blending the eye areas.

With the tortillon, smooth over the dark tone of the eye balls and eyelashes. Your tortillon will have picked up some graphite now. Use this "dirty" tortillon to add the lighter tones around the eye.

Roll the corner of your kneaded eraser into a point. Remove the shading from the reflection in the eyes.

Continue to shade and blend the dark tones on the face, adding the lighter tones with the dirty tortillon as you go. Pay close attention to your original.

Reffering to your original, continue to shade and blend the deer. Use the kneaded eraser to take away some shading in the light areas. Add the highlights to the nose with the kneaded eraser.

To make the ears "hairy", shade them and use the kneaded eraser. Pinch the edge and remove some shading to represent hair. Look at your original closely.

To get the detail on the deer's chest, pinch the edge of your kneaded eraser into a razor's edge. Using long strokes, carefully remove some shading on the chest to resemble hair. Do the same with the bark of the tree. Gently "go over" these areas again with a tortillon to make them smooth. By removing shading you will be adding detail and creating a "3D" effect.

Take a very sharp pencil and with quick strokes, add the deer's whiskers. Make sure they are going in the proper direction.

Go back over your entire drawing and make sure you didn't miss anything. Refer to your original. Remove the shading from the reflection in the eyes, check the detail on the nose.

When you are sure eveything looks right, sign your drawing.

Here's our finished deer portrait.

This is a short summary on how to draw a deer. For much more on drawing wildlife, including how to draw eyes, horns and antlers, hair patterns, backgrounds, creating hair and fur,how to draw fish and birds, teeth and more, check out my How To Draw Wildlife Portraits Book.