Have you ever wanted to learn how to draw a deer? These graceful creatures with their 310-degree vision are truly captivating. Thankfully, you don’t need their exceptional eyesight to bring them to life on paper. With the right guidance, you can create a stunning deer drawing that showcases your artistic talent.
Sketching Tools for a Simple Deer Drawing
Before we begin, let’s gather the tools that will help make your deer drawing a success:
- An H pencil: ideal for outlining with its hard lead that leaves light traces on the paper, allowing for easy erasing.
- An HB pencil: perfect for shading and adding details, as its medium-hard lead creates light grey strokes.
- A 4B pencil: with its soft and dark lead, it’s great for shading with dark grey and almost black hues.
- A kneaded eraser: its malleable nature allows for easy shaping and erasing.
- Lightly textured sketch paper: its soft surface makes it beginner-friendly, as the pencil glides smoothly.
Remember, these tools are recommended, but you can work with whatever pencils and paper you have available. The most important thing is your willingness to learn how to draw a deer!
How to Draw a Deer in 7 Steps
Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of drawing a deer:
1. Draw the Base of the Deer’s Body
Start by sketching a medium-sized circle for the deer’s head. Leave more space on the right side for the body and ensure there’s enough room above the circle for the antlers. Add two more circles below the head – one for the chest and belly, and another for the backside. Make the middle circle slightly larger than the one in the back to reflect the deer’s proportions.
2. Outline the Deer’s Upper Body
Using an H pencil, sketch the deer’s head and neck. Extend the top circle to the left with a curved line, pointing it to the left. Connect the head with the middle circle using two thin lines. Next, connect the middle and back circles to form the belly, chest, and back of the deer.
3. Draw the Eyes, Ears, and Tail
Now, it’s time to add the details to your deer drawing. Begin by sketching a tiny circle inside the head for the eye. Then, draw the ears. Finally, sketch the tail, ensuring it’s not too long since deer have short tails with a white underside. Don’t worry about perfection; even professional artists embrace imperfections.
4. Draw the Legs
Using an H pencil, sketch small circles to define the length and position of the joints and hooves for the deer’s legs. Connecting the circles to one another and to the body will shape the legs. This step simplifies the leg-drawing process.
5. Draw the Antlers
With the basic outline complete, it’s time to tackle the deer’s antlers. Start by sketching two small horn-like shapes at the top of the deer’s head. Then, draw the antler on the left by adding branches and connecting them with stems. Repeat the process on the other side.
6. Add the Details
Switch to an HB pencil or apply more pressure to your chosen pencil to enhance the lines and add details. Begin with the ears and head, gradually working your way through the rest of the drawing. Consider coloring the center of the eye in a gray hue and adding the nose and mouth. Mark the areas that should be white, such as the belly, tail underside, and nose/mouth surroundings.
7. Erase Unneeded Details & Shade Your Sketch
Use an HB pencil and a kneaded eraser to finalize your sketch. Color the deer’s body in a lighter shade of gray, darken the tip of the nose with a 4B pencil, and add shading under the chin and on the right legs. Finally, erase any unnecessary guidelines. Your deer drawing is complete!
Finished Your Deer Drawing? Try These Next!
Drawing a deer was a fun experience, right? If you’re eager to learn how to draw other animals, explore our guides on drawing a dragon, fish, unicorn, penguin, dolphin, bat, butterfly, wolf, bunny, horse, cat, dog, and shark. Additionally, we have guides on drawing landscapes, such as forests, roses, and mushrooms. For those interested in drawing people, we offer tutorials on faces, eyes, noses, mouths, hands, and ears. Keep practicing and honing your skills!
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and check out our YouTube channel for more drawing tutorials and updates on BIOWARS!
Meet the Artist
The talented artist behind this deer drawing tutorial is Goncalo Lopes. With decades of experience in the arts, Goncalo has collaborated with industry giants and worked on renowned movies and series, including GI-Joe, TMNT, Transformers, Adventure Time, Godzilla, and more. Be sure to follow our YouTube channel for more art tutorials!
A Recap on How to Draw a Deer
When drawing a deer, take it step by step. Begin by sketching the body parts one by one, using circles to define their size. Connect the circles with thin lines to create a cohesive whole. Gradually add details, such as the antlers, and then shade your sketch. Remember to have patience and enjoy the process. With practice, you’ll create stunning deer drawings effortlessly!
Follow us on Instagram for more drawing tips and the latest updates from BIOWARS.
