Let's Draw Deer

July 31, 2010 - 11:28pm — Ephra

Let's Draw Deer!

I should start by saying that I'm really not an expert at deer anatomy, these drawings are learning experiences for me too. I haven't done anything like scientific illustration before, so these may not be the best things to learn from, but I hope they will help supplement your studies!

To do these drawings I'm usually looking off several photos each, since it wouldn't be very useful to you if I was going by my imagination. :b

Tenley has asked me to help with drawing deer heads and legs, so that's what I'm starting with. They will just be basic drawings of these parts from different angles. After that, anyone can request a drawing- I could study the underlying structure, show range of movement, or focus on other parts of the body you want to understand better. Or I could try some full-body poses, maybe a colouring guide? Whatever you like.

To be covered
• Finish leg diagrams
• Add shading to head diagrams
• How to suggest human expression with deer faces
• Drawing characters in an environment
• Comparing male and female anatomy
• Hooves
• Feel free to suggest more

Up next
• Basic turn-around of the legs and feet •

The Head

Please note- the model I used for this series was an older whitetail doe in her summer coat. Deer tend not to be this sinewy, this is just to show you what's going on underneath the fur. Also, younger deer will have larger eyes and ears and a shorter nose. Males will have a much more muscular neck to carry the weight of their antlers. (I'm hoping to illustrate separate diagrams for them and fawns.) And finally, different species of deer are going to have different body structures, you'll have to do some adjusting if you're looking to draw a muntjac or a caribou or something.

Legs and Feet

Please note- the muscles of the legs are never this clearly defined on a deer, even in their summer coat. Unless your deer's a total beefcake you'll want to render these details with more subtlety. This diagram's just to let you know what's there.

Miscellaneous

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July 31, 2010 - 11:29pm — ocean

Ooh, thanks, Ephra! This will

Ooh, thanks, Ephra! This will be really useful. o:

July 31, 2010 - 11:33pm — Terabetha

Yesssss, all sorts of yes! I

Yesssss, all sorts of yes! I would love if you could give some tips on how to show emotion with deer faces. I have human expressions fairly good, but it's hard when an animal doesn't really have lips or eyebrows lol. Your art is always so expressive and I'd love if you could give some pointers! 8D

July 31, 2010 - 11:35pm — SarieBearie

yesss.

yesss. <3 thank you so much. I love how you draw deer heads!

July 31, 2010 - 11:37pm — Munkel

So cool . I would love to

So cool *.* I would love to see more yes, thank you so much &hearts

July 31, 2010 - 11:40pm — J!n

This is so nice of you.. Then

This is so nice of you.. Then again, I've only seen nice things from you, haha.
♥

July 31, 2010 - 11:45pm — FishBiscuit

Yes please

Yes please <33333333
-sets up camp-

July 31, 2010 - 11:46pm — Verycrazygirl

Heckyes. o_o This guide is

Heckyes. o_o
This guide is already really useful! Thank you Ephra!

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July 31, 2010 - 11:47pm — tanyak

Oh yesyesyesyesyes! thank

Oh yesyesyesyesyes! thank you!

July 31, 2010 - 11:50pm — Pandoras

&hearts;&hearts;&hearts;

♥♥♥

August 1, 2010 - 12:00am — Laruna

Awesome, I'm looking forward

Awesome, I'm looking forward to this. Thank you for doing this. =) I know, in the future, I would love tips for how to draw characters in an environment (or with a background), like The Bremen Town Musicians.<3 I've always loved how you draw characters and environments.<3

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July 31, 2010 - 11:52pm — estme

Oh my oh my oh my... This is

Oh my oh my oh my... This is exactly what I needed here <3 Track!

August 1, 2010 - 12:01am — Custard

Yesyesyes. Thank you. Ahh...

Yesyesyes. Thank you.
Ahh... a colouring guide from you would be awesome, I admire your artwork a lot.

July 31, 2010 - 11:58pm — Reyy

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. <3

August 1, 2010 - 12:40am — arrowdoe

-ded- Am I in heaven?

-ded- Am I in heaven? <3
By the way, Ephra, I've been meaning to ask you for quite some time now. Are you left or right handed? Ambi maybe?

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August 1, 2010 - 12:46am — lolCoyote

Trackage! I could

*Trackage!*

I could seriously use the visual help with deer. >_>;

I find legs to currently be the hardest. (Or maybe I'm doing the body wrong which warps the legs? >_>; ). I'm use to canine and feline legs so I tends to use those tenquie though I know I shouldn't. :- P

August 1, 2010 - 12:53am — Ephra

I can do things like swing

I can do things like swing baseball bats ambidextrously, but for drawing I'm just a common right-hander. <=) Though I'm curious now to try drawing with my left hand haha

August 1, 2010 - 1:10am — SpiritBone

trackkinggg

trackkinggg <3

August 1, 2010 - 1:10am — .

Must...-crawls and wheezes-

Must...-crawls and wheezes- TRACK.

/<3

August 1, 2010 - 1:12am — Hallows

adjajkjdfk /clingtrack

August 1, 2010 - 1:13am — ShadowsofLight

-stalks-

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Mick Kreiger: You Know You Love Me XOXO

August 1, 2010 - 3:38am — Redkora

This is all kinds of awesome,

This is all kinds of awesome, Ephra. Thank you!! You rock.

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[pixel deer by Aldebaran]

August 1, 2010 - 3:41am — Doe

I'd like to note, that deer

I'd like to note, that deer really only look that sinewy, in the summer. (:
A winter coated deer, has much thicker fur, which covers up many of those intricate lines.

Here is a deer with a summer coat: http://www.equineartistry.com/john/WhitetailDeer-241-Buck-SummerHdCUProfleLrgHdCrp.jpg

Versus a deer with a winter coat: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2448476569_9e568c599f.jpg

And here is a deer with a summer coat, who is thinner, and you can see more of the facial details: http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm339/dsbragg/IMG_1251.jpg

Just in case you want to get really specific when you draw your character!

Also, there is a huge anatomical difference between bucks and does.

Does, have skinny long necks, and often narrower heads and longer faces: http://www.4jranch.net/images/WhiteTailDoe.jpg

While bucks have beefier necks, and broader cheeks: http://www.lapandura.com/wildlife/whitetail_deer-1.jpg

There muscles can range from non-existant and almost doe-like when they are young, to HUGE as they get older, and fight more: http://www.revolutiontaxidermysupply.com/_Breen-Buck-035.jpg

I hope that this was informative! Perhaps you could go into these details?
I also think that hooves are a problem in a lot of people's work, so some information on those, would be great!

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August 1, 2010 - 4:05am — Keitha

Ephra, Doe, Thank you so

Ephra, Doe, Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this information was vital to me! I'm brand new to TEF and I'm starting to learn the techniques and get to know deers better, specially at drawing them. Thank you so ever much for the tips!
Keitha

August 1, 2010 - 4:08am — Tally

I just died of

I just died of excitement.
Thankyou so much for doing this!

August 1, 2010 - 4:13am — Ephra

Those are some excellent

Those are some excellent resources Doe.

I should have mentioned that I'm adding a lot of extra 'sinewy' lines to better show off the planes of the face. Also that my model is an older doe since that's what I'm so used to drawing. xD That's why her nose is a bit long and her neck so thin. Later on I want to do those same angles but with a bulky male deer and a fawn as models. I've got my work cut out for me, lol.

I'll remember to specify that stuff in my drawing next time I update.

August 1, 2010 - 4:19am — Snowsauria

Oh my gosh, thank you, thank

Oh my gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you for putting this up! :')

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August 1, 2010 - 9:06am — Serenai

I adore you.

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Icon Art © Beloved

August 1, 2010 - 9:20am — Fincayra

This is very helpful! Thank

This is very helpful! Thank you, Ephra. ♥

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August 1, 2010 - 10:36am — Silverpaw15

tracks I have a feeling

*tracks*

I have a feeling I'll definitely find this useful. ^_^

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August 1, 2010 - 3:36pm — Doe

It would probably be very

It would probably be very useful to everyone, and good practice for you, to draw those different types of builds on deer. (:

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August 1, 2010 - 8:55pm — Iaurdagnire

The Iaurdagnire, much like a

The Iaurdagnire, much like a limpet, will latch itself to blog entries that pertain to its interests. This parasitic behaviour means that it will stay until all deliciousness has been harvested.
It will not leave this source for some time.

August 2, 2010 - 7:20am — Siellby

stalkage I've always loved

stalkage

I've always loved your art and you're definitely one of the best at drawing deer that I've seen. This should be helpful.

August 2, 2010 - 7:22am — Kaoori

tracking for sure.

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August 2, 2010 - 10:42am — Serenai

o_o -Bookmarks on Internet

o_o

-Bookmarks on Internet to be sure she doesn't lose it.-

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August 2, 2010 - 12:56pm — Mordecai

These are wonderful studies,

^{These are wonderful studies, the sort I'd expect to see in a book on anatomy <3

&&& ( I am of the humble opinion that drawings should always be learning experiences)}

August 2, 2010 - 1:22pm — AliceV

Track! O.O

August 2, 2010 - 1:35pm — Ookani

Yay! Thank you so much- and

Yay! Thank you so much- and just those six drawings are really gorgeous!

What species is your subject? Whitetail?

Tracking this *forever*

August 2, 2010 - 1:36pm — Kiraki

Wow this is gorgeously done ~

Wow this is gorgeously done ~<3

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Clicky for Arts & Bio

August 2, 2010 - 5:07pm — Ephra

Yeah they are mostly

Yeah they are mostly whitetail does, since I have the most photo reference of them at my disposal.

If you'd like me to try out a different species you're welcome to suggest one!

August 2, 2010 - 9:51pm — Nopje

Omg, how awesome, Thanksss

Omg, how awesome, Thanksss <33 8D

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August 4, 2010 - 5:55pm — TheSnalf

(No subject)

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August 4, 2010 - 8:35pm — Flyra

B-But if you're not the deer

B-But if you're not the deer anatomy expert, who else? D:

This is so lovely, Ephra, thank you very much for it. It will help a lot, and it looks amazing already. <3

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f l y r a b l o g _{avatar by tinkee, sig by Quamar}

August 4, 2010 - 8:44pm — Doe

I think it would help, to

I think it would help, to give a basic shading on at least one of those heads. (:
Probably would be best to do the first one, the forward facing profile, since it shows the majority of the face.

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August 8, 2010 - 1:03am — Ephra

Hey everyone, I need your

Hey everyone, I need your opinion:
Would it be more helpful to you if I shaded these diagrams? Such as [link] (not finished or accurate or anything, just to show you what I mean)
Would the drawings of the head be better if I shaded them like this?

August 8, 2010 - 1:13am — Doe