Friday, March 13, 2015

Draw & Paint Deer Faces

Mankind has long been fascinated by the natural world around him and expressed this interest through various art mediums like cave paintings, sculptures, carvings and drawings. Native Americans especially glorified the white-tailed deer, a staple in their diet. If you're interested in drawing and painting the head or face of a deer, all you need is some patience and an eye for detail to capture the deer's elegant lines and delicate features.


Instructions


1. Draw an oval in the center of the paper, sized according to how many deer you plan to create on the paper. Add an elongated triangle to the left or right side of the oval to create a "nose." Draw a smaller oval on the opposite side of the large oval (the head). This is the animal's ear.


2. Decide how many points you want on the deer's antlers, or if you want your deer to be a doe or a fawn. Draw the appropriate antlers on the top rear of the animal's head, slightly ahead of the ears. Draw the other antler for a more 3D representation of the animal.


3. Erase the lines that separate the ovals and erase the tip of the nose triangle. Draw a slant on the end of the triangle, then draw a small line to represent the deer's mouth. Draw another line, smaller than the mouth, above the mouth line to create the nostril. For detail, add a line to the top ridge of the ear to create the outer edge of the deer's ear.


4. Draw the eye almost halfway between the ear and the mouth (it will be slightly closer to the ear). Add two perpendicular lines down from the where the ear meets the head and the head meets the nose; this creates the neck. Make sure to curve the lines to represent the contours of the neck. If desired, re-trace your pencil lines with the black ink and allow to dry completely.


5. Use the dark brown to paint the head, leaving out the antlers. Once dry, use the light brown to paint the front of the neck, antlers and the bottom of the nose. Add a small amount of white to the front of the neck, over the light brown. Use the black paint to paint the nose, eye and repaint over the black ink lines if desired for a realistic look.