Draw a Mule Deer Skull: Antler Base, Nasal Taper, Orbit, and Jaw

Object Drawing Lessons

This lesson focuses on the bony structure of a mule deer skull rather than full deer anatomy. You will build the skull from a few measured landmarks: the antler pedicle (the bony base where the antler attaches), the nasal taper, the orbit (eye socket), and the mandible (lower jaw). Work on plain paper with a pencil and eraser. Use the convention that x-height means the distance from the baseline to the midline of lowercase letters; this helps you judge small distances consistently. All numerical proportions below are hypothetical examples for practice, not standards. Measure your own paper and pencil marks as you go.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Set the skull box and midline

Begin with a light rectangle that will contain the skull from the back of the cranium to the tip of the nasal bone. A practical starting box is 18 cm wide and 12 cm tall, but treat these as hypothetical example values. Draw a horizontal midline through the box and a vertical midline. The vertical midline marks the center of the skull; the horizontal midline helps you place the orbit and the jaw line.

Mark the back edge of the cranium about 2 cm from the left edge of the box. Mark the nasal tip about 2 cm from the right edge. This leaves a working length of about 14 cm for the skull profile. Keep all marks light so you can adjust them.

1. Draw an 18 cm by 12 cm rectangle lightly.
2. Add a horizontal midline and a vertical midline.
3. Mark the cranium back and nasal tip on the horizontal midline.
4. Label the left side as back and the right side as front to keep orientation consistent.

Place the antler pedicle and orbit

The antler pedicle sits on top of the cranium, slightly behind the orbit. On the horizontal midline, find the point about one third of the way from the back edge. From that point, draw a short upward stub about 2 cm tall and 1.5 cm wide. This stub is the pedicle; it is not the full antler. Round the top slightly and keep the sides nearly parallel.

The orbit is a rounded opening on the side of the skull, forward of the pedicle. Place its center about 4 cm forward of the pedicle base and about 1 cm above the horizontal midline. Draw a circle about 3 cm across, then flatten its lower edge slightly. The orbit should not touch the nasal taper.

1. Mark the pedicle base one third from the back on the midline.
2. Draw a 2 cm tall, 1.5 cm wide stub with a rounded top.
3. Mark the orbit center 4 cm forward and 1 cm above the midline.
4. Draw a 3 cm circle and flatten its lower edge.

Shape the nasal taper and mandible

The nasal bone tapers from the orbit area toward the nasal tip. Draw two gentle lines from the front of the orbit region to the nasal tip mark, narrowing as they approach the tip. The taper should be gradual; avoid a sharp point. The nasal tip is rounded, not needle-like.

The mandible forms the lower jaw. Start below the orbit and draw a line that slopes down and forward, then turns toward the nasal tip. Keep the jaw line about 3 cm below the horizontal midline at the back and about 1.5 cm below at the front. Add a slight upward curve at the front to suggest the chin. The jaw should connect visually to the skull without crossing the orbit.

1. Draw two tapering lines from the orbit region to the nasal tip.
2. Round the nasal tip instead of sharpening it.
3. Draw the lower jaw line 3 cm below the midline at the back.
4. Bring the jaw forward and up to about 1.5 cm below the midline at the front.

Refine bony landmarks and check proportions

Darken the final outline only after checking the four landmarks: pedicle, orbit, nasal taper, and mandible. The pedicle should sit behind the orbit, the orbit should be forward of the pedicle, the nasal taper should narrow gradually, and the mandible should stay below the orbit. Use the x-height convention to compare small gaps: for example, the gap between the orbit and the nasal taper might be about two x-heights on your drawing.

Add subtle shading under the orbit and along the lower jaw to suggest bone curvature. Keep shading light and avoid filling the orbit completely. Erase construction lines last.

1. Check that the pedicle is behind the orbit.
2. Check that the nasal taper narrows gradually.
3. Check that the mandible stays below the orbit.
4. Shade lightly under the orbit and along the jaw, then erase construction lines.

Worked example

On an 18 cm by 12 cm box, place the pedicle base one third from the back, draw a 2 cm tall pedicle, place the orbit 4 cm forward and 1 cm above the midline, and draw a 3 cm orbit. Then describe where the nasal tip and jaw front should sit.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Drawing the antler pedicle as a full antler. Keep the pedicle as a short bony stub about 2 cm tall in the example box; the antler is not part of this skull study.
• Making the nasal taper too sharp. Round the nasal tip and narrow the lines gradually from the orbit region.
• Placing the orbit too close to the pedicle. Move the orbit forward about 4 cm from the pedicle base in the example box and keep a clear gap.
• Letting the mandible cross the orbit. Keep the jaw line below the horizontal midline and below the orbit circle.

Self-check rubric

• Pedicle is drawn as a short bony stub, not a full antler.
• Orbit is forward of the pedicle and does not touch the nasal taper.
• Nasal taper narrows gradually and the tip is rounded.
• Mandible stays below the orbit and connects visually to the skull.
• Construction lines are light and erased after final outline.
• Proportions are checked with measured marks or the x-height convention; valid alternative letter styles are accepted.

Questions and answers