My Deer Drawing Journey

Welcome back to my blog, creative souls! 

I won’t lie—writing these blogs is starting to feel like a struggle. But hey, I made a promise to stay consistent this year, whether anyone reads them or not. So here I am, pushing through!

Today, I’ve got something exciting to share—a drawing of a deer! Well... technically, it’s an impala, but to me, it’s still a deer. This piece was part of a commission, and the best part? I recorded a full time-lapse of the entire process from start to finish! You can check it out below—trust me, it’s worth watching! 

The Desperate Jugaad

Now comes the fun part—my ultimate jugaad moment! 

(If you don’t know, jugaad is the fine art of making things work with whatever you have—something every Indian has mastered! )

I was so determined to record a time-lapse of my drawing that I had to get creative. Since I didn’t own a tripod, I came up with a brilliant plan: I asked my dad to literally screw a stick onto the wall to hold my phone.

At first, he was skeptical, probably wondering if I had lost my mind. But after some convincing, he gave in and did it! And guess what? It actually worked… well, sort of. It was 50% genius and 50% disaster, as while screwing it we broke the wall.

Setting Up the Workspace

To set up my recording space, I went full DIY mode!

I used a black cloth as a backdrop on the table, giving it a clean and professional look. My drawing was on an A3-sized sheet, but there was one problem—I didn’t have a cardboard base big enough for it. So, I did what any true jugaadu would do: I asked my dad for help! He got me a wooden board larger than A3, and we even covered it with laminate at home. Perfect jugaad! (Because let’s be real—Indians are born with this skill in their blood!)

But wait, the ultimate upgrade was yet to come! Later, I swapped the wooden board for a glass panel—not just any glass, but a repurposed shelf from our old showcase. Who knew home renovations could double as art setups? The glass surface made the whole process so much smoother and more stable, and honestly, it felt like a glow-up for my workspace!

Recording Challenges & My Brother’s Interruptions

Once the setup was ready, I started recording each step. But then came another challenge—I needed my phone to view the reference image while also recording. So, I used my mom’s phone. Meanwhile, my brother kept knocking on my door, restlessly demanding the phone back for his games. I somehow managed to negotiate—

"Thodi der mein use kar leti hoon, phir le lena!" (Let me use it for a bit, then you can have it!)—but that never stopped his interruptions! 

The Drawing Process

For this drawing, I used the same colors as the balo wala kutta (fluffy dog), following a similar process to my previous animal artworks. But when it comes to fur, the real magic is in the texture!

To get that soft, natural look, I started with a light base and built up layers using fine lines—with a compass! Yep, an unexpected tool, but it worked wonders for mimicking the fur’s flow. It took patience, but the result was totally worth it!

A Realization While Writing This Blog…

While writing this blog, it hit me—why didn’t I realize this before? Back then, I didn’t have the right equipment, but that didn’t stop me. I improvised, made things work, and poured my heart into it.

Looking back, I see that passion and determination mattered more than the tools I had. And that’s the biggest lesson—if you truly want to learn and grow, nothing can hold you back. You don’t need the perfect setup or the best resources to start. Just begin, figure things out along the way, and keep pushing forward!

Final Artwork