This is another drawing tutorial – this time a cast of an ear, one of the most difficult body parts to get right. I begin with measurements, including a box in which the ear will fit. I’ll let the progression show you what I did, beginning with my reference photo:

This looks amazing! Great job ❤️
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Thanks so much, Al!❤️
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❤️❤️
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🙏🙏
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Wow! I am mightily impressed.
Purely as a passing thought, generated by this, I idly wonder what percentage of ears are attached lobe vs detached lobe?
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A good question! I’m pretty sure the detached lobe is more common. Hey Siri? 😃 And thank you!
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I just got a google home smart speaker free with a new phone. A great piece of kit!
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Aha! You will have to watch what you say in front of it, or else your search history might be under suspicion! 🤣
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Are a pair of ears identical for each individual? Your drawing just keeps getting more detailed and spot on every time I visit. Think it is so cool to watch the progression of mastery. Thank you. All my best to you Meg.
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Thank you so much JoHanna! I think it’s learning to be patient as much as anything. This took a very long time to perfect. All the best to you as well!
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So many memories! I used to draw from casts in high school! The drawing looks great! Did you used charcoal and white pencil or just a regular pencil?
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No I’m terrible in charcoal! Lol! This is pencil: 2H to HB and I think a 5B for the darkest shadows. And thank you!!!
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add charcoal or dark chalk to the darkest areas and white pencil or white chalk for light. Not too much…just where you feel the dark and the light areas are.they will bring the ear to life. You have a very soft, delicate, and precise touch! Love this drawing.
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Thank you, again. I will give that a go!
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Cannot wait to see more of your drawings
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I’m working on a new one now: a cast of a hand!
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Cannot wait to see it!!!! Where did you find the casts?A few years ago, I wanted to buy them for my art classes, but they were so expensive!
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I don’t have the actual casts, I’m using a photo reference. The advantage is consistency of perspective and shadow, I guess!
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Great idea! Yes there are pros on using photos instead of real casts. There are also cons…but you have an excellent eye for details and for drawing light and shadows. The only issue I have with photos is that they are 2-D so your eyes miss one dimension.
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Thank you again! Maybe one day I will check into buying a cast. That way I can try drawing from several different angles as well!
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Very cool. Those details and shadowing are tough to achieve, I’d think. You nailed it though. 😃
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Thanks! Yes, this one took a long time. An exercise in patience (not one of my virtues!)
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Me either. 😏
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Meg, this is a wonderful rendering of the ear. I like that you’ve included the progression, making the not so easy — look easy. A very realistic and terrific ear! Please have a fantastic Saturday, enjoy! 💖
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Thank you, Mia! An exercise in patience and learning to ‘see’ and not just imagine. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 💗
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You’re welcome, Meg, keep seeing! Thank you! 💗
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That’s pretty good – I always struggle getting shading right
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Thanks, Simon! That is the hardest part: making it look 3 dimensional!
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I know, how do you do it? I can kinda do it but I’m not great.
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Practice and patience! you can’t give up on it even when it’s not coming out great!
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Oh no… I never give up! 🙂
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Good stuff, it’s important to work on the theory and pure practice. Saying it and actually doing it are of course two totally different things. Must enforce myself to do more.
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Thanks, Steve. Yes, this has been a very helpful exercise. I’m drawing a cast of a hand right now. The hardest one so far 😳
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