How to draw a human ear correctly: recommendations for beginner artists

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

For a beginner, drawing a human ear can seem like a real challenge. After all, it has a complex and incomprehensible at first glance design. However, if you want to draw portraits, then sooner or later you will still face such a task as how to draw a human ear. Of course, you can use a trouble-free and widely used technique - to cover the ears in the drawing with hair, if it is a female portrait. What if it's male? In addition, the organs of hearing have their own charm, and, properly drawn, they complement and decorate the portrait.

Components of the ear

It is best to study the structure of the ear with a good example. In this case, the photo will not give you a complete picture of its design. The best option would be to take a mirror and in all details and from different angles consider the reflection of your own ear in it. Feel all its elements, the places of their connection. It will be easier for you to understand how to draw a human ear if you remember the names of its maincomponents.

The outer edge of the auricle is called the curl. He has a so-called antihelix, which is located in the inner ear zone. It bifurcates and rests with the upper part on the curl. The front edge of the auricle has a protrusion called the tragus. It covers the ear canal, which is located behind it. Accordingly, opposite is the antitragus, which is also a protruding part of the ear. It is similar in shape to a goat. At the bottom, the curl turns into a soft lobe.

Location features

Despite the fact that the structure of the ears is the same for everyone, the thickness, size and location features of each are purely individual and depend on the shape of the face and the general structure of the skull. This must be taken into account when drawing a portrait from life.

The proportions of the ear are measured as follows. The top of the curl is approximately flush with the bridge of the nose, and the lower part of the lobe corresponds to the lower edge of the wings of the nose.

How to draw a human ear step by step?

Before drawing someone's open-eared portrait, practice sketching the ears themselves from different angles. To do this, use a simple pencil of medium softness. It is better to start such a workout with the image of your ear, looking in the mirror or taking a picture of yourself in front, three-quarters and profile. At worst, find other people's photos that best suit this task.

Inception

So, when you have studied all the basic components, you will understand how to draw a human ear with a pencil, gradually moving from the general to the particular, othersin words, from basic form to detail.

It is important to consider the size of its constituent parts in relation to each other and to the total volume. Namely: what is thicker, what is thinner, what is higher, what is lower, and so on. The more accurately you convey all the details, the more realistic you will eventually be able to draw a human ear. As you can see, the organ of hearing has a smooth structure, its parts harmoniously flow into one another. Your task is to preserve and reflect this smoothness in your drawing.

This is definitely not an easy task, but don't make it too difficult either. After all, drawing should be fun and not a burden. The main thing is desire, and skill is achieved only by practice.

Try drawing a human ear with a pencil as you see it. Start with the most simplified shape, an oval. Next, refine the contour by making bends in the right places. After defining the outer shape, move on to the inner components without applying too much pressure on the pencil.

Clarification of details

It is important to remember that the ear is not flat, but voluminous. To show this, you need to correctly display the highlights and shadows. With a light stroke, lay the shadows in the auricle in shape.

Highlight the contour of the curl from the inside, shading these places more strongly. Circle the shape of the antihelix, closer to the ear canal. Leave the curved parts intact. Draw a light stroke along the outer contour of the curl, giving it volume.

The deepest shadows will be in the areaear canal. They will give the ear depth. However, try not to overshadow this area.

Although there is no cartilage in the lobe, it still has volume. Show it by putting a few strokes on the sides and bottom of the earlobe.

Final stage

Keep deepening the shadows in the right places. You can press harder on the pencil, but it's better to just take a softer one. On the convex areas that you did not touch, now you need to apply a light tone, with very thin strokes, and leave highlights on the folds or wipe the pencil in these places with an eraser at the end of the work. To make the drawn ear look realistic, you must observe a clear cut-off gradation.

The last step is to make a drop shadow from the ear to make it stand out. Along the outline, just behind it, the shadow will be the darkest.

A good artist should be able to draw everything. Including draw a human ear. Once you get your hands on this, you'll feel like your skills have taken a dramatic leap to the next level.