Drawing the German Shorthaired Pointer - Ears

Once the eyes have been completed, the next step is to start with the ears.

With the light coming from the upper left hand side of the picture, I like to indicate the highlight areas and lightly define the top of the head and the edge of the ear flap.

The shadow cast by the ear flap and below the jaw is lightly indicated on the neck and I added a few of her markings. The shadow cast by the ear folds are put in for reference with the dark areas marked in lightly. I also added a little definition to one of the nostrils.

Much of the ear is still left with the white of the paper showing. It is easier to add more dark gradually than to try and remove a dark shadow in the wrong place.

The top edge of the ear is given more definition and more of the shadows in the ear folds are indicated. The top of the ear gradually takes shape as more layers of graphite are slowly built up creating depth.

Gradually the shadows and shadings are added with the lightest of the highlights still being the white of the paper.

With the first ear completed it was time to work on the little bit of the far ear that shows. The base of this ear defines the shape of the skull above the other eye.

I then worked on the far eye and started the area around it.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork.