This video demonstrates the process of painting an ear in watercolor, created as part of Karen’s portrait workshop series. The goal is to break down what can often feel like a complicated feature into simple shapes, values, and color transitions.

One helpful approach when painting ears is to look for the “Y” shape formed by the inner folds of the ear. Once artists recognize this underlying structure, the ear becomes much easier to understand and paint. Instead of trying to memorize anatomy, the painter can use this simple visual guide to place the major forms and shadows.

By focusing on the basic structure and the relationship of light and shadow, artists can suggest the ear convincingly without overworking small details.