Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Sculpting Ears

This is a post for Jo who requested info on doing ears.
 Great illustration of the outer ear parts from: virtualmedicalcentre.com

I made these large enough to show the detailing better.
Form a wedge shaped oval of clay.

 Attach the clay to the head by ramping the clay toward the front of the face.
Undercut and seam the rest of the ear to the side of the head.
 The ear tapers toward the front of the face.
The outer helix of the ear is created by pressing a tool down and under the outer ear to form the scapha.
 The complete first step.
Continue the outer arc of the ear into the inner ear while pushing the extra clay back toward the back of the head forming the concha.
A ramp runs from the front of the ear down into the inner ear canal forming the external auditory meatus.
 Place a tool in the ear canal and pull down and turn out to establish the depression of the canal and the flap, tragus,  in front of the ear opening (part 1).
Keep pulling forward to raise the front of the ear from the earlobe and ear canal (part 2). This also establishes the antitragus.















Shape the bottom of the lobe. (Lobule)
Press an indentation or fossa into the antihelix area.
 Deepen the folds and fossa as desired and do the general clean up.

 Notice how the ear blends into the face area. There is no ridge in front of the ear.
Hope this helps.
Have a great day!
Mark