DAY 12: Charles Fluffy Ear
Welcome to Day 12!
So far in this challenge we’ve tapped into creative joy by painting mostly delightful flowers, and today we’re venturing into something I paint every day: pets.
My pet portraits are highly sought after and I’m lucky to have a long waitlist of commissions to paint beloved dogs and cats. This has been my speciality as a fine arts painter for over a decade and I love what I do. Today I’m sharing a tiny piece of this with you so you can dip your toes into painting a beloved dog by sharing a fluffy ear with you. We’re only focusing on painting the right ear, the highlighted area in the portrait below.
The Painting Practice
Remember to turn off your phone notifications before you start.
- If you want to draw an outline so you know where your smaller canvas is, please do so.
- While looking at your reference photos as your inspiration, sketch out the ear. Just a rough outline will do.
- Start with the top left corner and draw the outer outline of the right ear. It’s ok if it’s not the exact same shape. Dog ears all look different and Charles is allowing us to simply use his left ear as an inspiration.
- Next, draw the inner outline.
- Choose your colors, they can be whatever colors you’d like. Charles’s ear is mostly a blend of Raw Sienna, Unbleached Titanium and Mars Black. You can choose different colors if you don’t have these on hand. Even painting this in various tones of gray will work too.
- Grab some water and your brushes, and don’t forget a towel to clean off your wet brush.
- Now, set a gentle timer and paint for 20 minutes for some meditative joy and playful painting. We’re going for some fluffy fun today while honoring the love we have for our beloved pets.
- Claim your creativity and honor your journey of showing up for yourself by signing your artwork.
SHARE YOUR CREATION:
Take a photo of today’s fluffy ear and share it with your community. I’d love to celebrate your progress with you.
As you share, I’d love to hear:
- How did it feel to paint a little piece of a pet portrait?
- What did you notice as you painted the different colors and textures in Charles’s ear?
- Did today’s painting make you curious about painting an entire pet portrait?
If you feel inspired to continue painting beyond 20 minutes, please do. I’d love to hear about that, too.
Want to paint the rest of Charles?
Today’s painting comes directly from my 5-Day Pet Portrait Challenge, where I guide you through painting Charles’s complete portrait—from his soulful eyes and fluffy ears to his nose, fur, and finishing details.
If you enjoyed today’s practice and would love to experience what it’s like to paint an entire pet portrait with me, you can join the 5-Day Pet Portrait Challenge for free here.