How To Draw An Elephant Simply

Elephants are some of the nearly spectacular animals on World. Not only are they massive, but they're also highly intelligent. Additionally, they have dexterous trunks and an incredible memory. It's no wonder that these gentle giants have won so many people's hearts.

Cartoon an elephant may seem like a gargantuan chore, but follow these step-by-footstep instructions and you'll exist on your manner to a striking analogy in no time. Want to give it a go? And then grab your drawing supplies and some paper—it'southward time to describe an elephant!

How to Draw an Elephant (Step past Step Guide)

There are ii species of elephants—African and Asian. They can be distinguished by the size and shape of their ears. For this tutorial, we'll be focusing on the larger-eared African elephant. And since we're going to be drawing it walking in contour, you'll want to make sure that yous take several reference photos with a good view of its features, including the feet.

Stride 1: Sketch the body

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First, utilize a ruler to draw a horizontal line near the lesser of your paper. This will help you orient the size and proportions of your elephant. Side by side, motion your pencil a ways above the line and draw an elongated Due south-shape to emulate the elephant's back.

Once you're pleased with information technology, consummate the line by transforming information technology into a somewhat rectangular shape. Make sure it is slanting slightly upwards. Additionally, at the pinnacle right corner of the big shape, draw a triangle-shaped ear.

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Footstep two: Draw the trunk

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modernistic Met

Starting at the corner of the ear, use your pencil to describe a rounded line for the head. Then, sketch another Due south-shaped line that curls up to indicate the trunk. Once you reach the end, create a loose one thousand-shape and take the line back downwardly. When the trunk meets the elephant'southward head, sketch a slightly pointed open mouth, earlier rounding the chin halfway into the ear.

Be sure to have your reference photos handy for this step, as it can be a little catchy to find the right proportions. Have your time until you feel satisfied with how it looks.

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Footstep 3: Add together the legs and feet

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

In comparison to their size, African elephants have surprisingly thin legs. So, beginning with the forelegs, sketch a long rectangular shape—bending slightly at the knee to indicate that the elephant is moving. Continue the far leg straight. Moving on to the hind legs, employ the shape of the elephant'south body to guide your cartoon. The far back leg should exist extending backside the elephant.

Adjacent, it's fourth dimension to add the anxiety. Dissimilar drawing wolf paws, an elephant's feet are fairly unproblematic. Use your pencil to sketch a loose bell shape to the end of each leg.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Step four: Sketch the tusks

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Now that we have the principal components of our elephant washed, we can begin focusing on the details. At the back of the elephant, sketch a long tail with a tuft of pilus at the base of operations. Then, turn your attention towards the elephant'due south head. Position your pencil at the roof of the mouth and add together a single tusk. This can be as long or equally short as you want it to be, depending on the historic period of your elephant. Just recall to add a second tusk behind it.

Afterward, you can sketch a large almond eye in the center of the head. (If you like, yous can already add a few wrinkles at this phase.) Then, depict large nails on the elephant's feet in the shape of half-circles. Think: African elephants have three nails on their back feet and iv nails on their front feet so what you draw may depend on the orientation of your model.

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Step 5: Erase the guidelines

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At concluding, when y'all're content with the outline, you can offseterasing any unnecessary guidelines. If something is still bothering you at this stage, set the drawing bated for a fleck and come back to it. One time you accept a bit of distance, go ahead and make whatsoever adjustments that you think are needed.

Step vi: Add details to the elephant

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Elephants may be cute, simply they're as well very wrinkly. Although it tin can feel detrimental to your drawing to fill it with lines, the concluding effect is often worth it. Try calculation a few wrinkles where the elephant is carrying more than skin—like the elbows, ankles, knees, and body. If you like the effect, feel costless to continue calculation texture to the rest of the body, but go along the ear more or less smooth.

Next, information technology's time to complete your analogy with a little bit of background. Since y'all've already put and so much effort into the elephant, you lot don't demand to add together much more than. Merely add a bit of leafage to the ground, and maybe a tree in the background. Sometimes African elephants are seen with birds riding on their backs, so feel complimentary to include more than animal friends.

If you want to brand an easy border around your illustration, but pull out a protractor and draw a semi-circular shape around the elephant. Then, make the border even more heady past embellishing it with small dots.

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Step 7: Go over the drawing in ink

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modernistic Met

To finish your elephant in ink, pull out your favorite pens, and slowlytrace over your final drawing. Yous can create interestingtexture in your analogy by using a variety of inking techniques like hatching and stippling. Once you've gone along all of the graphite lines, consider adding large areas of black to create an attractive remainder.

Finally, once you've given the ink ample time to dry, erase any remaining pencil lines. Congrats! You've completed your ain drawing of an African elephant!