If you want to expand your drawing skills, start with learning how to draw an elephant. Mastering the art of drawing elephants will not only enable you to draw any animal but also teach you valuable techniques like rendering textured skin and tusks.
Drawing anything can enhance your artistic abilities, but elephants, with their unique features, offer additional benefits for aspiring artists. Understanding the intricacies of elephant anatomy and capturing their distinct characteristics can elevate your drawing skills to a whole new level.
Tips for Drawing an Elephant
To achieve realistic elephant drawings, keep in mind the following tips:
- Add wrinkles: Elephants always have wrinkles. Incorporating wrinkles into your drawings adds depth and realism to your elephant artwork.
- Trunks aren’t straight: A trunk is a defining feature of an elephant. Remember that trunks always curve, so avoid drawing them in a perfectly straight manner.
- Each ear is the same size as the head: In the case of African elephants, their ears are as large as their heads. However, for Asian elephants, the ears are smaller in proportion.
- Some female elephants have tusks: While it’s common for male elephants to have tusks, it may surprise you to know that some females also possess these impressive features.
- Brown or hazel eyes: Instead of black, elephants typically have brown or hazel eyes. This knowledge will help you achieve accuracy in your drawings.
How to Draw an Elephant: 10 Easy Drawing Projects
While you can always start drawing an elephant from scratch using your imagination, it’s advisable for beginners to follow tutorials first. Here are ten easy drawing projects to get you started:
1. How to Draw an Elephant Face
Learn to sketch an elephant face with the guidance of Cartooning Club How to Draw.
2. How to Draw an African Elephant
Master the art of drawing African elephants, known for their large ears and size, with Kayla Bruss’s adorable tutorial video.
3. How to Draw an Asian Elephant
Discover the distinctive features of Asian elephants, such as their small ears and unique head shape, with the guidance of How2Draw Animals.
4. How to Draw an Elephant Cartoon
Explore the world of cute and animated elephant cartoons with Draw So Cute’s tutorial, and add personality to your drawings.
5. How to Draw an Elephant Eye
For cartoonish elephant eyes, simplicity is key. However, if you aspire to draw realistic elephant eyes, Kathleen Wong Art’s tutorial is an excellent starting point.
6. How to Draw a Realistic Elephant
Drawing realistic elephants is a challenging task, but with the guidance of Art Online Tutorials, you can achieve impressive results.
7. How to Draw a Cute Elephant
Cute elephants are always a favorite. RaniDraws Dibujo’s tutorial even includes a heart to add a touch of sweetness to your elephant drawings.
8. How to Draw an Elephant Silhouette
Creating elephant silhouettes is best achieved with paints and a fitting background. Let Paint Along With Skye guide you through this beautiful tutorial.
9. How to Draw Dumbo the Elephant
Learn to draw the adorable Dumbo with the help of Cartooning Club How to Draw’s tutorial video.
10. How to Draw an Elephant From 311
Discover a helpful trick using the 3-1-1 method, which assists with proportions and more. MP Drawing Tutorial will guide you through this technique.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Draw an Easy Elephant for Kids
Even kids can draw elephants! Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for young artists:
Supplies
- Paper
- 2B pencils
- Eraser
Step 1: Draw an Oval
Start by drawing an oval, leaving enough space for the legs, trunk, and tail. It’s recommended to use no more than half of the paper for the oval.
Step 2: Draw the Head and Trunk
From the left side of the oval, draw the head, curving it downwards for the trunk. Finish the trunk by curling it at the end.
Step 3: Draw Legs
Draw two legs fully visible in the front, then add two more legs behind them. The front and back left legs should be visible, while the other two will partly peek out from behind.
Step 4: Draw Ears
Draw the front (left) ear in full, with the other ear peeking behind the head. After completing the ear, erase any unnecessary lines within it.
Step 5: Draw Tusks
Draw the left tusk fully visible, and the right tusk partially peeking out. Don’t forget to add some skin covering the base of the tusks.
Step 6: Draw Details
Add details such as wrinkles on the legs and trunk, eyes, tail, and toenails. These details will bring your elephant drawing to life.
Step 7: Color It
While the most common and realistic color for elephants is grey, feel free to use your creativity and experiment with different colors or even create a rainbow elephant.
Benefits of Learning How to Draw an Elephant
Apart from the joy of creating art, learning how to draw an elephant offers several benefits:
- Learning Anatomy: Understanding the anatomy of elephants is not only beneficial for kids but also enlightening for adults, allowing them to observe details they may have overlooked.
- Perfecting Shapes: Drawing simple elephant shapes can improve kids’ geometry skills as they learn to manipulate and perfect various forms.
- Working with Textures: The unique texture of elephant skin can be applied to other forms of art, broadening your artistic repertoire.
- Hand Control Improvement: The practice of drawing elephants enhances hand control, a valuable skill applicable to any artistic endeavor.
- Wrinkle Rendering: Rendering wrinkles in elephant drawings teaches you how to create depth and perspective, adding realism to your artwork.
FAQs on How to Draw an Elephant
Is It Difficult to Draw an Elephant?
No, drawing an elephant is not inherently difficult if you have experience drawing other animals. However, if you’re new to drawing, it may take some time and practice to achieve satisfying results.
What Does an Elephant Symbolize in Art?
Elephants hold significant symbolism in art, particularly in Eastern cultures. They are often associated with power, majesty, and integrity. White elephants are considered a symbol of good fortune.
Why Would You Need to Know How to Draw an Elephant?
While the need to draw an elephant may not arise frequently, there might be instances where this skill becomes useful. You may receive a commission to draw an elephant artwork, have a class assignment, or simply draw one for the sheer enjoyment of it.
Conclusion
By learning how to draw an elephant, you are embarking on a journey to expand your artistic abilities beyond measure. Whether you apply your newfound skills to other forms of art or simply find joy in creating elephant-themed artwork, drawing elephants is a gratifying experience. So grab your pencil and paper, and let your imagination run wild with these easy drawing projects!
