How to draw an elephant - step by step pencil and paint master classes with photo examples

In many countries in Asia and the Far East, the elephant is considered a symbol of wisdom, dignity and peacefulness. Drawing such an elephant can be done with pencil or paint, as a single image or in a composition.

The artist has the option to draw an entire family of elephants or to depict an Indian elephant with a palanquin on its back in the Indian tradition on paper.

Preparing for the creative work

The elephant is a large animal with thick legs, a long trunk and large ears. For children who are just learning the basics of art, it is useful to learn how to draw circles and ovals.

For a simple drawing, this is sometimes enough. For more complex models, a little more patience and drawing experience will be needed.

It is necessary to prepare for work, first of all, to find a comfortable place with a wide table. Pencils, eraser, pens, felt-tip pens, paints are also useful in the process of art class.

The easiest drawing from circles

Drawing various animals is very useful for young children, as this creative process involves the display of many small details. In addition, sketching from a ready-made image allows the baby to get acquainted with the world around him, to learn it in detail and in color.

You will need a simple pencil, a few colored pencils or crayons. An eraser, a sheet of white paper. Instructions on how to create a drawing of a simple elephant for children:

1. The paper base should be laid in front of you on the table.
2. In the selected point (approximately in the middle of the sheet) draw an oval, located in a vertical plane.
3. Above this figure should depict three more ovals. One geometric figure, located in the center, will have a larger size, and two on the sides - a smaller diameter.
4. Borders between adjacent ovals erase eraser, getting the contours of the body, head and ears of the animal.
5. From the central upper part down and away is a double line of sufficient thickness, representing the trunk.
6. From the lower contour of the torso down draw two legs, and from behind them are seen and hind limbs. The hind legs should be depicted at a shorter length than the front legs, which helps bring the drawing closer to realistic proportions.

Two cone-shaped tusks extend from under the proboscis to the sides. The eyes are additionally depicted on the head. The next step for the young artist is to properly color the animal.

At the same time, it is important to convey to the child the need for the correct arrangement of color accents, because this is how children learn the world around them. African elephants have skin colored mostly in light brown tones.

The skin of the Indian elephant is gray, so the set of colored pencils for the child is minimal in this case.

Picture of an elephant.

The Disney company gave children and adults a very interesting character from cartoons. This character is distinguished by very big ears and a cheerful disposition, which, undoubtedly, should be transferred to the drawing.

If you look at the finished cartoon elephant in advance, you can see that all images of the character are very bright (a very important fact). For creative work it is necessary to prepare pencils or felt-tip pens, a set of simple pencils, an eraser, paper.

Instructions on how to draw an elephant with your own hands are easy:

1. A sheet of paper should be placed in its horizontal axis over itself.
2. Approximately in the middle of the sheet one circle is drawn, and above it and to the left, the second circle, but smaller in size, is finished drawing. The two geometric shapes should touch each other.
3. From the top figure to the side lead one curved line (future trunk). To give the image volume, you need to duplicate the line. The trunk should be thicker at the end.
4. From the bottom circle downwards draw the legs. Each leg is an unfinished rectangle. One of the front legs, the one furthest from the viewer, can be elevated above the ground.
5. The next important task for the master is to draw the ears correctly. Two lines are drawn from the side points of the head in different directions, each line curving at a slight angle in the middle.
6. Bringing the lines to the selected point (remember about the large size of the animal's ears), the pencil is directed down, then another turn, and the pencil line ends on the side surface of the elephant's head.
7. Now you need to give volume to the ears, for which the line of the upper contour is duplicated.
8. The most responsible and complex stage of drawing a fairy elephant is the drawing of the face. Under the trunk depict the triangle of the mouth, duplicate double lips.
9. Above the trunk must depict two eyes in the form of semicircles with bottom underlining. Above each eye must be drawn two folds, which will complement the facial expressions of the animal.
10. Surely many people remember that the elephant performed in the circus, so they draw a cone-shaped cap on his head. At the extreme point of the trunk, you can depict a corner of a handkerchief or a leaf. Another must-have attribute is the collar of the elephant's holiday costume, which is depicted as a wavy band surrounding the neck.

You will need the brightest colors to paint the fun character. The collar is double-colored: one half is blue, the other half is painted with a red felt-tip pen. The elephant's skin is gray, and the cap is the artist's choice.

Picture of a sitting elephant

In fairy tales and cartoons you can see not only a circus elephant, but also many other characters. Children can draw such pictures as illustrations for their own work or for their album. Instructions on how to draw an interesting elephant sitting on the ground, step by step:

1. On a sheet of paper, you need to draw four circles. One, the largest circle is located at the bottom of the drawing. Three geometric shapes, smaller in size, are depicted above the first element. At the same time, all four figures touch each other.
2. From the upper side elements form ears with characteristic skin folds around the circumference of each ear.
3. In the middle circle, work out the details of the face: eyes in the form of vertically arranged ovals, trunk in the form of an elongated double stripe. Two tusks must be visible from under the trunk. On the surface of the trunk, skin folds are also drawn in the form of horizontal stripes.
4. Next proceed to the design of the lower circle. Inside the figure draw three vertical lines. These lines represent the front legs of the elephant. At the end of each of the two legs depict nail plates (semicircular details).
5. Two hind legs are additionally drawn on the side of the front legs, which are positioned horizontally in the drawing (in the position of the animal sitting on the ground). Hind limbs are represented in the form of rectangles, at the end of which a circle is drawn.

All unnecessary details and strokes are removed with an eraser. A small tail with an interesting tassel on the end is added to the back. The master has only to paint the elephant in gray or light brown.

Traditional Indian elephant

This image is easily recognized by the characteristic cloak or colorful cloak on the animal's back. Sometimes additionally draw a palanquin with people sitting in it. Instructions on how to draw an elephant step by step:

1. On a sheet of paper, it is necessary to draw an oval of sufficient size.
2. To the left of the oval, an additional circle is drawn.
3. Inside the circle draw a triangle, which should occupy ½ of the circle (it is the front ear of the animal).
4. Down from the circle lead long double band, which represents the trunk. The surface of this part of the body is drawn with horizontal folds on the skin.
5. Ahead of the proboscis is depicted front tusk with a sharp end, and behind additionally draw the contours of the second tusk.
6. It is not necessary to forget about drawing the eyes, mouth line, transverse folds on the forehead.
7. From the oval figure downwards, draw the legs (those visible to the viewer's eye).
8. At the ends of each leg, the characteristic nail plates must be depicted.
9. Because of the foreground, the contours of the legs that are distant from the viewer's eye come through.
10. A tail is drawn with a tassel on the end.

The most important step is to draw the cape. It usually covers the head and back of the elephant. When painting the figure, it is necessary to use bright colors or felt-tip pens to convey the completeness of the created image.

Original ideas for creativity

Drawings of elephants are used not only for teaching art. Quite often the sketch of animals is prepared for subsequent applique, sometimes using natural materials, or for embroidery on canvas.

The most correct approach to learning is to continually practice skills, and to sketch the animal from a finished image.

A picture of an elephant in pencil and paint