How To Draw A Cartoon Elephant Standing Up On Hind Legs

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

Drawing an elephant may seem like a gargantuan task, simply follow these step-by-stride instructions and yous'll be on your way to a striking illustration in no time. Want to give it a go? Then take hold of your drawing supplies and some paper—it'due south fourth dimension to draw an elephant!

How to Depict an Elephant (Stride by Step Guide)

There are ii species of elephants—African and Asian. They tin 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 exist drawing it walking in profile, you'll want to brand sure that yous have several reference photos with a good view of its features, including the anxiety.

Stride 1: Sketch the trunk

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Showtime, use a ruler to draw a horizontal line near the bottom of your newspaper. This volition help y'all orient the size and proportions of your elephant. Side by side, move your pencil a means above the line and draw an elongated S-shape to emulate the elephant's back.

In one case yous're pleased with it, complete the line by transforming it into a somewhat rectangular shape. Brand certain information technology is slanting slightly upwards. Additionally, at the acme right corner of the large shape, depict a triangle-shaped ear.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Step 2: Depict the trunk

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Starting at the corner of the ear, use your pencil to draw a rounded line for the head. Then, sketch some other S-shaped line that curls upwards to indicate the trunk. Once you reach the end, create a loose m-shape and take the line dorsum downward. When the torso meets the elephant's head, sketch a slightly pointed open oral cavity, before rounding the chin halfway into the ear.

Be certain to take your reference photos handy for this step, equally it tin can exist a little catchy to observe the right proportions. Take your time until yous feel satisfied with how information technology looks.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Footstep three: Add the legs and feet

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

In comparing to their size, African elephants have surprisingly sparse legs. And so, beginning with the forelegs, sketch a long rectangular shape—bending slightly at the human knee to indicate that the elephant is moving. Go along the far leg straight. Moving on to the hind legs, utilize the shape of the elephant's body to guide your drawing. The far back leg should be extending behind the elephant.

Next, it'south fourth dimension to add the feet. Unlike drawing wolf paws, an elephant's anxiety are fairly simple. Utilise your pencil to sketch a loose bell shape to the end of each leg.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Stride 4: Sketch the tusks

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Now that we have the main components of our elephant done, we can brainstorm focusing on the details. At the back of the elephant, sketch a long tail with a tuft of hair at the base. Then, turn your attending towards the elephant's head. Position your pencil at the roof of the oral fissure and add a unmarried tusk. This can exist equally long or every bit curt as y'all want it to be, depending on the age of your elephant. Just retrieve to add a second tusk behind it.

After, you lot can sketch a large almond eye in the centre of the caput. (If you like, you can already add together a few wrinkles at this phase.) So, draw large nails on the elephant's feet in the shape of half-circles. Remember: African elephants take iii nails on their back anxiety and four nails on their front end feet so what you draw may depend on the orientation of your model.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Mod Met

Footstep v: Erase the guidelines

Fine art: Margherita Cole | My Modernistic Met

At concluding, when y'all're content with the outline, y'all can firsterasing any unnecessary guidelines. If something is nevertheless bothering yous at this stage, set the drawing aside for a scrap and come back to it. Once you have a bit of distance, go alee and brand whatsoever adjustments that y'all call up are needed.

Step 6: Add details to the elephant

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

Elephants may exist cute, but they're also very wrinkly. Although it can experience detrimental to your drawing to fill up it with lines, the final issue is oftentimes worth it. Try adding a few wrinkles where the elephant is conveying more than skin—like the elbows, ankles, knees, and body. If you like the effect, feel gratis to continue adding texture to the rest of the torso, simply go along the ear more than or less smoothen.

Adjacent, it'southward time to complete your illustration with a trivial chip of background. Since you lot've already put and then much effort into the elephant, you lot don't need to add much more. Just add a chip of foliage to the ground, and maybe a tree in the background. Sometimes African elephants are seen with birds riding on their backs, so experience free to include more animal friends.

If you want to brand an piece of cake edge around your illustration, simply pull out a protractor and draw a semi-round shape effectually the elephant. And then, brand the border even more exciting by embellishing information technology with small dots.

Art: Margherita Cole | My Modern Met

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 concluding cartoon. Y'all can create interestingtexture in your illustration by using a variety of inking techniques similar hatching and stippling. Once you've gone forth all of the graphite lines, consider adding large areas of blackness to create an attractive balance.

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