How to Draw an Elephant

Grab a pencil (NOT a pen!) and let’s draw an elephant! Here’s how.

Step 1: Begin by drawing a large oval for the elephant’s body and then add a smaller circle for the head.

Step 2: Now draw two long, curving lines, coming down from the head for the trunk. Join them at the end.

Step 3: Draw a tusk coming from the bottom of your elephant’s head, curving across the trunk. Add the tip of the other tusk to the left of the trunk.

Step 4: Erase the overlapping lines inside the trunk and tusk. Draw the ear.

Step 5: Erase the overlapping lines in the ear. Draw two sets of ovals for the legs, and add semicircles at the bottom for the feet.

Step 6: Erase the overlapping lines and smooth out where the different shapes join. Add the other two legs.

Step 7: Erase the overlapping lines in the second set of legs, and smooth out where the different shapes join. Now add a tail. Try to copy the shape shown here as closely as you can.

Step 8: Add lines for wrinkles on your elephant’s trunk, ear, knees and tummy. Give the ear a wiggly edge, add toenail shapes to the feet and give your elephant an eye and lower lip.

Get this drawing project and many more in “How to Draw Animals” by Michael Garton. (Michael O’Mara Books, $14.99 softcover. Ages 6 and up.)