How To Draw An Elephant Step By Step

Elephants are the largest existing land animal in the world. As kids, they are one of the animals we always enjoy watching in the zoo.

With their gigantic build, long trunk, and sharp tusks, they are indeed beautiful creatures, which is also why elephants are a common subject for drawing.

However, due to their intricate physical attributes, it can be challenging to draw them.

Fortunately, we have curated a step-by-step tutorial on how to draw an elephant summarized in 9 easy and simple steps.

You can apply these steps whether you want to draw a realistic-looking elephant or an animated one.

Drawing Elephant in 9 Easy Steps

Each step is accompanied with comprehensible illustrations that serve as your visual guide as you follow the instructions.

Whether you are a novice or an expert in drawing, we're sure you can follow these steps effortlessly. What's more, you can add your own style and improvise in every step.

Feel free to mix and match colors to customize your artwork and make it unique. Let your imagination wander and unleash your creativity. Have fun and use your artistic skills!

What's in this Blog Post

How to Draw an Elephant — Let's get started!
- Step 1
- Step 2 — Draw the Elephant's Left Ear
- Step 3 — Now, Draw the Elephant's Right Ear
- Step 4 — Draw the Elephant's Left Arm
- Step 5 — Then, Draw the Elephant's Right Arm
- Step 6 — Draw the Elephant's Left Foot
- Step 7 — Next, Draw the Elephant's Right Foot
- Step 8 — Add Patterns All Over the Elephant's Body
- Step 9 — Now, Draw the Elephant's Facial Features
- Your Elephant Drawing is Complete!

How to Draw an Elephant — Let's get started!

Step 1

Create an outline of the elephant's face by simply drawing an irregular circle shape. The shape must be relatively wider at the bottom compared to the top, putting emphasis on the cheeks of the elephant.

Afterwards, draw the trunk at the bottom of the face. Draw two lines overlapping the outline with a snout at the tip. The trunk of an elephant should be curved, as shown in the illustration, to make it appear realistic.

Step 2 — Draw the Elephant's Left Ear

Now that we have drawn the outline of the elephant's face, it's time to draw its other physical attributes!

On the left side of the face, draw an enormous ear extending from the head down to the cheeks. When drawn correctly, it should look quite similar to a human's ear, but relatively bigger.

Step 3 — Now, Draw the Elephant's Right Ear

Repeat the previous step on the other side of the elephant's ear. Try to make the ears aligned and as even as possible.

Step 4 — Draw the Elephant's Left Arm

Right underneath the face, draw a curved vertical line with a horizontal line at the bottom to outline the arm of the elephant.

Elephants are naturally on the beefier side. So, make sure to make the arms chubbier.

Step 5 — Then, Draw the Elephant's Right Arm

Afterwards, repeat the previous step on the other side of the elephant's body. Make sure that the arms of the elephant are even and within the same level.

Step 6 — Draw the Elephant's Left Foot

On the left side of its body, draw a tilted oval shape to outline the shape of the foot. Then, connect it to its body with curved lines.

Similar to the elephant's arms, the foot of the elephant must appear chunky.

Step 7 — Next, Draw the Elephant's Right Foot

Repeat the previous step on the other side of the elephant's body.

Step 8 — Add Patterns All Over the Elephant's Body

Now, it's time to add textures and details all over the elephant's body to make it look dimensional and realistic.

Starting with the ears, draw a line inside the ears following the outline. This outlines the inner ear of the elephant. Then, draw three curved lines within the middle of the ear to create folds inside the ear.

Step 9 — Now, Draw the Elephant's Facial Features

Give your elephant a bit of an emotion and expression by drawing its eyes.

Draw two upright oval shapes with a tiny circle inside the outline. Shade the entire eyes while leaving out the tiny circle shape unshaded. This creates a dramatic "glimmering eyes" effect, making your elephant drawing look more adorable!

Finally, here is the most exciting part—filling in the colors for your awesome drawing! This is the part where you can show off your artistic skills and your ability to mix and match various colors.

Majority of the elephants have grey skin. However, there are some elephants in various regions that have brownish or reddish skin. There are also a few elephants with patches and depigmentation all over their skin, which is why some elephants appear to have spotted, striped, or polka-dotted skin.

Feel free to color your elephant drawing however you like and use any colors you prefer! And while you're at it, why not try experimenting with different coloring materials as well? Elephant Drawing – 9 Steps

Your Elephant Drawing is Complete!

We hope you enjoy this step-by-step tutorial on how to draw an elephant. With this guide, you can surely draw and color an elephant along with its complex features and elaborate details in no time.

And the most fun part is, you can customize its physical attributes and play with various colors as much as you like!

We are always updating our "How to Draw" catalog, so make sure to keep checking back on our website to take advantage of newly uploaded tutorials.

All you need is a pen and paper and you're all set to start drawing! We are excited to see what you will draw next. We're sure it will be just as amazing as this one!

Once you've finished your masterpiece, we're certain you must be feeling very proud of yourself—as you should be! Completing this elephant drawing is definitely fulfilling.

Make sure to show off your work of art and share it on our Facebook page and on Pinterest. We're sure it looks amazing! We can't wait to see your colorful elephant drawing! How to Draw an Elephant in 9 Easy Steps