Please PAUSE the "How to Draw an Elephant Seal" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

Written step-by-step video tutorial:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a big circle on the left side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the elephant seal's body. First make four small marks to indicate the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're having a hard time drawing the circle, trace the outer rim of a coin, a lid or any other object with a circular edge.

Step 2: Draw a smaller circle to the right as a guide for the back section of the seal's body. This circle should be about one-third the size of the first one. Pay attention to the distance between the circles.

Step 3: On the top, left side, draw another circle as a guide for the elephant seal's head. This circle should be about the same size as the second circle. Don't draw it too high up.

Step 4: Connect the circles using a series of curved lines to form the shape of the body. First use two sloping lines on the left side to create the shape of the neck. Then draw two longer, curved horizontal lines in the middle to create the elephant seal's thick torso.

Step 5: On the lower, left side of the body, draw a line that is similar to the letter V on its side as a guide for the seal's flipper. On the left side, draw a line that's similar to a long letter U on its side as a guide for the hind flipper.