Use the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to draw an Elephant (Asian Elephant). Follow along with the video, or use the images in this article. By the end of this tutorial, even beginners will have a completed drawing of this magnificent animal!

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To draw this elephant step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to go at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step images below the video. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and create art at your own pace.

Materials You'll Need Before starting, gather these basic drawing supplies from Dick Blick. If you choose to purchase through these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Pencils (an HB lead pencil is best for light sketches)	Kneaded Eraser	Drawing Paper

Step 1: Sketch the Guidelines

• The Head: Start by drawing a circle as a guide for the head. You don't have to draw a perfect circle, but if you're having trouble drawing one, just trace the outer edge of a coin, a bottle cap, or anything else with a circular edge. Above the circle, make a small mark to extend the top of the head. Asian elephants have pretty big heads, so this guide will give it a bit more height. Connect the small mark to the circle using curved lines to create a wide arc shape. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.
• Construction Guides: Inside the head, draw a curved horizontal line for a construction guide. Draw this line close to the center of the circle. Add a long vertical line across both shapes for another construction guide. Draw this vertical line closer to the right than the center of the circle.
• The Trunk Guide: Add the guideline for the trunk by first making a couple of small marks on the bottom edge of the circle. Extend the mark on the right down and to the right to create the edge of the trunk. At the bottom, curve the line downward slightly. Now extend the mark on the left downward to create the other edge of the trunk. Make the shape of the trunk thinner at the bottom than at the top.
• The Ears: Draw an angled line on the left side of the head as a guide for the ear. Don't make this shape too big because Asian elephants actually have smaller ears than African elephants. Add another angled line on the right side as a guide for the other ear.
• The Body: Draw a circular shape farther to the left as a guide for the front part of the body. First make a few small marks to indicate the sides of the shape, and then connect the marks using curved lines to finish the shape. Don't overlap the previous guides as you draw this shape. The elephant is going to be walking forward, so a big portion of the front part of the body is being blocked by the head. Draw a long curved line farther to the left that's similar to a circle for the back portion of the body.
• The Legs and Tail: Below the front part of the body, draw two long vertical lines as guides for the front leg. Tilt this shape slightly. Pay attention to the length of the leg; it should be about the same as the height for the front part of the body. Close off the shape at the bottom using a small oval. Add a couple of short lines at the top for the visible section of the other front leg. Below the back portion of the body, draw a couple more long lines as guides for the hind leg. Close off the shape at the bottom and make this leg shorter because it's farther back. Draw a short line to the left as a guide for the tail. This completes the structural guidelines!

Step 2: Add the Facial Details

• The Eyes: Inside the head, lightly sketch two small circles for the eyes. Place the eyes on top of the horizontal construction guide and on either side of the vertical guide. Pay attention to how small the eyes are in relation to the head. When you get the sizes and positions of the eyes right, darken the shapes. As you darken them, make the sides pointier for the corners of the eye. Make the eye on the right a bit thinner because the head is slightly turned. Inside the eyes, draw tiny dots for the pupils.
• The Facial Wrinkles: Draw a couple of curved lines around the eyes for creases on the skin. Draw a few more lines at the top to create more wrinkles. Higher up, draw a couple of curved lines to create the brows over the eyes. Add a few more lines to emphasize the structure of the eyes.
• The Ears: Darken the shape on the left to create the first ear. Follow the basic path of the guides, but make the shape wavy at the bottom. Draw a long vertical line to create the inner edge of the ear and add a few more lines at the top to give the base of the ear structure. Darken the shape on the right side of the head for the other ear.
• The Tusks: On the left side of the trunk, draw a thin shape for the first tusk. You can make the tusk longer if you'd like. At the bottom, draw an angled line for the tip of the tusk that's pointing up. Draw another long thin shape on the right side of the trunk for the other tusk. This tusk is facing more to the right, so make the tip thin and pointy. Add a curved line above the shape on the left for the base of the tusk.
• The Rest of the Head: Darken the arc at the top to create the top part of the head. Curve the middle part of the top of the head slightly downward. Add a curved line on the left side for the jaw. You can overlap the shape of the ear as you draw the left side of the head.

Step 3: Define the Legs and Body

• The Front Legs: Darken the long thin shape under the front part of the body to create the front leg. Extend the top of the leg higher up so that it's inside the body. Make the shape more curved at the bottom to create a joint. Add a couple of small arcs along the bottom to create the nails. Not all the nails on the foot will be visible from this angle. Darken the lines on the right for the visible part of the other front leg. At the bottom, draw a short angled line for the visible part of the other front foot.
• The Hind Legs: Darken the shape on the left side to create the hind leg. The same way, extend the top of the leg higher up on the body and make the top of the leg slightly wider than the bottom. At the bottom, draw a few curved shapes to create a joint. Add a few small arcs along the bottom of the foot for the nails. Darken the line to the right for the small portion of the other hind leg that's visible.
• The Rest of the Body: Darken the outer edges of the other guides to create the rest of the body. Draw a long curved line between the front and hind leg to create the underside of the body. Draw a couple of curved lines below the tusk for the chest.

Step 4: Finishing Up the Sketch

• The Tail: Draw the shape of the tail along the path of the guide on the left side. At the bottom, draw a couple of curved lines for the hair on the tip of the tail.
• The Trunk: Darken the shape under the head to create the trunk. Make the lines a bit more curved than the guides as you darken the shape. At the bottom, draw a couple of small circles for the nostrils on the tip of the trunk.

Step 5: Clean Up Your Sketch

Now, erase the initial guidelines using a thin click eraser or a kneaded eraser, then go over your final structural lines one more time.

Step 6: Begin Shading

To bring your elephant drawing to life, apply realistic shading values and wrinkled skin details using these techniques.

• Realistic Shading and Skin Volume: Apply a smooth medium value across the entire body, leaving a few key areas blank for high-contrast highlights. Then add slightly darker values to create distinct shadows, giving the figure dimension and volume. Push down harder or switch to a softer graphite grade like 2B or 4B.
• Protecting your work: Place a piece of scrap paper under your hand as you shade to prevent smudging your finished work.

• Skin Creases and Wrinkles: Use a series of curved lines along the trunk and body that travel in the direction of natural skin creases to produce a rough, authentic texture. 
• Contrasting Light and Dark: Use dark values to emphasize deep folds. Use a thin click eraser to lift away graphite along the upper surfaces to create crisp highlights.
• Environmental Details: Finish the scene by sketching a series of short, quick strokes beneath the feet to create a realistic dirt path.

Keep shading and fine-tuning your skin details until you are perfectly happy with your complete drawing!

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