How to Draw an Elephant with a Cactus

Step 1: The head

Draw a huge round head. Start and stop low in the middle, leaving a gap for the trunk.

Step 2: The trunk

Low in the face draw a small rainbow. From its ends run the trunk down through the gap, curling up.

Tip Fattest at the rainbow, thinnest at the curl.

Step 3: Eyes and smile

Draw a big round eye each side of the rainbow. Add a smile curve peeking out beside the trunk.

Step 4: Huge fan ears

From the top of the head swing a huge fan ear out and down, stopping on the cheek. Both sides.

Tip Elephant ears are widest at the top, so go wide up top!

Step 5: Inside the ears

Inside each ear draw one light curve following the edge, a finger inside it, from head line to head line.

Step 6: Tusks and wrinkles

Under the chin draw a little banana tusk from each edge of the trunk. Add 3 wrinkles across the trunk.

Step 7: Body and ground

From each ear draw a big C down for the body, stopping by the trunk curl. Add a ground line.

Tip The body gets fatter as it goes down. Leave a gap for the legs.

Step 8: Fat front legs

From each body line draw a fat leg down to a wide foot on the ground. Add a sagging tummy.

Step 9: Toenails and back feet

Draw 3 toenail bumps on each front foot. Outside each, draw a low back-foot bun with 1 bump.

Tip The back feet are mostly hidden behind the front legs.

Step 10: The tail

Start on the right side of the body. Draw a short thin tail curving down, ending in a little tuft.

Step 11: A potted cactus

Draw a pot at the right, then a spiky 2-armed cactus from rim back to rim. Rub out lines inside.

Step 12: Pink ears, orange pot

Colour the inside of each ear pink. Colour the flower pot orange.

Step 13: Grey elephant, green cactus

Colour the elephant grey around the pink ears, leaving the eyes and tusks white. Colour the cactus green.