Welcome to another exciting drawing tutorial where you’ll learn how to sketch one of Disney’s most lovable and gentle giants, Tantor from Tarzan. This elephant might be a nervous wreck in the movie, but he’s a fun challenge to take on for both novice and experienced artists. Before you set your pencil to paper, let’s delve into the essence of Tantor and what makes this character unique.
Getting to Know Tantor
Tantor, an African forest elephant, stands out with his size, physical strength, and contrasting gentle demeanor. He’s also known for his various phobias, which give him a comically cautious personality. Physically, Tantor’s red-brown skin, large ears, and a trunk make him a memorable character. Tantor shares a unique bond with Tarzan and Terk, his two best friends, who you can also consider adding to your artwork for a complete sketch of their adventurous trio.
The Guide: Your Map to Drawing Success
Our drawing tutorial consists of 12 steps that guide you from a basic sketch to the final masterpiece. To aid your understanding, the guide employs a simple color-coding system:
- Red Color: Indicates the current step you should focus on.
- Grey Color: Shows the underlying sketch for basic proportions.
- Black Color: Highlights the lines you have already drawn.
The tutorial starts with a basic sketch to help you maintain the right proportions. Use light pencil strokes in these initial stages, as this allows easy adjustments later on. The last part of the tutorial invites you to ink your sketch. When inking, remember to let the ink dry before gently erasing the pencil lines to prevent smudging. After this, you may choose to color your sketch, using the final image as a color reference.
That covers how to draw Tantor the elephant, from his broad head down to those big, flat feet. If you learn better by watching than reading, the SketchOk YouTube channel posts new drawing videos as they’re produced, so it’s worth subscribing if you want to catch those as they go up. You can also sign up for the weekly email digest using the form at the top of the page, and if you finish a drawing of Tantor, the Pinterest post for this guide is a good spot to share it.