This elephant is inspired by beautiful Oaxacan wood animal carvings. Here’s how to do it:

STEP 1: Doodle some scribbly elephants in your sketchbook. Pick the one  you like best, and scan into the computer. Enlarge to fit nicely on an 8″x10″ paper; print (I printed on 140# Fabriano hot press watrcolor paper).

STEP 2: With a black permanent marker, draw in curvy lines around the existing lines. Fill in.

STEP 3: Paint a transparent layer of watercolor, using several colors.

STEP 4: Using markers and colored pencils, color in your elephant with lines, dots and patterns until you are pleased.

(detail)

STEP 5: Finish with a white paint pen. Add dots along the black lines, and any other place you feel needs a little white.

Art/Instructions © 2010 Carla Sonheim