How to Draw a Picture of an Elephant Ear Plant
Elephant ear plants have distinctive, (enormous) heart-shaped leaves that somewhat resemble elephant ears. The name "Elephant Ear Plant" is actually a rather generic term for a large number of plants. These plants can vary in size and appearance. Luckily, this isn't an article about deciding what type to grow in your yard, and the steps for drawing an elephant ear plant are similar no matter what genera or species. Start with the stem, move into the leaf, finish with the veins. Add shadows where necessary.
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Instructions
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1
Select a subject to draw from. Photographs or live subjects will work just fine.
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2
Draw the line from the base of the stem, upwards through the leaf. The lines of the stem will be thick, bold and graceful. Draw with confidence. The lines on the final product should be unbroken, not sketchy. If you are feeling uncertain, draw lightly at first, creating a visual road map that you can follow with confidence later.
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3
Starting with the end of the stem, trace a line around for the exterior of the leaf. Again, the finished line should be elegant and unbroken, so if it makes you feel more comfortable, draw lightly at first and then trace around the leaf again with a darker, bolder line when you have drawn a line you're content with.
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4
From the center of the leaf where it attaches to the stem, draw the three central veins of the leaf (one will point straight down, and the other two will point out to the upper left and right corners of the leaf).
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5
From the three central veins, draw the minor veins. Pay close attention to the direction the veins grow in. Do not place the veins in the leaf willy-nilly. Count the number of veins on each leaf and draw them in the appropriate direction from the central vein they shoot off from.
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6
Lightly shade the image. Darken the shadows until they have reached the desired saturation.
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7
Repeat steps two through six as necessary until the drawing is complete. A typical elephant ear plant will have between three and eight stems with a leaf at the end of every one.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider using a 4B (or softer) lead pencil for the shadows to create rich, dark tones. For lighter lines, such as the mapping lines drawn in step 2, use a 4H (or harder) pencil lead.
