In this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a cute elephant using basic shapes and using the pen and path tools in photoshop to create a re-sizable file .

About the tutorial

• Program used : Adobe photoshop Cs (or more)
• Difficulty : Intermediate

Objectives

By the end of this tutorial you will be able to :

• Use the shape tools.
• Combine shapes .
• Create and edit paths.
• Use simple shapes to create complex shapes.

The final result

Before we start

Here is a list of the tools and menus we’ll use .

Step 1:Basic head shape

Create a new document . In this project the final result will be a vector drawing which mean it can be re-sized to any size without using the resolution so I start with a relatively small size around 600 by 600 pixel.

1. Change the foreground color to #c2d0d0 . Draw a circle .
2. We want to draw a new shape on the same layer you can click shift once and start drawing the new oval shape using the Ellipse tool or  make sure the layer is selected , click on  Add shape and draw your new shape .
3. Now choose the direct select tool (or press A).We need  to edit the points .Pull the top direction point on both side upward (Look at #3 above)
4. Push the other 2 low direction points inside .

Now hide this layer to work on the nose next .

Step 2: The nose

We will start on a new layer by drawing a rectangular . Then hold shift key  (or Click on the add to shape ) and draw another rectangle at the bottom (Look at the picture above ). This way the two shapes are on one layer .

1. Move the 2 points at the bottom (Push them ) inside .
2. Right click the  right line  (like on the picture above) and choose Add anchor points. Make sure to add another one on left side .
3. Look at picture 3 above . We moved direction points of the 2 new points to the left to create the curves . Make sure to do this for left and right side .
4. Push the 2 bottom points again to achieve the right shape.

1. We will work now on the other rectangular . At the bottom line right click on the middle  to add a new anchor point and then push the point upward.
2. Push the 2 top corners to the inside until there intersect or the first shape lines .
3. Now choose Convert point tool click on the point in the bottom corner and pull according to the arrow direction (see above).
4. Do the same for the other side .

Show the head layer . Now I worked a little bit with the nose size and move the point to make the nose size fit the heat

I needed to merge the head and nose layer so later when I add the effects it looks smoother. If we do merge layers the old fashioned way the layer will rasterized and when we’ll loose all the paths and points .

So ..

1. Click on the nose layer and Ctrl/command + c  to copy .
2. Click on the head layer and Ctrl/Command +v to paste.
3. Delete the nose layer and now you should have the nose and the head on one layer .

double click the head layer to add the following effects .

Step 3: Eyes

1. Draw a circle I started with a white circle as you see in the demo but I later changed the color to #ecf0f0. Name the layer eye .
2. Move the left direction point for the top point to the left/down side . Then move right direction point a little bit to the right/up .
3. At the left point push the lower direction point inside .
4. I changed the color here and move the point a little bit more. The left direction point of the lower point was pulled a little to the right .Try playing around the points until you get the right shape .

Double click the layer to add the following effects :

This is how the eye will look like

Draw a small blue (#32c9df) circle, name the layer “blue“  and add the following effect:

Now we want to draw another shape to cut a small triangle from the circle just like a slice of pizza

Choose the pen tool and make sure to click on Subtract from shape button . Start clicking to create   points like the image above to draw a triangle . At the final step you can see that I’ve re-sized the original shape. So again try playing around and moving the triangle to get the “perfect” position and size .

duplicate  the blue circle layer. Change the color to black and re-size it by clicking Ctrl/Command + t .Name the layer black.

Draw a white circle at the top right corner .Name the layer “small white light” that’s a long name for a small circle

Now let’s group the eye parts layers . Select the eye part layers keep pressing Command/Ctrl while clicking on each layer then press ctrl/commend +g .Name the new group eye .

Right click the new group and choose duplicate group  .Move the new group to the right .

In the new group choose the layer “eye“. Choose Edit>Transform>flip horizontally. Now move the 3 other layer to the left .

Step 4: Mouth

For the mouth we’ll start with an arrow .

Draw the arrow and flip it horizontally ( Edit > Transform > Flip horizontally ).

Use the convert point tool . Click at the point at tip of the arrow and move the mouse up while clicking . This will convert the corner to a curve (See the animation above).

Use the direct select tool , select the four points by drawing  a rectangular around them and move them to the left .

Delete the top right point ( right click > Delete Anchor point ).

Move the remaining right point up .

Delete the point shown above in the image (Right click > Delete anchor point).

I decided later to move the  point on the middle of the arch to the left .

Change the color to #7b8989 . Duplicate the layer (Ctrl/Command+j) . Flip the new layer (Edit >Transform>Flip Horizontally). Keep one on the left side and move the other to the right . You will need to rotate  each shape to fit (Ctrl/Command+t).

Step 5 :Face finishing touches

1. To draw the eyebrow.Draw a rectangular (#869595).
2. Delete the top right corner (Right click >Delete anchor point)
3. Add 2 new point (See 3 above).
4. Move the points upward and play with the points to achieve the desired shape .

Duplicate the shape layer(Ctrl+J) and flip one horizontally (Edit >Transform>Flip horizontally )  to create the other eyebrow .

1. Duplicate one of the eyebrow layers (ctrl/command+j) and rotate the shape to the left .
2. Delete the top left corner .
3. Move the left direction point of the top point to the left.

Duplicate and re-size to create the nose “wrinkles” or what ever they are called LOL.

Step 6: Ears

Ears are pretty easy . Just draw a circle (#bccbcb) and add the Gradient effect.

Duplicate the layer and re-size the circle to create the inner circle.

Now duplicate the 2 layers and move them to the right to create the right ear . I enlarged the right ear to add more cattiness to it

Step 7 : Body

Start with a wide oval shape using the Ellipse tool (#c3d0d0) and add the gradient effect.

Draw another circle inside the big one (#ebf2f2) . Add the same gradient effect . Select the first  circle layer then right click and choose copy layer style . Right click the new circle layer and choose Paste layer style . This way the gradient effect will be copied and applied to the new circle .Change the opacity to 55% .

Step 8 : Legs

1. Use the rounded rectangle tool .Make sure the change the radius to 111px. Foreground color =#c3d0d0 .Copy the body gradient  effect and paste it to this layer.
2. (At 2 above) pull the lower  direction point to the right side.
3. Pull the lower  direction point down .
4. Move the top right point to the right to make the leg wider at the top .

Move the leg layer under the body layer .

Now to create the nails.

1. Start with a white circle .
2. Choose “Convert point tool ” click once on left and once on the right point (Yellow points above).
3. Move the lower point up using the direct select tool .
4. Pull the direction  point of the top point . Pull the left one to the left and the right one to the right to make the curved area wider.

Duplicate the nail layer twice. At the end you should have 3 layers. Arrange them on a raw. You might need to rotate the one of the left a little .

Group the leg and the nails layers (Ctrl/Command+g) . Duplicate the group and flip it horizontally (Edit>transform>flip horizontally ) . Move the left leg lower than the right leg .

Step 9 : Hands

Start with a raindrop shape (#cbd6d6 ) . Copy the layer style from the body to apply the gradient effect.

1. Move the right point to the left side .
2. Move the lower direction point of the the same point down and  slightly to the right.
3. At the lower point move the right direction point up/left .
4. Pull  the left point upward.
5. Pull the lower direction point to the bottom and the top direction point to the top.
6. This will be the left arm .

Duplicate and flip horizontally to create the right arm.

Step 10 : Final touches

• I rotated  the head  to the left .
• Background color(#c1d3e1)  and opacity 45% .
• Added  a shadow circle under the elephant . Opacity 42% and color #c9c7c7.