A reader asked me this morning for the pattern for the baby elephant I’m working on, so here it is. The sculpture isn’t finished, of course, so we don’t really know yet how it will turn out – but if you’re brave, you’re certainly welcome to the pattern.
[edit - I made a video about this whole process. You can see the YouTube video about How to Make a Paper Mache Elephant here.]
To print the full-sized patterns, click on the pattern images below. A larger image will come up in a separate window. Then save the image to your desktop and use your image editing program to print it out.
Baby Elephant Pattern
Elephant Pattern Spacing Diagram
I’m making a baby elephant sculpture that will be 30″ high when it’s finished. You will need to transfer the pattern to a grid with 2″ squares to make your elephant this size. If you don’t have room for a full-sized baby elephant in your house, just transfer the pattern using a grid with smaller squares.
This would be a good math problem for your kids – get them ready for those story problems when they go back to school. (Do they still have story problems in math class?)
I’ll make a video of this project when it’s finished, just because I think that would be fun. For now, here’s what I’ve done:
I cut the pattern out of fairly thin press-board – a tad bit over 1/4 inch thick. If you’re heading to the store to buy material, I suggest you use plywood instead, because it’s stronger. If you use 1/2″ plywood, you probably won’t need to stiffen the legs, as I did with some scrap 1 x 4 boards left over from a remodeling project, using Gorilla Carpenter’s Glue and clamps.
Adding Scrap Lumber to the Elephant's Legs
I used the spacing pattern (see above) that I threw together in Photoshop to determine how far apart the leg pieces needed to be. The pattern indicated that I should have about 4″ between the body and the legs. I used two pieces of 2 x 4 lumber glued and nailed to each side of the body piece for each leg (plus the 3/4″ from the stiffening boards) to come as close as I could to 4″ using scraps I had on hand. If you make a sculpture that’s either smaller or larger, you’ll need to calculate these dimensions yourself.
In the photo below I’ve added the 2 x 4 scraps to the body and I’m ready to attach one of the back legs. I used some big nails to make sure the pieces were well attached. Since I don’t expect children to climb on my elephant, I decided to not use metal braces for the legs, but you can see that I cut the body piece in the leg areas so that I could add braces if I thought they were needed. Ask the engineer in your family if you’re concerned about safety issues.
Adding the Spacers and Legs
So, at this point our baby elephant looks like this:
Baby Elephant Armature, Standing
I’ll be using the spacing diagram to make sure I’m coming close to the actual form of an elephant when I start adding crumpled paper to the body and legs. If you’re making an elephant yourself, make sure you also look at many photos of the real beasts, so you get a good feel for the bulk and personality of this wonderfully intelligent creature. You can find a great photo of a baby elephant from the front here. The photo I used for the pattern model is here. I straightened the legs to make it easier for the finished sculpture to stand up without supports.
You’ll eventually need to decide if you want an Indian elephant, with small ears, or an African elephant, with enormous ears. The shape of the back is also different – African elephants have a noticeable hump on their backs, even when they’re babies. The pattern on this page is for an Indian elephant.
You can learn more about these differences here.
Have fun – and if you do make a paper mache elephant, be sure to let us see it!
- My favorite online bookstore.
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey there, I watched your video a while ago and I wanted to make it for my mums birthday. I’m 15 and my mum likes elephants so I thought I’d give it a go, but I never got round to it. I was thinking the other day for a christ mad present for mum and I remembered your elephant. I’m now on school holidays so I’m going to try it out
a few questions though, how did you make the mouth? Was that out of paper? And how long did it take you to make this? Would I have it ready by Christmas if today is the 16th?
Ashley
Please and Thankyou
Is is asfe for a 3 year old to sit on this elephant?
It depends. My elephant is plenty strong enough to hold an adult. Unfortunately, the legs aren’t far enough apart, so a three year old child will knock her over while trying to climb on. The sculpture weights at least 40 pounds, so the child could get hurt. A lighter sculpture, filled with expanding foam instead of crumpled paper, would be better for small kids. Also, you’d want to test the armature before continuing – if the armature doesn’t tip, and is strong enough, then the finished sculpture should be safe. Just be sure to test it first.
Thanks
Where do you get expanding foam from in the us?
You can order some from a Smooth-On distributor, or Brick in the Yard mold supply. Some people use a can of insulating foam from the hardware store.
By the way – I haven’t actually made a foam sculpture, but there are YouTube videos showing how. For an elephant, you could also use the big sheets of insulating foam and glue it up into the shape. A lot of the videos show how to do that. I intend to try making a large paper mache covered foam yard sculpture as soon as I get all my remodeling projects done.
Hey I am doing a school project for my spanish class(have to make a pinata) and I wany to do a Bugs Bunny pinata for my project. I was wondering if you could post a bugs bunny pinata video on youe site.
Thanks.
Hi Little B. Sorry, but I can’t make a pinata video for you – I’ve never actually made any kind of pinata. The best source for a video would be YouTube – if you do a search on that site, I’m sure you’ll find something that can help.
Enjoy!
Rick 28th October 2011
Hi
Just discovered your website through You Tube , its great.We are going to start building an Elephant tomorrow . We cannot wait to have one stood in the back garden,will let you know how it progresses. We hope after this to fill the garden with many diffrent animals.
You have inspired us and we thank you ,much better than sitting watching television.
Very best wishes for your daughters recovery from all of us in Great Britain.
We are working on a homecoming float that is going to have an India theme, so we are going to attempt to make an giant elephant. Do you think it is possible to use your pattern but we want the elephant to be at least 5 feet tall? We were planning on making adjustment to your pattern. I have only done simple projects with paper mache, so I was wondering what would be the quickest way to form the elephant since it is going to be so big? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, Kim, you can make a full-sized adult elephant using his pattern. If you haven’t seen the full video showing how I made my elephant, click here. Also be sure to scroll down to the bottom of that post so you can see a link to a very large elephant that was made using the ideas in the video. It proves that it can be done.
You’ll need a strong armature in a sculpture this big, so I suggest you use plywood. You’ll see how that’s done in the video. Good luck – and be sure to let us see it when it’s done.
Such as*
Hi again, the elephant project was not completed because the book fair had changed themes at the last minute, and it became a spring theme. The elephant needed to be put aside for the new project: a read to the tree, tree. It is about ten ft tall. I planned to be able to change the tree seasonally, by changing the leaves for fall, adding snowmen and pom pom birds for winter, and flowers in spring. The next theme is To the Book Fair and Beyond, and I started on a five ft. rocket and five ft. grandfather clock. I was explained that it was a futuristic theme, and if you have any suggestions they will be gratly appreciated. The link above is a picture of the tree, I hope it works and you can see it because I was not able to copy paste it.
Two questions came in today about making a tree – and I’ve never made one myself. However, there are several photos of trees that were made by our readers, with their comments. To find them, put “tree” in the search bar. You’ll need to scroll down each page you find on the search results to the comment section to see the photos.
It’s too bad about your elephant – especially since it sounds like it was close to being finished. The link you sent was for a file that lives on your computer, so I can’t open it. Can you post it on Flicker or dropmox, and give us the link?
I had an ugly support beam in the library. I measured diagonally from corner to corner to get the correct diameter of the beam. Once I had the right measurement I went to my local home renovation store and bought a tube that construction workers use as cement forms. I cut one side and fitted it around that beam. Then I gave my tree roots forms as if it grew out of the floor with rolled paper, and big branches to give it an illusion of height. The children and I use paper that they would have put in the recycling bin. I brought some branches from a tree I trimmed in the spring and taped it roughly where I wanted it. I used Plaster of Paris Molding Cloth as a first coat to hold everything in place. It dried like a cast that you would get at the doctors. It was fast enough that I could mold it in better positions. Following your suggestion I waited a few days to make sure it was dry. Then I used a compound called polyfilla I don’t know what the American equivalent would be but the texture was ideal for this project. I rubbed it on with my hands and spiked it like stucco then I smoothed it roughly as it stiffened. It made a good looking bark. I left a small gap on the top of the tree so that when the caretaker comes to wax the floor we add a little leg under the roots and lift the tree. When she’s finish we let the tree down. Then we used cut plastic table cloths as leaves and added silk flowers to make it look like apple tree. Maybe this might help someone with there project. Good luck! I promised the students that we would finish the elephant together during the next school year, and use him as a message center . He could hold notes in his trunk sush as an elephant never forgets his manners in the library, or an elephant never bring his library books late to the library. Thank you for the inspiration. Have a nice day!
Our high school was fortunate to receive the first license in the state of Mississippi this year (and across an 8 state area) to perform the Phantom of the Opera after being released to the public. After performing 5 nights locally to more than 3500 attendees, Amory High School was asked to perform a one night only performance at the famous Orpheum theatre in Memphis, TN. This was Amory’s second opportunity in the last several years to perform at the Orpheum, however still the only high school to be invited there. When asked to perform at the Orpheum, our art teacher began looking for elephant patterns with a vision to create an elephant for the “Hannibal” scene to bump the scene up even more than it was shown originally at the school. I would love to send you pictures of our Phantom elephant based on your pattern from start to finish. I think you would be proud and we are ever so grateful to you for publishing your pattern! By the way, our elephant was over 7′ tall and 10′ long. The scene was incredible!!
Wow – yes, I would absolutely love to see your photos. I’ll send you a private email to explain how.
JONI,
I NEED TO MAKE AN AFRICAN LION FOR OUR VBS TO BE HELD IN JUNE. DO YOU HAVE A PATTERN I COULD USE? I LOVE YOUR TECHNIQUES. ALSO DID YOU PAINT THE EYES OR USE GLASS ONES?
No, I haven’t sculpted a lion yet. I paint the eyes, but I’ve seen some really nice work done by people who use the taxidermy eyes. I might try it someday,
Please let us see your lion when it’s done.
I work at an English school in Quebec, I’m the librarian. The reason I mention the language is that Quebec is a french province in Canada. I’m always trying to find new ways to intrest the children in reading. Our new theme this term is safari this elephant would definitely spark their intrests. He would make a great Mascot.I shall send pictures if we succeed
Hi Chantal. We would love to see your elephant when it’s done. We’d also like to know how you use your elephant in the library project, if you’d like to share your experiences.
I thought that I could present it as a “math is art class”, with the graph. then I wanted to read some non fiction books about elephants. Then the hans on art is always a good way to creat recycling theme and how we should take better care of what we waste. Elephants never forget could be a message that he’ll bring. Maybe elephants never forget to respect other’s belongings. or he could remind to bring back books on time.The more I think about it the more ideas I get. All I have to do now is start a little excitement. Usually if I creat excitement the kids do the rest.
Hey, so I’m in high school and we have a manditory project that takes up an entire year. But I need my final creation to be completed in December, or very early January. I take art classes at a museum in Down town so I have many sources. But, I was wondering if you could estimate how long this project would take a beginner. (I have never done paper mache before.) And, if a project this big and elaborate is too much for a sophmore in high school. But, I collect elephants, and I thought it would be great if I could create my own. Every bit of help is greatly appreciated. This project is going to make a big difference in my furture, and I want to do my very best.
Hi Jordan,
I think you should be able to create an elephant by January – and your age is certainly no barrier to success. I would suggest that you consider using the paper mache clay recipe instead of the paper strips and paste that I used for my elephant – the recipe wasn’t invented yet when I made the elephant. The clay is much faster, and more intuitive to use. you can see some of the techniques for using the clay in the videos I made for my book. (The video posts start here – click on the “next post” link at the bottom of each page to find the next one – there’s 7 projects in all). The video for the small elephant I made for the book is project #6, and the video shows how I got a very realistic skin texture, and a simple method of painting gray skin.
I also think you could get away with a cardboard inner pattern instead of the plywood, especially if you don’t expect anyone to sit on your finished sculpture.
Good luck with your project – and be sure to let us see it when it’s done!
hello, can i ask something… please make a carabao mache coz’ i dont know how to do that paper mache… please…!
I just looked up that word – carabao – and I found water buffaloes. Is that what you meant? You could make one using the techniques you can see in several of the tutorials on this site, by making a cardboard pattern of the body and legs, filling them out with crumpled paper and masking tape, and then covering with paper mache. I’ve never made one myself. If you make one, please let us see how it turns out.
Thank- you I have worked with clay for many years. But I find paper mâché to be my love. My second love are elephants and you have really captured the life of an India Elephant. I volunteer for helping elephants with the founder . (save@elephantsunbrella.org) She is 83 and going strong take a look at her sight. It would be nice to educate people and children on how these great creatures are becoming wiped out. And how all zoo’s and circuses abuse these fine creatures of God. Keep up the beautiful works of animals they need our help.
Thank you very much for this pattern, it will help me to make one
You are very good at this and very talented
I’m 12 year old and I love doing this stuff and this is a very good website, well done.And I’m so excitedabout doing it.
Thank you so much for posting this. I have to make a life-sized baby woolly mammoth for a history project coming up and this was exactly what I needed. In fact the measurements are within 5 inches of the actual baby mammoth so I don’t even have to change it at all. Your a life saver and ill be sure to post pictures of my finished project.
Thanks, I enjoyed this so much please build more big things. You are so good at it.
Thanks.
The big ones really are fun to make, and I hope to do more. Did you see my snow leopard? It’s almost as big as the baby elephant. I used a wire and paper armature instead of plywood and paper mache clay instead of torn newspaper strips and paste, so it isn’t as heavy.
You can also see it on my gallery page
I am looking for a monkey/gorilla pattern to try using this method. Any ideas? web search is endless w/o the results I’m looking for. Thanks!!
Tahna
Hi Tahna. As far as I know, I’m the only one who is developing patterns of this type to use with paper mache sculptures. And, unfortunately, I haven’t made the one you’re looking for. I do hope to start writing a book soon that has patterns in it, plus instructions for making a pattern of your own – but it will obviously be several months, at least, before it’s available. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful at this time.
I’m curious if other people have taken your pattern,made their own elephants, and sent you pictures? I would love to see the pictures if they are available. I am currently making my own but have changed the pattern a little bit.
Hi Kemberlee. I haven’t received any photos of elephants other people have made using my pattern. I sure hope people will post their photos here for us to see, if they do make an elephant sculpture of their own. And please let us see yours – we’d love to know how you customized the pattern, and we want to see it when it’s done!
I’m very happy to find your pattern. Thank very much and excuse my “english”..Nice day to you….
Marie
That’s what I was thinking: wire form (maybe chicken wire for something this big) for the trunk, and maybe wire for the tail? Anyway, you always inject life into your subjects, so we’ll just watch it unfold!
This will be fun to watch. Do you intend to add some movement to the pose; a turned head, curled trunk, asymmetrically posed ears?
I am so sorry to hear about your daughter! I’ll definitely go on over and send my best wishes for immediate return to health!
Hi Xan. I will play with the ears, but at this point I don’t intend to move the head to make the pose more interesting. However, my reciprocal saw is handy, as always, so you never know what might happen.
One of the problems with using a solid armature like this is that you can’t really play a whole lot with sinuous things like an elephant trunk. It might be best to use a combination of solid body and legs, combined with a wire form for any body parts that don’t fall within the rigid plane of the solid armature. Maybe next time…
And, on a more personal note: My daughter has just been diagnosed with a rare and somewhat scary eye condition. The risk of blindness, even if it’s somewhat remote, would be frightening for anyone – but as fellow artists, I know you understand the special implications it can have for a painter. She can’t paint at all right now, but we do hope she gets back to normal soon. If you’d like to offer her your support and prayers, please add a comment on her own blog, at jessiesfineart.com/blog/ I know it would mean a lot to her as she struggles with this (hopefully temporary) illness.
Dear Jonni,
I am working on a float project with the youth group at my church. It will be beautiful with God’s grace and he has helped me find your website. More importantly, I read your blog about your daughter, a painter, has had problems with her eyes. It was dated in August 2009. How is she doing? Can she see? I will keep her in my prayers.
Thank you for posting all your experience and expertise. I love working with paper mache. I was a pre-school teacher and have worked with it with my students. Now, Iam working with teenagers and with much bigger expectations. However, with God’s help and he sent me to your website I will do okay. I’ll keep you posted on it.
Sincerely,
Michelle Cordeiro