The Iconic African Giant

Artwork story

This artwork is created using a combination of graphite pencils charcoal pencils, and charcoal powder. I began with graphite for the initial sketch and to establish faint lines that depict the textured skin of the elephant. I then used general charcoal pencils to develop the deep, dark shades. The dark background was achieved by applying charcoal powder, complemented by strokes of dark charcoal pencils to complete the piece.

The pencil drawing, completed in 2023, portrays the Iconic Nature of Africa. This is seen in how it represents the rich cultural heritage of Africa where 'The Elephant' symbolizes Resilience And Power, Family bond, Longevity, Loyalty, Wisdom, and many more which relates to Africa's ability to overcome past challenges from colonialism, its strong sense of community and bond even in it's diversity, its culture continuity from generations to generations, the high value placed on family ties, wisdom and strategic leadership respectively and many more. It also serves as a national identity for most African nations seen in their currencies, coat of arm, flag etc.
Interestingly, the shape of the African continent on the world map bears a striking resemblance to an elephant's head in side view, with the Horn of Africa resembling the elephant's tusk and the Cape of Good Hope resembling the elephant's trunk. This comparison highlights Africa's majesty and strength, much like the elephant's.