"Tembo" the life-size oil painting of an African elephant by wildlife artist Richard Symonds

This film "Making of a giant" is the exclusive video footage of Richard building and painting the worlds first life-size oil painting of an elephant back in 2005 called "Tembo". It was later exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society with Virginia McKenna and her Born Free Foundation and hit all the major newspapers, press, TV and radio. The painting also sold for a staggering $100,000 with a large donation going to Born Free to help the wild elephant. For more information on Tembo and Richard's art please visit www.richardsymonds.com or facebook Richard Symonds Artist

[@jenniferserrano6586]

Stunningly magnificent!!! Words are not enough! I FEEL the strength of this painting. Wow!

[@webupali]

You are a amazing artist, then amazing Elephant, now how Amazing GOD can be? I thank GOD for creating people just like you.

[@MadJennyMorgan]

As a fellow artist, I can really appreciate all the time & hard work that went into this project. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent!

[@anniefeng3795]

I love how he used the smallest paint brush ever haha. Amazing job!!!!!

[@bernardjackson8880]

So Beautiful. Thank you Sir, Blessings. BRITTNEY GRINER

[@barrykuiper4293]

I am currently working on an African bull elephant. After watching your video I am inspired to get back to painting. I slowed down because the wrinkle work became so tedious. Thank you! Your work is beautiful.

[@neenenoos]

Thanks Jeek it certainly was the best 500 hours of my life....really glad you enjoyed watching it :-) Peace and love.

[@claires9100]

What did you end up doing with the finished canvas? Where is it hanging now?

[@biodiversityart4857]

Gorgeous.

[@jodysmith7399]

W O W!!! INCREDIBLE!!! I love the painting it is so so real I can feel the elephant near by!

[@dhanrajshelkeart]

this is one of the best drawing i have ever seen

[@cazgreen1]

Totally and utterly beautiful, wow you have talent Richard, and wonderful it was exhibited at the Born free foundation a wonderful charity run by a wonderful woman!

[@ihelyear4851]

What an admirable work, I'm stunned!

[@toniapolak7291]

I met Tembo when I was in South Africa in 2011. Amazing work!

[@den93050]

these ppl are not human, they are gods

[@DesignerSurajitAdhikari]

It's God gift

[@yolandabarbosa7811]

This is the way they teach elephants to paint

[@helenrademeyer7621]

THE FEATURES AND EXPRESSION ARE SO REALISTIC, THE MOST MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL(S) IN THE WORLD, THANK YOU.

[@lizzyshore8582]

wow!! absolutely amazing

[@artistfarmer]

Wow, absolutely beautiful !!

[@artbylucymax5911]

Absolutely stunning work Richard, thanks for sharing it!

[@Firkloveret]

So incredibly insprational! I need to go get my painting set, now!

[@fishtales2597]

Fantastic piece of artwork So lifelike and stunning, captures the animals characteristics completely. How anyone can kill these beautiful creatures for monetary gain is beyond me! LIVE AND LET LIVE should be all humans motto in life!

[@drawntofashionillustration9596]

It amazes me that a lot of large scale artists use TINY brushes! Beautiful beast.

[@michaelparry1383]

Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us. This is a great painting on a grand scale. I appreciate you becoming one with the subject before the canvas was even stretched. I love large paintings and this one was fantastic. It is amazing to see a painting this large being painted by a brush only 1/4 to 3/8 of in inch wide. Great giant job. :)

[@vanessaj.9714]

You are amazing. My eyes popped out of my head after the finished product of have beautiful it is and the size. I wish I could have the same on a wall in my living room. So perfect!👍

[@TeresaDominici]

Outstanding work on Tembo, Richard!

[@jess65963]

Magnificent !!!!!!

[@joannajohnston9978]

Just AWESOME!

[@Kate77777]

HOW?!!! YOUR TOO GOOD! THAT PAINTING MADE ME FLIP OUT LIKE 100 TIMES!

[@MusicfulGirl1329]

I'd be driven crazy. Respect! It's beautiful!

[@MsIsevise]

Wow...just wow...

[@maom5623]

an amazing Animal but also an amazing artist. Beautifull Work!!!!

[@vickim6990]

breathtaking

[@lache4903]

3 dislikes...I can't understand people somethimes. Anyway, great job!!! You really need to load yourself with patience for this, but in the end the result is rewarding! Awesome painting and great talent!

[@mariajesusabusmente2172]

Awesome 😍

[@michellelittle6471]

Simply magnificent

[@johanneremillard263]

WoW 😮 amazingly beautiful

[@DesignerSurajitAdhikari]

Great work

[@OnlineCollegeofArtandDesign]

amazing!

[@MrAvinashboss]

Great work, i did one off 5 feet elephant painting... After this i seen👍👍👍👍👍👍 🙏🙏🙏

[@jacquelineleubin5004]

Brilliant! I wonder why some people clicked thumbs down!!

[@flipperdale51]

Very inspirational. Thank you.

[@rakhirkumar997]

marvellous work

[@GBSightings17]

Oh, what a breathtaking painting!! Beautiful Elephant!! Just incredible. Really well done. ♥♥

[@zainabs786]

Amazing painting!

[@kerushycaroline4519]

Lovely Artwork

[@natashia5837]

Thats absolutely fantastic! Beautiful work, thanks for this video, it made my day

[@borislavafidersek1099]

Wow this is something so beautiful I have ever seen well done

[@51mermaidclaira]

I love your technique!

[@lyndonhenry3304]

amazing mate

[@MEugeniaLaRocca]

♥♥♥!! Extraordinario. AMO ÉSTO! ☺

[@thegee777]

this is amazing. well done

[@MrAvinashboss]

GREAT........

[@TarynGames14]

OMG, so amazing !

[@ad5304am]

Wspaniała praca! Gratulacje ! Pozdrawiam z Polski!

[@lgordejev]

Beautiful :)

[@Sandyvan1234]

WOW! 😍😍😍 AMAZING JOB!!!

[@AlyMea]

incredible!!

[@udayanganiperera4078]

Amazing

[@nataliasalas9986]

espectacular!!! 😊😊😊

[@pauliichile]

que obra mas espectacular!

[@abiyz04]

WOW amazing. Ohooo men that was amazing piece of work

[@08jeddan]

very inspiring work. thanks for sharing.

[@butchandrosevanbuskirk4153]

AWESOME

[@geoffcarter]

Fantastic work !!!

[@PaintWithBernie]

Wow excellent new friend here

[@X_explorer]

Cool video! I like looking nature, explore and relax...

[@reset1974]

Increidible work. Congratulations. Salutes from Huelva (Spain).

[@xviicass]

What! Ididnt know you had a KZbin! How awesome!♡

[@Joconde27430]

Magnifique !

[@enriqueguillen1597]

i once did a life size painting of ant.

[@kuda9886]

enrique guillen I

[@safaqureshi7948]

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!!! :D You are such an inspiration to me, I love following up on your latest work. I'm so happy to find an artist who truly cares about animals!

[@LifeisbeautifullJR]

thank you so much for sharing this extrordinary painting , I hertley congratulate u........Janardhan reddy from INDIA

[@nic9479]

EPIC

[@nickhowarth4135]

Man that is such a beautiful painting. I'm currently on a lifesize of a Rhino so I know what you mean about only realizing what you've taken on once you start.

[@hazelmason6161]

Gorgeous..Im doing an elephant in acrylic and having trouble with the thousands of wrinkles on his back and side!

[@aqidatulmurshidah4664]

Nice bro . I love your art .

[@annieweston3317]

Wow!

[@shantheartistperson5968]

Great job :

[@Slinkypinky]

must've been fun cleaning those brushes xD

[@kentanime4357]

great,great,graet

[@guerreropennisi5935]

Dios te bendiga!! Por todo lo que estás realizando

[@TheTwistedGrizzly]

Got to love the Gladiator music :D

[@IRoNSoLiTuD3]

Lost For Words.....!!

[@BEATNGO57]

Amazing! You beat me to it...mine`s not that big...baby elephant...X=0D

[@reefmarshall6811]

wow

[@manishamadhumanjari614]

what is sepia oil? is it some kind of color? Do you use only windsor and newton paints

[@alamaamosa3801]

That was a mammoth task.

[@swamisrivenudas3873]

Two minutes silence for those ones who didn't like this video : )

[@andotzkurenai2883]

As a fellow artist, can I ask how much you sold that painting?

[@theyolome]

BEST OIL PAINTING I'V SEEN IN MY FUCKING LIFE... Someday I would like to be able to draw wild animals this perfectly... Total artistic skill admiration... WHERE DID YOU LEARNED TO DO THIS AWESOME STUFF?

[@alamaamosa3801]

A mamoth task

[@robertatavola6089]

WW!!!

[@robertatavola6089]

and I mean WOW!

[@technostorm2154]

Which kind of paper this is??

[@jordysura]

Techno Storm ...canvas?

[@beagustafson2666]

have you painted a male lion?

[@StefanBaumann]

Tyler Moore

[@danaalexander1453]

Better than a real elephant

[@enriqueguillen1597]

hey mate thats some great juicy meat. good job.

[@calc1588]

I can’t paint or draw. I do sit on the M25. I wish I could be an artist.

[@rayanurxxx]

Need a lot of patience

[@markobedoy6730]

U had to travel to africa for paint an elephant? And 500 hourz to paint 152 sq feet of canvas???.....u must feel proud of doing what i can do in 50 hours and 1 brush....nice video about yourself