This first video impressed me so much that I just had to find some more of them. It is just incredible to me that these wonderful intelligent animals can learn to do just about anything. I would of never imagined that if someone gave an elephant some paint and something to paint on that they could develop as artists. I'm sure you'll be as amazed as I was at this elephant doing a self portrait. They paint a lot better then I can.
Many thanks to my friend Susie for sending me this first video!
Elephant Painting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk&NR=1My friend was thinking how unbelievable that is that an elephant would paint like that and had thought at the end of the show that they would say how it was done, if it was a trick.
I watched a lot of the videos today. The links posted here will tell you a lot of this story. The trainer starts out with loading up a paint brush with paint then handing it to the elephant. Then he holds up a big card board for the elephant to put the brush on and make a mark. Then handing the paint brush back to the trainer to get more paint. At this point the trainer will give the elephant a treat, rewards him for "painting". If the elephant eats the brush then he doesn't get a treat.
At the end of the elephant's trunk is an opposing thumb. I imagine it would be like a human trying to paint using a mitten. So they can hold a brush the same way a human can. There is one big difference though. A Human has a little over 400 mussels in their entire body! An elephant has over 850 mussels in just their trunk. They must have amazing control with that many mussels working together to paint the picture.
Some of the elephants were used for logging. Then the logging was done away with they were out of a job... so one guy said lets give them a paint brush and teach them to paint and tried it and trained them to hold a brush, and put the paint on the paper, hand the trainer the brush and get a treat the trainer loads up the brush with paint and they end up learning how to paint and they paint for the tourists and the tourists buy their paintings ... it is their new way "to earn their keep" now that they can't do logging jobs.
Then I think other people have seen what a great idea it is to teach their elephants to paint and they teach their elephants. Elephants are smart and their trucks are very good for painting. From watching the videos I think the elephants really enjoy painting once they catch on.
It would have to be a lot more fun then dragging logs out of the rain forests. I think the elephants have a real sense for art too... just my opinion.. but I was really amazed watching these videos.
Painting Elephant 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2UiU8zo7uc&feature=related"Elephant drawing other elephants"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy9kKxJJpug&feature=relatedElephants painting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsPb-Rep9Ds&feature=relatedElephant painting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oYYXfM1Jw0&feature=relatedElephant artist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmZ0Cs0ygLE&NR=1"Why Elephants Paint"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACjjot9PNr4&feature=related"Painting Elephants At the Oregon Zoo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KW5y7SmQq4&feature=relatedAbbie and the Painting Elephant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGivgJkDWVo&feature=related
