Elephant paints self portrait...

RolandTD20Kdrummer

yeah...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE

DriftingByTheStorm

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

yeah...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHoyB81LnE

Wow.
Okay i won't say this one made me cry,
but it definately got me a little emotional ... but in a positive way.

You know they have a whole host of analysis that paint elephants (no pun, lol) as being one of the closest species to humans, from an emotional\self awareness perspective.
For starters, they recognize and seem to mourn dead members of their pack.

The two things that got me the most with this picture.
First, a strict observation on perspective\realism ... she (i don't know why my gut instict is to assume this elephant a 'she') drew from a profile, but unlike a child that often only draws the closest objects to the frame, the elephant was aware enough to add both the facing AND the opposing set of limbs -- she got the two legs on the opposite side, as well.

Second, the addition of the flower (replete with leaves even) was really touching. It shows an emotional sophistication that clearly demonstrates an awareness held within animal kingdom which can no longer be assumed to be claimed soley by "humanity". I mean, this demonstration, to me, is a clear indication that humans are not the only ones with real, discernable emotion.


This video makes me smile,
and it makes me a bit melancholy too, actually.
I think probably because it forces the recollection of humanity's severe & longstanding mistreatment of elephants. That realization ushers in a further recognition of the massive schizm that has occured between man and his relationship with nature, which to me is the sore point to trump all sore points. And i think that, ultimately, is the melancholy that this small clip makes me feel.

One final note.
I was really tickled, inspired, humbled, and in awe at one very minor observation here: the way in which the elephant pauses and holds the brush with in an inch of the 'canvas' for many seconds, moving it minutely this way or that, seemingly in artistic contemplation of where best to lay the initial brush stroke. That to me shows a sophistication of awareness in and of itself which is probably above and beyond what man usualy wants to grant these magnificent beasts capable of.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

What got me the most was the very last stroke when the coiling of the trunk was painted around the stem of the flower to hold it. Talk about realism.

Pretty incredible to say the least.

edit: and humbling...very.

DriftingByTheStorm

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

What got me the most was the very last stroke when the coiling of the trunk was painted around the stem of the flower to hold it. Talk about realism.

Pretty incredible to say the least.

edit: and humbling...very.

yeah.
i had stopped the video seconds short of the end.
Then I went back to watch it again, and caught this just now.

i was actualy going ot come back and comment on that as well. Glad you caught that. And you're right, the fact that it was the very last stroke the elephant painted is a pretty clear indication of the level of sophistication going on within the thought process present.

NMyTree

That's absolutely amazing!

I've always said that elephants are very intelligent animals who feel emotions on a very similar level, as human beings.

DriftingByTheStorm

NMyTree wrote:

That's absolutely amazing!

I've always said that elephants are very intelligent animals who feel emotions on a very similar level, as human beings.

Did you guys know that beyond grieving emotionaly over death, elephants sometimes actualy CRY as well?

elephant emotions

WOW!

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

that elephant sucks! it doesnt even look like him, the ears are too small. And that flower is so cheesy! all its missing is a rainbow in the background .

i'd pay a lot of money for that painting, though.

angelica

Emotions in humans stem from the part of brain called the "mammalian brain" or the limbic system. All mammals are emotionally intelligent.

Collin

I wonder how much training it took. And how humane that training was.

blackredyellow

Collin wrote:

I wonder how much training it took. And how humane that training was.

yeah... and I wonder too if that elephant paints the same exact picture over and over again like he learned the strokes in order, or if each picture is done a little different.

Anyway, it is really cool to see.

DriftingByTheStorm

blackredyellow wrote:

yeah... and I wonder too if that elephant paints the same exact picture over and over again like he learned the strokes in order, or if each picture is done a little different.

Anyway, it is really cool to see.

Check out the following elephants' paintings:
Phaya - 3 self portraits

Payap - very impressive paintings of fauna. impressionist style. Notice the one with three different colors of shading in the leaves, and the shaded stippling in the background?

Wanpen - shows a variety of stylistic choices in the paintings of tulip like flowers. A singular subject, or multiple flowers. One with a very patterned arangement in a hedge like formation. Alternation of colors present.

Duanpen - abstract art for sure. But notice the use of color, and more specificaly that unlike a child that just slobs paint all over the place, these brush strokes are carefully made to fit next to eachother without bleeding.

Songpun - multi colored lines in different formations. Some straight. Some wavy. One floral patterned.

Kongkam - more variations on a flower theme. If you think this is all just repetitive behavior. Notice the absolute difference in the stem patterns of these 4 flowers. It's pretty awesome.


Kamasaen - some very interesting color choice for abstract coil shaped paintings

angelica

Collin wrote:

I wonder how much training it took. And how humane that training was.

Here is the exact same picture either being painted by the same elephant, or the same picture painted by a different elephant. The canvas colour is different. The actions preceding painting is different. That seems to point to the idea that the elephant is not creating an artistic vision from within, but rather mimicking what she/he has been taught. Design/layout, etc is the artistic aspect, whereas putting the "correct" line in the "correct" place that training can teach is a very different thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oYYXfM1Jw0&feature=related

Also a big part of emotional expression in art is the choice of colour. Different colours have different vibrations and evoke different emotional moods for the art consumer; or a different tone to the entire image. When we see that the human is choosing the colour, it indicates even less creativity on the part of the elephant.

IAmMyself

Collin wrote:

I wonder how much training it took. And how humane that training was.

That's what I was thinking. I love elephants and it is very hard for me to believe these elephants aren't abused in order to get them to do this. I'm wanting to find more information out about this.

The clip is amazing to say the least.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

MrSmith wrote:

that elephant sucks! it doesnt even look like him, the ears are too small. And that flower is so cheesy! all its missing is a rainbow in the background .

i'd pay a lot of money for that painting, though.

yeah...as if there's such a thing as a flower that big....stupid elephant...hehe

Eliot Rosewater

angelica wrote:

Here is the exact same picture either being painted by the same elephant, or the same picture painted by a different elephant. The canvas colour is different. The actions preceding painting is different. That seems to point to the idea that the elephant is not creating an artistic vision from within, but rather mimicking what she/he has been taught. Design/layout, etc is the artistic aspect, whereas putting the "correct" line in the "correct" place that training can teach is a very different thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oYYXfM1Jw0&feature=related

Also a big part of emotional expression in art is the choice of colour. Different colours have different vibrations and evoke different emotional moods for the art consumer; or a different tone to the entire image. When we see that the human is choosing the colour, it indicates even less creativity on the part of the elephant.

I thought many of these same things. My first thought was that elephants can obviously be trained. I'm not trying to take away from what emotions they may or may not feel, but I think it's pretty clear that they're being "trained" rather than given paint and turned loose with a brush and canvas...but maybe I'm wrong...just what I think.

It would be much more interesting to see the elephant choose it's own colors.

angelica

Eliot Rosewater wrote:

I thought many of these same things. My first thought was that elephants can obviously be trained. I'm not trying to take away from what emotions they may or may not feel, but I think it's pretty clear that they're being "trained" rather than given paint and turned loose with a brush and canvas...but maybe I'm wrong...just what I think.

It would be much more interesting to see the elephant choose it's own colors.

I agree...we can't take away from the emotions they may/may not feel. Emotions and emotional intelligence is experiential--we feel it. It doesn't need "proof" to exist. It's our linear opposing thinking that make us want to present it with proof.

And to be fair, I could attempt to train many humans to paint a similar picture and many just do not have that capacity! Hence those "draw bambi" art advertisements and how our ability to perceive images and copy them indicates our artistic capacity.

DriftingByTheStorm

angelica wrote:

Here is the exact same picture either being painted by the same elephant, or the same picture painted by a different elephant. The canvas colour is different. The actions preceding painting is different. That seems to point to the idea that the elephant is not creating an artistic vision from within, but rather mimicking what she/he has been taught. Design/layout, etc is the artistic aspect, whereas putting the "correct" line in the "correct" place that training can teach is a very different thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oYYXfM1Jw0&feature=related

Also a big part of emotional expression in art is the choice of colour. Different colours have different vibrations and evoke different emotional moods for the art consumer; or a different tone to the entire image. When we see that the human is choosing the colour, it indicates even less creativity on the part of the elephant.

Maybe the elephant is just doing several "studies" on itself, before it commits to its master work of art?



ps, that elephant is in Chiang Mai, if you want to look in to it further.

angelica

DriftingByTheStorm wrote:

Maybe the elephant is just doing several "studies" on itself, before it commits to its master work of art?

ps, that elephant is in Chiang Mai, if you want to look in to it further.

Thanks.