Elephant self portrait on show

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Pictures which were painted by elephants have gone on display at an Edinburgh gallery. They include "self-portraits" by Paya, who is said to be the only elephant to have mastered his own likeness. Paya is one of six elephants whose keepers have taught them how to hold a paintbrush in their trunks. They drop the brush when they want a new colour.

Posted by Lawrence at 7/21/2006 1:39:09 PM | 15 comments

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, July 2006, Lawrence Posts

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jtbartlett (Level 1 Rookie) at 3/29/2008 6:01:47 PM

http://cgi.fark.com/cgi/fark/youtube.pl?IDLink=3501560

There's an elephant in action. Sold?

Faktablad (Level 6 SWAT) at 7/23/2006 8:04:51 AM

Or this could be true:

"It's certainly capable of drawing an elephant, and could be trained, but might not really understand what it was doing."

flaber (Level 1 Seaman) at 7/22/2006 9:42:19 PM

the elephant at my zoo just paints colours
i dont think it actually paints anything real
just splashes of colours here and there

NobleClock (Level 2 Corporal) at 7/22/2006 7:08:04 PM

Istvan: No videos on youtube had anything to do with that paya elephant painting itself, i personally dont believe it could.

Akira (Level 5 Sniper) at 7/22/2006 4:57:40 PM

the elephants do.

Rodahue (Level 1 Intern) at 7/22/2006 12:57:53 PM

I think the elephants are just thought muscle memory for the self-portraits. The keepers guide the trunk along the portrait regularly until the elephant just memorizes the pattern...

But who knows?

iSTVAN (Level 8 Cannibal) at 7/22/2006 9:11:12 AM

Neither of those videos were of very good quality or particularly conclusive at all. Besides, I wanted to see the Elephant specifically painting a self portrait or anything figurative or non-abstract.

E-Magination (Level 3 Sniper) at 7/22/2006 8:04:45 AM

Good job NC.

NobleClock (Level 2 Corporal) at 7/22/2006 5:25:50 AM

here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-zIihlf1Fs&search=elephant%20painting

and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z69pgVmj2M&mode=related&search=elephant%20painting

NobleClock (Level 2 Corporal) at 7/22/2006 5:18:27 AM

if i was the elephant i would brutally assault the zookeeper

E-Magination (Level 3 Sniper) at 7/22/2006 1:39:16 AM

However, they look better than some submissions here...

iSTVAN (Level 8 Cannibal) at 7/21/2006 10:11:52 PM

Haha, you're right Akira. They must just keep painting until they die.

Akira (Level 5 Sniper) at 7/21/2006 10:10:00 PM

thats pretty insane. how do the keepers know when they drop the brush when they want a new colour? when i drop my brush it means i'm sick of painting.

flaber (Level 1 Seaman) at 7/21/2006 9:37:07 PM

theres a painting elephant at my zoo
iv seen it before
about the actual self portrait though, thats kinda crazy

but i have seen an elephant paint before, in real..

iSTVAN (Level 8 Cannibal) at 7/21/2006 5:58:15 PM

I find it very hard to believe this. I'd need some video footage of the Elephant in action before I'm sold.

Elephant self portrait on show

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