Draw A Crystal Swan That Looks Like Glass
Even if you've never drawn before.
Imagine if you could:
Layer soft green over white paper and watch it turn to glass, until the swan looks like you could lift it off the page and set it on a shelf.
Sit down after a long day and disappear into the layers, pale green first, then deeper tones, until the light looks like it is coming from inside the swan.
Set your finished swan on the table and watch someone pick it up and say, "hold on… you drew this? With pencils?"
Have you ever seen something like this and thought:
“I want to be able to draw like that.”
Maybe you've tried colored pencil before, and it came out flat and chalky instead of clear, so you put the pencils away.
Maybe you've never tried at all, but something about this swan pulls you in. You just don't know where to start.
Here's the truth: it's much simpler than it looks.
And yes, even complete beginners can draw this.
The whole swan is built from one simple, repeatable process. You learn it once, then repeat it across the piece.
No freehand precision. No years of practice. Just a layering order that makes sense.
And the glass?
Glass isn't a color. It's where you leave the paper white.
You build it in layers: a pale base first, then mid-tones, then deep greens around them, until the untouched paper reads as a hard, bright highlight.
That same order repeats across the whole swan: the neck, the wing folds, the body, even the reflection underneath.
All you need is a starting set of colored pencils (any brand works) and a sheet of paper.
And I'll show you exactly how, step by step.
This swan is just the beginning.
The same method applies to almost any glass subject after this one: birds, bottles, marbles, gemstones, and any color of glass you like.
Anyone can learn to draw this.
Even if you've never drawn before. This is beginner-friendly from the very start. The layering order does most of the work for you. No drawing experience needed.
Even if you've tried colored pencil before and gave up. Glass is more forgiving than skin or fur. Small wobbles vanish under the next layer instead of standing out.
Even if you don't think of yourself as "the artistic type." This isn't about natural talent. It's about following the same layering order, placed in the right spot each time.
Even if you don't have any supplies yet. All you need is a set of colored pencils and paper. Any brand works, you don't need anything fancy or expensive to get started.
Hi, I'm Katie
I've been drawing with colored pencils for over eight years, and teaching this exact layering method to students for the last four of them.
I've watched complete beginners, people who swore they “couldn't draw anything,” finish a glass swan in their first sitting, just by following the order instead of guessing at it.
You don't need a steady hand or years of practice. You need the sequence. That's the whole method.
That's why I created this workshop.
For The First Time Ever - Introducing
The Crystal Swan Drawing Workshop
A step-by-step workshop where you'll draw a glowing crystal swan from start to finish while learning a layering order you can reuse on almost any subject.
Here's A Small Taste Of What's Inside:
Module 1
The Simple Setup
Gather your materials and set up your workspace so your colors stay clean and your layers build smoothly from the very first pencil stroke.
- •A clear, printable checklist of everything you need (affordable, and easy to find anywhere)
- •How to arrange your paper and pencils so layered color never smudges or turns muddy
- •The one beginner habit that makes glass look like flat plastic, and the easy fix
- •How to sharpen and hold your pencils for the smooth, even coverage glass depends on
Module 2
Transfer The Swan Outline Cleanly, Even If You Can't Draw
Get a clean, accurate swan outline onto your paper without sketching it freehand. Two simple curves and a few soft shapes are all it takes.
- •How to build the whole swan from one flowing neck curve plus a few simple shapes
- •The five-minute way to transfer your trace-ready template straight onto your paper
- •Where the wing folds sit, so the shape reads as a swan before any color goes down
- •You'll finish this module with a finished outline, ready to layer, with no freehand drawing at all
Module 3
The First Glass Layers
Lay in your first light layers of green and watch flat paper start to look like solid glass. This is the layer that does most of the work.
- •Why glass starts with your lightest green, never your darkest
- •How to apply even, feather-light pressure so the paper texture stays smooth
- •The exact spots to leave completely untouched, because white paper becomes your brightest highlight
- •Discover how a single pale layer already reads as transparent before you add anything else
Module 4
Build Depth, Shadow And Transparency
Add your mid-tones and deep greens in a set order, and the swan stops looking like a drawing of a swan and starts looking like an object you could pick up.
- •The light-to-dark layering order that creates depth without any blending or smudging
- •How to place the dark pockets inside the body that make the glass look thick and heavy
- •Learn where the color deepens at the edges so the form turns and curves believably
- •The simple trick that makes light look like it is passing through the swan, not sitting on it
Module 5
The Highlights That Turn Color Into Glass
Add your final bright highlights and the reflection underneath. This is the module where people stop believing it was drawn with pencils.
- •Where to place the sharp white highlights that sell the hard, polished glass surface
- •How to draw the soft reflection beneath the swan so it looks like it is resting on a real surface
- •The burnishing pass that takes the finish from pencil-textured to smooth and glassy
- •You'll finish this module holding a completed crystal swan you would be happy to frame
Module 6
Read Any Subject As Simple Glass Shapes
Learn to look at any object or photo and instantly see the simple shapes and light zones underneath it. This is the skill that makes you independent of tutorials.
- •How to break any subject down into a handful of simple shapes before you draw a single line
- •The three questions that tell you where light enters and where it pools, on anything
- •How to spot the brightest point and the deepest shadow in any reference, in seconds
- •Practice on a bird, a bottle, a marble: the reading process never changes
Module 7
Take Your Glass Technique Beyond The Swan
Carry the exact same layering order into subjects you choose yourself, in any color you like. The swan was the lesson. This is the skill you keep.
- •How to apply the identical layer order to a completely different subject and color
- •Discover how to shift the whole piece into blue, amber, red, or smoke-gray glass
- •The small adjustments that make feathers, facets, and curves each read correctly
- •How to keep going on your own, choosing your own subjects, without needing a new tutorial each time
This Isn't Just One Swan.
It's a repeatable layering order you can use on almost any subject, in any color you like.
- ✓where to leave the paper white so untouched paper becomes your brightest highlight
- ✓the light-to-dark layering order that builds depth without blending or smudging
- ✓how to read any subject as a handful of simple shapes and light zones
- ✓how to shift the whole piece into blue, amber, or smoke-gray glass
Why You'll Be Paying Less For This Workshop Today
A single in-person drawing class runs $40–$70 for a couple of hours, and you walk away with one piece and no way to recreate it on your own.
Private art lessons run $60–$100 an hour. And a glass piece like the one you'll finish here can sell for well over $150, for just one drawing.
This workshop gives you a repeatable skill.
Once you own the layering order, you can draw this same swan again as a gift, switch it to a completely different color, or move on to an entirely different subject.
The full price for this workshop is:
$97
But that's NOT the price you'll be paying today.
I initially offered this as an in-person workshop, working through the swan with a small group over an afternoon. It filled up quickly, and the pieces people walked out with were far better than anyone expected on a first attempt.
So I filmed the whole thing properly, module by module, so you can follow the same steps at your own pace, at your own table.
This is the first online release, and the first 50 students can join at a lower early-bird price.
So for this first group, the workshop is:
Only $47
You'll get the full step-by-step workshop, a layering order you can apply to almost any subject, lifetime access, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
After the first 50 students join, the workshop moves to the regular $97 price.
Normally $97
Now Only $47
One-time payment.
Lifetime access.
Access Now
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
🔒 Secure Payment 🔒
P.S. If the next page doesn't load... then I'm sorry, but the special offer has expired.
Plus You'll Be Backed By My Unconditional Money Back Guarantee
You don't have to decide right now.
Get access and try it for 30 full days. Draw your first glass swan. See how it feels to finish something you're actually proud of.
If it's not for you, send one email to help@drawingacademyonline.com and you'll get every penny back within 24 hours. No questions asked. No stalling.
You either love what you create... or you don't pay for it.
And to help you go even further...
Get 5 FREE Bonuses If You Join Now
🎁 Bonus #1
$18 FREEThe Ultimate Printable Tracing Template Pack
Ready-to-use swan outlines in five different poses, so you can skip the sketching entirely and go straight to the part you actually want to do.
- •Full-size trace-ready templates for the main swan design, plus four more poses
- •Graceful, serene, elegant-wings, and floral swan variations to keep drawing after the workshop
- •How to transfer any template onto your paper in under five minutes
🎁 Bonus #2
$16 FREEControl Your Reflections & Lighting
Learn to move your light source wherever you want and adjust the highlights and shadow to match. The same swan, lit six different ways.
- •How to shift highlights and shadow for light coming from the left, right, top, or below
- •What changes when light comes from behind, and how rim light reads on glass
- •Where the shadow falls for each light direction, so your piece always looks grounded
🎁 Bonus #3
$14 FREEPhotograph & Share Your Artwork
Learn to capture your finished drawings properly so they look as good on a screen as they do on your desk, ready to share, print, or gift.
- •The easiest way to photograph your artwork like a professional using only your phone
- •Simple lighting tricks that keep your greens vivid and your highlights sparkling
- •How to share your work so it looks crisp and true to color, never washed out or blurry
🎁 Bonus #4
$12 FREEColor Palette Transformation
Draw the very same swan in completely different glass colors. One drawing, endless looks, without learning anything new.
- •Seven ready-made palettes including ocean blue, royal purple, golden amber, and blush pink
- •How to swap your palette while keeping the light and shadow logic identical
- •The simple rule for picking colors that stay clean and never turn muddy
🎁 Bonus #5
$9 FREEDrawing Academy Private Community
Get access to our private community, a warm and quiet space where beginners share their work, ask questions, and cheer each other on.
- •Lifetime access to a supportive group that celebrates your wins and keeps you drawing
- •Fresh prompts and gentle challenges whenever you want something new to try
- •Helpful feedback from members at exactly the same stage as you
Here's Everything You're Getting So Far:
But now you get everything for just: $47
Total Value: $166
Now Only $47
One-time payment.
Lifetime access.
Access Now
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
🔒 Secure Payment 🔒
P.S. If the next page doesn't load... then I'm sorry, but the special offer has expired.
PLUS... A Special Bonus When You Buy Now
If you purchase before the timer hits ZERO...
I'll add in this incredible LIMITED-TIME bonus…
But only for those who purchase before the timer hits zero.
If the timer hits ZERO - this Special Bonus will disappear!
Order in the next 00:00:00 and you'll also get:
🎁 Limited-Time Bonus
$97 FREEDraw A Glass Swan Family
Apply everything you have learned to a full scene: two swans facing each other with their necks forming a heart, and four small cygnets on the water beside them. Iridescent rainbow glass, reflections and all.
- •Trace-ready templates for both adult swans and all four cygnets
- •How to draw iridescent rainbow glass, where several colors live in one surface
- •Where to place reflections on water so a whole group looks like it belongs in one scene
- •How to keep six separate glass subjects consistent, so the piece reads as one picture
P.S. This bonus is only available if you enroll before the timer ends. After that, it's gone.
Get The Full Course, All Bonuses, And The Time-Limited Bonus For Just...
Total Value $263
Now Only $47
One-time payment.
Lifetime access.
Access Now
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
🔒 Secure Payment 🔒
P.S. If the next page doesn't load... then I'm sorry, but the special offer has expired.
Got More Questions? I Got You:
I've never drawn with colored pencils before. Is this workshop for me?
Yes. This workshop was built for complete beginners. You don't need any prior drawing experience. Every step is shown clearly and slowly, so you can follow along and finish the swan from start to finish.
Do I need to be "artistic" or have natural talent?
Not at all. The glass effect comes from a repeatable light-to-dark layering order, not from talent or a steady hand. You follow the layers in the order they're given. If you can hold a pencil, you can draw this.
Will any brand of colored pencils work?
Yes. Any brand works, and you don't need a specific or expensive set to get started. The workshop suggests a few affordable options, but whatever pencils you already own will do the job just fine.
What materials do I need, and are they expensive?
No, they're simple, cheap, and easy to find in any craft store or online. All you really need is a set of colored pencils and paper. There's a list of optional upgrades inside the workshop, but nothing on it is required.
Will I only learn this one swan?
No. You'll finish the crystal swan, and you'll also learn the layering order that creates the glass effect on almost any subject. Modules 6 and 7 are built entirely around carrying the method to subjects you pick yourself, in any color. The goal is one finished piece plus a skill you keep using.
Is glass harder to draw than normal subjects?
It looks harder, and that's exactly why it's so satisfying to finish. In practice glass is more forgiving than skin or fur, because it's built from clean, simple layers of color rather than thousands of tiny details. Nothing has to be perfect for it to look right.
Is colored pencil forgiving if my lines aren't perfect?
Very. You can layer straight over small wobbles and they blend away under the next pass. Because the glass look is built from stacked layers, little imperfections disappear instead of standing out. The workshop shows you exactly how.
I'm 60+, can I do this?
Yes, absolutely. Plenty of students pick up colored pencil for the first time in their 50s, 60s, and 70s and finish their swan with real pride. The technique is gentle, the pace is entirely yours, and the steps are clear.
I don't have much free time. Is that a problem?
Not at all. The lessons are short and focused. You can work through the whole workshop in a weekend, or take one module at a time over several weeks. It's completely self-paced.
Can I access the workshop on my phone or tablet?
Yes. Everything works on phone, tablet, and computer. Watch on whichever device sits most comfortably next to your drawing paper.
When does the workshop start?
Right away. The moment you join, you get instant access to every lesson, every bonus, and the private community. No waiting and no scheduled start date.
How long do I have access to the workshop?
Forever. Once you enroll you have lifetime access to everything, and you can rewatch any lesson as many times as you like, from any device.
Is this a one-time payment?
Yes. This is a one-time purchase. No subscription, no hidden fees, no recurring charges. You pay once and the workshop is yours for good.
Other art courses haven't worked for me. Why would this be different?
This isn't a typical art course. There's no rushing, no critiques, and no chasing perfection. Just a calm process you follow at your own pace, in your own space. That's why students who gave up elsewhere tend to finish here.
What happens after I buy?
You'll get an email with simple instructions for accessing the workshop. From there you can start the first lesson right away.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. You're covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it isn't for you, just reach out and you'll get a full refund. No questions asked.
Is it safe to purchase here?
Yes. Your payment goes through a secure, encrypted checkout, and your private information is never shared with anyone.
Here's Everything You're Getting When You Buy Now:
But now you get everything for just: $47
Total Value: $263
Now Only $47
One-time payment.
Lifetime access.
Access Now
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
🔒 Secure Payment 🔒
P.S. If the next page doesn't load... then I'm sorry, but the special offer has expired.