How to Draw a Swan (Easy Step by Step)
A swan is a fun first bird to draw because it is mostly smooth, curvy lines. You will use a boat shape for the body, a long S curve for the neck, a small rounded head with a beak, a hill shape for the wing, and wavy lines for the water.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a swan step by step
How to Draw a Swan · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Body and tail
Draw a long curve that swoops down like the bottom of a boat and ends in a pointy tail on the left. Then curve the line up on the right and keep going into the start of the neck, finishing with a little flick at the top.
Step 2: Front of the neck
Draw a wavy line that starts near the top of the neck and curves down to the body, shaped like a lazy S. This is the second edge of the neck, so it sits beside the first line with a gap between them.
Step 3: Head and beak
At the top of the neck, draw a rounded bump for the top of the head. Then draw a beak that points to the right and connects back to the neck line.
Step 4: Eye and chin
Add a small dot for the eye. Draw a short curved line across the bottom of the head, so the head sits on top of the neck.
Step 5: The wing
On the body, draw a big rounded wing shaped like a hill. Finish the bottom edge with a row of small bumps, like feathers.
Step 6: Wing curve
Inside the wing, near the top left, draw one short curved line like a little rainbow.
Step 7: Water ripples
Under the swan, draw a long wavy line that goes up and down like little hills. Add a shorter wavy line below it.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your swan? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a rooster or how to draw a goat next.
Tips for drawing a swan
- Draw the neck slowly with two lines that curve together, and keep the gap between them even so the neck does not get skinny or fat.
- Make the bumps along the bottom of the wing small and round, like a row of tiny hills.
- For the water, make each wave about the same size, and stop the lines before the page edge.
Free swan coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this swan coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your swan drawing
Leave the swan white or color it a soft light gray, and make the beak orange and the water blue. For a creative twist, color the water in sunset pinks and purples.
Swan fun fact for kids
A baby swan is called a cygnet, and cygnets are usually gray or brown, not white. They turn white as they grow up.
Questions about drawing a swan
What shapes do I need to draw a swan?
You need a big boat shape for the body, a long S curve for the neck, a small rounded head with a pointed beak, and a hill shape for the wing. Wavy lines make the water.
How do I make my swan neck look graceful?
Draw the S curve lightly in pencil first, then trace the two neck lines over it. Try to keep both lines curving the same way.
How do I make my swan look cuter?
Make the head a little bigger and the eye dot a bit larger and round. Keep the wing curve small and neat.
