Pencil ready?
Let's draw a glass marble
Treat this as one small practice round: build the subject lightly, notice the shapes, then darken only the lines that help the finished sketch.
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01
Sketch the marble circle
Lightly draw a round marble in the middle of the page with a slightly uneven pencil line; keep its lower edge just above where the shadow will sit.
Sketch tip: Turn the page while drawing the circle rather than forcing one stiff wrist motion.
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02
Curve the ribbon through it
Start at the upper-left inside rim and sweep a gentle S curve through the middle to the lower-right rim.
Sketch tip: Keep both endpoints fixed against the inner edge of the circle.
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03
Give the ribbon width
Run a second S curve beside the first, leaving a broad ribbon between them; join its ends near the same upper-left and lower-right rim points.
Sketch tip: Compare the ribbon width at the top, center and bottom before lifting the pencil.
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04
Mark the ribbon folds
Place one short curved fold above the ribbon center and another below it, both staying between the two long ribbon edges.
Sketch tip: Let the two folds bend with the S rather than crossing it like stripes.
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05
Place light and shadow
Trace two slim curved glass reflections, one near the upper-right inner rim and one near the lower-left inner rim. Sketch a broken oval shadow beneath the circle.
Sketch tip: Leave a little white paper beside each reflection and gaps in the ground shadow.
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06
Shade the glass and ribbon
Deepen the lower rim and broken shadow with graphite. Shade the established ribbon lightly with muted blue pencil, keeping both reflection areas pale and every earlier curve visible.
Sketch tip: Pull blue strokes along the S curve and stop before the marble looks opaque.
