How to Draw a 16×16 Radiant Branch-Guard Steel Sword in Pixel Art
This sword combines a broad, changing blade profile with a guard that branches in several directions. Pale and near-white facets make the upper blade shine, while copper and gold lead the eye from a raised right branch across a wide lower sweep and into the grip.
The exact CC0 reference contains 112 visible pixels and 11 visible
colours. We will build it in five stages. Coordinates use (x, y) from the
top-left corner.
Explore the complete drawing history
Step through the saved frames before drawing. Show changes separates the black structure, midtone steel plane, bright facets, socket shadows, and the complete warm guard framework.
Step 1: outline the broad blade and branching guard
Use black #000000 for all 56 outline pixels. Draw the three-cell blade cap
at x0–2 on row 0, then follow this exact row map:
r1: x0, x3
r2: x0, x4
r3: x1, x5
r4: x2, x6–8
r5: x3, x8–9, x11–12
r6: x4, x10, x12
r7: x4, x10, x12–14
r8: x4–5, x12, x14
r9: x5, x13
r10: x6–7, x12
r11: x5, x12
r12: x5–8, x10–11, x13
r13: x7, x9, x12, x14–15
r14: x7–8, x13, x15
r15: x13–15
The outline deliberately widens at rows 4–8. Keep the empty channels between the upper-right branch, the lower-left sweep, and the pommel branch transparent.
Step 2: lay down ten midtone steel cells
Place base steel #A5C9C9 at (1,1), (2,1), and (1,2). This three-cell
corner gives the blunt tip a solid metal face.
Add muted steel #608888 at:
(2,2), (3,3), (8,7), (7,8), (8,8), (9,8), (8,9)
The first pair continues the upper value ramp. The five-cell cluster near rows 7–9 forms the broad central plane just before the blade reaches its socket.
Step 3: add eighteen bright blade facets
Use light steel #CEECEC at:
(3,2), (2,3), (7,5), (8,6), (9,6), (5,7), (9,7), (6,8), (10,8), (6,9), (7,9), (8,10)
Then place near-white gleam #F4FEFE at (4,3), (3,4), (5,4), (4,5), (6,5), and (5,6). The six-cell zigzag creates the sharpest reflection;
the twelve light cells spread that reflection across the wider lower blade.
Step 4: deepen nine blade shadows
Add shadow steel #83A3A3 at (4,4), (5,5), (6,6), (7,6), (6,7),
and (7,7).
Use deep steel #476367 at (9,9), (10,9), and (9,10). The six shadows
form a diagonal band behind the bright facets. The three deep cells make a
compact socket that separates the blade from the gold centre of the guard.
Step 5: finish nineteen warm guard details
Place warm copper #E0993C at:
(11,6), (11,7), (13,8), (12,9), (11,10), (6,11), (7,11), (10,11), (9,12), (8,13)
Add gold #FBBD5D at (11,8), (11,9), (10,10), (8,11), (9,11), (11,11), and (14,14).
Finish the grip with dark leather #7E4E26 at (12,12) and deep copper #C07F3A at (13,13). Copper defines the long branches, gold marks their
bright junctions, and the last two cells lead into the lower pommel cap.
Exact row blueprint
| Rows | Final construction |
|---|---|
| 0–3 | black tip rails, three base cells, muted transition, light steel, and first gleam |
| 4–6 | broadening outline around alternating gleam, shadow, light, and upper copper branch |
| 7–8 | widest blade planes plus the black-and-copper right guard fork |
| 9–10 | muted blade centre, deep socket, gold junction, and copper bridge |
| 11 | wide copper-and-gold lower sweep bounded by black ends |
| 12–13 | black branch dividers, copper joints, leather grip, and deep-copper pommel joint |
| 14–15 | separate gold pommel highlight inside a black three-cell cap |
Watch the bright blade meet the branching guard
The automatic player establishes the broad black structure, fills the midtone plane, adds eighteen bright facets, deepens the socket, and draws all nineteen warm guard cells last.
Automatic drawing
Start with an empty 16×16 canvas
Draw the sword yourself
Finish the steel blade before colouring the guard. Use Diff to check the wide reflection pattern and preserve every transparent channel between the three guard branches.
Draw the radiant branch-guard steel sword yourself
Rebuild all 112 visible pixels. Use Diff view to check the broad blade facets and every opening between the asymmetric guard branches.
What this sprite teaches
- A blade can widen without losing direction. The outline steps outward while its main diagonal stays consistent.
- Reflections need a hierarchy. Near-white cells form the sharp streak; light steel spreads the glow around it.
- A dark socket separates materials. Three deep-steel cells prevent blade highlights from merging into gold.
- Asymmetry creates an ornate guard. The right branch rises while the lower sweep reaches left.
- Warm colours can describe different roles. Copper builds structure, gold marks focal points, and leather identifies the grip.
The source sprite is by Shade and is released under CC0 on OpenGameArt. The finished tutorial frame matches every source cell exactly.