How To Draw A Gladiator Sword

So why would anyone want to learn how to draw swords anyway? Why! Because swords are HANDS DOWN (& next to lightsabers) – the coolest weapons ever! That's why.

In this lesson, we're going to tackle four of the most popular swords around (also four of my personal favorites!) – the mighty two-handed sword, a roman gladiator sword, a pirate sword, and the katana blade. And regarding each of the four, I've designed this lesson around a series of vertical lines. This way, you'll more easily be able to note the differences in curvature and complexity as you motor on through.

That said – here's how to draw swords!…

First Step – How to Draw Swords, A Simple Comparison

Before we begin, it helps to know ahead of time which swords are easier to draw, and which ones are more difficult. And yes – as I'm sure you can very well guess, the ones with blades that are more curved are at the 'harder' end of the spectrum. Here, that would be the pirate sword and the katana.

Oh – and something else I should mention. The two-handed sword pretty much takes care of a series of different swords at once. Shrink the handle, the width of the blade, and change the style a bit too – and you've got some others whether it be a one-handed sword, a short sword, a hand-and-a-half sword, or a dagger.

Now then, let's draw some swords!

How to draw swords framework How to draw swords - drawing the blades

One way to design this lesson, would be to sporadically line up the swords, in no particular order. But, if you were to view them in a castle – or in a museum on display — they'd very likely be well taken care of, and neatly displayed parallel on a wall somewhere.

And, in this same fashion, I've presented the swords parallel and side-by-side so you can really appreciate the uniqueness of each one. In learning to draw them this way, going off to draw them separately afterwards will seem easier.

How to draw swords - continuing with the blades How to draw swords - drawing the handles

The blue dots that you see in each step are simply there to mark off the various key points with each sword. In your case, a lightly sketched 'x' or dot will suffice.

How to draw swords - drawings almost complete How to draw swords - completed drawings

Step-by-step, you can see that it's the pirate sword that takes the longest to complete. And this goes with anything curved. In a way – it's like comparing 'how to draw a Ferrari' with 'how to draw a Cadillac'. The Ferrari of course – having more curves, is more difficult to draw. And sure, this principle relates to all sorts of things we can draw.

Anyway, that about wraps up this lesson. But first, here's what the finished swords look like – detailed and all…

Final Step – That's How to Draw Swords!

When you're finished the core part of each sword, all that remains is a few well-placed lines to accentuate the blade and bring out any other details you fell necessary to add.

How to draw swords cartoon drawing image

To the left, note the differences with respect to detail. The katana is clearly the most detailed as the handle is wrapped in a special way – creating a diamond pattern all the way up.

Same goes for the actual blade of the katana as well. Unlike the 'sharp areas' of the others… with the katana you get to 'let loose' and draw a curvy line from bottom to top. It's the same type of line you might draw when outlining the white underside of a great white shark.

And at this point – you're all finished!

So what next then? Get out some rustic-looking colored pencils – greys, browns, dark reds, etc. – and get your weapons ready for battle! That's how to draw swords.