Draw Clean Outlines
Turn a filled blob into line art with edges a reader can follow.
Your result
Line art with an unbroken outline and an empty interior.
01What you will learn
- Separate the outline from the interior instead of filling everything.
- Keep a one-pixel outline that follows the shape exactly.
- Leave interior pixels transparent so later fills have somewhere to go.
Start with: The silhouette from lesson one, still in a single color.
02See the technique
A solid silhouette
24 × 24 pixels
Outline only, interior empty
24 × 24 pixels
03Follow the steps
- 1
Erase the interior, keep the border
Clear everything except the outermost ring of pixels. On a 24 by 24 canvas the interior is a large area, so this step removes far more than it keeps.
A one-pixel outline with a transparent middle.
- 2
Check the outline is unbroken
Trace the border with your eye. A single missing pixel breaks the shape and makes the edge look ragged at game size.
A continuous outline with no gaps.
- 3
Fix the curve, not the pixel count
On a curve, a stair-step of single pixels reads as a curve, while a straight run of two reads as a corner. Swap any doubled pixel on the dome's edge for a single pixel in the row above.
A dome that curves instead of faceting.
- 4
Keep the underside dark
Leave the outline intact under the cap. That edge is what separates the cap from the stem once both are dark.
Line art that will hold up once it is colored.
04Practice in Pikanim
Reduce your silhouette to a one-pixel outline with a transparent interior, and smooth the cap's curve.
Opens a 24 × 24 canvas with the lesson's starting pixels. Your work saves in the Workspace.
05Check your result
Compare your own work with these checkpoints. Check each one when your result is ready.
Progress saves in this browser. No account needed.
06Continue learning
Keep these references handy
Pixel Perfect Drawing
What 'pixel perfect' means in practice: clean corners, consistent pixel runs, no orphan pixels — the cleanup pass that separates amateur from crisp pixel art.
What Is Pixel Art?
Pixel art is digital drawing where every pixel is placed on purpose. Learn what defines it, how it differs from digital painting, and why small canvases win.