Painting a Simple Power Sword

[BKZer0]

Below I outlined steps for painting a simple power weapon. I did not take in-process pictures of the procedure I instead opted for some CG pictures I made. I will take pictures of the steps being performed on an actual model when I paint my next plasma rifle.

 

What you need:

- Black Primer

- Dark Base Color. (For Green: Snot Green/Warpstone Green   For Blue: Ultramarines Blue/Altdorf Guard Blue)

- Light Highlight Color: (For Green: Scorpion Green/Moot Green   For Blue: Ice Blue/Lothern Blue)

- Skull White/White Scar

- Boltgun Metal/Leadbelcher

- Badab Black/Nulin Oil Wash

- **OPTIONAL** Thrakka Green/Biel-Tan Green Wash

 

Procedure:

1. Prime the part black.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/1.jpg

 

2. Paint the entire blade of the weapon with the dark base color. Try the get a nice smooth surface.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/2.jpg

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/2b.jpg

 

3. Paint the top 75% of the blade with the light highlight color. Try to wet blend the color as much as possible. The better the gradient, the more believable the effect will be.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/3.jpg

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/3b.jpg

 

4. Paint approximately 50% the blade white. Try to wet blend again as much as possible. The gradient effect is very important here. The easiest way to do this is to water the paint down HEAVILY, almost so it is transparent. Then just continue to add layers of white getting closer and closer to the tip with each later, adding less and less paint. Use side to side strokes across the width of the blade, not lengthwise.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/4.jpg

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/4b.jpg

 

5. Once the tip of the blade is completely white, Paint the metal bits on the blade with a silver metallic.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/5.jpg

 

6. Carefully wash the metal bits, and the edge of the blade where it meets the guard with black wash. This will make the blade appear to glow in comparison to the dark edges.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/6.jpg

 

7. **OPTIONAL** Wash over the black edges and metal bits with green wash. This tones down the black, and blends the whole look together a little better.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/7.jpg

 

That's it, you are done. Here is a picture of a finished power sword with this procedure performed.

http://www.40k.zombiecrisis.org/Sword/8.jpg

[tomsev]

very nice simple and easy tut you got there!!  

good job!!

[Ultrad81]

This is really useful, looks awesome!  Thanks!  

[Kierdale]

Very good indeed.

I've honestly never tried wet blending.

This looks like a good place to start it.

[Argent aquila]

Lovin it!

[Inquisitor Seylek]

Thanks, I was wondering how to do this. 

Also, I can use a similar effect for my Grey Knight Force Weapons - maybe going outwards from a dark central line, rather than upwards from the base. B

But thanks again for this really good yet basic and understandable tutorial.

[Sanguine_Knight]

Very cool... I like this effect better than the lightning. Gonna try it out

[Lord Xcapobl]

I, too, will definately have to try this at least once. Clear tutorial, thanks.

[SCOTT_FRANCIS]

You made that look really simple. Thanks. I am going to try it with reds and oranges going opposite directions either side of the blade.