[TUT] - Create A Samurai Sword

[20past4]

Samurai Sword

Level:

Author: 20past4

This tutorial will show you how to make a Samurai Sword in Photoshop CS.

[Break= Steps 1 - 4]

1) Create a new document 500 x 500 making sure you have the "Background Contents" set to "Transparent" like so:


2) Name the layer "Blade" in the "Layer Panel" and grab the rectangle marquee tool

and draw a long vertical rectangle that will be the sword like so:


3) Grab the paint bucket tool

and fill in the area that you have selected by clicking inside the rectangle (it doesn't matter what color you fill it in with).


4) Next we want to add the point at the end of the sword. Select the circle marquee tool

and click and drag from the very top left of the rectangle down to the right side making a long oval (making sure that the top middle of the oval is touching the top left part of the rectangle and the middle of the oval is touching the right side of the rectangle). The longer the oval the sharper the point will be:

*TIP - you can move the oval selection into place after you draw it by using the arrow keys on the keyboard
[Break= Steps 5 - 10]
5) Now we need to inverse the selection. To do this goto the top menu

and goto "Select > Inverse" or hit "SHIFT + CTRL + I" on the keyboard.

6) This step will deselect the part of the rectangle that we want to keep. Select the rectangle marquee tool again

and hold down "ALT" on the keyboard while dragging from the bottom left of the stage to the middle of the oval, so the only part of the rectangle that is left selected is the top right.


7) Hit "Delete" on your keyboard. You should now have a straight rectangle with a nice curve and point at the top like so:


8) Next we want to add the curve that the sword will have. First deselect the rectangle

then goto the top menu

and select "Filter > Distort > Shear..."

9) Click on the line in the middle and drag to the right just enough so you can see the dotted line behind it like so:


10) Now that we have the blade part of the sword done we can rotate it, so grab the move tool

and goto the top right corner until the cursor turns into a curved arrow. Then click and rotate until the part where the handle will be is square like so:

[Break= Steps 11 - 14]
11) Now grab the rectangle marquee tool

and select the area where we want the handle to be.


12) Hit "Delete" on your keyboard to delete that part of the blade


13) Now we create the top part of the handle, so create a new layer and call it "Guard"

and the once again grab the rectangle marquee

and draw a rectangle at the end of the blade on the new layer. Then grab the paint bucket tool

and fill in the area that you have selected by clicking inside the rectangle (it doesn't matter what color you fill it in with).


14) Now we draw the handle. So create another new layer and name it "Handle"

and then once again grab the rectangle marquee

and draw a rectangle that will be the handle in the new layer. Then grab the paint bucket tool

and fill in the area that you have selected with the color "B9B9B9" by clicking inside the rectangle.

[Break= Steps 15 & 16]
15) Now we must add the end to the handle so for the last time create another new layer and call it "End"

and then again grab the rectangle marquee

and draw a rectangle that is the same height as the handle at the end of it. Then grab the paint bucket tool

and fill in the area that you have selected by clicking inside the rectangle (it doesn't matter what color you fill it in with).


16) The hard work is done, now we have to add the layer effects to make our shapes look like the actual parts of the sword. So select the blade layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Now apply these effects:


Then choose "Color Overlay" and use the color "B2B2B2" and then select "OK"
Our blade should now look like a steel blade

[Break= Steps 17 - 19]
17) Now select the "Guard" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Now apply these effects:



and then select "OK"
We should have a guard that looks like this:


18) The handle requires 3 layers of effects. So we must duplicate the "Handle" layer twice giving the names "Grip" and "Tape" to make it easy to refer to. To do this you must select the "Handle" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Duplicate Layer..."
Then set the "Fill:" to "0%" on the "Grip" and "Tape" layers only. Make sure the the layers are in the same order that I have in the picture:


So now we have 6 total layers.


19) Select the "Handle" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Now apply these effects:


The pattern is from the pattern group called "Patterns" and it is in the 2nd row 3rd one in.
Note* It can be located in your default PS patterns folder.
Now select "OK"
The handle will look like this:

[Break= Steps 20 - 22]
20) Now for the "Grip" layer we have to make a new gradient. To do this select the "Grip" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Now choose "Gradient Overlay"

Click on the gradient itself

Now add a black color at location 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% by clicking on below the gradient a box will appear

Then add a white color at location 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90% and select OK

The settings for the gradient should be:

And now the handle should look something like:


21) Select the "Tape" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Now apply these effects using the same gradient that we created with the last step:

The handle of the sword should now look like:


22) Now lastly we want to add layer effects to the end of our sword. To do this select the "End" layer from the "Layer Panel" and goto the top menu

and choose "Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options..."

Apply these steps to that layer:



You should now have a finished product

[*CONTAGEN*]

Amazing sheriff :u rock:

[effectica]

Banzaaaai

So well explained it must have taken you ages. Thanks 20past4.

[WeaponZero]

Yeah, Thats pretty tight. Now we just need to add the lens flare lol.

[larry5168]

Amazing 20 any other masterpieces you would like to share with the other children would be much appreciated

[G0at]

THAT, my friend, is amazing. I dunno how you people do it.. :???:

[triptico]

great tut sheriff

[wishmaster]

here is my try using that tut

[MortimerJazz]

Excellent stuff 20past4 - thanks alot

[Bane]

excellent tut 20past4 thanks