Sword Photoshop Tutorial: Overview

This tutorial will show you step by step how to make a cool looking sword in photoshop. To accompany this tutorial I have made a winrar video (avi,divx, 8mb).

Step 1

Make a new file, leave room for mistakes.
Create a new layer.

Step 2

Make a circle with the circle selection tool.
Right click and select "stroke".
Select a dark gray and, Stroke IT!.

Step 3

Use glaussian blur so that it fills most of the circle.
Smudge it if needed so that it's not a perfect white circle in the center.
Use Filter-> Noise-> Add Noise to make it look more realistic.

Step 4

Use the line tool with anti-alaised checked to make little spikes above it.

Step 5

Make a new layer.
Use the rectagle tool and make a rectangle.
Stroke it like never before, errm I mean, before.

Step 6

Use the line tool again and zoom in.
Try to mimic this effect. Anti-alaised is essential, but you might be able to use add noise.

Step 7

Use the airbrush to shade it light gray on the side.

Step 8

Make a new layer.
Use the free form selection tool to make a funky looking shape.
Fill it with white with the paint bucket tool.
Filter->Blur->Glaussian Blur to around 1.4, or as much as makes the edges a little fuzzy.
Go to filter->render->lighting effects and mimic the image settings.
Finally go to image->adjustments->curves and mess with it until it looks all metallic and cool.
Try inverting it too to see if it looks better.

Step 9

Stare at it blankly.

Step 10

Use the free form selection tool and make a blade outline.
Follow the same steps as step 8.
Follow the same steps as step 9.

Step 11

Use ctrl+I to invert, might look cool.
Ctrl+B can change the color.
Merge layers.
Pat yourself on the back. You made a sword.