how to make a chrome/steel sword or dagger in PS from scratch

[SilverthornS]

hi i need help with the topic posted above. i was doing it and i cant seem to fuse the design into one creation. what i mean is that when i create the chrome or the metal texture i cant blend in the other details of the sword like the sharp edge. tried switching the layers, lightings but just could not make it like a real sword. help badly needed. tanks in advance.

[unleash]

well, I would start off with posting this in the right thread(photoshop)

then I would use the pen tool to draw the outer perimiter of the sword(how it sould look)

then I would take a) the gradient tool and fill the sword up
b) take the layer style box, and start messing with it(maybe there's a preset layerstyle in the recources section)

then you can add background and detail,


I know it a very basic version, ut you should start with the basic. And if it has to look really pretty *pretty in the sky*, then you should draw somehting, clean it up(there's a tut about this in the recource sesction) and then use the burn and dodge tools to make selfshadow and highlights!! But this is a way lot more difficult then the basic version *duh*

[SilverthornS]

Originally Posted by unleash

well, I would start off with posting this in the right thread(photoshop)

then I would use the pen tool to draw the outer perimiter of the sword(how it sould look)

then I would take a) the gradient tool and fill the sword up
b) take the layer style box, and start messing with it(maybe there's a preset layerstyle in the recources section)

then you can add background and detail,


I know it a very basic version, ut you should start with the basic. And if it has to look really pretty *pretty in the sky*, then you should draw somehting, clean it up(there's a tut about this in the recource sesction) and then use the burn and dodge tools to make selfshadow and highlights!! But this is a way lot more difficult then the basic version *duh*

ooops thanks for the threadd heads up i thought i was in the photoshop section. anyway, i already did what you suggested a lot of times and with a lot of different combinations. this was actually the first thing i did. the problem starts when i try to add the sharp edge of the blade and the other details like screws and "gems". thanks anyways

[Tamlin]

Moved to Photoshop forum.

If you are creating the metal/chrome look with a layer style, that style is applied to everything on that layer. If you later add another shape to the layer (say a gemstone) this will also take on the metal/chrome layer style. What you need to do is to either add your embellishments on another layer, or "fix" the layer style before adding other elements. There are probably a number of ways to do this (as there are to do most things in Photoshop), but here's one:

1. With your "sword" layer active and your metal/chrome style applied, right-click on the layer’s Layer Effects icon (the f icon) and select Create Layer. This has the effect of creating a new layer for each of the elements that make up the current layer style.
2. Turn off the visibility of any other layers (such as the background), then press Shift+Ctrl+E to merge all visible layers into one. This has now "fixed" your layer style to your "sword" shape, and you can then add more objects to its layer without them taking on the layer style.

I hope this is what you meant.

[agentxi]

another way is to try and paint the steel like the guy did in this tutorial (i found it on the front page featured sites)

[SilverthornS]

Originally Posted by tamlin

Moved to Photoshop forum.

If you are creating the metal/chrome look with a layer style, that style is applied to everything on that layer. If you later add another shape to the layer (say a gemstone) this will also take on the metal/chrome layer style. What you need to do is to either add your embellishments on another layer, or "fix" the layer style before adding other elements. There are probably a number of ways to do this (as there are to do most things in Photoshop), but here's one:

1. With your "sword" layer active and your metal/chrome style applied, right-click on the layer’s Layer Effects icon (the f icon) and select Create Layer. This has the effect of creating a new layer for each of the elements that make up the current layer style.
2. Turn off the visibility of any other layers (such as the background), then press Shift+Ctrl+E to merge all visible layers into one. This has now "fixed" your layer style to your "sword" shape, and you can then add more objects to its layer without them taking on the layer style.

I hope this is what you meant.

thanks, will try this tommorrow, though i think i've tried most of what you advised. i tried it on different layers for each element, as i always do, tried changing the other options to use non-global lighting so that it wont affect the other elements sharing the global lighting. but i think the only part i did not do was the merging of layers. hehehe, will try it. i usually merge layers mostly in the final phase. thanks.

[SilverthornS]

Originally Posted by agentxi

another way is to try and paint the steel like the guy did in this tutorial (i found it on the front page featured sites)

thanks, the site was very helpful.