How To Draw A Cool Sword

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Learn to create a strong, yet sleek shield design consummate with battle scars, blood, and swords. We'll employ various shapes and effects to create a strong illustration and provide a wallpaper also. Acquire how to apply cutting slashes and glowing highlights to this triumphant composition.

Final Image Preview

The final design we'll be creating is beneath. Successful completion of this tutorial requires an advanced knowledge of Adobe Illustrators tools.

Step ane

This artwork contains several different layers, each with a unique element or set of elements on it. We'll not exist highlighting when nosotros make a new layer. Use your discretion when deciding to create new layers.

Offset by drawing a rectangle using the Rectangle Tool (M). Give the rectangle a complex gradient to simulate a rounded bar. Make a copy of this shape and continue it off to the side. Yous can utilize the shape to make other curves this style.

Step 2

In order to give the impression of the metal bar being bent we first need to aggrandize the object. Go to Object > Aggrandize, and then click OK.

Step 3

Bend the bar past going to Object > Envelope Distort > Brand with Warp. We've selected the Arc fashion, but you can give your object any upshot you lot similar. It's proficient practice to have an idea of the overall shape that you want your shield to be before you beginning giving arbitrary bends to your bar.

Step 4

Utilise the bar shape that you placed off to the side to create another curved bar in a different shape. When you overlap the ends of the bars yous'll find that it does non look very realistic as is.

Step 5

At present we'll remedy the blunt overlap of the bars. Utilize the Pen Tool (P) and draw around the bar equally shown below. Select both the shape you lot just drew likewise as the bar that you lot want to eliminate the blunt edge from, then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Brand to instantly mask out the square tip, as shown beneath.

Step half-dozen

Utilize variations of shorter bars and unique bends until you've made a creative design.

Footstep 7

To acquire perfect symmetry in your shield only make half the shield and employ the Reflect Tool (O) to create the other half.

Footstep 8

Describe the confront of the shield by tracing the shape of the bars.

Step 9

To achieve a realistic metal surface requite your shield a combination of a gradient, Inner Glow, and Driblet Shadow. Enter the variables shown below to achieve this effect. Notation that your artwork size determines how the effects similar Inner Glow and Driblet Shadow are applied. For artwork that is large you lot'll need to enter values much higher than what is shown below. If your certificate and artwork fall around the size of viii.v in by 11, then your values should exist similar to what I've shown below.

Footstep 10

Choice a blackletter style font for the letter. We've called ane called Curtilage. Give the impression that the letter is somewhat inset on the shield by entering the values shown below. Notice how the edge of the V looks slightly lighter. This is achieved with a white Outer Glow and helps requite the V an inset look.

Step 11

Making the background shape is unproblematic. Describe a rounded corner rectangle using the Rounded Corner Rectangle shape.

Step 12

Create intricate details by going to Upshot > Distort & Transform > Crease & Bloat.

Step 13

Create the outburst design in the background past get-go drawing a circumvolve and giving it a substantial stroke weight.

Step 14

Select Dashed Line and enter a value in the first Dash box. Depending upon how big your circle is your values may be different than what's shown below. Typically, smaller values produce a more intricate pattern.

Notation: Requite your circle a larger weight (detect now that my stroke weight is 70) if your lines are not meeting at the centre.

Step 15

Give your background a dramatic slope and slight drib shadow. Identify the burst shape over the background, requite it a white fill and lower its opacity. The values below apply to the background shape and non the burst shape.

Step xvi

Create slashes that will continue height of the groundwork by using elementary shapes. Draw an angled line to start.

Stride 17

Draw a few triangle shapes and give them adequately night gradients.

Step xviii

In guild to give the illusion that the slash is protruding from the background we'll requite the slash more depth. Draw some other slash shape.

Step xix

Give the shape a Gaussian Blur past selecting Effect > Blur > Gaussian Mistiness.

Step 20

Motion the shape closer to the slash and then that it looks similar it's a shadow. Echo this shadow technique to create a highlight (which is of course simply visible when the slash is over a darker surface.)

Step 21

Duplicate the slash, then vary its size and rotation to make more slashes.

Pace 22

We'll make a believable sword past first starting with a modified triangle shape.

Step 23

Apply a slope that has an abrupt color shift in the center to signify that the sword has light hitting 1 side. Give the sword a Drop Shadow too.

Step 24

Indistinguishable the sword a few times and strategically place information technology around the shield creating a sense of hostility. Use the placement of each sword to your advantage in terms of composition. Where you lot identify each sword plays into the overall feel of the artwork. All the swords on i side or swords that are in perfect symmetry, for example, look staged and unnatural. Ensure that the swords see perfectly at the border of the background by first group all the swords and then applying a mask that is the same shape as the background.

Pace 25

Create claret by using Illustrators built-in ink options. Go to Window > Brush Libraries > Artistic > Artistic_Ink to see your options. Using the Pen Tool to draw a line with a red stroke, then select an ink option from the list.

Step 26

In order to manipulate the ink you lot'll demand to aggrandize it by going to Object > Expand Appearance. Using the Direct Option Tool (A), select the single line that is left over after you expand your ink shape, then delete the line.

Select your ink using the regular Choice tool (V), then in the Pathfinder Palette select Divide. Next, go to the tiptop and select Object > Aggrandize. At present you'll be able to apply different gradients and effects to each ink spot.

Step 27

Small details help raise the overall effectiveness of the artwork. When placing blood on a sword, for example, ensure that you give the blood a subtle slope to give the impression that the lite hitting this surface affects it the same way that the calorie-free hitting the sword'due south surface affects the sword.

Pace 28

This is what your design should look similar right now.

Stride 29

Create sparkles by drawing a elementary star shape kickoff.

Pace 30

Place them in moderation throughout the illustration almost edges of abrupt objects or where your illustration would benefit from the added detail. Give the impression of twinkling effects by blurring a select few of the stars. To blur a star go to Effect > Mistiness > Gaussian Mistiness.

Step 31

Next, we'll create a haze that surrounds some of the highlights to give the indication of general light reflection. Describe a simple white shape that follows the edge of an object below information technology. Go to Result > Blur > Gaussian Mistiness, and enter the variable shown below.

Step 32

Detect the effect accomplished.

Stride 33

Once you apply more general haze highlights you'll meet how it helps with the overall illusion of objects existence shiny.

Stride 34

Add another grunge chemical element to the background using an ink option. Access the ink options past going to Window > Brush Libraries > Artistic > Artistic_ChalkCharcoalPencil.

Step 35

Reduce the Opacity of the grunge graphic, so place it backside the shield, only in a higher place the background.

Pace 36

Finish the analogy past adding some elegant type. Nosotros've used Trajan Pro for the words Triumph and Jonathan and Bikham Script for the word Vectortuts.

Concluding Image

Hither is the final illustration. You've just learned how to create a potent, withal sleek shield design. As an added bonus I've included a absurd desktop wallpaper in a whopping 1680 pixels by 1050 pixels. Download the Tiumph Wallpaper. Now it'south your turn to create something. Just call back to take fun and use new techniques that you lot haven't still experimented with!

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I specialize in design, branding and illustration. I have all-encompassing hands-on experience developing concepts and projects from inception through implementation. I'thou available for freelance work so delight visit my website at jonathanpatterson.com and contact me if yous have a project yous'd like me to piece of work on! You lot can as well find me on Twitter: @jon_patterson.

Source: https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-regal-sword-and-shield-design--vector-213

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