This tutorial was created by Izuael, for the tibia.de graphics forum. You can find the original here: link
Well, as requested, here is a tutorial for swords.
Remember that, this is how I do my swords... you don't have to follow the way I do it if you don't want to... I am sure there are numerous ways of doing it.
Ok, lets start with checking the big picture I attached.
#1. This is a frightening example of right and wrong, in my eyes. The first sword I put a cross (NO) on, swords don't look like this. It's as simple as that. There are only straight and/or diagonal lines... no curves whatsoever. It just looks stupid, childish and ugly. Not a single curve, nothing exciting about it.
The second sword is much better, it has curves and all the things that makes it... a sword. Of course this is just one style of a sword, just look at real swords or use your imagination. (As long as it doesn't get as in the first example... <shivers>)
#2 Here I just filled in the basic colors I would like to use. Preferably use realistic colors.
Pure and bright green, blue, red, yellow, purple etc. isn't really how an every day sword would look like.
#3 As you can see on the big picture I have started "shading" a bit, just making the colors next to the black outline be slightly darker so it gets softer, and not pixely/jagged. This is how I do it, it isn't a necessary thing, but I like doing it.
(In between number 3-4, now just use the dodge and burn tools and start shading/highlighting the sword/item ... think of how the light would come over the sword ... and be detailed!)
#4 Here the sword is quite finished, I have shaded it, highlighted it etc. There may still be minor things that could get better, but you get the point.
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This was just a minor tutorial, not really that advanced... I might do more tutorials, otherwise all that have things to add or want to make their own "weapon/object/item/whatever" tutorials can feel free to add more things after here.
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(By the way, for this tutorial I used Photoshop 7 ... I think it's similar in Paint Shop Pro and other graphic programs)