Blender 3D: Noob to Pro/Creating Weapons based on 2D Images

Alright, this is my first tutorial here, I made this a while back, but hopefully it will be a good addition to this Wikibook. It was originally made for a game called Fable - The Lost Chapters, but I think it is worthy of another place in the world. Please note that this is a WIP and will be updated time to time.

Modeling Technique 1
Modeling Technique 1 Part 1 Video

Part 1:


 * 1) After emptying the screen, go to view and click background image, load, then choose a picture of the weapon you want
 * 2) Go to top view and add a square, then delete two of the vertices and place one of the remaining on a point on the picture, and the other out of the way.
 * 3) Select both vertices and subdivide.
 * 4) Move the generated point to the next good-looking spot on the picture
 * 5) With that selected still, select the outside vertex also, and subdivide.

(Note: A much easier way is to select one vertex, move it to where you want it, select the other vertex, move it to the next spot, then extrude the second vertex to the next point, rinse and repeat. This requires a lot less effort.) Another guy's note: For an easier way, just click CTRL+LMB where you want the next point to appear.

Modeling Technique 1 Part 2
 * 1) Continue until you are on your third to last one, then select your outside vertex and move it where you would move the next vertex.
 * 2) Select the first and last vertices and go to mesh>>make edge/face
 * 3) Extrude to half your preferred thickness, then extrude the rest of the way.
 * 4) Select the center vertices on the blade, and scale up.

Part 2:

cont.)


 * 1) Then move vertices to your liking.
 * 2) Select the vertices of the handle, go to mesh>>vertices>>separate.
 * 3) Add a modifier, choose subSurf, turn up the level until it looks close to what you want without too many vertices. Click apply next  to the modifier.
 * 4) Modify vertices (using proportional edit helps) to your liking.
 * 5) Go to object mode, and turn off double-sided on any meshes that are.
 * 6) If black appears on any parts of the mesh, highlight it, go to edit mode, select all vertices, go to mesh>>normals>>recalculate outside.
 * 7) If there is still black, select those faces and go to mesh>>normals>>flip.
 * 8) If there is still black, then you are missing a piece of mesh. Highlight the vertices around the hole, go to mesh>>vertices>>fill.
 * 9) If black did not appear, then select everything (in object mode) and go to object>>join objects and say yes.

Modeling Technique 2
Video Here Download it for high quality.

Blade:
 * 1) Select all with the 'A' key, and delete everything.
 * 2) Go to view and choose background image >> use background image >>load and pick the sword you'll be doing.
 * 3) Close the dialog after you see it in the background (you can change the brightness of it by changing the 'blend' option)
 * 4) Make a bezier circle by pressing spacebar and going to add>>bezier>>bezier circle.
 * 5) put a bar at each main point of your weapon (anywhere the curve changes direction)

Bezier Controls

For the handle:
 * 1) Modify the bars until they match.
 * 2) You might want to go into wireframe view.
 * 3) Go down and turn up the bevel depth a little, to give it some sharpness.
 * 4) To lower the poly count you should turn down the DefResolIU number.
 * 5) Go back to object mode, hit spacebar, go to object>>convert object type>>to mesh.
 * 6) Modify vertices to your liking.
 * 1) Do steps 1-7.
 * 2) Turn up the bevel resolution, to give it some roundness.
 * 3) Repeat steps 8-10

For That one thing (see video):

Just watch the video, but here is a summary.

Extrude and flatten a circle, use proportional edit to make it easier on you when you curve the circle.

For hilt guard:


 * 1) Repeat steps 1-6
 * 2) Add some extrusion.
 * 3) Repeat steps 8-10.