How to paint Power Swords, step by step.

I am going to attempt to insert these pictures where I want them. We shall see if this works.

Here is how to do a quick and easy Power Sword. I used this blue technique on my Blood Angels army that has won several awards.

Step One:
Prime your sword black.

Step Two:
Paint the entire blade of the sword Regal Blue. Easy right?

Step Three:
Now time to actually paint. Using very little bits of Enchanted blue at a time, start with the tip of the sword, and drag it down towards the hilt. Work your way down the outside edges first, and then down the middle. The tip of the sword should be completely enchanted blue, and as you drag the paint towards the hilt, use less and less paint so that it naturally fades to Regal Blue which is under the Enchanted. Just dragging the brush from the tip to the hilt will natrually do this... as you drag the brush further, you have less paint on it, and the regal will start to show through. Master this on some bits of sprue if you need to. You want the transition from Enchanted to Regal blue to be complete about a third of the blades distance from the hilt.

Step Four:
Repeat this step with Ultramarine blue, pulling it down towards the hilt from the tip of the sword. This time stop half way through the Enchanted Blue layer.

Step Five:
Repeat with Ice Blue. BUT, each time you dip the brush into the paint, you want the tinniest bit of paint you can possibly get on the brush. Almost none! Start at the tip, and pull this paint down the edge of the blade, only stroking the brush in one direction... do not back stroke the brush. Work from the edge of the blade towards the center. This will leave the tip and the edge of the blade brighter then the center... When there is no more paint left, dip again, but still get hardly none at all. Less is more! Work the ice blue down the blade to your taste, focusing on the edges and if there is a center ridge, hit that too. At the end, use the brush to drybrush the edges of the blade just above the hilt, leaving a faint touch of ice blue on top of the regal blue.

Step Six:
Quick and easy right! Last step. Using a tiny dab of Space Wolf Grey, start with the tip, and drag it towards the hilt again... once it is gone, use the brush to drybrush the edges of the sword.

Voilla! A super simple but attractive power sword!

If you want to do this with Green, use Dark Angels green, snot green, goblin green and camo green. And if you want to do it with red, use Red Gore, Blood Red, Blazing Orange, Fiery Orange (50/50 blazing orange/golden yellow)

Cant go wrong!

Here is a video of me using the technique: