Power Weapons and Lightning Effects

Hello again!

This tutorial is on how to achieve that power field glow on your power weapons complete with crackling lightning. This is a fairly simple technique and shouldn't take very long to accomplish. I'll be showing you how to do this on a Nemisis Greatsword from the GW Dreadknight kit for two reasons: first, it's large enough to show the details of this process for easier instruction, and secondly I had it handy since most of my other power weapons are in use. So, lets begin.

Just like the last tutorial, we start with a primed model. I use black for a lot since its a good, simple undercoat color to work with. The first step again here is the base coat. I used these colors for this example:

-Vallejo Gunmetal Grey

-Citadel Necron Abyss

 

From here it's simply just adding layers to build up the "edge" of the weapon and flesh out the Dreadknight colors. For the second layer, I used these colors:

 

-Citadel Chainmail

-Citadel Mordian Blue

 

The next layer is a wash. I wash everything but the blade so our blues don't get dulled down. It's just one coat of Citadel Nuln Oil Wash.

 

Our next layer highlights the edges of the Dreadknight arm and one more blue on the blade. I used a darker blue here so that there are some noticeable variations in the "power field" effect. This layers colors are:

 

-Citadel Regal Blue

-Citadel Mithril Silver

 

So, once everything is highlighted it looks pretty good. Now were going to do the "blue steel" look of the Grey Knights that are seen around a lot, so it's another wash for the metal parts. This time it's Citadel Asurmen Blue Wash.

 

Now we add another layer of blue to the blade and soften up the blue wash as well as staring the gold work. This layer I used:

 

-Citadel Enchanted Blue

-Citadel Mithril Silver

-Citadel Dwarf Bronze

 

 

Everything's highlighted up and the gold looks good. The hand and hilt of the sword are almost done, just one more layer of gold and it's good. The sword gets another layer as well and we start to see the "glow" of the blade at this step. This layer is:

 

-Citadel Ice Blue

-Citadel Burnished Gold

 

 

Alright, the hilt is done and all we have left is the gem and blade layers to do. The blade gets a special layer at this point, we'll be adding the corona layer for the lightning. This is very simple to do and only requires a steady hand. Take your brightest color up to this point, for this example it will be the Ice Blue, and thin it down to a "whole milk" consistancy then trace out where you want your lightning path to go. You can go brighter or darker depending on how much you thin the color, but a medium shade works best.

 

 

Now the final layer on this bad boy. The last layer goes on the very edge of the blade and along the path of the lightning staying within the corona layer. I also added a small dot on the jewel to give it a shine effect. The only color on this layer is Citadel Skull White.

 

 

At this point, just repeat on the opposite side and you're set. You can do the OSL effect from my first tutorial at this stage to make it pop, or you can simply just throw a gloss varnish on top to add to the effect, but that's entirely up to you.