by Didik Wijaya
This tutorial needs you to understand basic use of 3dsmax.

Katana is one type of Japanese sword. This tutorial will explain to you how to model a katana using 3dsmax. I created this tutorial based on request in Escalight Forum. This tutorial is divided into 4 parts. The first part explains how to create a tsuba (guard), a piece of metal separate blade and grip. The second part explains how to create the blade. The third part is how to model handgrip. The last, you will learn how to texture this sword.

Look at image below. This image shows katana you are going to create. This katana is based on my imagination. The length, size, or design is solely my imagination.

1. First, we will create a tsuba (guard), a piece of metal separate blade and grip. Create a plane in the Top viewport. Use 30x30 for size. Set Top and Perspective viewport display to Smooth+Highlights (press F3 in keyboard). Also activate Edge Faces (F4).

2. Next, you need to download bitmap file, tsuba.jpg. Open Material Editor. In Blinn Basic Parameters, click on small button right next to Diffuse. In Material/Map Browser window, make sure you choose Browse From: New. Click Bitmap and use file tsuba.jpg you have downloaded earlier. When finished, click Go To Parent button, and activate Show Map in Viewport. Make sure plane object is selected. Apply this material to plane by clicking Assign Material to Selection button. Now, you can use the plane as blueprint.

3. In Create tab, click Shape icon. Choose Line for Object Type. In Creation Method rollout, use Initial Type: Smooth and Drag Type: Bezier. These settings is perfect for creating curvy line.

4. Based on blueprint, click in Top viewport to create curvy line like image below. Don't worry if your drawing is not as precise with blueprint. You can modify later. Just make sure, you close the line by clicking again to the point you started before.

5. When you finished drawing a closed line, in Command Panel, go to Modify tab. Activate Vertex selection. Move any vertex to modify curve until you get desired one. For a corner that need pointy lines like image below, right click on vertex and change it to Bezier Corner. Then, you can move the handles to create pointy lines. When finished, de-activate Vertex selection.

6. Continue your drawing by creating other lines. Make sure all lines are closed. Use the same technique like above. You don't need to draw all lines. Use Mirror to create copies of opposite drawing. When finished creating all lines, select one line. In Modify tab, in Geometry rollout, click Attach button. Then click all other lines one by one. Now, you have one line object only. If you have difficulties creating the lines, you can download this file. This 3dsmax file contains finished tsuba line.

7. De-activate all sub-object selection. In Modify tab, add Bevel modifier. Use Bevel values like image below. Start Outline negative value is used to create thinner tsuba.

8. You will get something like image below.

Creating Japanese Sword Katana Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Any question or comments regarding this tutorial should be sent to:
Didik Wijaya, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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