Airbrushing Axes

[Firepower]

So it seems simple enough at first, but once I actually try and think out the process, I find myself frowning over it.  

 

With a sword, you have this- 

 

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/r7me7OB3XP0/hqdefault.jpg

 

Simple, right?  Dark to light, in opposite directions divided by the blade's ridge.  But on axes, you don't have the perfect symmetry.  I am not sure how attempting the exact same method would come out, and I am having surprising difficulty finding any demonstrations on the net.

 

So, any ideas?  Any pics?  Videos?

[Brother Heinrich]

This is what I did for the axe on my old World Eaters Captain:

 

http://i1162.photobucket.com/albums/q532/mv8830/519f1f7f-66fa-4742-9fb4-e7b5cba7438f_zps1b3b737d.jpg

[DarkMark]

This YT

isn't exactly what you want, but it might help, and this tutorial on MV is decent.

[S.k.i.t.t.l.e]

In BuyPainted's Sanguinary Guard vid, he paints the axe like this:

 

 

Its somewhere around the 4 minute mark.

 

Hope that helps.

 

On my FB page there's an album with a Furioso Librarian in it, the force weapon was painted in a similar way, but with brush.

 

(Edit - Shameless self promotion :D)

[Major_Gilbear]

Try this from Tale of Painters, or have a look at the libby below from the same site:

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4XC_qReifvk/UHXqaqb-jMI/AAAAAAAACRY/Eugj-L2rj_k/s1600/IMG_4462.jpg

 

The real problem I think that you're having is just getting th epositions of the dark and light fades, but actually, all that you do is skew them to suit the shape of the blade. Here's one of mine:

 

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp154/MajorGilbear/MoiraSword.jpg

 

Last but not least, here's a quick-looking one from Brovatar:

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/10598487643_cb7f9d8404_o.jpg

[Firepower]

Very cool ideas. Thanks all

A problem I find myself really facing now is my Mauls. They are extremely irregular shapes, and thanks to the 3D nature (rather than the flat of a blade/ax) airbrushing will be...interesting. I may have to just do those by hand.

I wonder if I can remember how exactly I painted my old Terminators power weapons. That took me a long time to figure out the first time around...