# Vortex Conversion



## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

I just bought a Balewind Vortex piece of terrain and wanted to convert it into something awesome to behold  I was wondering if anyone out there had any suggestions as they would be greatly appreciated. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to your suggestions :biggrin:


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## frozenlake (Jun 28, 2011)

put a genie ontop of the vortex instead of the platform :biggrin:


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## Wolflord Rush (Jun 18, 2011)

Well, I know Im gonna pick one up. It would make a kickass marker for the Rune Priest Murderous Hurricane power.k:


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## normtheunsavoury (Mar 20, 2008)

I'd go with a Flying Disk (but I'm a Tzeench nut so I would) other than that I'm not sure, any chance of a scale picture, next to a SM or something?

Also, did this really need two threads?


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

Depends on whether you wish it to still be usable as a Fulcrum.

If you are happy with it not being capable of occupation you could replace the star on top with the upper half of a Greater Daemon.


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## alasdair (Jun 11, 2009)

Depends what army you want it for.

It would be pretty cool legs for a tzeentch daemon


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## Fire Lord (Feb 15, 2009)

When I saw this model, the first thing that popped in my head was "that would make a great disc of tzeentch". But the price kinda threw me off.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

Wolflord Rush said:


> Well, I know Im gonna pick one up. It would make a kickass marker for the Rune Priest Murderous Hurricane power.k:


That's a good idea.

You could do a genie GD


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## Wolflord Rush (Jun 18, 2011)

locustgate said:


> That's a good idea.
> 
> You could do a genie GD


Yep. Gonna see if I can find the bits on ebay without paying the full price because I dont need the throne. Trim down the human skulls on the piece and the base and replace them with wolf skull bits from the space wolf sprue, and greenstuff the very top so it looks like an open vortex without the platform...it would be bad ass...


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

normtheunsavoury said:


> I'd go with a Flying Disk (but I'm a Tzeench nut so I would) other than that I'm not sure, any chance of a scale picture, next to a SM or something?
> 
> Also, did this really need two threads?


I'll post updated pics this evening, and no :/ my original post was in scenery by mistake. I initially wanted it in the main topic but couldn't delete the original thread :/

I want it to still be usable, possibly sitting on a gradually sloped hill?


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

This is the progress I've made painting wise so far. Still kicking ideas around for conversions. I am going for a black marble look, but being that this is my first time trying to paint black marble I'm not too sure where to go with it from here.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Just finished painting the rocks on the base  More pics to come as I progress with the painting/conversion.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

normtheunsavoury said:


> any chance of a scale picture, next to a SM or something?


Forgot to put this in my last post.


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## Wolflord Rush (Jun 18, 2011)

Holy crap that think is way bigger than I thought! lol.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Yea it's pretty big. I didn't realize how big it was either until I actually placed the SM next to it, lol.


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## Arli (Mar 4, 2010)

Nice work. Have some rep...


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Updated Progress on my Balewind Vortex. Any suggestions with the highlights on the vortex itself as I am at a creative dead end :/

Edit: the skulls are not finished yet


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## elmir (Apr 14, 2011)

Not a lot to do better here, unless you want to have a go at OLS at the base. But the way it's shaded/highlighted already gives it a good glow impression already. I like how it builds up to a greener, darker shade near the top. I would keep the skulls darker as wel, to make them stand out a bit. It looks pretty good the way it is already, I wouldn't change too much about it.


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## Arli (Mar 4, 2010)

Looking good. I think the eye sockets on those skulls (on the vortex twister thing) should be either a contrasting color or much lighter than the skulls themselves. To give the illusion that is glowing.


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## Wolflord Rush (Jun 18, 2011)

elmir said:


> Not a lot to do better here, unless you want to have a go at OLS at the base. But the way it's shaded/highlighted already gives it a good glow impression already. I like how it builds up to a greener, darker shade near the top. I would keep the skulls darker as wel, to make them stand out a bit. It looks pretty good the way it is already, I wouldn't change too much about it.


/agreed.

+rep


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks for the comments/rep everyone. Glad to see people Appreciate my painting, lol. I'll be posting more of my progress later today. 

Thanks again


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

I'm looking forward to seeing this done! 

I think the skull suggestions sound good.

I think you might also want to add a little shading around the edges of the metal decorations on the skulls in the base. The skulls are a solid color as is the metal, but I think they're a little close in value, and some definition would really add to the look.

Cheers,
kreuger


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Okay so I have added some highlights to the skulls and attempted to add a glow to the skulls eyes. C&C?

Should I leave/adjust the glow, or should I just cut my loses and stick with the darker eye sockets?


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

I think I like the glow. Its a little hard to tell from your photo how it will look on the table because you're holding the model. Can you take another photo like the static standing one?

The real test will be how it looks when its down on the table and the glowing eyes are seen from an angle.

cheers,
Kreuger


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Kreuger said:


> I think I like the glow. Its a little hard to tell from your photo how it will look on the table because you're holding the model. Can you take another photo like the static standing one?
> 
> The real test will be how it looks when its down on the table and the glowing eyes are seen from an angle.
> 
> ...


Here ya go 

Also, I do not have the disc on top...it will cover the effect of the glowing eyes :/


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## scscofield (May 23, 2011)

It seems a little too intense to me, almost like the skull is wearing reflective sunglasses. Not sure if anyone else would think so though


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

My thoughts exactly, wasn't sure if it was just be or if others would feel the same way. I'll experiment a little with kind of dulling them a little...maybe a little more green 

Updated pics soon


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## scscofield (May 23, 2011)

Maybe just outline the outside edges of the socket with some sort of shading? Define the sockets more?


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

scscofield said:


> Maybe just outline the outside edges of the socket with some sort of shading? Define the sockets more?


Lol, I literally just finished doing that. 

Here it is.

Also did a little glow effect in the mouth as well.


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## scscofield (May 23, 2011)

Yah, that's better, whole thing looks great so far.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The eye effects make it "pop" 

Appreciate the additional input and suggestions for the better of the glow effect


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

All the eyes have been given the glow effect as well as the mouths. On to the disc


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

The glow looks great; bright enough without stealing all the focus form the vortex itself.


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## scscofield (May 23, 2011)

Awesome painting dude


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

Perfect. I think you captured the look spot on!

Cheers,
Kreuger

edit - I just took a look at GW's example and I think yours is a lot stronger. The luminous green works a lot better. The only downside now is that the glow is coming from the center of the vortex which suggests that the recesses in the whirlwind should be lighter than the raised areas. But its really probably not worth changing it, because it looks so good as it is.

The only part of the model I don't like is the floating chaos star christmas-tree-topper. I can see why people made so many suggestions about what to do with it. The vortex would be lot cooler if it just had the upper funnel.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions and input everyone 

Here is what I have done to the Christmas tree topper(disc) so far. I had another idea for it but I wanted to see what my fellow Heretics thought of it first. That's how much I value y'alls input 

I was thinking instead of the stone look I have done to the arrows already, maybe giving them a moss gemstone look. They would be a dark/medium green with medium/high highlights. What do ya think?

I included a pic of the type of stone I'm talking about, but I am not going to go as transparent as it is.

I don't like the top piece either...it's too....plain. I want to modify the model, I'm just having a creative block with it. As for the base I am currently making a gradually sloped hill for it to sit on. Going to be adding piked head and scorched earth and all that good stuff.


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

It was a little unclear . . . you plan on making the skull a translucent green, yes? So that the whole effect would be of green skulls swirling up and then a glowing on one the top. Which leads me to . . .

Looking at the assembled model I'm struck by 2 things:

1) The black inner ring inside the base, around the glowing green vortex should probably have some degree of a green cast to it - illuminated by the vortex.

2) You could do the skull something solid looking and darker, and then paint the area inside the bronze ring more glowing green. That area surrounding the skulls seems unusually smooth as it is.

OR

2a) Paint the skull how you're talking, and paint the area surrounding it like a darker version of the vortex color gradient. So it would look like a muuuch bigger glowing skull at the top, complete with dark green area around it, and glows in the eyes (if only it had a mouth!).


Cheers,
Kreuger

edit - or put it on a festive evergreen


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

I like your idea, but not really what I was talking about. lol. I was thinking about turning the arrows on the symbol into that moss gemstone effect. 

Also I noticed the bottom of the vortex earlier today and figured I'd do the green effect and possibly an glowing effect on the base? Maybe. lol


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## Silens (Dec 26, 2010)

frozenlake said:


> put a genie ontop of the vortex instead of the platform :biggrin:


A shrine to Djinn24!


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Lol. Nice.

So I'm in the middle of my glowing effect on the base. Not too sure of how to do it though :/ I was thinking of using a diluted Goblin Green and lightly brushing around the bottom of the vortex (on the skulls and what not) The closer I am to the vortex drybrush with a Goblin green/scorpion green mix. Then highlight with a Scorpion Green and finally highlighting further with a scorpion green/skull white mixture. Blending them as I go from light to dark(darker as I get further from the vortex) Thoughts, Suggestions?


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Here is the emerald-like effect I was talking about for the disc on top of the vortex. I decided to do every other arrow like this. Thoughts, suggestions?

edit: the top of the disc is no where near being done. The skull and area around the bottom of the skull are still in progress. just trying to go from one thing to another instead of all at once(I start confusing color schemes )


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## Drannith (Sep 18, 2010)

looking great, I like the idea of every other being that nice green you did. +rep


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

I like the emerald effect.

I think it would look better if all the points were the same.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

I am still debating with myself if I should either make them all the emerald green or alternate :/ I figured I would start with alternating and post the pics. Then decide based on the general publics views  

I'm just not sure if making them all emerald will make the model TOO green, lol. I'll post the pics tomorrow when I wake up. It's 4am here and I just spent the last 4 hours at a strip club with my girlfriend, haha. Needless to say, I'm beat! Gotta love Vegas.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Here is a mid-paint session update  I wanted to see what the skull would look like with the emerald effect and a soft glow coming from the eyes and around the skull. Kinda like the inner-vortex glow is being carried up through the top of the disc. What do you guys think?

P.S. keep in mind I am in the middle of painting the skull and the points, I still have some blending to do


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

alright. I think I've done it! Painting is comolete(I think so anyway :/ ) Here are the pics. C&C welcome 

Now I can start working on my modifications!! :biggrin:


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## scscofield (May 23, 2011)

I like the alternating green on top, the whole thing turned out great.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks man. I wasn't too sure how it was going to look. I have a feeling if I would have done all the points emerald the piece would have been TOO green.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

So this is the first time I've ever made any sort of terrain so C&C is as always, welcome and very much appreciated. I've started out by making my hill. Many more updates to come, just wanted to get the basic pics up 



















I also started to outline where I want my stone pathway to be.

I'll have more progress pics posted shortly.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Here are the newest pics. I will be finishing this up tomorrow(hopefully) I need to find some human heads to put on the pikes, and they are hard for me to come by without ordering online :/


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Just finished the majority of the painting on the hill. Still have to do the detail work and add a few things. Other than that, this is pretty much the gist of things


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

The hill looks good; especially the paving.

However, I am not a fan of the cocktail stick stakes.


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Lol, they are in their most basic form right now. I'm going to clip the tops off and form halberd spear heads out of gs. In between the tip and the post I am going to glue human heads so to give the illusion of piked heads. Then ill start with the detailed painting  That is, if I can find some human head bits.... :/

Edit: just got a bits I was looking for  As well as pick up the sanguinor :biggrin: (off topic)


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

Here is the final product. Now I can start on my termie squad and sanguinary guard 

Anyway, I added the piked heads and small highlights here and there. Hope y'all like it. I'll be turning it in today at my local hobby shop. I'll tell you guys the outcome of the comp as soon as the results come in


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## InkedDnA (Jul 8, 2011)

So this came in 2nd place. 1st place went to another vortex but it was painted traditionally with all the rune stone colors on the wheel on top. It was a fun comp and I'm waiting patiently for the squad painting comp. I think I'm going to do the sanguinary guard for that one. Thanks to everyone who helped me make this better than it would have been if I did it alone. Haha


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