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Author Topic: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 22 2/2/2016)  (Read 235888 times)

Offline Siberius

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #100 on: July 22, 2008, 10:52:44 PM »
Great stuff.. I am a long term chaos dwarf...

I wish I had one of these  :biggriin:
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Offline Moriar

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #101 on: July 22, 2008, 10:55:17 PM »
I like the new one much better! Tho i have to say that i would love the eyebrows just a bit lower, and maybe with a bit of an angle down so it looks angrier. That low brow and the thick nose in the picture of the wall with three towers just looks so menacing and intimitading! I totally love that image. It really yells "sod off!" while your new sketch just says "uuh, im evil".

Oh and great drawings. I envy your work  :-o

Edit: after looking at your new sketch more, i also think theres something with the eyebrows. Its like they're too far out on each side. Maybe all in all a bit too big. (oh and im not trying to be picky, just adding my personal opinion :) )
« Last Edit: July 22, 2008, 11:00:30 PM by Moriar »
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Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #102 on: July 23, 2008, 12:14:47 AM »
Wow. A lot of comments on the facade. I hope you all like the way I have decided to do it!!! :icon_twisted: It is going to be somewhat of a composite, and the vibe is definitely dark and menacing. I will be posting an update in a day or two.

I would like to solicit some opinions. I am thinking about incorporating some runes. I assume they would be the same as regular dwarf runes. Looking through the dwarf army book there are some single magic runes for things such as dismay, and fear. Maybe using the rune of guarding, or defense, or both on the front gate or something like that. I am also open to actually spelling something out if it is appropriate, though I will need someone to spell it out for me using the dwarf runes correctly. Perhaps some chaos symbolism might be suitable. I am open to suggestions.

Thanks for any help.

Marcus

Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!

Offline xxadriaanxx

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #103 on: July 23, 2008, 02:50:45 PM »
I never saw dwarf runes on chaos dwarfs, but ok.
btw for the runes look in the dwarf armybook, all the runes in there.
a3aan

Offline Moriar

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #104 on: July 23, 2008, 06:40:40 PM »
I would also go for runes that are more fluid than the dwarf runes sharp angles. That should give it a more magical feeling. Considering CD do have mages. Take a look in the old Hordes of Chaos book, its an alphabet in there too. Its ugly tho, so i wouldnt recommend it.

But i took the liberty to look up babylonia on wikipedia. One of the written languages with ties to the babylonians was Aramaic. From wiki: "It has been the language of administration of empires and the language of divine worship."

Check out the picture of this bookpage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Syriac_Sertâ_book_script.jpg

That gives me the definitive Chaos Dwarf feeling.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2008, 06:43:15 PM by Moriar »
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Offline Teb

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #105 on: July 23, 2008, 07:04:39 PM »
The reason why I haven't used runes in any of my sketches before is because there's simply no information or examples of chaos dwarf runes as far as I know. What I do know is that "normal" dwarf runes on a chaos dwarf building would look odd...
kinda like having French text on an Empire banner  :ph34r:
While there is virtually no info on chaos dwarf runes/symbols, except in older editions they simply used chaos symbols and the big hats used a lot of (cracked) skulls and arrows, there is quite some info about dwarf runes ...especially in the older army books. And we can assume that chaos dwarf runes would look at least a little bit similar.

(fortified) Mining outpost would roughly be GARAD GRUND
and for example "third mining outpost of Gorgoth" would translate into GARAD GRUND GORGOTH III

after some fiddling with the dwarf armybooks I got this:



after some more looking on the net I found some info on Cuneiform script, which looks kinda rune-like and was used by the Babylonian culture which happens to be the inspiration for the later incarnation of the chaos dwarfs.



So after even more fiddling I came up with an attempt at sharp and evil looking runes:



and for separate runes:



Now I don't know what size you wanna make the runes or how so this could all be very impractical but it may help as inspiration.
You'll have lots of freedom anyways because there's simply nothing qua fluff you can "violate"  :icon_wink:

Teb

Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 5)
« Reply #106 on: July 23, 2008, 10:14:37 PM »
Hey all.

Here's another quick progress update on the Chaos Dwarf mining complex.

First off, thanks to Moriar and Teb for the info on the runes. I think there may be some potential there, we'll see.

These are primarily WIP shots of the front of the main tower. Everything you see here is a "dry fit" meaning that nothing has been permanently affixed yet. I will need to carve the other three sides of the tower before I can glue up the facade.

The first two shots are of one of the two side extensions. After initially cutting out the piece a comment was made that the courtyard was too small. I agree, especially with a crane going behind the main tower. I added four inches to the depth of the piece. The additional piece was added using a biscut joiner, and I glued a back plate on to reinforce the joint.









The first step was to cut out the opening for the main gate. Since the walls of the tower slope away from the vertical, a vertical opening has to be cut in for the doors to open properly. The second shot shows the landing before the gate.



Here is a full scale drawing of the facade that I settled on. As you can see, it is a composite of Teb's ideas. I think it will complement the smaller faces I already have carved.



Cut out and placed against the tower to check size and fit. Parts will be sized and cut from this drawing.



Before any of the facade can be attached, the block pattern in the wall needed to be carved.



The face, or mask, cut out if 1/4" MDF.



The nose guard in place. This assembly will be carved to emulate stone before it is glued in place.



1/8" thick MDF strips added to indicate beard. These will be carved to emulate stonework as well.





The eyebrows and mustache are cut from sheet styrene and will be modeled and painted to look like rusted iron.







Someone asked for some shots with minis to show the scale of the project more completely. Hopefully these three shots will accomplish that.



This shot just shows the new depth of the court yard.

The facade is going to look much more detailed than the present incarnation. There are just some other elements of the project I need to finish first. I don't want to overwhelm you with updates, but I want to stay motivated to finish the project. Forgive me if some of the photos seem redundant.

Marcus
Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!

Offline Shadowwolf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #107 on: July 24, 2008, 07:13:06 AM »
Wow!

It takes time, but this piece of scenery is turning out marvelous!  :::cheers:::

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Offline Lost Commander

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #108 on: July 24, 2008, 08:14:26 AM »
I don't want to overwhelm you with updates, but I want to stay motivated to finish the project. Forgive me if some of the photos seem redundant.

Marcus


You just do what you need to stay motivated, the only thing overwhelming us is the sheer size of this project.

I love the updates and images, keep them coming as much as you like.

This is way beyond "Great Stuff"  :eusa_clap:

Have a  :::cheers::: on Midaski
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Offline Moxer

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #109 on: July 24, 2008, 12:23:51 PM »
This is a really huge piece of terrain and one of the bestlooking i have ever seen.
The stonecarving is superb!
(On a side note i envy you for having such a nice workshop!)



(Edited some typos)
« Last Edit: July 29, 2008, 06:11:52 AM by Moxer »
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Offline Warlord

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #110 on: July 24, 2008, 03:57:48 PM »
Wow.

Just wow. I knew this was going to be good, and I knew I would want one, but I want one NOW!
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Offline Gneisenau

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #111 on: July 24, 2008, 04:02:59 PM »
Argh.

Bad news, Marcus: Da Vinci called. He wants his brain back.

And his hands.

Offline Teb

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #112 on: July 24, 2008, 06:58:43 PM »
too many photos?...never!  :icon_biggrin:
please, the more the better!

I really like how you've done the facade, I love it.
And I have a feeling it's even going to be more detailed then I imagined it judging from the photos. :Ohmy:

But while we all stare and wonder at this huge project your photos don't give the full picture...
so here a harsh sight from behind the scenes:



I hope you can keep them "motivated" long enough to finish the project Marcus  :icon_wink:

(forgive me Marcus but such a beautiful project gets the creative juices flowing  :biggriin:)


Teb






Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #113 on: July 24, 2008, 09:18:07 PM »
That is too cool!

If you are really feeling creative you could draw up some sketches that would convey the dark forboding and hopelessness of this place. I eventually want to communicate a very evil place of dispair and misery.

Oh well, back to the mines.

Marcus
« Last Edit: July 24, 2008, 11:02:47 PM by Marcus Leitdorf »
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Offline Ross

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #114 on: July 25, 2008, 10:22:05 AM »
Superb Marcus. I hope you don't mind but i posted a pic and a link to the thread over at Chaos-Dwarfs.com.

If you want to hear some feedback from some real dawi zharr, here's the link

http://www.chaos-dwarfs.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3118&pid=48785#pid48785

Your getting some high praises

Once again good work, keep it up

Offline Obi

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #115 on: July 25, 2008, 10:43:50 AM »
This looks awesome Marcus! I don't know how I've missed this thread so far, but it's looking great. You really take the time for it, which makes that 'little' difference between really good and actually superb! Great job, you're almost getting me in to playing Chaos Dwarfs.
Hello Athiuen and welcome to the Back Table.

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Offline Xander

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #116 on: July 25, 2008, 02:06:50 PM »
Absolutely stunning work, my friends!  Excellent illustrations as well!

I am seriously interested in having all of this stuff as an article available on the Chaos Dwarfs Online website.

What do you say?  :-D

Offline Willmark

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #117 on: July 25, 2008, 02:11:01 PM »
This is utterly amazing. I simply had to join the forum because of this piece of terrain, what can I say that has not been said already.

I say this as a member of perhaps the best Chaos Dwarf forum out there (I let you guys find it as I don't want to upset the mods here by blatant spamming) :)

Anyways Marcus please get in touch with me. We would love to have this featured on our site as well and perhaps our next webzine coming out!

Again, simply phenomenal and hope to hear from you soon.

Willmark

Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #118 on: July 25, 2008, 02:29:34 PM »
Uh-oh! :icon_eek:

The witch hunters are just around the corner I know it.

My hands are beginning to tremble as I work, and I am beginning to have difficulty moving my toes!
Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!

Offline Castozor

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #119 on: July 25, 2008, 02:33:54 PM »
Uh-oh! :icon_eek:

The witch hunters are just around the corner I know it.

My hands are beginning to tremble as I work, and I am beginning to have difficulty moving my toes!
I hope not!

Fantastic work, especially on the faces and the stonework. It's really large too.
If only I has such a terrainpiece...  :-(

Gr.

Luuk

Offline Willmark

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #120 on: July 25, 2008, 05:23:49 PM »
Uh-oh! :icon_eek:

The witch hunters are just around the corner I know it.

My hands are beginning to tremble as I work, and I am beginning to have difficulty moving my toes!

Witch Hunters bah! We are Chaos Dwarfs!

All kidding aside we (Xander and I) are completely serious. We are staff members of CDO and one of our causes is to not let Chaos Dwarfs go the way of the Squats. To that end we are doing everything in our power to make sure that we raise the awareness of our cause. check our site and see. Terrain is one area that not a lot of members have embarked on since we are such a young forum, plus despite the age of the army many are just starting CD armies.

This is so incredible it defies description. You could make casts and sell this thing, its that good.

So I reiterate please contact us, we would love to feature this on our site and out next webzine The Word of Hashut

In no way, shape or form do we want to take away from what you are doing. Far from it. We simply feel that "cross pollination" when it comes to Chaos Dwarfs is a good thing.

Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #121 on: July 25, 2008, 10:47:14 PM »
Hey Teb,

You know what would be really useful? Your interpretation of Hashut. I am looking for three possible views: A profile in the Babylonian bass relief style, A front view, and a head shot. Think carved in stone. I think there is some possibility to add tremendous character to the project.

I am approaching the completion of the main structural elements, and have already started fiddling around with some of the fine details which is the fun stuff. I will be posting more photos on Sunday night, if not sooner.

Marcus
Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!

Offline Teb

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #122 on: July 26, 2008, 06:43:58 AM »
your reputation as a heretic is spreading Marcus... :engel:

Are you thinking about a huge stone carving on the rock wall behind the complex? because that would be too cool for words  :icon_biggrin:
I'll try to make some mood sketches and try to come up with a rough design for a stone carving incorporating/based on Hashut this weekend.

Teb

Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #123 on: July 26, 2008, 02:09:12 PM »
There must be some cosmic connection! :icon_biggrin:
Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!

Offline Marcus Leitdorf

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Re: Chaos Dwarf Mining Complex (Update 6)
« Reply #124 on: July 28, 2008, 06:33:15 AM »
Hey All,

As promised, here is an update on the Chaos Dwarf mining complex. Some of the shots are somewhat of a repeat of other posts in other projects. However, I thought they might be beneficial and appreciated by those who are new to the thread. Here are some shots of work on the main tower, followed by some detail work on the front gate.


A set of wedges cut for corbels in the main tower.


Lined out and segmented to represent the stone blocks.


Modeled to represent a stone face.


Where the second tower wall meets the main tower I cut a recess to receive it. This way any unsightly gaps are avoided and it doesn’t look like a cheap butt joint.


The resulting fit.


The block courses were lined out on the side of the main tower with a pencil. To help insure straight cuts with the v-tool, I score the lines with a hobby knife and a straight edge. This produces a “path of least resistance” for the v-tool to follow when carving out the courses.


Carving with the v-tool.


After all the blocks are laid out and carved in, a bench chisel is used at a very low angle to model the surface. MDF is very much highly compressed layers of paper. By rocking the tool from corner to corner slightly while moving it forward, a random shaving and tearing of these layers produces a very realistic stone effect.


Here the left side of the main tower has been almost completed. The initial modeling of the blocks has been done. The “x” marks you see are areas that are selected for additional modeling. Here individual blocks will be carved deeper at various corners and edges, or completely recessed, and an occasional crack will be carved in. you can also see the recesses that have been carved and numbered for the corbels. Rather than just gluing the corbels onto the face of the tower, by recessing them slightly it takes on the appearance of individual blocks projecting out from the main structure.


The two halves of the complex fit together.


The addition of the corbels.


With the top in place.


The detail work of a project like this is what I enjoy best, so I decided to go ahead and do the front gate. The gate is designed so as to convey the idea of an open mouth. Four sharp teeth at the bottom, and three at the top are represented by iron plates bolted to the timbers of the gate. These seven triangles are cut from sheet styrene.


In what little information I can find about Chaos Dwarves, they worship Hashut, a bull headed god of chaos that requires them to sacrifice victims by lowering them into crucibles of molten iron. I thought It might be an interesting detail to represent this practice by incorporating some skeletal remains into the iron plates on the gate. Here are some bits that I shaved off of some skeletons. The idea is to make them look like they were actually in the molten iron when the plates were cast. (I know that in reality the bones would actually be completely incinerated, but work with me here!)


Here are the iron plates laid out on the piece of balsa that will become the front gate.


Just a closer shot.


The triangle plates looked a little bland to me so I decided to give them serrated edges.


A closer look. Notice that the top center plate had to be split in two where the two halves of the gate come together.


Here the balsa has been scored and modeled a bit to represent some rough timbres.


After laying out the gate it just seemed to have to big void in the center. For some reason arrows are a common motif with Chaos Dwarves. I drew some on the full scale drawing of the main tower front and immediately liked the look, so I decided to cut some out of some more sheet styrene and add them.


All of the iron components of the gate are attached with heavy spikes or bolts. To represent these I cut the ends off of straight pins and press them through the plastic and into the balsa. To accomplish this I use the end of my hobby knife to drill little pilot holes where each pin head will push thru. There are 44 of them in this gate.


The completed gate. Notice that the arrow straps have been modeled with a rough texture. This is primarily to add visual interest and allow for highlights when painting. If you use your imagination it can represent hammered iron. The actual size of the gate is 3 inches wide by 3-3/4 inches high.

Well, after getting that out of my system, I need to return to the main tower and begin contemplating the court yard pavers.

Hope you all enjoy this. More to come.

Marcus
Faithfulness to our fathers, faithfulness to our sons. Marius shall be avenged!