So last year for PAX, I built a new computer. It was a nice piece of work, very powerful and pretty amazing gaming rig. Based on how powerful it was I decided to name it the “Hellforge” after one of the Word Bearers Chaos Battleships.
In order to keep up with the theme I decided I would use my warhammer skills to modify a keyboard.
Here is the sketch of what I wanted to do. A few months of working at Starbucks I gathered enough empty/used gift cards to have a nice supply of plastic card. Combined with a quick hunt through my bits box I found enough pieces to build what I wanted, or to get damn close.
My original sketch, as seen here, called for a few LEDs and some added buttons, but I scrapped this idea based on time concerns. This is a prototype, I may do a new one soon.
Here are all my supplies, including a bunch
of water! As you can see here I also have my Dark Hersey RPG book, opened so I can figure out what I am gonna do as I move forward.
The keyboard I used as the base was cheap, one of the nine dollar deals.
Here is all the raw, unpainted, extras that made the keyboard look different. I cut and added the cards to make the keyboard look more squared off, to fit in more with the warhammer 40k world. I also added a resin cast skull to where the USB cord connected with the keyboard.
The resin skull is to add more details to the keyboard, giving it a link the Mechanium.
Skull close-up. Also shows some of the other details around the edge of the keyboard where I tried to make it squared off.
I had to cut away most of the back of the skull to get it to fit, as well as hollow it out so I could pull the cord through.
Here is the left corner in detail. I added some power cords to give it a bit more of a flair.
I outfitted the skull with more bits and wires to make it look more like a servo-skull. I also added green-stuff to smooth out some of the joints and make it look like added weld lines.
Keys removed and control surfaces masked off.
All ready to get it’s first layer of dried blood red paint. I decided to use this colour because it matches the base coat I used on all my Word Bearers.
I used my air brush and custom mixed citadel paints to lay down a few layers, then I pulled off the mask and cleaned up whatever I needed to.
Lastly I let the keyboard dry and set before I decided on what colours to use on the rest of the build.
Finally done! Painted the skull copper, then used a dry brush to distress the edges and the WSAD keys. The glass tube located above the LEDs is positioned to glow green, and the green edging is done to enhance the effect of the keyboard and tie it to the Warhammer world. I also added the Mark of Chaos Undivided to tie my keyboard to the Chaos Marines.
Since I finished I have used the keyboard for almost a year, I plan to touch it up once more and either retire it or modify it more for PAX this year!
Stay tuned….
-TheGrav
The Dark Side of Digital Art. 