Aether Series~ Aether Reliquary

[Vision]

Just a small simple mod to do over christmas break. Starting with a NZXT Rogue case and god it feels good to start with a case that isn't a scrap heap
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020931.jpg
The case is real gem, sturdy aluminum construction, and very easy to take apart
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020933.jpg
Not entirely sure what I'm going to do to it. I'm thinking runic, celtic, knotwork, mythic-something like that. more to come on the theme.

looking for inspiration
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020936.jpg
Here's what I found
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020941.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020940.jpg

Vision

[Vital]

Looks like it could be neat. Where did you find the stuff? Just garage junk?

[Vision]

Yup, just a trinket box. Mostly steampunk odds and ends, but it has some other things

[Vital]

I really like the golden man trinket. Would look good on a wood case.

[FuzzyPlushroom]

This is already coming together in my head. It'll be brilliant - keeping an eye on this mod.

[Vision]

Ok-small update. I'm not doing much to the case, but here's what I've done.
The front plastic pieces light up when the case is turned on. I decicded to fog them abit, to make them less clear.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020948.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020950.jpg
I started with 400 grit sandpaper, then moved to 320 grit and finaly touched it up with 100 grit to get some texture in the plastic. I tried to get a sort of tree bark effect, but in reality I just got a textured scratch effect (which is alright). I did this to the top window aswell
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020954.jpg
I attached the wooden figure to the front door just with a screw from the other side.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020956.jpg
And I attached the cast iron tree to the top the same way. I had to cut a screw alittle shorter to fit, but other than that no real challenge
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020957.jpg
and as of yet thats all I have. I'm not sure how much more I'm going to do- if all goes well my friend is coming over tomorow and she's handy with a brush, might do some detailing work for me.

As of now...
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020953.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020955.jpg

[Kumo]

The tree looks a little odd. out of place. The front medalion is nice.

Maybe the tree needs a frame (As it was placed in a shield) or roots...

[Frenkie]

I agree with Kumo, cant you incorperate the tree in a side panel ?

[Vision]

Now that I look at it, the tree is alittle tacked on...

maybe some roots coming from the trunk? I think I might have some modelling clay or something that could work.

ill get back to you all when I find something

[jdbnsn]

Sweet, the Aether Series continues! I think some sculpey (http://www.sculpey.com/) could be used to model some roots that grow into the case. Might provide a good course to run some LED wiring beneath the tree if you wanted too.

[Vital]

And a paint job of some sort. I think brown or something would look nice.

[Vision]

update-got the clay out to make some roots. Mixed red and black clay to get as close as I could to the original metal.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020961.jpg
This is the shape I came up with. I would have liked to do a little more, make a larger more elaborate root system, but I don't have enough room to do so on the top of the case. But I think it looks better then it did.

After I fired it the color changed abit, so I painted the clay next to help it match.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020962.jpg
I used some silicone adhesive to stick the roots in place. There's still a crack were the tree and roots meet- I might fill that with some clay later, or leave it, not sure yet
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020964.jpg

I like the idea with the LED lighting, but I don't know how to do it :( But I might be able to pick up some EL wire I might play with.

More to come, specifically paint

Vision

[FuzzyPlushroom]

Yeah, that's much better! Why not run 'em right down over the front?

[Kumo]

Yep. Much better. Perhaps you could use more clay to "insert" the tree in the top.

[Vision]

I had thought about running more roots, but if it went down the front of the case it would interfere with opening the case (the top panel slides back to open).

..of course, now that I think about it, I could just make the root system in two parts so everything still worked....hmmm, I'll have to look into that

[Vision]

Sorry for the delay- university started up again lol. I only got alittle done this weekend, but here it is.

Firstly, I painted a OCZ Memory Cooler I'm using for the build. I tried to make it look as if the metal have rusted abit, or at the very least slightly aged.

Made a bit of a paint booth
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020967.jpg

Started with a base coat of red
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020969.jpg

Touched it up with alittle orange
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020970.jpg

and the final coat of crome
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020971.jpg

Here's a shot of the final finish, but their blurry as hell. It doesn't look like authentic rust, but it still has a red effect to it. I'll post new pictures when I get a change this week end.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020972.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020974.jpg

Secondly, I did some work on the side panels. Building on the theme, I carved some runes into the side. These should light up slighty from the illuminated parts (fans, etc) inside the case. Should be subtle, I might put some parchement paper behind it to difuse the light abit- we'll see how it goes.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020976.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020977.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020978.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020979.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020980.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa274/reecetucker/S2020981.jpg

I'm dont think I like the silver color of the aluminum showing through so much, a little too bold. Next weekend I'm going to hand paint what I can black, hopefully it will tone it down a tad. Also, the paint should stand out abit, relecting light alittle differently and add texture to it, adding a subtle emphasis to the runes.

I'll have to see how it goes
Vision

[DonT-FeaR]

looks sweet nice work

[Kumo]

Maybe gold paint for runes, would look better. Depend of your final theme scheme.

[billygoat333]

Maybe gold paint for runes, would look better. Depend of your final theme scheme.
this, or a rusty brown? maybe?

[Kumo]

this, or a rusty brown? maybe?

Agree. Old gold (just gold with chestnut brown wash, i.e.).