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I just finished my 1st ever conversion/kitbash of a Venerable Dread into a Chaos Dread and I was curious to see what people thought... I've always been a bit reluctant to attempt any conversions in the past for fear of making a mess of things, but I wanted to field a Chaos Dread and I don't like the Chaos model, so I had to bite the bullet... The aim was to make it look Chaos (obviously ) but without making it look too much like an Imperial Dread with spikes stuck on (even though there are!)... There are bits from the Flagellant kit there too, as well as from the Chaos Rhino sprue. C&C welcome...

I just noticed on the 3rd photo the shine on the decal - how can I get rid of this?

Looking very good! Clean and sharp paint job.

I like it though a bit clean for my liking

Dude.... that some good work there!
Nicely done

Nice job!

Ideally, you would want to apply the transfer/decal at an earlier stage in the painting process so that you can actually paint over it. This is most useful for covering up the glare you mentioned, but it also allows you to mark up the decal to give the impression of scratched paint or weathering.
I think you achieved the goal you were going for. Making it look chaosy without just looking imperial + spikes. My only gripes about it are the exposed head is not to my liking and the fact that you only gave him a kill count of 4. In agreement with Steeds of War, I think it may be a little to clean. But that's a personal preference.
I do like the use of flagellent bits and the burnt ends of the exhaust and flamer.
Do you plan to do anything to the other chest plate or leave it blank?

To be honest i like it more than the GW chaos dread. Its gonna be a shame when it leaves the table early doors tommorow.

i see now why you asked about the tau head

I think the exposed head is a bit off to but at the same time Chaos dreads are insane so why not good job

Well, yes they are insane, but they're insane because unlike SM dreds that lie dormant in a deep sleep, Chaos dred pilots are kept awake and entombed in a removable sarcophagus that is installed into the dred at the time of combat. He's gone insane from being trapped in that box. That is why I think he shouldn't be exposed, but it's not my mini.

I do think it looks a bit clean for a chaos dread but to each his, and where it's at now you could always add weathering further down the road.

Thanks for all the positive comments... I'm glad you think i got the chaos/imperial blance about right...

To those that referred to the cleanliness i agree. I don't mind a clean model, but i'm still a bit reticent about trying weathering techniques. I'll have to try some day - i'll get a test mini sorted so i don't care if i make a mess of it!

I was tempted to put an identical decal on both chest plates, but i don't know if that'd spoil the look - too ordered and symmetrical and not chaotic enough... I daren't try freehand as i'm appalling at it! So any suggestions would be good...

I tried several heads and decided against an ornate helmeted one, i just liked the bare-headed berzerk crazed head

@Taopaipai - i don't think so mate, you're getting your lumps the morra!!

Fantastic job!

I dont mind the "Clean look" of chaos, in fact, its what im gonna do for my chaos, who are an emperors children splinter faction.

although, The ONE gripe i have, i do not believe that helmetless heads look good on a dread. to me, it doesnt make much sense. because the body is supposed to be inside the sarcophagus.

On the positive side, thats an epic head, what kit is it from? id be interested in getting afew for a planned conversion.

great work have a corpse or 2 at its feet

I believe the head.is from the Chaos Rhino kit

That head comes on pretty much all of the Chaos vehicle upgrade sprues. It looks good for an exposed head, if you like that sort of thing.
Venerable Dreadnoughts work particularly well as a Chaos conversion I think, especially if you like the Forge World ones. The main problem being the large amount of Loyalist Marine decorations.
If you don't mind doing conversion work, they are a great alternative to the FW and GW Chaos Dreadnoughts. And at $43 for one, are much less expensive to start with... if you kitbash and greenstuff most of the details.

Cover the transfers with watered down Elmer's Glue (PVA) or Matte Varnish.

Nice Dread!!!!