diff --git a/LoopStructural/visualisation/vtk_exporter.py b/LoopStructural/visualisation/vtk_exporter.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d53365764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LoopStructural/visualisation/vtk_exporter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+from .model_plotter import BaseModelPlotter
+from LoopStructural.utils import getLogger
+from LoopStructural.utils import LoopImportError
+from LoopStructural.modelling.features import GeologicalFeature
+logger = getLogger(__name__)
+
+import numpy as np
+
+try:
+    import meshio
+except ImportError:
+    raise ImportError("Cannot use VtkExporter without meshio")
+
+class VtkExporter(BaseModelPlotter):
+    def __init__(self,model, file_name, bounding_box=None, nsteps=None, **kwargs):
+        logger.info("VtkExporter")
+        super().__init__(model)
+        self.bounding_box = bounding_box
+        self.nsteps = nsteps
+        if model is not None:
+            self.bounding_box = model.bounding_box
+            self.nsteps = model.nsteps
+            logger.debug("Using bounding box from model")
+        if self.bounding_box is None or self.nsteps is None:
+            logger.error("Plot area has not been defined.")
+        self.bounding_box = np.array(self.bounding_box)
+        self.file_name = file_name
+    def _add_surface(self,
+                    vertices, 
+                    faces, 
+                    name,
+                    colour='red', 
+                    paint_with=None, 
+                    paint_with_value=None,
+                    **kwargs
+                    ):
+        """Virtual function to be overwritten by subclasses for adding surfaces to the viewer
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        faces : numpy array
+            indices of the triangles
+        vertices : numy array
+            vertices of the surface
+        name : string
+            name of the surface in the viewer
+        colour : str, optional
+            matplotlib colour, by default 'red'
+        paint_with : GeologicalFeature, optional
+            geological feature to evaluate on vertices, by default None
+        """
+        point_data = {}
+        if paint_with_value is not None:
+            paint_with = paint_with_value
+        if paint_with is not None: 
+            # add a property to the surface nodes for visualisation
+            # calculate the mode value, just to get the most common value
+            surfaceval = np.zeros(vertices.shape[0])
+            if isinstance(paint_with,GeologicalFeature):
+                surfaceval[:] = paint_with.evaluate_value(self.model.scale(vertices,inplace=False))
+            if callable(paint_with):
+                surfaceval[:] = paint_with(self.model.scale(vertices))
+            if isinstance(paint_with,(float,int)):
+                surfaceval[:] = paint_with
+            point_data = {"surfaceval":surfaceval}
+        # write points to paraview, set the point data to the property being painted. 
+        # TODO allow multiple properties
+        meshio.write_points_cells('{}_{}.vtk'.format(self.file_name,name.split('.')[0]),
+        vertices,
+        [("triangle", faces)],
+        point_data=point_data
+        )
+        
+
+    def _add_points(self, points, name, value= None, **kwargs):
+        """Virtual function to be overwritten by subclasses for adding points to the viewer
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        points : np.array
+            location of the points
+        name : str
+            name of the points in the viewer
+        value : np.array, optional
+            value to assign to the points
+        """
+        logger.warning("Cannot export point data to vtk")
+
+        # if points.shape[0] < 1:
+        #     raise ValueError("Points array must have at least one element")
+        # if name is None:
+        #     name = 'Unnamed points'
+        # point_data = {}
+        # if value is not None:
+        #     point_data = {"value":value}
+        # meshio.write_points_cells('{}_{}.vtk'.format(self.file_name,name.split('.')[0]),
+        # points,
+        # point_data=point_data
+        # )
+    def _add_vector_marker(self, location, vector, name, symbol_type='arrow',**kwargs):
+        """Virtual function to be overwritten by subclasses for adding vectors to the viewer
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        location : numpy array
+            location array
+        vector : numpy array
+            vector component array
+        symbol_type : str, optional
+            type of glyph to display the vector by, by default 'arrow'
+        name : string
+            name of the object in the visualisation
+        """
+        logger.warning("Cannot export vector field to vtk")
+        pass
+        # if location.shape[0] != vector.shape[0]:
+        #     raise ValueError("Location and vector arrays must be the same length")
+        # if location.shape[0] < 1:
+        #     raise ValueError("Location array must have at least one element")
+        # if name is None:
+        #     name = 'Unnamed points'
+        # if symbol_type == 'arrow':
+        #     vectorfield = self.lv.vectors(name, **kwargs)
+        #     vectorfield.vertices(location)
+        #     vectorfield.vectors(vector)
+        # elif symbol_type == 'disk':
+        #     scaleshapes = kwargs.get('scaleshapes',np.max(self.model.maximum-self.model.origin)*0.014)
+        #     vector /= np.linalg.norm(vector, axis=1)[:, None]
+        #     vectorfield = self.lv.shapes(name, scaleshapes=scaleshapes,shapelength=0,**kwargs)
+        #     vectorfield.vertices(location)
+        #     vectorfield.vectors(vector)
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