So, lately I've been trying to do more "sketch of the day" type stuff, just to get in the practice and try to improve my speed. I had the idea for this one earlier today while I was at work, then I came home and drew it up in less than 10 minutes. Nothing fancy but I think it might have promise for further development.
The contest is actually what got me thinking about this design, but there's was no way I could spare the time for a full-blown entry.
My eye says that the upper part of the 'nacelle' on the side closer to us should extend just a little bit further forward. Or perhaps the lower part should be a bit shorter. We're probably talking a very minimal difference, but it is enough to feel wrong. Really interesting shapes though, and that environmental piece is really cool with the lights echoing the aurora above.
Almost reminds me of taking the style of technology used for the "Jellyfish" in Trek XI and applying it to to a full size starship. Interesting to say the least.
Bear in mind that the "nacelles" are not straight up and down, they are canted outward at 30 degrees, which messes with the perspective a little. Probably the tail on the upper nacelle could use to be a smidge longer, but it's just a rough sketch, after all. The environmental piece was fun, but also an eye-opener in terms of my technical limitations. I knew exactly what I wanted all kinds of things in that image to look like but had no idea how to draw them that way. Lots of learning to do. I use Photoshop almost exclusively these days, though I have dabbled with Painter on occasion as well. Yup, it's big, probably somewhere between 9 and 10 km long. This really wasn't intended to be a ship of the line, it's more like a mobile starbase. I figured if Starfleet is building stuff as massive as Spacedock in Earth orbit, why not streamline it and put some engines on it?
Wow, I always kicked around an idea like this in the back of my head, but seeing it drawn is just creepy somehow! Look forward to seeing more on this. She must suck down dilithium like nothing else, though!