Re-Imagined K'tinga/D7

[TrekkieMonster]

Okay, I finally have to add my own

This truly is an amazing design, not to mention stunning execution. Your talent amazes me every time I see one of your creations.

And I have a question: those 2 things that look like large bottom-hinged hatches above (what appears to be the aft torpedo tube) ..., are those shuttle bay doors? What an ingenious concept, if so. I like the idea of those kinds of simple hatches instead of the traditional Federation clamshell design.

Just curious.

[DFScott]

Okay, I think the last thing I said on this thread was that I was looking forward to seeing how such a sleek and elegant frame could be made into a menacing predator.

Um. . . done!

A few particularly exquisite points: First, this ship lends itself well to the scale intended for it: it feels huge. The Trek franchise is well-known to be problematic when it comes to the scale of enemy ships, particularly the Klingon Bird of Prey which Bernd Schneider points out is capable of scaling itself infinitely almost at will. This battleship has plenty of visual cues (especially the egg-shaped topdeck with the pillbox lookout) that tell you exactly how appropriately huge this vessel is. If REL had built this model for the TV show, there's no way it could appear equal to the Enterprise-D in one episode and twice that size in another, without fans protesting.

Second. . . Let's call this the ridged forehead syndrome. If we can accept that the ridged forehead of a Klingon warrior is symbolic of strength, then the ridged and pointed neck of this bird is a signal to the universe, "Get the bak'tag out of my way!" This part of the design draws from the rich artistic vocabulary already built up around the Klingon mystique, so it not only strengthens the ship from an engineering standpoint (the neck is no longer the weakest link) but from an architectural standpoint as well. (Although it also borrows from a stained glass design by Frank Lloyd Wright, who didn't know the first thing about the Klingon Empire, but I'll leave that there.)

Third, and this is something I think Andrew Probert would appreciate: This ship assumes an animal prowess that's more cat-like. You know how a cheetah lowers its head and stiffens its back when it's ready to pounce? That's the stance this ship's neck takes, especially toward the rear, whose gear flares ever-so-gently toward the tail. Although instead of crouched, like the "bat wings" of the original D7, this ship's legs have already sprung the trap. It's not crouching in the grass, it's in motion.

REL, I love that you've built your details onto the ship by hand rather than paint them on later. There's a spiny-ness about the wing details that makes me think I could cut my fingers if I were to touch them the wrong way. They're still feathers, but more the way Hawkman would wear them.

The engines aren't glued on yet, and already this is an astoundingly beautiful vessel that deserves to be memorialized on film. If you're not already a professional at this, then you don't need a resume. Just a few photographs of this beauty. This could become my most favorite fan-made Trek design of all time.

DF "Klingon Vessel, This is Captain Jean-Luc Pic-. . . Uh, Sorry, What Was I Saying? Ah, Yes. Just Passing Through. Made a Wrong Turn. Going Back Now. Sorry. Have a Nice Day" Scott

[sojourner]

Seeing IHLE post in this thread made me realize, seeing his Ent-F and this Klingon ship together would be awesome!

[REL]

DFScott wrote:

---

Okay, I think the last thing I said on this thread was that I was looking forward to seeing how such a sleek and elegant frame could be made into a menacing predator.

Um. . . done!

A few particularly exquisite points: First, this ship lends itself well to the scale intended for it: it feels huge. The Trek franchise is well-known to be problematic when it comes to the scale of enemy ships, particularly the Klingon Bird of Prey which Bernd Schneider points out is capable of scaling itself infinitely almost at will. This battleship has plenty of visual cues (especially the egg-shaped topdeck with the pillbox lookout) that tell you exactly how appropriately huge this vessel is. If REL had built this model for the TV show, there's no way it could appear equal to the Enterprise-D in one episode and twice that size in another, without fans protesting.

Second. . . Let's call this the ridged forehead syndrome. If we can accept that the ridged forehead of a Klingon warrior is symbolic of strength, then the ridged and pointed neck of this bird is a signal to the universe, "Get the bak'tag out of my way!" This part of the design draws from the rich artistic vocabulary already built up around the Klingon mystique, so it not only strengthens the ship from an engineering standpoint (the neck is no longer the weakest link) but from an architectural standpoint as well. (Although it also borrows from a stained glass design by Frank Lloyd Wright, who didn't know the first thing about the Klingon Empire, but I'll leave that there.)

Third, and this is something I think Andrew Probert would appreciate: This ship assumes an animal prowess that's more cat-like. You know how a cheetah lowers its head and stiffens its back when it's ready to pounce? That's the stance this ship's neck takes, especially toward the rear, whose gear flares ever-so-gently toward the tail. Although instead of crouched, like the "bat wings" of the original D7, this ship's legs have already sprung the trap. It's not crouching in the grass, it's in motion.

REL, I love that you've built your details onto the ship by hand rather than paint them on later. There's a spiny-ness about the wing details that makes me think I could cut my fingers if I were to touch them the wrong way. They're still feathers, but more the way Hawkman would wear them.

The engines aren't glued on yet, and already this is an astoundingly beautiful vessel that deserves to be memorialized on film. If you're not already a professional at this, then you don't need a resume. Just a few photographs of this beauty. This could become my most favorite fan-made Trek design of all time.

DF "Klingon Vessel, This is Captain Jean-Luc Pic-. . . Uh, Sorry, What Was I Saying? Ah, Yes. Just Passing Through. Made a Wrong Turn. Going Back Now. Sorry. Have a Nice Day" Scott

Thank you for that brilliant summary! I'm amazed you caught the FLR reference as I'm a huge fan of his work and have tons of books on his work. I'm also a big fan of Art Deco and incorporated it into the bridge design.

[publiusr]

It is angular, and yet fluid at the same time. The aft 3/4 view actually says TNG era. What K'vort should have been.

[REL]

The build itself is finished, now it's time to decide on a paint scheme.

She came out at 29" long.

[REL]

Oh yeah I did a lighting test. I don't have the warp grill covers on yet, and the camera makes the lighting look brighter for some reason. Also, the fiber optics aren't trimmed yet.

[Albertese]

Excellent. I imagine this wearing mostly grays and steely silvers with accents in green and brown. Kind of a cross between the BoP and the TMP D7's. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

-Alex

[Bryan B)]

Not to be cliche, but... DUUUDE!!!

I can hear Jerry Goldsmith's TMP 'battle' score just looking at these shots...

[Maurice]

Albertese wrote:

---

Excellent. I imagine this wearing mostly grays and steely silvers with accents in green and brown. Kind of a cross between the BoP and the TMP D7's. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

-Alex

Neither of the Klingon ships you mentioned were painted grays and steely silvers, abeit ILM made the K'tinga gray and reds for TUC.

[TrekkieMonster]

Bryan B) wrote:

---

Not to be cliche, but... DUUUDE!!!

I can hear Jerry Goldsmith's TMP 'battle' score just looking at these shots...

Ditto. And I'll add a for good measure. wow.

[scotthm]

I like its impulse engines. Very nice.

---------------

[backstept]

most excellent

[sojourner]

Really love the work put into this! When can I expect delivery? UPS or Fedex?

[Psion]

REL, is that scarab-beetle watermark a symbol with personal significance for you? If so, did you work it into any of the hull plating anywhere? I've looked for it on the model, but can't find it.