All My Enterprises....

Discussion in 'Fan Art' started by The Lensman, Jul 29, 2019.

  1. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    I can smell the old paper.
     
  2. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    Sorry for the wait, but here you go publiusr:

    [​IMG]

    Life's getting pretty hectic as I'm trying to apply for a promotion at work, but there's still about three more Trek based images I want to get done of the various Enterprises before moving on to more original designs. While I'm not struggling financially, I'm getting a little too close for comfort, and I really want to find a way to monetize my art if possible as I'm not a fan of working a second job. Unfortunately I can't monetize Star Trek based stuff, and sadly it's my most popular stuff. So I'm at a weird crossroads in that it's time to see if I can find an audience for my original work as well as approach this as a business. Something I've always been loathe to do. But I ain't getting any younger and I've kinda put this off for...well far too long.

    On a different note.....a minor rant: So in 2013, while designing a cover, I wanted to create a faux 50's sci-fi magazine cover. I used Galaxy magazine's layout as a template, but decided I wanted to create the name and logo for a mag instead of using an established one. After researching and finding most of the good names taken, I found the perfect name and it had never been used after more than half a century of sci-fi mags and that name was "Compelling".

    So right after I posted that last mag cover a week ago, I did a Google search on the name for some reason and lo and behold, in 2016 someone started an online sci-fi mag called "Compelling" with the subtitle "science fiction stories" (whereas I think I generally tended to use "science fiction" on my old Compelling covers.) I was pretty attached to the name and not happy about that. Part of me wanted to say they got the name from me, since it hadn't been used in over 50 years of sci-fi mags, but popped up shortly after I started making magazine covers. The other part of me just chalks it up to coincidence, but, as I said, I've grown attached to the name.

    So I decided to come up with a new mag name, and it actually works well for me. So good bye "Compelling"....I'll miss ya.

    We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
     
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  3. Professor Moriarty

    Professor Moriarty Rice Admiral Premium Member

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    Oh, I like version 2! Really digging the exposed "girders" that form the primary hull--especially the round holes in the beams like you'd see in 50's science fiction. :techman:
     
  4. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    I'd love to see a toy of that.
     
  5. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I wouldn't mind having those various meshes, but I'd certainly understand if the Lensman would rather keep those close to his chest. Distributing them would dilute their unique aspect.
     
  6. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    One of the images I've had in mind for the Electroprise for some time. Pressed for time right now...will add comments shortly. For now....enjoy!


    [​IMG]
     
  7. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Simply beautiful.
     
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  8. Santaman

    Santaman Vice Admiral Admiral

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  9. Professor Moriarty

    Professor Moriarty Rice Admiral Premium Member

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    OK, #1, I didn't even know that German show existed. I just found it on YouTube... I know what I'll be watching tonight after I kick off the next rendering session!!

    #2, I want a poster of that cover, @The Lensman. Chesley Bonestell himself could have whipped this up for the latest issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

    :beer:
     
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  10. Nightfall to-Ennien

    Nightfall to-Ennien Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I know it goes back a bit in the thread, @The Lensman, but I can’t help but wonder, since it’s meant to evoke the ‘60s Japanese aesthetic, if the lights on the rocket engines of the Japaniprise are inspired by the underslung headlamps of the Mach Five?
     
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  11. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    It generally never occurs to me that anyone would want these meshes as they're pretty basic affairs. A lot of the "magic" (for lack of a better word) in these images, IMO, is created during the Photoshop part because these *are* pretty basic meshes and to my eyes look pretty bland without all the Photoshop processing (see the sideview pics), YMMV. I tend to create these with a specific time period in mind, and then try to present them true to that time period, especially with lighting. I don't know that I've ever tried to light the Japaniprise in a more realistic way.

    Also, my models are embarrassingly messy looking if you saw them in wire frame mode. For example, the bridge is a slightly smooshed sphere on all of these, and I never eliminated the rest of the sphere. I also just recently figured out that I could type in positioning of objects instead of doing it by hand, so I can probably get the warp engines on all these more uniform on how they angle out from the secondary hull. I'm always seeing something off that needs correcting because of this.

    Thank you! :bolian:

    Thanks! I had seen some of that show, but it's in German, although a guy on DA posted a link to the first episode with subtitles. I enjoyed it.

    Thanks! High praise indeed, though Bonestell's spaceships weren't as fanciful as this 40's version of the Enterprise. I do have one or two non-Trek Bonestell inspired ships I want to do art with though. :bolian:

    This particular image made me aware of DA's compression when posting. I'm trying to get to a point where I can sell some non-Trek original art, so I've been experimenting with making my images larger. I spent more time trying to get this to post to DA without it looking like shit than I did working on the image! Ultimately, keeping it around ltr size at 72 res kept it true to life. I'd been wondering why the Compelling (and another non-Trek cover I posted there) looked off.

    I've been wondering just how these alternate Enterprises fall in regards to selling images with them. I generally think of it as off limits, but often see Trek images on shirts and so on that I always wonder how they're getting away with it.

    That's exactly what they are inspired by! I'm surprised no one has commented on it before now to be honest. The Mach 5 is one of my all time favorite fictional vehicles. Initially I was going to have the same light shape, but on top of the engine, but felt like it looked too much like the Ent-E, a ship I have zero love for.

    :beer:
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2019
  12. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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  13. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    Well I got the promotion, but have been working ten hour days with no days off. I managed to snag the Ultraman blu ray and managed to watch a few eps in what spare time I've had. I've been listening to Space Patrol when I go to bed, and wanted to do some Trek 1955 images, but I really love the Japan Trek ships and ended up modifying the fighter craft to something more to my liking. Hopefully it looks more model like. Managed to kick out a quick image.....

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2019
  14. Santaman

    Santaman Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Looks really good, the fighter designs are really oldstyle SF, the ship of course also has that really nice retro SF style. :mallory:
     
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  15. Professor Moriarty

    Professor Moriarty Rice Admiral Premium Member

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  16. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I can imagine that as those models speed towards the camera, one or two of them might "dip" just a fraction for a moment or two as seen many tokusatsu type productions.
     
  17. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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  18. AllisonR

    AllisonR Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

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    I love the colors, shapes, and retro feel of all of these, but the Japanipris and the giant weapon ship are my favorites. I had no idea anyone was combining styles and eras like this, but it makes sense. Keep it up!
     
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  19. The Lensman

    The Lensman Commodore Commodore

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    Thanks! The fighter design is *heavily* based on the Jet VTOL from the original Ultraman show. When i was a kid, that craft was super sleek and the vtol with the flames was fucking awesome. Now, it's not as sleek as i remember, but it's still cool. I'm still tweaking the fighter because I'm still not happy with the cockpit. If I can find some free time, I'll probably tweak it more. Though I'm wondering if on some level I'm not just trying to recreate the Jet VTOL as close as I can. :lol:

    Fun Fact: Those side missiles on my fighters are photon torpedoes. :bolian:

    Thanks for the kind words Allison! Yeah, the Japaniprise is probably my fave of all the rocketprise ships. Initially it was just a variation of the Ruskieprise (Gagarin), but it's certainly come into it's own. I'd like to add to the Doomsday Machine at some point and do some more images.

    Probably because I've picked up the Ultraman set, and because that show was something seen in my youngest years and really made a mark on me, I imagine the Science Patrol gang as the crew of the Japaniprise.
     
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  20. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    The multi layered saucer is appreciated. I think FX artists never did enough of that.