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August Challenge: Original and Iconic!

Albertese

Commodore
Commodore
For the August TrekBBS Art Challenge, let's design something original and iconic.

By this I mean that you can not use ANY preexisting design from anywhere in the franchise, but must instead create something new and different that draws upon the familiar motifs from the show.

So you can't use any actual costume designs or ship parts or iconography (including the Starfleet Delta). Say you decide to design a new ship, it can not utilize any "cut-n-paste" elements from an existing ship (so if Franz Joseph was entering, he couldn't use any of his Tech Manual ships as they all contain bits from Jefferies' Enterprise design. Get it? Good.)

Whatever you make has to look like it would fit comfortably alongside what we're already familiar with. (So, imagine this is 1995 and John Eaves is entering the contest. He could enter what we now know as the E-E as it does not use any pre-existing parts, yet clearly fits the Star Trek motif.)

I hope I've explained this clearly.

And no cheating with labels that say "Star Trek" or whatever. In fact, let's just say that there should be no discernible writing anywhere in the final image.

So your challenge should you accept it is to design something that:

1) is wholly original, using no pre-existing elements.
2) clearly fits within the Star Trek esthetic we all are familiar with
3) has no text component

It occurs to me that if this does end up being a two month challenge as has been done lately, that September is the 50th. So I felt it would be appropriate to try to flex our most creative muscles like Roddenberry, Jefferies, Thiess, Chang, et al did back in those halcyon days of yore.

GOOD LUCK

--Alex
 
Erm... I'm confused. The E-E used a LOT of pre-existing things: the deflector, the nacelles, heck even the blue warp glow is there. This would mean that I could basically take any design I've got in my backburner, yet unpublished, and submit it, right?
I'm sure this is not what you meant, but... I'm not really following :(
 
^fHe probably meant the exact design of those things. You are overthinking this. He did mention the "cut and paste" thing.
 
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Exactly, Borgman, The E-E has a deflector dish and warp engines, et cetera, but each component is completely original in form. Nothing was just taken from an earlier design. It has red bussard collectors, but they're not domes. It has a deflector dish, but it lights up orange, not blue. And so on.

So many fan designs go the Franz Joseph direction of nabbing existing elements and reconfiguring them. Not that this is without official precedent (Reliant, Nebula, et al) but I want to see some really new stuff.

This is also why I did not rule out color. Color can be a great nod to familiar motif. But you don't have to be bound by old colors if you want to go a different way.

--Alex
 
i might actually enter this one but depends as its been really hot humid and busy lately for me :(
 
Wouldn't a uniform design contain the Starfleet Delta? I'm at a loss on the forbidding the use of iconography that is traditional to Star Trek. The Delta, the UFP Logo, Font, Starship Pennants and striping, Division Colors, etc..
 
It would seem that if the rules forbid the iconography, the conceptual design is not intended to be In-Universe.
 
I think I get it. I believe he wants the art to stand on its own, and yet still be recognizable as part of the Trek-verse. For example, the Planet of the Titans concept sketch by Ken Adams doesn't have any logos or text anywhere, yet we still recognize it as fitting the Trek style.

If you're doing a uniform, you could do like they (sometimes) did in TOS and create a different badge for a different ship.
 
I think I get it. I believe he wants the art to stand on its own, and yet still be recognizable as part of the Trek-verse. For example, the Planet of the Titans concept sketch by Ken Adams doesn't have any logos or text anywhere, yet we still recognize it as fitting the Trek style.

If you're doing a uniform, you could do like they (sometimes) did in TOS and create a different badge for a different ship.


This is the point exactly.

--Alex
 
Yeah, are we gonna wrap it up next week or will it spill into September?
 
I vote for September, as I do actually have an idea but haven't had time to start it yet.

Plus so far, I think there's only been two entry threads, so...

--Alex
 
Well, I think its a great idea, but I'm with psCargile...I am pretty sure every one of my ships fit your criteria in one way or another (or every way, depending on your "gauge" lol). Nevertheless, I love and support the idea. I'd love to see what you crazy little maniacs come up with :)
btw sorry for the late reply on this.
Here's some inspiration,
Revolution-Class:
28at3cm.jpg

Direct Link:
http://i65.tinypic.com/28at3cm.jpg
 
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Well, I think its a great idea, but I'm with psCargile...I am pretty sure every one of my ships fit your criteria in one way or another (or every way, depending on your "gauge" lol). Nevertheless, I love and support the idea. I'd love to see what you crazy little maniacs come up with :)
btw sorry for the late reply on this.


Atolm, I was thinking your stuff would be a good fit. You should enter something!

--Alex
 
I already sent it to Ptrope. Is this going to be wrapped up soon. Can't believe it's October.

It feels like a morning during a New England summer down here :lol:
 
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