TMP Merchandise

[Christopher]

I didn't know Probert designed the TNG logo. I always sort of assumed it was Mike Okuda, since he was the show's graphic designer.

What I gathered about Probert's ship design was that it was something he did as a speculative alternate approach to the Enterprise -- basically, "If I were given free rein to redesign the ship, what would I do?" I believe that the painting he did, though it was indeed the starting point for the E-D, actually looked more like (and was the basis for) the Ambassador-class E-C.

 

[arch101]

[QUOTE
What I gathered about Probert's ship design was that it was something he did as a speculative alternate approach to the Enterprise -- basically, "If I were given free rein to redesign the ship, what would I do?" I believe that the painting he did, though it was indeed the starting point for the E-D, actually looked more like (and was the basis for) the Ambassador-class E-C.[/QUOTE]

I will have to check but I thought that Mr. Probert's "free reign" exercise was done immediately after his TMP work. Hmmm
BTW, I just read Ex Machina AGAIN. What a great work. If TPTB would only hire you to write a whole series of post-TMP novels, I'd be a happy camper.

 

[Gorn Captain]

TMP Bridge by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

My Dad was 50 when I was born and didnt really understand my toy or sports faves as a kid.

I wanted a Kansas City Royals satin jacket for Christmas in 1985 and he got me a purple Kansas State jacket.

I liked Star Wars rather than Star Trek when I was six, and guess what I got for Christmas instead of the Death Star playset? This.

Now, 30 years later, I REALLY want one of these, and can't find one. I keep checking eBay but all I find are TOS And TNG sets. Where can I get one? Maybe at a convention?

 

[Therin of Andor]

TMP Bridge by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Mine came from eBay (about 2001), and several more in the months after I secured mine, so keep looking!

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I didn't know Probert designed the TNG logo. I always sort of assumed it was Mike Okuda, since he was the show's graphic designer.

What I gathered about Probert's ship design was that it was something he did as a speculative alternate approach to the Enterprise -- basically, "If I were given free rein to redesign the ship, what would I do?" I believe that the painting he did, though it was indeed the starting point for the E-D, actually looked more like (and was the basis for) the Ambassador-class E-C.

The speculative Enterprise was done by Probert after TMP had finished.

NEW IDEA

This 8" x 5.6" sketch was made in one of those "what if" moments, shortly after I'd finished working on
"Star Trek: the Motion Picture" back in 1979.

Having warp engines above the saucer always bothered me and I thought it made more sense
to lower them closer to the ship's center of mass. And, while I was at it, I thought, along with
the saucer's wide horizontal profile, the other main elements should also be wide and horizontal.
So I sat down and said,... "what if..I could design this ship the way I thought it should look"?
And this was the result

Source with picture.

The "early Enterprise-D" painting that appeared in the beginning of the Art of Star Trek coffee table book wasn't an early E-D design — i.e. it had an inaccurate caption.

It had always been intended to be the Ambassador Class.

Probert was offering the producers another option that wouldn't have them reusing the Excelsior model as the Hood.

The painting would've been matted into an orbital shot with the Enterprise.

 

[Christopher]

^Okay, thanks for clearing that up. I wasn't entirely sure myself.

Actually, I'm pretty sure the first time I saw that proto-Ambassador painting misidentified at Probert's post-TMP stab at an Enterprise redesign was in an issue of Star Trek Communicator or its predecessor, Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine. So if it's attributed as such in Art of ST as well, that book would've been repeating the error, not originating it.