I've been trying to summon the energy to really dig into a new technical style drawng technique I'm trying to develop. I was inspired by all the conversation about the ships from Armada 2 a month or so ago and decided to try something with my fav of the two we talked about.
The finished drawing will be done in Verithin colored pencils on Bristol Board. It will feature lots of contruction lines and semi transparent areas... what you see above is just the layout drawing. I just took all the various elements I wanted to include, scanned them in, and arranged them in photoshop.
The rectangle next to the rank insignia is going to be a front view of a Bolian officer in an FC style uniform... I just haven't scanned it in yet.
The style is similar to the work of C. Bruce Morser. He did the cutaway posters that came with the ERTL Ent D and Ent A model kits. If I'm successful with this style, my next effort will be the Steamrunner Class (that's right Lee...the Steamrunner, baby!)
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
I didn't say a word!
But this new effort is very nice, I really like your style. Reminds me in some way of one of the artists who did a lot of work for 2000AD back in the 80's. . . Probably on something like The V.C.'s, Judge Dredd or maybe Rogue Trooper. Can't remember the name, it'll come to me eventually. Like Cam Kennedy, only better.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Very VERY nice Aban. I have a glossy, embossed E-A cut away by that Artist... I'm assuming it's the same person - it is like how you've done your pic, with sketchs of different areas, the captain etc. etc.
I like that ship too... but is the deflector/dish/array too big!?! What about an E-E type dish... we've never really seen any other ship with a dish like that... unless the Akira and Sabre's dishes look like it (Something else that would make more sense if they were NEW ship designs).
Andrew
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
YES!! It's the same print.. the one I have has "limited Edition 95" embossed into the paper. Man, I love those drawings. If you look really closely at the cutaway of D-Deck, you can even see a little naked guy in the shower... it's hilarious.
Anyway... the deflector dish comes straight from screen caps from the game. I've made some small adjustments to the incredibly low res mesh, but I tried to keep the shape of everything pretty close.
*hoping that I can get a job doing some cool starship artwork for the instruction manuel for Armada 3*
Posted by Treknophyle (Member # 509) on :
Double points for style. Too many of us try to look like computers - your style makes one feel 'involved' with the ship.
Posted by akb1979 (Member # 557) on :
WOW! That's awesome work!
So how did you go about making this? I'd like to know as I'm considering either doing some stuff like this myself or commissioning someone to do it (for a non-Trek theme).
Um, one last question: the rank insignia's on the right - why have you only got 4 and what's their significance? Are they the ranks that are held by the senior staff?
Once again, excellent work - keep it up and I look forward to the upcoming updates and future projects.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Got a line art schematic? I thought of building a model in 2500th scale but have not found enough solid references.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Very nice
Posted by Lobo (Member # 669) on :
Excellent Aban, as always!
Lobo
[ October 10, 2002, 09:53: Message edited by: Lobo ]
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Very nice, Alan. I'm wondering, do you just eyeball your perspective drawings with a few vanishing points or do you actually lay out the perspective from schematics? I've done the later for a few ships, but it was so frustrating that I stopped doing perspective drawings.
Is Aegian named after the sea? Should be "Aegean"
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Mmm... Asymetrical bridge design...
Mark
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Wow... good question all. Let's see...
1) It's spelled "Aegian" in every reference I've seen, though I agree that it's probably a mistake.
2) What you see at the link I posted is a Photoshop composite of several individual drawings I did. I used Photoshop to get the design right before laying down the final drawing. I looked on the internet and found as many reference photos of the ship as I could and printed them out. I chose one to use as the main picture, projected it onto the drawing paper, and traced off a rough outline of the ship. The perspective was pretty close already, but I added a VP to keep everything fairly straight. You can see several inaccuracies in the perspective.. but it's all in the ballpark.
3) I then went in a cleaned up the detail, changing quite a few things to make the low res mesh a more interesting and detailed ship. I did the same thing with the forward view. The escape pod (slightly modified) came out of the Encyclopedia. I found a side view of the shuttle on line. And for Commander Patrick, I started with a stunning photo of Catherine Bell from "J.A.G." and altered the details quite a bit. I loves a woman in uniform.
4) The rank insignia: The CO of this ship is a Lt. Commander in rank (I figure this ship is a science / cargo / support vessel of some kind. Therefore, I assume that the officers under her (in a command sense) are Lt's and lower. I'm also assuming that there are alot of enlisted personnel on her crew. So I just showed the rank insignia for Lt., Lt. J.G., Ensign, and Chief Petty officer. The rectangle next to them will eventually be a front view of a Bolian in uniform... the chief engineer.
5) Is that all... ah...the bridge. I started with the Ent D's bridge and made it smaller. This entailed making the doors bigger and doing other things with the alcove for the aux turbo lift and Picrad's ready room entrance. I made it a "Cargo / Shuttle Ops" station. I then stuck the ready room off on the other side. Only one turbo lift for them... but I did give them an emergency egress hatch across the isle from the door to the observation lounge..
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
i believe the ship is a frigate, not a cargo or science vessel, but i have no problem accepting a Lt Com as the "captain". great work, as always.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Update... sort of. I've started work on the final, but there's still alot of white. I thought I would be able to scan it here at work and post it, but the scan came in all washed out. It's not picking up alot of the line work. I'll try to scan a couple of the individual elements when I go home for lunch.
I've got the Starfleet signage ribbon at the top done, as well as the type 10 shuttle craft and the rank insignia. I've also put a bunch of construction lines and fun little things in. The pencils are working pretty well on the Bristol Board. I'll try to get a scan in a few hours.
Posted by Nimpim (Member # 205) on :
It's a frigate? It looks like a cargo hauler. And the saucer, someone thought it too BIG? If anything, it's too small. However, it's nice with the Voy-Sov-Olympic design theme. The nacelle type is ugly but that just goes with the Olympic class.
Maybe it could serve as an armed munitions transport, to the "frontlines" or to outlying deepspace installations in need of more torpedos and shit.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Nim, I think they were referring to the deflector array being too big, not the saucer section. The deflector is a tad large... but I figure there's a reason why it's big. Given that the deflector can do pretty much anything, maybe bigger is better.
I'm having trouble sizing this puppy too. Judging by the windows I saw on the screen caps, I'm thinking it's not all that big of a ship. Maybe 2/3 the size of a Connie.
I got a deck count of 12, but that was after I did my fudging with the details. One good thing about doing a completely unknown ship is that nobody can say I'm wrong Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Ok... did some scanning at lunch. I grabbed the three parts that I have anything done on:
As you can see, the scanning is far from extraordinary. For some reason it's having a hard time picking up the line work. I think all the white around it is confusing it. To much reflection.
The shuttle and the banner look pretty close but don't have the subtlty of the original. On the crewman, the circle that you can barely see around him is clearly visible all the way around on the original piece.
The only other part I have done is the deck chart. If you look on the original mockup, you'll see a front view of the ship with Commander Patrick's face next to it. I drew subtle lines over and behind her head to the right from each deck hieght and labeled the space between the lines with Deck 1, Deck 2, Deck 3, etc. 12 in all.
I'll keep you posted.
[ October 23, 2002, 13:02: Message edited by: Topher ]
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
quote:Originally posted by Nimpim: It's a frigate? It looks like a cargo hauler.
in the game, i believe it was a Frigate.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
As you can see, I figured out how to get a better scan. The white paper was wigging the scanner out, so I cut a rectangle out of a black piece of paper and put the hole over the part I wanted to scan. It cut down on the reflection big time. You can now see the unfisihed drawing bits around the finished parts...
[ October 23, 2002, 13:03: Message edited by: Topher ]
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Weekend Update... I'm closing in on it, but still a ways to go. Today's contribution: The bridge floorplan...
Posted by Lobo (Member # 669) on :
Oh Baby ! Aban you are an damn good artist!
Lobo
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I think I've upped the load time on this page enough, so I'll just post a link this time:
The Front:
I want to do something with the bussard collectors, too... but this is what I got done last night. Next up... the escape pod close-ups on the left...
[ October 23, 2002, 13:04: Message edited by: Topher ]
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Lobo, that's an understatment!
Aban, I really do like how you've taken those type of schematics (as you've mentioned) to do this ship.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Thanks guys. I'm pretty pleased with how it's going too. It'll be kind of a cool contrast in the end... I'll have a lot of little schematicy drawings all 'round, then a fully rendered and colored starship in the middle. I can't wait to get back to it.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Da-da! Older pics linked, newer pics inserted. Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Bless you, Topher
I added some color to the Bussards in that front view as well as some contruction lines and fun little things last night. With a minimum of ego, I've gotta say it looks pretty sharp with that red in there. I'll wait to post anything else until I have a bit more done. I'm working on the lettering at the moment.
Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :
Is your shuttlecraft named Barney?
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
"Carney"
Posted by O Capped In Mic Capped In (Member # 709) on :
like circus people? small hands, smell like cabbage?
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
As in the maiden name of the friend of mine after whom the ship is named. Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Aha... Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
cheeew....
I still hate you Alan, I really do...
I need to see more though, kept it coming...
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Fear not... I'm going to work on her this weekend and will post some updates soon. Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Cool....
Posted by Yamashiro Den (Member # 510) on :
can't wait to see it!
Posted by Bernd (Member # 6) on :
Great artwork! I wish I could do perspective drawings.
The style reminds me of a small Enterprise-D cutaway poster that came with the Ertl kit -- not sure if it's from the same artist mentioned earlier in this thread.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Yup, same thing we were talking about earlier. I got the E-A one that came in an Ertl kit.
Aban, are you going to do a 'picture' of the captain as per (at least) the E-A picture?
Andrew
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Yah... it's the same artist. His name is Bruce Morser. He did limited edition prints for both the E-D and E-A ERTL kits.
Andrew: Yes, I'm going ot have a pic of the captain in here. If you look at the initial mockup in my original post, you'll see where she's going to be. I think you can even catch o glimpse of her hair in the front view of the ship I posted. I started on her face this weekend... got her eyes done, but didn't have a chance to scan anything...
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
OK... smaller piccies this time:
The CO (still alot of work to do on her...):
The finished front view:
The only other thing I really got a chance to do this weekend was the lettering at the bottom... but it's not really anything to see just yet.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
The pics are a little bigger, so I'm linking instead of embedding. Sorry. Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Nice!
Maybe you could make your CO an alien - like one of those aliens that just have a little bit of make-up/prosthetic around the eyes/nose/mouth something. What was Aquiel Uhnari's race? Then you could draw a cool refreshing glass of muskin-seed punch! Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Mmmm.... Aquiel Unari.... now she was hot. Isn't that actress on a soap opera now? I'd have to go back and take a look at the makeup to see if I could change her... I don't think there was that much... a couple of holes above her eyebrows, IIRC.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
This was the first head shot I found after doing some searching. It's not very big...
Hmmmm... the bumps are right where I've built up some color already... also... there's hair covering one brow. There's no way I'd be able to change it that much. The colored pencil doesn't erase that easily.
I guess she going to have to stay Human. But that's ok... Human women are nice... Posted by Solommagnus de Pym (Member # 239) on :
The eyes on the CO are magnificent.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Very nice....
Posted by Ravenstar Studios (Member # 917) on :
Aban Rune, hi I just went through your site and I must say your work is top of the line. Has a great feel and a air of unique personality. Keep up the great work.
I'm guessing his website is called Ravenstar Studios. Just a hunch. 8)
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Thanks Ravenstar... nice modeling work.
No real updates today... I started outlining the main ship pic and worked on Commander Patrick's hair a bit.
Posted by Ravenstar Studios (Member # 917) on :
yep thats the web site Vogon. it's been a long while since I've posted and for got about the auto signature. .... Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
"A long while?" You only registered sometime in the past twelve days!
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Unless he is a changed person.... Showing up as a different identity than the one he once used...
But, then again, no one would do that, would they VP???
Posted by Ravenstar Studios (Member # 917) on :
I was under Ravenstar , but I lost a HD and forgot the password , so I just registered again. I had been a lurker for a long time and made a few post before , but I do enjoy reading everyones posts. so I guess I'm a old newbe or something like that..
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Dat's ok about Aquiel race. She was hot though!
Hey the captain's fine - I was just looking at it - without the hair colour - she could be half-human/half-andorian!
Andrew
P.S. - How do I see your updated stuff - go to your website - or are you saying you - yourself have just updated the picture.
Andrew
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Yah... I've just done more work on the picture.... I haven't posted anything else. I don't want to bog the thread down with pics of every little change I'll post something again when I get some good work done on it.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
At long last... an update.
I finally got a chance to do some more work on this drawing over the weekend. Got the rest of the main ship pic outlined, and I did the impulse engine, the Bussards, and the RCS thrusters. The "glow" quality of the impulse engines and the collectors is a little stronger on the original than I got with the scanner, and will be evn more so when I get the reflected light put on the hull.
Next step... the hull panelling... this should be fun considering I have to make it all up first. The mesh from the game obviously didn't have any...
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Gngngngngngngngngngngngnnn. . . That's lovely. 8)
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Bewdiful!!
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Yow! Verra nice! Posted by Proteus (Member # 212) on :
This is a Armada 2 ship isnt it? spacial Shield enhancement technology
Posted by Capt_Spencer (Member # 312) on :
That game, as well as now ported over to Bridge Commander (which is better than you lot generally seemed to think of it). It could use a texture overhaul, and I'd have been willing to do it, too. Only, they were encoded as 3DS NIF files. *grr*
I'd post a pic of her in-game, but... =P
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Yes, she's an Armada 2 ship. I don't have the game, but, yes, I seem to recall that her special ability is Shield Enhancement. I don't know where the equipment is housed that supposedly does this, nor do I know what it looks like. And since it's not anything we have ever heard of before on the show, Ill just assume it's a function of the slightly larger than normal deflector dish Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Or you could write it off as one of the outrageous capabilities that was wedged into the game to make the whole thing more appealing to the uneducated masses who don't really know anything about Treknology.
I don't recall many of the specifics anymore, but I remember when the first version of "Armada" came out, I was appalled at how they depicted some of the combat strategies, at least on the websites. (I've never played the game, though.) I understand they wanted to diversify things a little bit for "more interesting gameplay," but I still think there could be some other way to make things fun without trampling over canon.
Ah, well. Since "Armada" was marketed for the masses more than any other game, IMO, I guess it's okay to make a few compromises. It's a business, after all -- for better or worse.
Posted by seanr (Member # 277) on :
HOLY SHIT!!!! Dude, that ROCKS!!!!
You should do a cutaway one of an original ship (maybe a smaller movie era one or something). Only one question, though - why is your captain only a lieutenant commander?
BTW, I really like that bridge design. You mind if I take a shot at modeling it? If you could draw an isometric view of it (just a quick sketch) so I can see how you wanted the walls and that tactical console to look, it'd really help alot.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
*bathes in the glory of Sean's praise*
I'm not touching the cutaway scene, man. My perspective drawing skillz aren't near good enough to do that. I'd give myself an anuerism trying to make everything line up... I think for now I'll stick with near-correct exterior shots and schematics
I don't really have any updates to share, either... I've been loaded with actual paying work lately and haven't had a chance to work on her. I'm still trying to work out the hull paneling for the main shot of the ship exterior.
I'll try and whip you up a sketch of the bridge. Actually... I need to go back and look at the bridge drawing to try and remember what I had in mind... Stupid, work-riddled brain...
Oh, and the CO is a Lt.Commander because I figure smaller ships on routine duties like cargo transport are probably skippered by lower ranking officers. We don't have alot of canon to back this up, but there has been a precedent (as in the case of Dax commanding the Defiant for several combat stints), plus the USN does it... so I figure it's possible.
Posted by seanr (Member # 277) on :
Makes sense to me. Looking forward to seeing that bridge drawing...
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Ok... I'm trying to work on the hull plating for the Aegian... can anyone direct me to any good pictures that show some detail of the hull plating on the Sovvie? I'm assuming they'll be similar since the designs are clearly similar...
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
By "detail," do you mean the general patterning or the little differently-colored bits on the actual plating?
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
The little differently colored bits.
The closest thing I can think of is the aztecing on the Ent A or the patterns on the Ent D.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
You're just doing that to make me build another model! Curse you! Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Well... no... not really. With the picture being that big, it's going to need some detail there or it will look quite empty. But feel free to build another if you like. The first one was sweet.
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
Aban, I'll have shots for you by 1600 EST today.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Hey, sweet! I've found a couple of examples, but i'll wait to do anything until I see what you've got!
Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :
The Encyclopedia top view has the colors & general lines as well, & if you look over on Starship Modeler, I know that someone puts out decals with all the paneling & ish.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Thanks, man. Those wil help alot.
I've still not got that sketch done of the bridge, Sean. But I haven't forgotten. It will be coming soon...
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Update: Hull Paneling
I'm not done with the whole ship yet, and after the hull paneling is done, I need to go over it with a local color. But having the various hull shades down already will look really sahrp when I start laying local colors over everything.
The paneling starts fading as you go aft of the nacelle. It also fades gradually on the starboard side of the saucer. I don't want to compete too much with the bridge diagram.
Posted by Endeavour3d (Member # 901) on :
sorry if this topic is old, but I just cannot allow just magnificance to be forgotten. You should send that pic to Rick Knox(Pneumonic81) when you are done, he would love it.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
It' not old... people are just tired of me posting a new pic everytime I make a new line
Actually, when it's finally done, I'm going to send it to the makers of Star Trek: Armada and see if I can talk them into letting me illustrate the instruction manual for Armada 3 (assuming there's going to be one).
Wishful thinking? Yes. Quite. But I should do *something* with it... right?
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
No, I'm not going to say a word, I promised. 8(
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Lee.. i'd be done with this AND your Steammie drawing if I wasn't uber busy with webstuff. This technique really goes pretty quick. But I only end up with, like, an hour at a time to work on it.
Don't worry...I'm sure Armada 3 will have the steamrunner in it:) If I get the gig, you can have the drawing Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
But I didn't say anything! Did I? Back me up, someone! 8)
Posted by aneurysm (Member # 906) on :
the steamrunner was in armada 1 and 2 so i think that it will be definately making an appearence unless the setting is changed, ie to tmp era.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Alright.... We're in the home stretch... I only have a couple more things to do and then she's done. Most notably, I have to add some highlights with white paint. It won't take long.
The upload doesn't seem to be working... so I'll have ot link to them:
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
That's awesome work!![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
