HOME | DD
overseer — Colonization Complete
Published: 2012-09-25 06:15:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 28702; Favourites: 509; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
Having completed colonization efforts on a class M planet, a fleet of Starfleet vessels is leaving the system, to return to the nearest starbase.Not any particular reason why I chose these ships, just that they're some of my more favorite classes. And well, you do need an escort like a Defiant class in any case.
If anyone's wondering; the registry number on the Galaxy class belongs to the U.S.S. Venture which made appearances in a few of DS9's Dominion battle episodes, but as far as I know is still in service. So, why not?
COMPOSITION: Starfield was rendered, the remaining background elements were composited/digitally painted from scratch in Photoshop by me. The setup of the ships with lighting rig and subsequent render was done in Lightwave. I've also retextured Prologic9's Galaxy class in the process for more details. The remaining post work was done in PS.
MESHES: Galaxy class by Prologic9 (retextured my me), Defiant class by Skye Dodds, Danube class Runabouts by Thomas Slanitz & Raven class by Nick Bacon (LW conversion by Infinityloop).
My artworks are not endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise. The Star Trek trademarks, logos, and related names are owned by CBS Studios Inc., and are used under "fair use" guidelines.
ORIGINAL SIZE: 3200x1320, 125 layers.
Comments and critique welcome.
Thank you to *TreeClimber for her usual valuable suggestions during WIP!
Related content
Comments: 102
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this. Very much appreciated!
To respond to a couple of your statements; the composition in its basic format was planned like that, or rather I had a clear image of what I wanted to achieve in my mind. Originally it was only one planet and no moon, but I wanted more details. Also, the Defiant class I added in during the intial setup. It was fitting and would have looked too empty otherwise.
I also agree with your 'nitpick' about originality. This is definitely not a new idea; actually it's pretty obvious that when you combine 'shiny' with 'planets' and 'Star Trek' you have a winner, but... I had to get it out of my system. I just get tired of the obvious battle scenrarios (although I'm working on one right now), so something peaceful that conveys exploration and beauty was required!
Indirectly I also wanted to show off some of my more favorite ship classes in one image. I love the Runabout design and the Raven. And well, the Galaxy class goes without saying.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Glad to be of service.
I'd say that that bout of inspiration was a good impulse to follow. Especially the moon that's partially eclipsed by the Galaxy (the one I mentioned in the critique. The pinkish-purple was a good choice.
My nitpick was a pretty small one because of that. It's an obvious formula, and it works. There's also only so many ways to do something. I'm a space artist myself, and we can easily, and often, fall prey to that particular nit. 
I can empathize a lot with the desire to show off your favorites.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Well, at the end of the day, you're definitely right. If you're doing a picture based on a certain theme, you're restricted by what you can do. There are only so many angles after all!
The only way to make it interesting is to add more detail. That's where the fun is for me. It's all a learning process.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I'm always surprised how people can make such beatiful pictures, play with all those colors, make such awesome detail. I especially like the moon, the change of colors, one going to another. Ship designs are pretty much purrfect. Though i'm not sure if during drawing the shuttles there was some laziness,because of shadows hiding all of them. Especially considering how the Enterprise-class ship is visible from this angle and shuttles aren't. And while the closest planet is quite nice, i think it would need a little more focus. It just lacks marvelous details the rest of the picture has. In the end, it's a very nice picture and i'm glad i saw it. Keep up the great work.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you for taking the time to write the critique.
To respond to some of your points; The background is a digital drawing/painting, the ships are 3D renders and both parts were composited together in post production.
The lighting mainly comes from two light sources. One provides the main 'sun' light, which creates the light and shadows. The other provides a low, diffused light that would reflect back from the planet.
So, nothing was left out, not completed, the light/shadow you would see is realistic. There would be no light coming from the left of the image at all, that part of the planet would be in the 'night zone'. In space there are strong shadows. The reason the Galaxy class is a little lighter is due to it being at a different angle than the shuttles, so part of the sun light is bleeding onto the underside, and furthermore, some light is also reflecting off the Defiant class onto its hull, since the ships are in close formation.
As for the foreground planets; sure, there can always be more details, however, this is suppose to be a newly colonized world and different planets look differently. In addition clouds cover up details (realism) and atmospheric glows also diffuse and blur things. I try to keep things as realistic as possible within the realm of 'artistic freedom'.
Thank you again though for writing your critique and making all those points!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks for the explanations. I accept your arguments
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Never ceasing to amaze, overseer delivers another brilliant render. It is a simple one, but sometimes that's all what's needed to achieve perfection. It has all of the aspects that are frequently missing from other multi-ship shots we see - constant quality.
Brilliant lighting is a big part of that, because all of the ships and planets are lit up perfectly in regards to the light sources - not only the sun, but also the blue planet.
Galaxy class casting lights onto its own surface is also a nice touch.
This work probably has the best background that I have ever seen - it's sharp and actually feels like a real alien world without being too forced.
Normally I would complain about lack of bloom, light streaks or other camera vfx but here they would not change anything - this image is perfect as it is.
Brilliant work overall, from which many should take inspiration and advice !
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this critique.
The amount of little things I kept changing during the creation process and the sheer amount of re-renders to check and check again the overall lighting, is alomst obscene. I guess though overall it works!
I just translate what I see in nature into my images. To me that just seems natural. As for the background, the planet to the left started as a 10,000x10,000 pixel digital painting with tons of layers and textures. One of the biggest I've done so far. Was going to render the planets, too, originally, but my system couldn't handle that, so I resorted to a digitally painted/composited background instead. I figure if they can use matte paintings as backdrops in TV shows and movies, why not?
Thanks again though! It means a lot coming from a talented artist such as yourself!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Thank you! Yes, definitely one of the most elegant, and graceful starships ever to be seen in science-fiction!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The Venture is still in service and has the upper dorsal phaser turrets on her nacelles
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The info I had when I made this, stated that it had been destroyed. Evidently that changed since. And yes, but you wouldn't see them from this angle (so I didn't bother with them), and it seems the CGI models never had them added, only the physical model (based on the Enterprise-D) did. Thanks though, and for the info!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I like how you kinda/sorta duplicated the Final Scene From Star Trek Generations but with different ships, also if you plan on remaking this you'll need to remap the Venture's Ventral Saucer because her name was shown underneath the Registry number, something that was carried over to other galaxy classes like the "VOY: Timeless" USS Challenger
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks. Actually "Generations" wasn't part of it while I was creating that. I was painting the background and just though of an arrangement that would fit the scale; but, I guess, it works, too! As for the registry numbers, I used some references, but I don't actually have to remap the ship. I can add the name via Photoshop easily. Thank you for pointing it out.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I recognize a Galaxy class and a Defiant class, but what are the others?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
The ship at the bottom right (from viewer's point) is a Raven-class vessel. You were able to see it in a couple of Seven of Nine related STVOY episodes. The two shuttles are Danube-class Runabouts which were frequently shown in STDS9. The Runabouts are one of my most favorite ship designs ever; a versatile, multipurpose warp shuttle!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hmm, that enplanes why I didn't recognize them, I've only seen the last season on "Voyager" and I haven't seen any episodes of "Deep Space 9" at all.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I really do recommend DS9. A lot people had mixed feelings, but I really like it. Plus it features Colm Meany as O'Brien on a permanent basis and Worf returns later in the show, too!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Cool. I might check it out.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
* ¡Fantástico trabajo! Lo hemos destacado dentro de la carpeta "Featured nº 4 o Destacados nº 4" en Special-Groups. (Es la carpeta donde se exhiben los mejores trabajos del grupo).
* Fantastic work! Featured in Special-Groups in folder Featured nº 4. (Best works of the group).
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you once again for the feature! Gracias!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Just started rewatching DS9 a few months ago with a friend who hasn't seen it before and am at the seventh episode of season 3...your pics make me went to get to the last 3 seasons really quick...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ha, awesome. Nice to see that some of the shows are still new to people. Definitely a treat then! You'll get there soon enough, "Victory is life!"
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Your work and talent just keeps amazing me! If I didn't find you two years ago from your talent, this one would have caught my eye!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
WOW! I love every inch of this pic, great job
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much.
And... no problem at all, however; Galaxy class ships have been used for colonization efforts which was also mentioned in the show on several occasions. You are right of course, there are vessels specifically designed to carry colonists, but other ships are being used for supply roles (e.g. the Enterprise-D dropped Runabouts off at DS9) and if you look at TNG's season 1, in the episode "Justice", it is mentioned that the Enterprise-D just completed colonization efforts, causing some grievance towards the Edo's "god". There are other examples, but this one just came to mind...
As for an escort vessel, it goes without saying why that is needed. 
Either way, I rarely conjure up a back story about my pieces, so anything's possible. Thank you again though for the comment! I appreciate it.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
lol, you are absolutely right, please continue your great work
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great piece, wish it came in a higher rezzie! The Venture...was she one the Galaxy Class shoving those Galor Cardi ships outta the way in the opening battle of "Sacrifice the Angels"? The best backgrounds are hand made, I used to plop stuff in too but making/modifying it yourself adds that extra level of self-satisfaction. My main critique of most 3d scifi stuff is the lack of competent starfield/planets in their backgrounds, but you nailed it here.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much.
Yes, the Venture was one of the Galaxy class starships involved in the Dominion wars and I believe also in that particular battle. In fact, I'm currently working on a piece based on that (or the previous) episode.
And I agree with you on your points. However, it all depends on how, well.. obsessive you are. I would consider myself pretty detail obsessed, even if that can sometimes mean that I work a lot longer on a single piece, but hey, that's how it goes.
I rather take my time these days to do something in a way that I'm happy with rather than uploading two pieces a day like some people that could achieve a much better quality if they just spent a little more time on their stuff. But... oh well.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Guess so, focus is a relative thing in this hyper-distraction sensory/content overload age we live in, haha. I'm the same way, a detail fiend, I don't share something unless it's been refined and worked to a great degree, there-in lies the weakness too, lack of output and tendency to tweak add infinitum. It's cool though, I enjoy upping the detail bar & pushing my limits to get better...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Absolutely. I don't have fun unless learning is involved (in whatever way).
I never understand people that post something with the note, "I'm not happy with this, but whatever..." - or along those lines. Fine if you want criticism, but usually those people aren't happy with that either. The only WIP I ever posted was an animation; simply because it takes a long time to composit them together, not because it was graphically subpar to what I wanted.
I'm lucky in that my wife is an artist, too (albeit traditional), but I get good input! It helps. And yes, sometimes you have to force yourself to just leave it; keeping in mind that little, irritating details we artists notice on our pieces, no one else will see. Ever!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
| Next =>