Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/987074
38 • THE ARTISAN SPRING 2018 Imperative" for each and every design element of each and every character. Nothing was to be done without reason, it needed a "why." In the concept stage, Neville Page measured every delicate stroke of his digital pen against the "reality" of the anatomical feature. Every piece of art that he rendered was laden with masterful intent and thoughtful purpose. We came to the Star Trek world with a twofold objective: evolve the existing designs and the techniques used to bring them to life while also being hyper-vigilant in our approach to established canon. Throughout the many years and varied iterations of the core species that inhabit this universe, this was always the common thread. Respect for that which came before. Neville worked up hundreds of designs and variations for the many characters we would be dealing with in season one. But that was not all… It was decided early on that we would take the approved designs and utilize 3D printing techniques to implement those complex details that would enable us to repeat the fidelity without starting from scratch each time. This was specifically urgent in dealing with the Klingons. The level of detail we wanted to create would be nearly impossible to sculpt repeat- edly, and we wanted to prove out a set of processes that Neville and I had been working on for some time, which would blend cutting-edge technology seamlessly into upgraded traditional techniques. Alchemy. Once we had a group of our main Klingons approved and the lifecasts done up, we scanned the casts as a base form. Neville then digitally created seven different versions of the "ridges" that define the Klingon brow, crest and skull. Also rendered were seven different versions of the neck/throat/sternomastoid area and the same was done for the back of the neck. Once completed, they were individually printed out in full scale, molded and cast in clay. This allowed for Mike O'Brien and his sculpting department to engage a modular approach to each unique character set. There were more than 20 lead/hero Klingons and each was visually distinct. Further, the female and male of the species have a very fun- damental difference in the primary forms of their cranial ridge shape. The sculptors each took on several characters, employ- ing parts of the detail-heavy clay forms to truncate their process while still allowing themselves full creative range in defining all of the facial/head characteristics through second- ary and tertiary form decisions. The results were stunning. In just a few weeks, each character was very much his or her own person but displayed a level of fidelity that would have taken months to achieve. We relied on these techniques, in varying forms to one extent or another, on all facets of the show. Much of the integrated biomech Klingon armor & helmets were molds directly from the print, or some pieces (like the LEAL unit on our bridge specialist) were assembled and painted prints that became part of the piece. On all of the other species, we worked from 1/2 scale or 1/3 scale prints of the finalized designs so that the