Here is the artwork from an episode called Extinction. It was an interesting script, and the story called for quite a few concepts from ships to some massive architectural landscapes. First thing asked for was a Xindi probe that went through three fairly significant renderings, from huge and winged to a final simple faceted cylinder. Next came a host of Vulcan shuttles and a final alien spacecraft that is pretty darned goofy looking! I don’t know what I was thinking, but I did one sketch that I hated, and it got the green light. So in hindsight, never turn in a drawing of something you hate because it will be the one that gets picked!!!! HAAA! and BLAHHHHH! The best part of the show was working on the cave of ruins & ancient temples. This went through a couple of changes, and each one made for a more grand version. These sketches were a lot of fun to render out and the final drawing has been a key portfolio piece that has landed me a couple of fun jobs outside of the Star Trek and Sci FI world. Valkyrie was one of them!!! So with that, sit on back and look at the dumbest space craft ever, followed by some of Pierre’s fab modeling!!!
a variety of Vulcan shuttles, I believe these got written out but used later and as other alien vessels instead of being Vulcan.
the winged Xindi tube...reject #1
scaled back a bit more
pulled back to a cylinder with flaired air brakes was the approved final and was the best version aesthetically in how the final shape came out to be.
UHHHHGGGGG!!! as in ugly, by far my least favorite of anything I have ever drawn. based on a hatchet in a tool pouch it goes to show that not all shapes can inspire a spacecraft idea. HAAAA this one is embarrassing!!!
temple concept #1...make it grander!!!
temple concept #2...make it grander!!!!
yaaaah this one got approved!!!
and splashed with a bit of marker color
pooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!
did I mention that I think this ship is ugly!!!
Even Pierre's brilliant modeling couldn't stop the fairies with ugly sticks from beating the tar out of this one! HAAAA!
Some screenshots:
Eavesdropping with Johnny 
Haha I don’t think it’s ugly. I kinda like the engine arrangement, and it reminds me of some fan gorn designs.
I love the drawing that still shows the ink, but then again I love nearly all your drawings 😀
By the way, I was wondering wether you have photos or anything at all from back when you worked on Spaceballs?
These are beautiful John – thank you for posting them. I agree with Malek,I have always liked that particular ship design. I have a fondness for ships with these “hammerhead” type layouts.
Have a great day!
Call me tasteless, but I love the design of this ship! Sadly, the small shuttles didn’t make it into the final episode (though they are still present on the renders above). In the episode, there are just four oval indentations on the hull of the ship.
I can see how you tried to modify the 31st century time travel pod from “Future tense” as much as possible to turn it into the Xindi Arboreal landing craft, I guess money ruled out all the more extensive modifcations of the life-sized prop and resulted in the sole addition of three small nacelles to the ship.
And Urquat – simply stunning! I love the statues that are seen in several places in the city.
Those temple concepts are really nice, but I think the marker comp needs to be grander.
ha ha
The color version of the temple is just awesome. The shaft of lights coming down is a real nice touch. I don’t think the “hatchet” ship is ugly at all. The 3/4 views show some interesting elements, and the cg turned out great. I guess there is an advantage to building something in 3d, because once it’s built you can spin it around until you find the really cool viewing angles and perspectives.
You might think that ship is ugly but I think it looks pretty damn cool.
John, it seems the concensus (including myself) think that ship design is far from ugly – actually pretty darn great. That would indicate that Jörg would not be the tasteless one. Dare I suggest it would be *ahem* you on this one? No I didn’t think I should dare, seeing how you have more creative talent in your proverbial pinky than I have in my entire being!! 😀
I definitely like the unusual design and, while I don’t call it pretty, it is very fun to check out from all angles. That tiny front view looks cool!! I like the look of the shuttle pods in their slightly recessed bays, too. That little A design in the first pic made it to the final Pierre render. 🙂
Beautiful color temple scene!!
I just had to see those little extra views of this ship up close, thus reminding me to add the clickability…the colored drawing is even more eye candy worthy now!
Archer, Hoshi and Malcolm turned into aliens. Always a fun episode. 😀
I like your group of Vulcan shuttles, those are cool. And so are your concepts for the Xindi thing, especially the first 2. The city is friggin’ awesome, great work on that. All in all, that’s a great episode with some really great concept and CGI artwork. 😀
Er, how to put this?
https://johneaves.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/55-83.jpg?w=655&h=383
I checked with my wife, and she agrees. This ships looks a bit rude. 8)
perhaps there is a hidden symbolism going on here!
Isn’t this the episode that LeVar Burton was “ashamed” of, or something? Presumably because it was a little similar to Identity Crisis. Maybe my supposition or the info is wrong or slightly off. But that really bugged me when I heard that. Seems to me an unfairly harsh reaction to it. If he was ashamed, he should have declined to direct it. But, again my info might be all wrong about this.
Apparently Mr. Burton was not wild about the script. Certainly he shouldn’t be ashamed of his directorial efforts on the episode; I thought that aspect turned out quite well.
I’m going to echo some of the sentiments that John is too hard on himself about the containment ship design from the episode. It has some interesting curves, a neat hull pattern, and a degree of vertical orientation that is unusual in Star Trek. I rather wished we saw more of it in the episode; by Delphic Expanse standards, those aliens were almost friendly 😉
I hadn’t heard of this!!! Levar was always a great treat to work with and he always remembered every bodies name,,,, Great talent both in front of and behind the camera!!!
Even though the Episode was a remake of the TNG ep. It was a good ep. (Yes Even TNG did remakes of TOS episodes. The Naked Now anyone.)
As for the Xindi ship, wasn’t that a reuse of the time ship thing form season 2. the Ship the Sulaban and the Tholians where after?
I am love version B of the vulcan shuttles, really cool.
BTW John I have sent you a PM over on SFM.
it was and this was a show where budget was a big factor so a rehash of the tube was a big money saver.
Huh? Looks great – why so hard on yourself? BTW – totally off topic, what is it with Star Trek and cave scenes?
Great cavern pic though 🙂
HAAAA just having fun, but I do hate this ship!!!!! Star trek filmed in caves because it was a cost effective environment,,, location shooting as majorly $$$$$$ expensive and if you have to drop in a CG or matted background it is the same,$$$$$$$ so a cave is the best, cheapest way to film an already expensive show for max effect
John even your work which you dislike is fantastic which goes to show what a talanted man you are!
why thank you Chris, but I still have seen cow patty’s that look better than this one,,,, HAAAAA, have a great weekend!
Nice of the producers to say “make it grander” rather than going for something that’d eat less budget! I don’t recall how those temples turned out in the episode, but your renders are fantastic.
YEAH!!!! those were words you didn’t hear to often!
“Even Pierre’s brilliant modeling couldn’t stop the fairies with ugly sticks from beating the tar out of this one!”
This had me in stitches!! 😀 I actually kind of like the design, and think the markings on the hull are kind of neat! 🙂
LOVED the cave city! It reminded me of something you might have seen in an ancient Greek tale. The design made me want to know more about the people who had built it.
Do you believe in fairies with ugly sticks????? I sure do because I wake up uglier every morning so I know they beat on me all night long!!!! HAAAAAAA
Haha!! That’s too funny!!
I suddenly feel like clapping my hands together: “I do believe in fairies! I DO believe in fairies!!”
I quite like the fugly ship too. That top “sail” gives it an almost Colonial One look.
thanks Jim!!! I think I am the only one that hates this turd from Satin’s butt,,, HAAA!
Always fascinating to see the ‘Creative Process’ at work. I believe those shuttles were used on Vulcan a time or two but I have always wondered who eventually did the Vulcan Survey ship for ‘Carbon Creek’? It sure has some of your looks to it but again, it never really lingered on the screen long enough to tell. So fess up, was the Survey Ship yours, Mr. Doug, Doug’s, or perhaps a third party all together?? Just curious, thanks again for posting these either way John.
~Mark~
thanks and here is a link to the one I think your talking about.
Stupid episode, but the ancient city was great.
And just like some other posters I don’t think that the ship is all that ugly. It is just an unusual composition of otherwise familiar elements.
But seeing that the little shuttles that Jörg mentioned were removed, I wonder if the texture and brownish color was present on the model in the episode. I messed around a bit, but I didn’t get Pierre’s render to match with the screen caps color- and texture-wise. Not even remotely.
Updated with screenshots.
Love that final underground city – and some of those Vulcan shuttles.
🙂
MJ
That’s strange. On Jörg’s new screen caps the ship is brighter and more brownish. I even recognize some kind of camouflage pattern.
Greetings,
I liked the containment ships from “Extinction” – the prow somewhat resembled the forehead ridge of Tret’s race and, as such, certainly suited the episode.
Kindest regards,
James
verrrrrrrrrrrry good perspective.