John Eaves has had over 20 years experience in cinema and television scenic art, model making, and illustration production. He is perhaps most famous for his work on Star Trek where he worked on the television shows Deep Space Nine and Enterprise as well as the four Star Trek movies featuring The Next Generation cast.
John has also worked on numerous other projects, many of which are in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, including: Innerpsace, Alien 3, Batman Returns, Sky High, and X-Men: The Last Stand.
Eavesdropping with Johnny 
John,
Big, big fan of your work! I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you’ve started a blog!
I’m curious: do you have any sketches or CGI images of the striped-down Bird-of-Prey seen in “Affliction”? She was used by the Klingon Augments to attack the NX-01.
I’ve taken screencaps, sharpened and brightened up those images and made a half-dozen sketches of the thing on my own; still, the results are … a bit discouraging! *laughs* The ship was only seen so briefly that many details are all but impossible to make out.
I’d do cartwheels if you have some info on that model — or, for that matter, any images or material on other 22nd century Klingon ships. The “Raptor” is pretty well-documented, but insight on the D5 and retro BoP’s relatively scarce.
Thanks for sharing your work with us!
-Sean
I do and I will!! Thanks for the request and all the very nice comments Sean.
No, thank _you_, John! 🙂
Best,
-Sean
Hello John,
I am a big fan of your work! I am a university student and have a project which I would love to use one of your photos. I was wondering if I could manipulate a photo slightly and reference you as the creator. The image wont be used commercially and just for educational purposes.
Thank you
Rachel
I just want to thank you so much for your blog and the photos you post here. They are an enjoyment to me and a great inspiration. Please, keep it up!
I am a paper model artist, a big hobby here in Asia, and design many Trek inspired models that I give freely as PDFs on my website. I often run into creative blocks and search the web for a muse…
Your site excites me and gets my creative juices flowing.
In great appreciation,
-Michael The Haggard
That’s awesome to here Michael, I have a bunch that I go to also to fill my tank!!!
Can an individual hire you to draw concept art of a ship for them, given a set of basic specifications?
I’ll take your silence as a “no”. I can understand if you’re concerned about becoming overwhelmed with commissions if you did entertain the idea.
I just saw your note and it appears i missed something you asked or commented on, If this is so please refresh my memory. thanks.
“I just saw your note and it appears i missed something you asked or commented on, If this is so please refresh my memory. thanks.”
Hello 🙂
My original question three days ago:
“Can an individual hire you to draw concept art of a ship for them, given a set of basic specifications?”
If you were open to the idea, what I had in mind was: “What if Starfleet in the late 24th century designed a class of ship that paid particular homage to the original Excelsior?”
Basicially, this new class would have the same relation to the Excelsior class as the Akira class had to the NX class.
I’d be willing to compensate you for your time, but I’ll understand of course if you prefer not to open yourself up like this.
Yes I do a lot of freelance work and it is always fun to explore these ideas, give me more details about your thoughts on this version of Star Fleet ship.
Hi John
Once again, its great to have you blogging and sharing so much of your brilliant work with us.
I realy like the work you have done on Star Trek over the years. I particularly like the Enterprise E, that ship is full of genius little details. I remember staring at that concept drawing of the Borg Sphere you did and finding the names of your daughters I think it was.
I remember you wants writing that you use a particular number over and over when drawing, as a homage to your father. His badge number I beleive?
May I ask what that number is? There is a reason for it, but I don’t want to spoil anything for you just yet.
it is 227
Yeah my daughters name are on the cube! thanks for the comments and very nice compliments.
John,
I have to say that when I stand watch I doodle on my sketch books something fantastic. maily trek inspried ships because the aesthtic always pleased my eye. Often I like include treknology to current warships and apply some of the aesthetics that you guys created and make something new. But there is one thing that i’ve realized in my drawngs and its that its so limited to the basic biblical saucer, hull and two nacelle configuration, where as you’ve cleary broken the Roddenberry rules! Jolly good old sport.
It has inspired me to draw out of the box, literally and bring abuot new look to my designs! Thank you for breaking me out of the collective! I look forward to your new designs, alebit your old ones too.
V/R
Hm3 P
Wow, John, thanks for sharing your 2001 design of an early Klingon D7. You got all the great elements of Matt Jeffries’ design while de-evolving it a little. Very well done. (As is much of your work.)
Keep on Trekkin’….
Hey Brother…..was just reading your blog and thinking it’s fantastic. So great to see your work again and read your comments. Sounds just like I’m having a conversation with you. I didn’t know that story about dad jumping all over the kid with the gun at the Alien movie…..that’s hysterical. Totally dad. Anyway, Love you and hope you’re doing well. Miss you like crazy. Let’s go to the movies…..I don’t enjoy seeing a movie with anyone the way I do you.
x
SisterBlister
Ummmm, hey you, put something “about” yourself in the “about” entry, eh. 😛
And heya John’s sis Christine (my wife’s name too, but I call her Christina). Anywho, your bro’s the best, and he met my bro this last week-end, so figured I’d say heya to his sis, so: HEYA! 😀
LLP,
deg
Hey john!
Its been awhile since we last spoke! Still in the cutaway poster buiz!!! But lately I have been starting to archive the experiences I had working on the various Star Trek/Star Wars Posters before my memories go to the winds! I have attached the blog where I am doing this….
I would like to know if its possible to do a short interview with you for my blog… If you are ok with this we could do it in the IM of your choice so I can copy and edit the results fairly quickly… Let me know if this is something you could do! I think maybe 30 min or so….
Let me know…
Hope all is well!
Chris
Hi John,
I’m a fan of your ships and I always wondered, how you do variations of a certain ship, how you start off and progress with it – thought I have the sketchbook, I can’t develop myself further to reach a “First Contact” style ship.
It’ll be nice if you can enlighten me with some tips on the shape, saucer module, modern bridge styling, phaser stripes, greeblies, hull-plating, placing the shuttle-bay and supercool warp nacelles.
Thank you very much,
Yen-Chih
John,
I love reading daily about your adventures in Hollywood and the Trek universe. Your work on Star Trek First Contact inspired me at the age of 10 to work in art one day. After four years of drafting classes in school and maintaining a love for that type of work, I have a career that I get to artistically express myself in daily.
My most favorite part of your work has always been the Enterprise-E. It’s a great looking ship with futuristic echos to the past “Connie” Enterprise. I have always had one question about this design though. When looking at the physical model of the ship, I can’t see how the captain’s ready room off the main bridge fits into the hull. Did you ever do a cut away layout showing how this works and if so, can it be posted?
Again, thanks for your awesome inspiration and great works over the years. God’s blessings to you and your family.
Ben
howdy Ben i do have the drawings that make all of these elements work so when it comes for the Enterprise E post I’ll be sure to put those up for you!.
Hi John,
I studied art and design at college and if i’m totally honest, it killed my love of art for a long, long time and put me off into branching out into it as a career. I left after two years after being told that my love of sci-fi artwork was ‘immature’ and that it was something I couldn’t make a career out of; if only you had a ‘blog back in 2001!!
I’m a big fan of your work and it’s great to see it up for all to see; it’s also inspired me to try and get back into the creative media industry. I’m currently working as a copywriter but still harbour ambitions of being a conceptual designer for films and television. I have a large volume of work (mostly star-trek and sci-fi orientated!) which i’ve done in my own spare time and for my own enjoyment, but i wouldn’t even know where to start on how to be noticed!
Has doing this type of artwork for a career affected your love of it? Or do you still enjoy it after 20 years?
Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and thank you for creating such iconic and beautiful machines.
Paul Bauer
Milton Keynes, UK
I do still love every minute of it!!! It is amazing how the words of others can really bring you out of clouds,,, Sorry to hear that it got the best of you.. I had a lot of that too, I just didn’t listen and kept on pushing forward. It was very hard I have to say but I will tell you everything that worked in my case if you want to know!!! first thing,,, DON’T LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO BELITTLES YOU OR YOUR DREAMS!!!!
Hi again John,
Thanks for your reply; it’s great to hear that your love for artwork is still strong! Has really spurred me on to try again!
Look out for my work soon……… Hopefully! 🙂
Paul Bauer
Milton Keynes, UK
Google image search: Jerry Goldsmith Orchesteral Partitures….and I end up at John Eaves … blog?!?!?!
Way cool! I baught a copy of a kinda..scrapbook…i guess, dont know what the name is, in Zimbabwe of all places shortly after First Contact came out. So there and then in that strange land I totally fell in love with concept art! Thanx man.
Now about that score…where did you dig that up? Looks like a nine stave sketch of the opening theme from ST:I?
John,
Love to see all the cool concept art. I got a few prints from you a while ago that I just hung up in my basement. Is there any way to contact you about other prints? Thanks! and keep posting to cool behind-the-scenes stuff!
Greetings!
I absolutely love your blog and your art — you are very talented (to say the least)!
Not to be too terribly cliche’ (not to mention “desperate fanboy”), but would you be at all interested in (or would you even have time for) seeing some of a fan’s Trek-related artwork (namely mine)? You won’t find it anywhere on the Web, since I’m too poor to have a site, but if you have both time and interest, I’d love to email you a few things… I’m behind on my scanning anyway.
My art’s not _that_ bad, but I have to say that you’re the better of us two by far — I do mostly orthographic projections, because I suck at perspective in 3D.
Give me a shout at my email inbox (address put in the “Mail” box…) if you’re interested.
Thanks!
starhawk
Hi John.
From an architecture student’s perspective, your stuff is a well needed shot in the arm. I’m part of a small zine at school, and hope you don’t mind that I’ve included the planar view of the Borged scales in an issue I’m putting together that is loosely themed on cities of the future. Hopefully it’ll point more traffic in your direction.
Thanks for the great blog.
Sam.
John,
Good speaking with you the other day, please let me know if you’d ever like to come down and check out the studio for one of your next shoot I would be happy to give you a tour. Take care!
Aaron S.
Manager
The Notion Studio Los Angeles
http://www.thenotionstudio.com
info@thenotionstudio.com
Hi,
Excuse me for my bad english, but you have fans even in France.
I’m a big fan of your work! It’s a real pleasure reading all the stuff you made.
I absolutely love all the stuff you made. Like mandy reader of your blog, I discover you watching the enterprise tv show. What an amazing work you made!
Thanks a lot for your work. It’s a real part of dream you draw for me
Maybe, on day, if you came in France, you know where we can stay!
Stephan
John,
Thank you! Thanks to people like you, Drex, Mojo and your kind, I decided to persue a career in 3D graphics and visual effects. I’ve only recently found your blog, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the inspiration you continue to give me. I’ve been running my little animation studio in the UK since 1996, and I haven’t regretted a moment.
I owe you a beer! (or about umpty-squillion)
Hi John.
It’s been brilliant looking though all of your artwork, some absolutely beautiful pictures to look at.
I was going back through the DS9 DVD boxsets and looking at your sketchbook segments on the extras this site is a brilliant extension of those interviews and opens the art of Star Trek up to everyone.
3 things I would love to see are
1. Pages from the Rules of Acquisition book prop
2. Pages from the text of the Kostamojan
3. The Marauder Mo action figures, who wouldn’t want a set of those? I love the line Moogie throws at Quark about “keeping them in their original packaging”!
Keep up the good work.
Thanks
Jamie
Wales, UK
I see you guys are trying out a new banner image, I had a quick go at making one too. But maybe with so many artists visiting the blog John could hold a competition?
Here’s my first idea:
Actually, I think sampling colours from the image looks sexier.
Hi John
Still loving reading your blogg and oggling at all the pics.
I thought I’d whip up a banner for your blog, if you fancy a change
John,
Have you ever considered going back and finishing up this design. With a possibility of a CGI as well?
I’d love to see a “What could have been” of this design. 🙂
Thanks
Ed
Count me as another who would like to see that turned into something more real 🙂
Hey John
I don’t have your email address so I’m using this to get in touch… I’d love to get your opinion to help me pick the final contestants of my “contest.” Go to my blog and read the next-to-most-recent post (about the Halloween costume) THEN read the top post.
http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/
Prepare to laugh. Shoot me back an email at DarthMojo4u at aol.
Hope all is well! Be nice to talk one of these days…
Mojo
John,
You haven’t mentioned that your retro-Klingon designs are supposed to appear in the “Star Trek: The Art of the Film” book. Wired link below:
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/11/star-trek-art-of-the-film/
Hi John, I just thought you might want to see the cross section I did of your small science ship you design for Perpetual. I had some help from Suricata to get the shape right
Enjoy:
http://lcarsgfx.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/cern-class-by-john-eaves/
Hi John I just want to say I love your work and was influenced by alot of your designs. Here is a ship I designed and want your opinion if you have time http://i47.tinypic.com/aeu1ci.jpg
Keep up the good work
Dear Mr. Eaves,
Hi, my name is Pony R. Horton. I am a film maker, visual effects artist, and actor, currently working on STAR TREK: PHASE 2 with James Cawley. I’m in charge of the Transporter effects and occasional matte shots, starting on BLOOD AND FIRE. I used to work with Van der Veer Photo Effects back in the late 1970’s, and I knew the man who actually created that effect, who taught me how he did it. Now I do something similar with ST:P2. In fact, I may be the ONLY Star Trek actor (I play the Klingon professor K’Sia in the upcoming episode KITUMBA) who has done his own Transporter effects, when I had to get beamed-up to the Enterprise in the show.
Mike Okuda was kind enough to recommend I ask you this question, which he did not know the answer to:
In Captain Archer’s quarters, those wonderful sketches of the four ships named ENTERPRISE that are mounted in Plexiglas… how were they actually mounted, sandwiched, and hung? I want to do something similar with some images I have, but I can’t find out what they did to mount them and hang them, or what hardware was used to hold the panes together, or to hold them to the wall, or if there even WERE two panes or only one.
Can you help? By the way, I really love your work, and am VERY impressed with the photos of the women and the aircraft. Very nice, very “vintage” feel!
Thanks so much! Happy Holidays!
Pony R. Horton
Hi John. I don’t know if this is the right place to ask this question, but here goes. Can you please tell me what color the phaser arrays on the Enterprise-E (Nemesis version) are suppose to be? I can’t tell from screen caps, and I need to know what color to paint them on the 1/650 kit I’m working on. Thanks you, and Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Tom
Hey John, great work on the G.I. Joe movie line. Would love to see more of the concepts that you did sometime and chat offboard. Drop me a line. Best, Dan
Hello John,
I’m the lead roleplay administrator of Lotus Fleet, one of the Star Trek fan fleets participating in Star Trek Online, and I would like to ask for your permission to use within our fleet’s roleplay the material you published to your blog concerning Perpetual’s Star Trek Online.
The idea struck me as I was looking through Suricata’s blog. He’d done excellent, in-depth work on the science ship with the ring-shaped “saucer section”, not just your typical 3D treatment, but also a cut away deck plan.
I want to use this ship as one of the next player-run ships we launch, but I want to ensure as well that we have permission from you, and Suricata, to use that work. The images would be placed on my fleet’s forums to give the players a context for what the ship they’re working aboard looks like. If we have your permission, and Suricata’s as well, our fleet’s graphics department will also render out promotional images from 3D meshes in the context of our RP. (Flying out of a nebula, or battle damaged, or launching from a starbase, that sort of thing.)
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have, but the intent is this: I especially, and Lotus Fleet as a whole, respect you, and we want to RP inside those awesome ships you’ve designed.
Thanks for your time,
Mark (Caltern at Lotus Fleet’s forums)
P.S. – On a personal note, I wanted to also thank you for having your blog up. When I found it, as well as Doug Drexler’s site, I was astounded. I never thought all this incredible work you two did would ever wind up published in such a readily available manner, let alone to see the interaction you have with your fans. So once again, thank you.
the ships of “the Seventh” Enterprise ep. #33 – any more/larger pictures of those freighters available?
TY
Hi, John,
We’re in the planning stages now for Wonderfest 2010, and I’m hoping you’ll be there again this year. If so, will you participate in Iron Modeler again? We’d love to have you as a judge again, or you might enjoy participating on a team as well. Either way, we’d love to have you join us!
Take care,
Linda Lester
Starship Modeler
John, thank you so much for wonderful art work and pictures!
I was wondering if a new Star trek TV series was in the works – there have been rumors last year on some Trek fan/blog sites that perhaps another TV series is in pre-production?
If that is indeed the case, I do hope your designs will be aa large part of that show!
V/R,
Sam
Hello, can we use this picture
in our fan made game Star Trek Supremacy as a Vulcan High Command picute, it’s a non profitable fan project and it would help us.
Hello Mr. Eaves,
I just stumbled across your website and for a Trekkie like me it’s a real treasure chest. But what really intrigues me are your Pin-Ups. Those are beautiful pictures (and women, of course). Are you going to collect them in a book? That would be a pretty awesome read.
Have a nice Easter Holiday
Carl
John
Just wanted to take a minute to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. Your father Jim was my Academy Sergeant when I went through the Arizona Highway Patrol (DPS) academy in Phoenix in August of 1974! I recently retired as a sergeant but I still remember how much I feared your old man. Hope he is still doing well.
I read once that you occaisonally used your Dad’s badge number in some of your drawings. If you ever are needing a new number for a Star Trek drawing, feel free to use my badge number of 1584.
John,
I was doing a search for new ship concepts to use in our simming Fleet and came across your USS Sea Breeze, NCC-1701. I was wondering if you would not mind me crediting you the making of the images used to make her, and the image of the Sea Breeze herself as a new type of ship to be used there.
I plan on using her as a new Alien ship, or someone in the Fleet may want to draw up specs on her. If they do I would gladly send the Specs your way so that you could see what we have.
But I am wanting to use the images in some new images that I am creating for the Fleet for advertising and to help build up our crews and resources.
You can reach me at the mentioned Email at your earliest convenience.
By the way…I LOVE IT! I think it is a GREAT design. Personally I think it would be good for a new series…Star Trek: Titan…..Just a thought!
I am loving this blog, it’s so full great stuff! I am a huge fan of John Carpenter and The Fog and also of Aviation. And Star Trek of course. Is that Pima Air Museum in Tucson I spy in those shots? I am an Arizona native!
Nathan
GOOD EYE the C-97 in the BG is at Pima,, and Eileen and the A-4 are in El Mirage California!!! I’ll be out in the next 3-4 weeks to do another shoot at Pima!! keep in touch and if all goes well you can come along!
I’m a friend of Miles. I think he contacted you, and suggested I friend you on Facebook. I’m working on a screenwriting book, and I’m talking to artists about doing a pin-up style piece for the cover. I’m going to self-publish this, so I’d like to keep the costs low, and am therefore considering pencils instead of a full painting, though a digital image would be great. I can provide you with other details, if you like.
Thanks,
Kevin
No, is an acceptable answer.
Thanks
Dave
Hello Dave I just got this message and not sure what it means??????
I own a cookie company based on pin up girl looks. I am looking for military pin up shots for my website and for the troops.
Are you interested?
Melissa
Hi Melissa, what a cool website you have and love those cookies for the troops!!!!!!! Call me anytime at 661 965 9080, or email me at
johneaves@juno.com
thanks for the note n look forward to talking to you.
John
Ha, you’re a doll, Melissa, and what a great idea! And great website, and cute video! Best of success with your Sugar Girl Cookies biz!
peace & bananas | deg
And zoinks! A Johnny sighting! 😀
SciFiMeshes.com is looking for articles of about computer graphics, science fiction, and those who create CG type special effects. I thought with all your experience in TV and Motion Pictures you might have something interesting that you would like to pass on. Some one with your experience has good advice on how much detail models need. Or designing ships to make them appear functional, rather than a design exercise. What do you look for in image composition and lighting? Is there any advice you would like to pass along to people trying to make realistic models and images. Even an experience you may have had where you thought you had the right idea but something else worked better might help folks who aspire to the type of accomplishments you’ve already achieved. I know that’s kind of general but you’ve worked in the industry and have a much better feel for what others might need to know. If you don’t have the time or inclination that’s fine but I thought it never hurts to ask.
Thanks
Dave Kleve
I’d write the article based on what ever input written material, interview, or what ever means works best for you.
Thanks
Dave
Dear John,
First of all I would like to congrats you for the great great job you do !!
I just bought a screen used sweater with 2 Mars Police Force patches
from, as you know, Ghosts of Mars.
The patches look bigger in the movie and photos and “very” small in
my hand 7cms X 7.5cms !!?? Just wondering.
I know you are a very busy man but thanks to give my your advice when
you have time.
Regards
Bruno
John,
Hope this is the right area for this. I just saw where you worked on Santa Clause 3 as a conceptual artist. Great! I’ve always wanted to ask someone from that production this: I LOVE the Christmas tree topper that Tim Allen drops in that one scene. It was gorgeous! Did you design that? I’ve always thought the Disney folks seriously missed the boat by not releasing that for sale on one of their shopping sites. You know, like you can buy a real glass slipper from Cinderella and so on.
I have gone so far as buying the Blu-ray of that movie so I could study the topper in greater detail to make one for my family’s Christmas tree, but if you had some drawings or plans or something, that would be even better.
Thanks for any info you can provide.
James
Does John check in here anymore, or is there a better way to ask him a question somewhere?
Thanks,
James
I was inquiring on the drawings for the USS Nelson from STO. Are there any deck plans for this ship. This ship is interesting and was wondering what the inside actually looked like.
Hi John,
Any chance we could see some of the pages from the Text of the Kostamojan, as seen in the last arc of DS9 Season 7? Kai Winn and Dukat were using it to summon the Pah Wraiths.
There’s one great picture in the DS9 companion book, but I was hoping you would have the rest of the pages in your archive somewhere.
Keep up the great work on the blog.
Jamie
Hello Mr. Eaves. I have always been a great fan of your work in Star Trek and would like to make some replicas of some of your designs if that is allowed.
David
Hi Mr. Eaves. I’m an artist and I make 3d models for a game called Bridge Commander. I found your Nelson class ship design on a website somewhere, can’t remember where now, but I made a 3d model of it for use in the game and just for fun as I really liked your design. May I have your permission to release this file for download for others to play? Full credit would be given to you for the original design of course. I really enjoy your work! Thank you.
Michael F
omk358@gmail.com
John,
Just saw on the Wonderfest website that you are attending again this year. Glad to hear that as I missed seeing you last year. Glad to hear that you are enjoying living in Wyoming. I come from a small town in Kansas and always enjoy visiting any small town where life is less hectic and lay back. I live in Florida, but not in a small town and the growing crime rates and high prices are sometimes discouraging. I guess that is why I like Star Trek because all those problems of society have been resolved. Anyway, see you at Wonderfest.
Remeber to always reach for the stars but keep your feet on the ground!
Duane Hayes
dehayes@comcast.net
Hi John,
Good to see you again this year at W.F. When you have the chance, I have a question about Space Command for you. You are involved with that project, correct? Please email me, you have my email from W.F.
Scott Spicer
( SRS Prototyping)
Hi John,
I’m working on Space Command with Marc Scott Zicree and Neil Johnson and I’d like to talk to you about doing some more work on the project. I know Doug had contacted you initially, but he’s decided to move on and we’re reaching out to people who might have an interest in continuing to work with us on the project.
Please let me know if you’re interested in learning more and we can talk via phone or email at your convenience.
Regards,
Mike Bawden
Managing Director
Space Command Studios, LLC
Hi John,
I am a big fan of your work, as a university project, I am working on a model of a Cardassian Shipyard inspired by your unfortunately unused shipyard design for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I would like to show you the result once construction is finished to get your opinion, if you have the time could you give me an email address from which to send you images of the shipyard?
Kind Regards,
Nathan
of course like your web-site however you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts.
Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to tell
the truth however I will definitely come back again.
hi
I’m a game developer, working on a none-profit prototype game called Kobayahi Maru Commander,
here is current version:
http://kobayashi.gadgetapp.net/
I found your picture
at http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org
I wonder that may I can use this picture in my game?
I’ll certainly site you at acknowledge or resource page.
Hi, I was wondering if you had any behind the scenes pictures or tales regarding the Enterprise B sets from Generations? I love that ship and era.