Visit 'Star Trek's (2009)' Shipyard And Blog Schedule Change

Just wanted to let my readers know I'm switching from a weekday schedule to a Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule. I run two blogs and am thinking about adding another one. If I keep the schedule I have now I'd have to start cutting back on the research for the posts. To me, that's the most fun part of the blog. Finding interesting stories and trivia attached to the illustrations.

So, this will be my last Tuesday post for a while. Enjoy John Eaves awesome Riverside starship fleet yard from J.J. Abrams Star Trek (2009).

One of the first assignments I had on my desk was the Riverside fleet yards in the outback of rural Iowa. Based on an old train engine turntable idea came the first layout of what the ship yards could be. And incredibly large construction facility that housed various material and electronic manufacturing facilities that were easily accessed from every dock.  

My friend Mike Hamby works in the US navy sub yards back East and he helped me with a lot of research with those construction yards, and so the Hamby complex was named in his honor shown here in the turntable illustration. Obviously to [sic] grand of an idea the focus funneled down to seeing a single dock scenario for the construction of the new “E” .  

The first couple of passes have the ship somewhat below ground level and for the film the ship was pulled out of the semi subterranian [sic] dock and set elevated off the ground. By doing so the effect would be a much grander view of this massive Starship against an Earth bound setting which really has not been seen before.

 See more of John Eaves portfolio at http://johneaves.wordpress.com

Via http://trekmovie.com

Ride 'Star Trek 2009's' Police Bike With Johnny Eaves Jaw-Dropping Concept Art!

All the vehicles in Star Trek XI (2009) were amazing, but one that caught my eye was the Iowa police bike. It seemed so realistic and futuristic at the same time! Now production designer John Eaves has posted some drawings and a behind-the-scenes story about the project.

Turns out it was supposed to be much bigger till they shrank it to keep costs down. So, heeeere's Johnny!

The concept began as a pretty big bike, more of a helicopter size craft and it took a few long passes at the drawing board to get the copter version layed [sic] out and approved.

As time, story changes, and budget revisions took place the cycle had to scale down drastically to fit the new constraints and thus the flying speed bike came to be.

As much fun as would have been to see the big version I have to say this smaller bike really was a very cool departure and one big treat to see on the screen. The size screamed police more so than the previous and it was a good call on all fronts.

The bike went through a few design changes and what you see in today’s sketch was the final design. At Comicon 09 the prop was in a corner of the Mattel booth and it was great to finally get some pictures of her.

The early copter sized concept version of the cycle

 The smaller cycle designs

  From the 2009 con

The second trailer form the movie has a good shot of the bike in the opening.

I can't say enough about John "Johnny" Eaves blog so you gotta check it out. http://johneaves.wordpress.com/

What do you think of the designs? Would you have preferred the larger version?

Exclusive: Dawn Brown Talks About Working on The Last Airbender and With Hubby Warren Manser

Dawn Brown is an illustrator and set designer as well as the creator of two critically acclaimed comic book titles, Little Red Hot and Ravenous. Recently, her work has been seen in the film The Last Airbender. She graciously agreed to do& an interview for the blog.
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Thank you for this interview Dawn. How did you get started as an artist for films?
I've been a set designer since 1995, and made the transition to illustrator in 2007. Set design has really migrated to digital over the last few years, and computer drafting holds absolutely no interest to me. I really just love to draw, and so I made the transition to another branch of the art department that utilizes my skills in a more productive way.

Do you prefer the title "Concept Artist" or "Illustrator?"
I use the terms interchangeably. "Illustrator" is the title that is officially recognized by the union. "Concept artist" has become a very popular title over the past few years. It is not an official union title, so a lot of the non-union guys use it.

Was it hard to make the shift from the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland to the more realistic tone of The Last Airbender?
Huh? Both films are set in fantastical worlds! No, it was not hard to shift from one world to the next. Those kinds of films are the most fun.

How did you get the job working on M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender?
Phil Messina was the Production Designer for The Last Airbender. I have worked with him on several movies through the years. (Ocean's 11, Solaris, Ocean's 13) He introduced me to Larry Dias, the Set Decorator. I get most of my jobs through Production Designers, Art Directors, or Set Decorators. There's kind of a "6 degrees of separation" thing that goes on in this industry, and it plays a big part in who gets hired on what.

What was it like working with M. Night Shyamalan?
You know, I've actually never met M. Night Shyamalan. I've worked on 2 of his movies, but I've never had any interaction with him whatsoever. I mostly work in Los Angeles, and he mostly works in Philadelphia.

That's the nature of the industry I guess. Movies like Alice in Wonderland and The Last Airbender have a more fantastical tone than films other films you've worked on, like Ocean's Eleven and Charlies Angel's. Do you feel like these films open your mind to more creativity?
Oh yes, of course! Like I said before, the fantastical films are really the best ones to work on. At least from an artistic perspective.

Did you mainly focus on set, costume or character design for this film? Do you have a favorite?
I mainly focused on furniture design. I worked with the set decoration department. We were responsible for the set dressing, the furniture, the light fixtures, etc. I work with the set dec quite a bit, actually on The Last Airbender, Alice in Wonderland, Star Trek, The Island, Planet of the Apes andBatman & Robin.

What is the creative process for you when working?
I receive an assignment from the Set Decorator, (Larry Dias on Airbender) or the Production Designer, (Phil Messina on Airbender) and whatever research or reference relates to said assignment. Then I usually do a round or two of rough comps, then a tighter sketch or illustration, and when the design is approved, I do the construction drawings for the shop. Then on to the next thing. It is very fast. I love it.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in working on the movie?
No big hurdles or challenges on The Last Airbender. It was really a pleasure for me. Some of these movies can be really, really tough. But this was one of the fun ones.

What does it feel like to have your ideas come alive on the screen?
Of course, it's great! But honestly, I can not take credit or blame for anything that ends up on the screen. Making a movie is such a collaborative process, by the time anything gets to the screen, a hundred carpenters, painters, plasterers, electricians, grips, actors, etc. have added their own contributions and interpretations to any given idea or concept.

If you could sit with us in the theater and point out one thing to look for, what would it be?
The Fire Nation war room table, the landing crafts, the Fire Lord throne room screen and lamps. Whoops, that's more than one thing.

You're married to fellow concept artist Warren Manser. What was it like working as a husband-and-wife team on The Last Airbender?
Yes, Warren is my husband! It was great. But just to clarify, we don't bill ourselves as an illustration "team." We worked together from home. He worked in his studio, and I worked in my studio, each on our own assignments. We bounce ideas off each other all the time. We've worked together a few times, actually. But we are each hired on our own terms, we are not a package deal.

An often asked question among artists is if they should go to art school. Having graduated from
University of Kansas with a BFA degree in illustration/graphic design, would you suggest other aspiring concept artists follow the same path?
Of course getting an education is important. The best school for learning concept design for the film industry is The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. It's not a requirement, but a formal education in art and/or design is a great place to develop your skills and start building a portfolio.

Which concept artists do you admire the most right now and why?
I have the privilege of working with the finest artists in the film industry, and consider many of them good friends. (and I even married one of 'em!) Warren Manser, James Clyne, Ryan Church, John Eaves, Darek Gogol, Ed Natividad, Jaimie Rama, Tim Flattery, Paul Ozzimo, I could go on and on.... If any of your readers are interested in becoming concept artists, they should check out these guys' websites. School is in session!

Who do you get the most inspiration from and why?
See the guys above. Seriously, I am surrounded by the most amazing and talented guys in the industry. They motivate me to keep learning and growing as an artist.

Some say the only way to succeed as a concept designer is to move to Hollywood or New York. Since many artists, like yourself, work from home, do you think this is still the case?

I don't work from home all the time. Most of the time I have to go into the studio. Over the past few years, more and more and more film industry work is done outside of Hollywood. Other states and countries offer financial incentives that the producers can't refuse. Who knows what the future holds, but for now, it certainly helps to be in Hollywood in the beginning of you career, at least to establish yourself. There is no "only way" to do something in this business. But the ones who tend to succeed all have certain things in common. Talent, drive, flexibility, patience, good people skills, energy, resourcefulness, are some of the main qualities you need to succeed.

There's been a movement from traditional art mediums to digital. Where do you stand on this? Do you ever see the pen and paper going away in the industry?
Everyone has their own take on this issue, but I feel strongly that I should keep both pencil and digital skills strong. Putting pencil to paper is where the rubber meets the road. There is absolutely no substitute for strong drawing skills. Period.

What& can& we look forward to next from you?
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be in theaters next summer. Ahoy!

Thanks for taking the time to do this interview Dawn. I wish you all the best.
Thank you! Best wishes to you, too!

Check out Dawn Brown's awesome website and gallery at DawnBrown.net. Come back tomorrow for some exclusive concept art from her latest film!

What do you think of the interview and her views on concept illustration in general?