I haven’t done an “Image of the Day” for a while, so here’s one. In retrospect, I guess I could have called these “Image Every Once in a While.” 
When I originally made this background, I thought it looked like a bright star. Then I rendered the ship in and did a lot of post-render work (which made the start brighter) and I realized it looks like a start that’s perhaps too bright. Like, say, one that’s going to go Nova pretty soon. Hence, the image title. 
Here’s an orthographic sheet of my new Enterprise model. I’ve never done one of these in widescreen but it made more sense to me to render the ships going up the screen and then rotate the sheet once I had them properly positioned. (I rendered them separately and then composited them together.) I didn’t bother with much info on the ship like I do on many of my ortho sheets. I figure most serious TOS Trekkies know the information and those who don’t can look on any of several dozen websites to find it.
I couldn’t wait to make an image with this model, so I did a quick one with a NASA Earth background.
The Enterprise is now finished and rigged up with some lights. I’ll be posting some better renders once I get them completed.
I’m almost done with the stardrive section. I just have to add a few lights and small things and then I’ll be ready to build the most fun part, the nacelles.
I’ve got some work done on the stardrive section. The main time consuming parts are done (the “arms” around the deflector, shuttlebay area and windows) but there’s still much to be done on this one. I also lessened the effect of the grid on the textures.
I think I have everything for the saucer finished. Next I’ll move on to the main pylon (neck) and then the engineering hull.
Though this won’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me that I’m doing it, I didn’t intend to build a TOS Enterprise mesh in 2009. (I *almost* made it.) However, ScifiEric had to release his Enterprise with all those great modeled details and the great textures and my resolve was destroyed. I’ve tried to be happy with my 2008 Enterprise mesh but it looks so crappy to me. And it looks even worse since I raided Eric’s Enterprise reference gallery (it’s huge) the other day. I thought it was pretty accurate, but I’ve seen a lot of details that I either missed or got wrong. Hence, the new build.
I started on this yesterday and worked on it a little bit but I had some work to do and I watched some movies, but I got some more done today. I’m modeling every detail I can, even if they’re not on the blueprints. Though I’m using Sinclair’s blueprints, so most of the details are there. One thing I’m doing that’s debatable whether it’s correct or not is the symmetrical saucer section windows. I like those better than the asymmetrical windows, which the 11-foot model (the model on which I’m mostly basing this) had. However, they flipped the model images enough times to make it seem like the port side was completed and the 33-inch model had symmetrical windows. Another thing I’ll be doing is working shuttlebay doors which will be based on the doors for the shuttlebay interior miniature set from the show, not the outer “doors,” which won’t work as they’re supposed to.
Anywho, this is where I’m at right now. I’m in no kind of hurry on this one but things are progressing at a good pace so far. I’m finishing the details on a part before moving on to the next part. Also, I’m not that worried about polygon count on this mesh, the Enterprise usually doesn’t get that high anyway. I want a smooth mesh, not necessarily a low poly one.
I love docked shots. I dunno why, they’re just cool. So, I had to do one in widescreen.
I don’t normally use other peoples’ meshes (mostly due to conversion issues) but I got ahold of this one and it’s a beauty. Eric Reinholt (AKA, scifieric) built what I think is the best CGI TOS Enterprise mesh in existence. He modeled parts that most blueprint makers and mesh builders don’t bother with by using a combination of the best blueprints available and a lot of references images of the 11-foot filming model. And, he was kind enough to upload it to his forum, so I had to download and render it. (it helps that he uses the same software I do) I have plans to do some more images with this mesh, it’s really a beauty. I also love the textures, particularly the very subtle paneling and grid lines.
