As of posting, here is our current Art Challenge state-of-play:
It's that time of year again where we're all gearing up for the Holiday Season - Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New year, etc - and as we all could do with a little extra cheer why not reflect that spirit in the TrekBBS Art Challenge. I've dug out last year's Holiday Themes from the archive, but let's not just settle for those few, there's plenty of room under the tree and we'd welcome more Festive ideas.



(If you have Theme ideas for the main list feel free to post those too, just make sure to be clear which list it's for, if it's not obvious.
)
To help generate as much participartion as possible you might want to consider whether your Theme idea could encompass a range of some of the following:
Once you've thought of something, please post your idea here and feel free to discuss, ask questions and suggest ideas for entries for any of the submitted themes. If we can get a conversation started about the challenge it'll help to get those creative juices flowing.
The theme in last month's THE NEUTRAL ZONE did not get enough votes and so has been LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT. And in the Spirit of the Season THE NEUTRAL ZONE will be taking a break for a couple of months so there'll be no more eliminations until the New Year.
The List of Holiday and Festive Themes:
[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]
Alien Aesthetics
Design or draw anything that pleases you, but with an alien flair. Pick a species and use elements of design that reflect their natures, heritage, symbology, language, etc. So show us a Vulcan bedroom, a Klingon abstract artwork, etc
[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]
Voting for December's Theme will commence ~17 November. Please post your ideas by then for inclusion in the poll.
Have Fun!
- Voting on November's Challenge, "Rough Draft", will commence soon. Be sure to post your final entries in time.
- And November's Challenge Theme, chosen by vote, is "Unexpected Perspective", the main contest thread will be posted by the winner of October's Challenge.
It's that time of year again where we're all gearing up for the Holiday Season - Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New year, etc - and as we all could do with a little extra cheer why not reflect that spirit in the TrekBBS Art Challenge. I've dug out last year's Holiday Themes from the archive, but let's not just settle for those few, there's plenty of room under the tree and we'd welcome more Festive ideas.




(If you have Theme ideas for the main list feel free to post those too, just make sure to be clear which list it's for, if it's not obvious.

To help generate as much participartion as possible you might want to consider whether your Theme idea could encompass a range of some of the following:
- Skill Level
- Time Commitent
- Media (Physical, Digital, Photochop, 3D...)
- Subjects (Characters, Tech, Starships...)
Once you've thought of something, please post your idea here and feel free to discuss, ask questions and suggest ideas for entries for any of the submitted themes. If we can get a conversation started about the challenge it'll help to get those creative juices flowing.

The theme in last month's THE NEUTRAL ZONE did not get enough votes and so has been LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT. And in the Spirit of the Season THE NEUTRAL ZONE will be taking a break for a couple of months so there'll be no more eliminations until the New Year.
The List of Holiday and Festive Themes:
- That Rings A (Jingle) Bell
"Hmmm...I remember this, but I can't quite put my finger on where I've seen it before." Place something that looks uncannily Trek in a place you'd never expect to find it. Bonus replicator credits if it's hiding in a holiday-themed setting.
- Every Problem Has A (Re)Solution
What New Year's resolutions are your favorite characters making for themselves and each other? Depict your favorite Trek characters facing their fears, learning a new skill, or quitting an old habit.
- As Prophecy Foretold
Portray a scene from a species's religious texts or show a character taking part in a spiritual activity, visiting a religious site, etc.
- Season's Greetings
Show us what you imagine our favourite Star Trek characters might send or receive in the way of gifts or greetings cards at the this time of year - a family picture of the Rikers, a Quark's Bar gift voucher, a personalised coffee mug?
- Christmas Crossover
Taking inspiration from your favourite festive stories, movies, music videos (?) show us how they might manifest if they played out in the Star Trek Universe. Which character would be your choice for Scrooge or what would happen if Wesley was left Home Alone?
The Main List of Themes:
- Specific Show -- Prodigy
Dedicated to art inspired by one specific Star Trek show or era. Each month you have the opportunity to vote for a different era cycling through: TOS/TAS --> TNG --> DS9 --> VOY --> ENT --> MOVIES --> DSC --> PIC --> LDS --> PRO --> SNW --> TOS/TAS --> ...
- The More Things Change
Time may move at warp speed, but not everything does. Show us how something Trek has changed over the years - landscapes, buildings, ships, people, beliefs.
- Tall Tales
Or, a funny thing happened on the way to Delta Vega. Dedicated to those adventures that are the most bizarre and unbelievable, the ones where if you described them to someone they'd reckon you'd done a little too much LDS - Abraham Lincoln floating in space, holograms taking over the Enterprise, being shrunk to the size of a toy, evolving into a lizard?! Or perhaps you can think of something even weirder than those we've seen on the show.
- Timekeeping
We know our Starfleet crews get themselves into all sorts of temporal scrapes, but how do they (and other galactic citizens) tell the time wherever they are? Apart from stardates, the odd PADD/viewscreen display, Sisko's Saltah'na clock, and a couple of "antique" 20th century watches, what do contemporary timepieces look like in the Star Trek time periods? Especially those from worlds other than Earth? After all, not everywhere has a 24 hour day...
- Today Is A Good Day to Die-o-rama
Release your inner child with a diorama demonstrating anything Trek - landscapes, ships, historical moments. Make it or draw it, if you prefer. Mixed media - use any material you want.
- Gift Shop Goodies
Who doesn't love souvenirs? Imagine what visitors, passengers, and tourists might bring home as a memory of their stay on the Enterprise, visit to DS9, vacation on Vulcan, etc. Whether it's an actual piece of the ship, a funny t-shirt, a pretty postcard, or something more outrageous, one thing is certain; it'll always remind you of your visit.
- The Catwalk
What fashion can be found sashaying down the catwalks (runways for the Americans) of Cait, Fillandia (Ariolo), and Janus VI? Would a Xindi-Aquatic wear Tholian silk? And what would an Aurelian wear to pop to the shops?
Your task is to design an item of apparel, an outfit, costume or uniform (not necessarily Starfleet) for a non-humanoid Federation citizen or other denizen of the Star Trek Universe. Preferably being worn by said non-humanoid!
- Deep Space Dine
Fancy yourself a chef? Create your version of a classic Star Trek food (include your recipe, if applicable) and plate it with perfection in a photograph or invent something brand new. Alternately, if you're a kitchen nightmare, draw us the perfect mouthwatering (or gag-inducing, depending on who you ask) meal.
- Fish Out of Water
Oh no! Somebody has kidnapped one of your favorite historical figures or fictional characters and brought them into the Trekverse. Or perhaps they accidentally traveled through a portal. Whatever. In any case, they're having more than a little trouble adjusting to their new surroundings. Show us what difficulties they're encountering.
- Picture Day
It's Starfleet Picture Day! Show us your favorite character posing for the camera - headshots, full-length, class pictures (away teams, shifts, departmental)
- Spell Trek
It's not hard to get confused when there are so many different alien cultures and languages to parse. Suppose somebody misheard "Enterprise" as "Centerpiece", or spelled "Klingon" with a spurious "e" at the end? What humorous or cursed images might that evoke? Depict the results of a misheard or misunderstood Trek reference, in or out of universe.
- This Day In History
Commemorate a pivotal day in the history of the universe with iconic photos from newspapers and history books, or artistic depictions of great/terrible moments that should not be forgotten. Whether it's notable first contacts, important battles, or a seemingly unimportant decision that later took on greater significance, let's celebrate all the highlights and lowlights throughout the galaxy.
- The Laws of Physics
Trek may not be able to change the laws of physics, but it sure can bend them! In keeping with that, bend the laws of art by warping the perspective, coloring outside the lines, and blending multiple discordant styles and techniques.
- Hello, Computer!
Sooner or later, everyone needs to use a computer. But they don't always cooperate with us, whether it's a malfunction, or a malevolent program, or just our inability to understand how they work. Show us the results of a piece of computer technology gone haywire, or alternately, show us what's on the screen.
- Explain It Like I'm Five
Technobabble is great, but sometimes you can get lost in it. Use a clever diagram or a colorful drawing to explain a scientific principle, the roots of a conflict, a character's motivations, or the plot of an episode concisely and accurately, better than a thousand words can.
[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]
Alien Aesthetics
Design or draw anything that pleases you, but with an alien flair. Pick a species and use elements of design that reflect their natures, heritage, symbology, language, etc. So show us a Vulcan bedroom, a Klingon abstract artwork, etc
[LOST IN THE DELTA QUADRANT]
Voting for December's Theme will commence ~17 November. Please post your ideas by then for inclusion in the poll.
Have Fun!

CHRISTMASTIME THEMES:
That Rings A (Jingle) Bell
"Hmmm...I remember this, but I can't quite put my finger on where I've seen it before." Place something that looks uncannily Trek in a place you'd never expect to find it. Bonus replicator credits if it's hiding in a holiday-themed setting.
Every Problem Has A (Re)Solution
What New Year's resolutions are your favorite characters making for themselves and each other? Depict your favorite Trek characters facing their fears, learning a new skill, or quitting an old habit.
As Prophecy Foretold
Portray a scene from a species's religious texts or show a character taking part in a spiritual activity, visiting a religious site, etc.
Season's Greetings
Show us what you imagine our favourite Star Trek characters might send or receive in the way of gifts or greetings cards at the this time of year - a family picture of the Rikers, a Quark's Bar gift voucher, a personalised coffee mug?
Christmas Crossover
Taking inspiration from your favourite festive stories, movies, music videos (?) show us how they might manifest if they played out in the Star Trek Universe. Which character would be your choice for Scrooge or what would happen if Wesley was left Home Alone?
VALENTINE'S DAY THEMES
Where My Heart Is, Beyond Antares
How do characters/species show their love for each other? Friends, parents and kids, true loves...anything you want.
Hearts and Flowers
Happy Valentine's Day! Incorporate imagery of hearts and flowers into any Trek-themed project you choose. (Doesn't necessarily have to be directly related to Valentine's Day)
Be Mine, Space-Time Valentine
What kind of Valentine cards and candy would Trek species dole out? Design a card or gift, alien/Starfleet style.
That Rings A (Jingle) Bell
"Hmmm...I remember this, but I can't quite put my finger on where I've seen it before." Place something that looks uncannily Trek in a place you'd never expect to find it. Bonus replicator credits if it's hiding in a holiday-themed setting.
Every Problem Has A (Re)Solution
What New Year's resolutions are your favorite characters making for themselves and each other? Depict your favorite Trek characters facing their fears, learning a new skill, or quitting an old habit.
As Prophecy Foretold
Portray a scene from a species's religious texts or show a character taking part in a spiritual activity, visiting a religious site, etc.
Season's Greetings
Show us what you imagine our favourite Star Trek characters might send or receive in the way of gifts or greetings cards at the this time of year - a family picture of the Rikers, a Quark's Bar gift voucher, a personalised coffee mug?
Christmas Crossover
Taking inspiration from your favourite festive stories, movies, music videos (?) show us how they might manifest if they played out in the Star Trek Universe. Which character would be your choice for Scrooge or what would happen if Wesley was left Home Alone?
VALENTINE'S DAY THEMES
Where My Heart Is, Beyond Antares
How do characters/species show their love for each other? Friends, parents and kids, true loves...anything you want.
Hearts and Flowers
Happy Valentine's Day! Incorporate imagery of hearts and flowers into any Trek-themed project you choose. (Doesn't necessarily have to be directly related to Valentine's Day)
Be Mine, Space-Time Valentine
What kind of Valentine cards and candy would Trek species dole out? Design a card or gift, alien/Starfleet style.