Contest: ENTER May 2024 Art Challenge – Signs and Symbols

[Starscape]

It appears that Real Life has its unrelenting grip on our erstwhile Moderator and April Challenge Winner @Michael. So, as we're only a couple weeks away from the end of the month I'll put the challenge thread up and let @Michael do the voting thread (if possible, let me know if you need me to do that too, @Michael).

To that end...

Welcome to the 226th TrekBBS Fan Art Challenge and May's Theme, which was chosen by vote, is:

Signs and Symbols
Every good organization has a logo, a banner, or insignia. Design a variation on an already-seen icon, such as the Starfleet Delta or the IDIC (perhaps an earlier version, or a different race's take on it). Or create a flag, symbol, or emblem for a race that currently doesn't have one. Your fanon design might just become canon someday!

Lots of intriguing directions to go in with this one: mission or project patches, department logos, starship insignia or "nose-art"...?


The Rules

• the artwork you submit should be created during the month of the challenge
  
• only one final image can be submitted (although it may contain multiple views)
• your final entry should be posted in this thread (although dedicated WIP threads are appreciated)

The winner gets to sport the “Art Challenge Winner” banner below their name for the following month and has the honor of hosting June's challenge. You can help to choose June's Theme from a list of suggestions by voting in the poll here.

You have until the end of the 1st June to post your final entries here.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or need more time, just let me know.


Looking forward to seeing your art. Have Fun!

 

[Michael]

Thanks so much for setting this up, @Starscape! As you’ve rightly suspected, that darn real life thing has held me in its firm grip this past week and I didn’t get to posting the thread yet. I know I’ve already said it a couple of times, but you are the best, my friend.

 

[Starscape]

Aww, shucks!

 

[B.J.]

So, been a while since I've entered one of these....

 

[Cyfa]

Oh, of course McKinley Station's a cute, fuzzy spider! I love it, @B.J.

And this reminds me that I must get on with my own entry. Fortunately it's another rainy Bank Holiday weekend here, so I have the perfect excuse to stay indoors drawing.

 

[Michael]

Now that’s brilliant, @B.J.! And how good to see you return to one of these!

Coincidentally, I too have an idea with a mission patch cooking. Always wanted to design one of them. I hope to get it done in the coming days.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Your fanon design might just become canon someday!

It can and has happened, rather recently: https://x.com/gaghyogi49/status/1794760489307975808

 

[Cyfa]

Here's my nose - or, pennant - art for the Excelsior-class USS Atlantis:

 

[Lord Other]

Is there any chance we could have one more day to finish up what we are working on?

 

[Michael]

Is there any chance we could have one more day to finish up what we are working on?

I’m all for that, seeing as I’m still working on my own entry as well. Just let us know if you need more time after that.

 

[Michael]

Here’s my entry: The mission patch for when they designed and constructed Voyager …

I always wanted to do one of these anthropomorphic / zoomorphic starship patches, ever since I saw the mission patches they originally created for the runabouts and the Defiant back in the 90s. Doing one for Voyager just felt like the natural thing to do …

 

[Cyfa]

Oh, it's brilliant, @Michael! I love the reflection of the (coffee) nebula in the binoculars

 

[Lord Other]

I’m all for that, seeing as I’m still working on my own entry as well. Just let us know if you need more time after that.

I will unfortunately need more time if no one minds. The company I work for did a shift change and now I work the opposite shift to what I had before.

 

[B.J.]

Interesting choice to use a color halftone effect on that @Michael! I can't put words to it, but it gives a very nice feel.

 

[Finn]

Awesome, @Michael

 

[Michael]

Oh, it's brilliant, @Michael! I love the reflection of the (coffee) nebula in the binoculars

Awesome, @Michael

Thanks, guys! Had the idea to create something like this for what feels like an eternity, so I’m really glad this challenge theme came around.

Interesting choice to use a color halftone effect on that @Michael! I can't put words to it, but it gives a very nice feel.

Thank you, @B.J. ! So glad you dig it. I like to add stuff like halftones, grain, dirt, paper texture, creases, glitches or faded colors to my artworks, because I appreciate how it makes it look like something one might have found in an old magazine or as a low-res screenshot. It has that effect of making the art look more “legitimate” and “real”. Although I freely admit that I tend to go a little overboard with those textures, because it’s just so much fun seeing your art being transformed by adding a few layers of imperfections.

I will unfortunately need more time if no one minds. The company I work for did a shift change and now I work the opposite shift to what I had before.

Oh wow, that sounds like a big changeover. I don’t mind giving you another couple of days, if that give you the opportunity to finish your piece. We did that plenty of times in the past. On the other hand I wouldn’t want to hold up the contest excessively long. Can you say how much longer you will probably need?

 

[Starscape]

Okay, now that the board is back online and in shipshape-shape. Shall we see if we can do the same for the Art Challenge?

I'll get June's main thread up and running (here). And @Michael I think we've been more than fair with extra time for May's contest, do you think it's time to post the voting thread?

 

[Michael]

Yes, definitely. I contacted @Lord Other a few days ago, but it really seems like he didn’t find time to work on his submission. Will start the voting thread in a minute. Thanks for getting the new one going, @Starscape.

EDIT: The voting is now up here!