The Art of Star Trek

The Art of Star Trek has been the first specialized reference book that featured and displayed in detail the production materials used in the Star Trek live production of all series and features up until the time of publishing. Hitherto, coverage of the subject matter was fragmented over a myriad of publications, such as a wide variety of magazines, not all of them necessarily Star Trek related. Heavily illustrated with depictions of the material in question, the book was, in its first edition, presented as (one of the first) high quality bound hardcover coffee-table books, format 30.2x23.4x2.6 cm, in a dust jacket. The quality was reflected in the production value of the book; high resolution full color pictures printed on heavy high gloss paper.

As one of the very first officially-licensed books in this coffee table format, collecting production material straight from the source, this book was bound to contain some inaccuracies and has received some scrutiny from, among others, Andrew Probert, whose work was also prominently featured in the book. He commented, "One example would be showing the Enterprise-D that I designed in its original proportions and the Enterprise with Gene's requested changes, whereby Gene asked me to LENGTHEN the engines and put the bridge on top from the center location. They have indicated that Gene wanted me to shorten the engines. That's one mistake. They indicated that the Ambassador-class two-page painting at the front of the book is an early version of the "D," which is wrong. There's mistake after mistake in that book, misquotes and so on. I get all sorts of credit for TMP design sketches I didn't do. If you don't see my name on it, I didn't do it. Just a few examples of an inability to write down what I'd indicated and not allowing me to correct it."

Due to the inaccuracies in some of the captions and texts, some caution should be observed when consulting the book.

Summary

 * From the book jacket
 * From the public's first glimpse of the original starship Enterprise to the brave new worlds explored in Star Trek: Voyager, the neverending multimedia phenomenon that is Star Trek has treated generations of viewers to a dazzling barrage of unforgettable images of the future. Bizarre alien beings, breathtaking extraterrestrial landscapes, exotic costumes, state-of-the-art special effects, and remarkably convincing futuristic sets and props and equipment have brought Gene Roddenberry's inspiring vision to life before the public's awestruck eyes.


 * The Art of Star Trek is a one-of-a-kind gallery of Star Trek artwork, as well as tribute to the many artists, designers, and technicians whose diverse talents and imagination created the distinctive look of the Star Trek universe. Every incarnation of Star Trek is explored: The Original Series, The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager, and the films - with the complete behind-the-scenes story of Star Trek's design history.


 * With hundreds of full-color illustrations and photographs, many from private collections, readers will at last be able to linger on Star Trek's rich visual legacy and trace the evolution of and images from their initial conceptions to their final form on television and film screens. Like all great works of art, the many sights and visual surprises of Star Trek have been built from scratch through a combination of inspiration and painstaking effort.


 * The Art of Star Trek covers the entire universe of Star Trek artwork and production design to reveal how, in all of its various forms, Star Trek has allowed us to look boldly into the future and see what no one has seen before. The Art of Star Trek is the art of pure imagination, the art of a bright, hopeful future, and the art of three remarkable decades on nonstop action and adventure. Lavishly illustrated, it is a book to be read and referred to time after time, as well as one that will become a cherished chronicle of Star Trek's first thirty years.

Contents

 * Acknowledgements
 * Introduction by Herman Zimmerman

Part One: The Future in Our Living Rooms
Star Trek on Television
 * Chapter One: A Totally New Universe; and
 * Chapter Two: These Are the Voyages; Star Trek: The Original Series
 * Chapter Three: Take Two; Star Trek: The Animated Series
 * Chapter Four: The Series That Never Was; Star Trek: Phase II
 * Chapter Five: Lightning in a Bottle; Star Trek: The Next Generation
 * Chapter Six: A New Direction; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
 * Chapter Seven: The Neverending Story; Star Trek: Voyager

Part Two: The Big Picture
Star Trek on Film
 * Chapter One: The Dream Fulfilled;
 * Chapter Two: One Big Happy Fleet;
 * Chapter Three: A Real Comeback;
 * Chapter Four: A Whale of a Story;
 * Chapter Five: The Ultimate Trip;
 * Chapter Six: Signature Piece;
 * Chapter Seven: The Next Step;


 * Afterword

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