Welcome to Starship Scratcher Webzine. We scratch-build custom orders, and create 3D special effects plus spotlight artists and craftsman just like you!

I've received letters from film students with regard to teaching the art of building movie miniatures. Starship Scratcher is my response to those requests. I worked as a Production Designer for local area film and TV production studios in and around the Detroit-Metropolitan area, (1980-1990) which enabled me to improve "suspension of disbelief" in each project. (Judge for yourself, if my work has the quality of your favorite motion pictures).

Practical scratch-building is indeed a form of sculpture and applied science. Building realistic looking models translates very well into 3D, and can work to help eliminate the "CG Look." For instance, the same kind of lighting plan used in a theater works very well in a 3D program. Plus a well-trained eye for function-related shapes can add great realism to a CG shot.

One issue that face special FX artists today, particularly in the area of building spacecraft is creating oneness of form and function. A spaceship is more than a conglomerate of shapes with flashy moving parts and gizmos. The design should come together as ONE, with the sum of its' parts exemplifying ONENESS. A starship should whisper a story of its' own - so that people will imagine things about it, thereby remembering it. Many films today have very robust CG, however, which ships do you remember vividly in your mind? For example, no-one forgets the Enterprise. The original TV series Jupiter 2 may be retro looking, but who remembers the new Jupiter 2 more than its' predecessor? "Revenge of the Sith" had a great story, and hundreds of spaceships - but how many ships distinguish themselves one from another in your memory? Which ones stand out from the crowded screen?

As in other Art forms, follow the landmarks along the path that led us to where we are today and you can discover a lot of enjoyment in the rare craft of scratch-building realistic looking miniatures of your own. I hope that you will enjoy your Starship Scratcher experience. It is getting better all the time! Send us your comments and suggestions. Remember that visionary artists and writers such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells imagined things yesterday that have become reality today.

Thank you for your consistent interest in this classic storytelling art.

Croutons!

Bryan McMillan
Publisher
Starship Scratcher