Star Trek Aliens and Artifacts Book

Throughout its four incarnations, Star Trek has always been filled with alien characters, many of them regular cast members, as well as gadgets that have become instantly familiar to millions, such as phasers, communicators and tricorders. This book describes how the aliens and props are developed from concept to fully fledged on-screen life. The authors emphasise that, although designs from the original series look primitive to modern eyes, technicians were working at the cutting edge of what could be achieved at the time. The new incarnations of Trek continued to innovate, and the use of latex headpieces and modern make-ups enabled the creation of far more elaborate aliens, such as the Cardassians and updated Klingons. Head of the Makeup Department, Michael Westmore, explains how he comes up with new alien species, often basing them on familiar terrestrial creatures to give viewers a point of reference. Props are usually made out of everyday objects, and prop masters keep stocks of interesting-looking objects that might one day come in handy. If you want to have a go yourself, the final chapter gives tips on how to create your own alien make-up to transform yourself into Data, Seven of Nine, a Klingon or a Ferengi. Illustrated with dozens of colour stills, this is an in-depth and very readable account of the evolution of some of the best make-up and prop designs ever created for TV. --Elizabeth SourbutRead More