[ColonialMarine]

Ralph McQuarrie is the conceptual designer and futurist responsible for the look of Star Wars (all of the original trilogy), the original Battlestar Galactica , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Cocoon, for which he won an Academy Award. More of his artwork for BSG-TOS can be seen at http://www.ralphmcquarrie.com/index2.html

THE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Originally conceived through Ralph McQuarrie's outstanding artwork, the Battlestar Galactica was initially designed to look like a crouching lizard. The final result was a flying armored tank, capable of withstanding intense damage while returning enough lethal firepower to threaten planets. The Galactica model was built using parts from many off the shelf models, including tank bodies and numerous car model parts. The final model was used to represent the Battlestars Galactica, Atlantia, and later the Pegasus.


THE COLONIAL VIPER
The Colonial Viper underwent numerous changes from its original concept to its final design. Ralph McQuarrie's original concept was so different from the final Viper that it was reused as the "Thunder Fighter", the Earth Directorate Starfighter used in Glen Larson's other space series, Buck Rogers. The basic Viper design was represented both in Ralph McQuarrie artwork and concurrent paintings by Frank Frazetta.


THE BASESTAR
Originally conceived through Ralph McQuarrie's imaginary drawings and paintings, the Cylon basestar went through a number of changes before arriving at its final form. As the Cylons themselves moved away from being 1950-ish aliens, their warships, ironically enough, evolved closer to the flying saucers, with the final design being two saucers, one stacked atop the other.


THE CYLON RAIDER
Ralph McQuarrie originally imagined the Cylon raider as a flying saucer with embedded cannons. In its early stage, the fighter retained a fairly Star Wars, human piloted design. As it progressed, it became a bit more mechanical, gaining its unique cockpit windows and loosing its sleeker "Millennium Falcon" look. The embedded engine array gave way to two central engine units that mandated changes in the belly of the fighter.


Sources:
http://www.ralphmcquarrie.com/
http://www.cylon.org/

[Zipper]

Very cool images indeed!

[boomstick]

thanks CM
a crouching LIZARD? wtf!?

[ColonialMarine]

More of McQuarrie's work..

These drawings were all done before TOS premiered, and were made after discussions between McQuarrie and producer Glen Larson.


A Ralph McQuarrie poster concept for Battlestar Galactica and not unlike one that was eventually used. Boxey and Muffit are featured; the closest man is probably Skyler/Apollo with Starbuck wearing a pilot’s helmet behind him; Cassiopiea is probably the busty blonde behind him; Adama comes next and over his shoulder is Athena. Costumes had obviously not been designed yet. The Ovions are prominent to the left. (more on them later)


This unusual ship appears to represent a very early version of the Galactica, which, judging by the size of the bridge windows, seems to be a much smaller vessel than the one we’re used to. Note the fins and the hangar pods.


We all know what this is! A Raider/Viper fight.


McQuarrie’s Galactica, here under furious Cylon attack, is shaped very like the sfx model, but is more slender.


The Galactica bridge, visualized by McQuarrie.


A viper launches from the Galactica. The launch tube is slanted towards the front of the ship, at a somewhat sharper angle than the tubes on the actual model.


This is a very early Viper and resembles both the Star Wars Y-Wing fighter and the snowspeeder from The Empire Strikes Back.


Baltar is taken before the Cylon Imperious Leader, who is surprisingly humanoid in this view. Note McQuarrie’s Cylons; their helmet scanners go all the way around their heads.


The Cylon attack on Homeworld Caprica.


Carillon. Presumably this painting is supposed to represent the hotel lying below the casino area, and as usual it was too science-fictional for the production team.... The Ovions were conceived to be tall and slender as McQuarrie indicates here, but the costumes were just the opposite and Glen Larson went on record as despising them. Originally the Ovions were intended to be recurring enemies, but Larson nixed them after the premiere.
These guys creeped me out. The thought of Humans as food. Bleech!!!

Special Thanks to Ralph McQuarrie
http://www.geocities.com/sjpaxton/rmq.html

[Aussie Trekkie]

It is always interesting to see an evolution of a show from concept to airing because it teaches so much about how things are properly done

[Aussie Trekkie]

A Galactica fan has been doing a CGI model of Ralph McQuaries early version of the Galactica although there will be a few small changes and you can see the effort here

[Gold Cylon]

Some of the original working designs did start out like what Ralph did draw. Some of the Apogee guys did make a black styled helmet Cylon.

[Aussie Trekkie]

the original Cylon head design kind of looks more fearsome doesn't it?

[Gold Cylon]

I noticed one thing about the original concept art work with the Cylons. They have a ant like look to them, and also they look a lot like something that was used in Star Wars, but then note that Baltar also has a strang look about him in the Star Wars realm like Obi Wan Kenobi.

[obsolete toaster]

Gold Cylon, on 19 October 2009 - 01:20 AM, said:

I noticed one thing about the original concept art work with the Cylons. They have a ant like look to them, and also they look a lot like something that was used in Star Wars, but then note that Baltar also has a strang look about him in the Star Wars realm like Obi Wan Kenobi.

The cockpit Cylons look WAAAAYYY too much like Star Wars stormtroopers as well; would've given some more fuel to George Lucas' bogus lawsuit of 1978.
I also thought the original Basestar looks uncomfortably close to the "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind" mothership, too.

But, as always, I LOVE Ralph McQuarries' work. Derivative or not, they are beautifully and gracefully rendered!

[Cylon-Knight]

The concept Basestar looks like Cloud City too.
Same artist - no wonder the art all looks alike.

[obsolete toaster]

Cylon-Knight, on 19 October 2009 - 07:17 PM, said:

The concept Basestar looks like Cloud City too.
Same artist - no wonder the art all looks alike.

I love RMQ's technique, but his designs are NOT the most original; even for 1978. He is MUCH better as an artist than a designer.
Did anyone ever see RMQ's 'would-be revamp' of the USS Enterprise for the aborted version of what became Star Trek the Motion Picture? It looked like a Star Destroyer with a pair of pontoons!

http://upload.wikime..._Enterprise.jpg

Yeeecchhh! Beam it out of here....

[Tinman]

Anybody noticed something about the early concept Cylons?

The pieces about where there mouth would be look like the engine shrouds on the Cylon Raider.



<S>!

[Cylon-Knight]

Yep, the "vent" design is used a lot in Cylons. The Raider engines, the "mouth grill" and the grill on the chest too. All to tie them together.

[Nad]

Despite all its ugglyness, I must admit that the early design of the Viper is very resembling to that of a viper's head with its tusks.