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Deoradh Ships

Okay, for the Deoradh ship concepts I decided to try thinking outside the box. But I couldn't decide where. At first I considered a blocky, patchwork mechanical mass on account of their brutally low starship technology level. At the same time, I thought a more graceful, sleek, and lightweight design would be appropriate due to their spirituality and ecological-minded ideologies. Finally there was a third, style I could use: Round, organic ships covered primarily in dome gardens so they could best harvest solar energy for food/environmental stasis. Long story short, I couldn't decide. So when I was drawing this I unintentionally mixed all three. Now it just looks plain ugly. >.>

https://stararmy.com/starchan/starships/ ... 748924.jpg

So, any advice on which of the three design directions I should take the art style of this (and future) Deoradh ship(s)?

Here's a brief technological overview that may help:
  • Low tech. Very low tech. Lowest technology among any interstellar spacefaring race. That's hippies for you.
  • Self-Sufficient, relying primarily on solar harvesting and plants to maintain foods, environmental stasis, and so on.
  • They travel primarily on solar sails, and occasionally nuclear rocket engines
  • All their ships are designed with peace in mind. Industrial use or habitation only. Designs do not take into account military value in the slightest.
 
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Actually...I like your sketch. It's novel and has a cetain charm to it. Functionality with a little style throw in where it won't interfere with practicality.

There are plenty of sleek, pretty designs. This one differs, and I like it because of that. ^^
 
Too sleek looking though, I expect a culture in harsh living conditions and low technology to do away with aesthetics. There is no need for aerodynamicity in space and since they dont see any action, they do not need to enclose their systems in armor so I think giant metal trays of subsystems and living modules would do since they need the maximum amount of surface area as needed for their industrial and agricultural needs.

Cool pic though, looks like those airships from Magic The Gathering.
 
Looks like it was more popular than I thought. I personally thought that the industrial and mystical aspects clashed, but on the other hand I was trying to think outside the box as much as possible on this design. I think I might add a touch of 'ghost ship' and ragged, worn-down detail to it when I do the second version.

Fian said:
Too sleek looking though, I expect a culture in harsh living conditions and low technology to do away with aesthetics. There is no need for aerodynamicity in space and since they dont see any action, they do not need to enclose their systems in armor so I think giant metal trays of subsystems and living modules would do since they need the maximum amount of surface area as needed for their industrial and agricultural needs.
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Actually, in terms of building resources they aren't that bad off. While food and (consumable) ice may be difficult to find in the depths of space, construction metals and minerals would be much more common. This is because humans require very select resources to survive (hydrogen, carbon, oxygen), but machines can be constructed using just a handful of the many dozens of types of metals floating about in space. Thats one of their reasons for their shift towards heavy cybernetics use as opposed to genetic engineering.

Anyways, I think I've earned a bit of artistic license. So there. >.>
 
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