On the Bridge

Fan Art
Title:	On the Bridge
Artist:	Shelley Butler
Date(s):	1996
First Published:
Medium:
Genre/Style:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
External Links:
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On the Bridge is an illo by Shelley Butler.

It portrays Spock and Kirk from Star Trek: TOS, and was printed in T'hy'la #17.

It was the winner of a 1996 STIFfie Award.

Fan Comments

At first glance this is a nice G-rated scene of Kirk and Spock on the bridge, conferring on some problem of major import to the galaxy. It's beautifully drawr of course. Then you notice Kirk's eyes-he's looking at Spock, whose face we can't see because he has his back three-quarters turned to the audience and is looking at Kirk-and the tilt of his shoulders, the set of his arms and hands. The eyes and body language make this the most passionate drawing of Kirk fully clothed you are ever likely to see Talk about bedroom eyes on the bridge1 Kirk's eyes positively smoulder. He looks so hungry for Spock he could devour him on the spot The magnetic connection him and Spock is as palpable and powerful as a tractor beam. If I could catalog all the emotions Kirk projects in this deceptively workaday scene. I would fill up the rest of the page. Yearning, hunger, desire, devotion, adoration are a few that come to mind. If you ever need to explain to someone how K/S fans see K/S in aired Trek, show them this wonderful drawing. If you need a piece of art to hang where your grandmother can see it. you might consider this one. Just don't let her look too deeply into Kirk's eyes unless her heart is in very good shape."

I can only guess at how long such a picture took Shelley to draw, it seems to me that the detail in it must have taken ages. Here she perfectly captures the feel of the bridge, with the captain leaning over the railing to gaze at his first officer seated at the science station. We see Spock's face in perfect profile, the sheen of his hair, the way it's cut so perfectly in the back... Kirk is facing us with his hands folded, looking very open to Spock, obviously looking him full in the face. But I get the idea his eyes aren't exactly focused on his first officer's eyes, his vision is more an all-encompassing one. He is oh-so-seriously considering whatever it is that Spock has told him, but he's also taking in more.... This picture makes me feel very much at home, as if this were a true vision of the way things are, down to the three other figures in the background tending their duties as good Starfleet officers should, letting their captain and his Vulcan commune. I also like very much the perspective of the picture, sort of looking out from the science station. One expects the POV of the viewscreen for this sort of picture, but Shelley decided not to take the easy, typical way out and gave us something unique instead.

My eyes widen with appreciation, my jaw drops in wonder. How does this artist do this? Photo Realism is one of the hardest forms of artwork to achieve and this woman achieves in spades. Look at the details, pick out the strands of Spock's hair, note the texture of both men's tunics; that's velour, not cotton, not satin. Shelley's gift for rendering an object as we see it is remarkable. This is a thoughtful captain in one of my favorite poses...leaning over the railing by the Science Station quietly listening to a report from Spock. Look at Kirk's face; eyes and attitude all 100% concentrated on the Vulcan. And Spock's pose itself returning that concentration and the riveted eyes. Even now just remembering this drawing I can hear Spock's voice in my head gently imparting some fascinating bit of information to his captain. This is much more than just a drawing (as if any of Shelley's work could be labeled 'just a drawing'), it tells a story, it makes us wonder and think...and that is the function of an illustration.

I am in awe of Shelley Butler's art! She is not only prolific, she handles her subjects with such infinite delicacy and grace. I own one of her originals and I study it with my nose almost touching the paper, trying to see how she achieved the wonderful gradations of light and shade, texture and depth. The only answer, of course, is that Shelley is a talented and accomplished artist and we are indeed fortunate to have her.

I want to add my words of praise for Shelley's wonderful cover art to everyone else's and congratulate her on winning the gold Philon award.

She captured the fleeting moment of an electric gaze between K & S supremely well, from the contemplative, almost quizzical look on Kirk's face to the angles of their bodies, leaning in toward one another.

One thing I might have suggested to Shelley if I'd seen an early sketch of this illo, would have been to tone down the background a bit, especially in the area between the two figures. In movies, this is called, "soft focus." As it is now, the crew member sitting between the figures and all the lights and configurations of the control panels fight for our attention. It becomes harder to concentrate on the faces of the guys, who should be our main focal point.

For an example of what I'm driving at, check Shelley's interior illo opposite page 10 in the same zine. The setting is similar, but the area between the figures is left largely open.

To get a better idea of what I am trying to convey, try placing a piece of translucent tissue paper in the area between K & S on the cover illo. This should cause the background to recede somewhat and the faces to pop into focus, drawing our full attention to the intimate connection between the friends, making this illo even more compelling than it already is.

This is a very minor quibble and I've hesitated to even mention it. Shelley's talent is without dispute, and I don't want to seem to be second-guessing her. This is something I would have said about any illo with similar components. I hope these remarks are seen as more helpful than critical, as I intended them to be.