Greetings. My name is Michael Bower Putman, and I hope you have enjoying wandering around the Shipyards. Its always a kick to think that something that brings me joy and relaxation can entertain and inspire others out there in the modeling community. In the beginning I was a former child modeler who built everything Aurora made from the monsters to the space ships...who grew up to be a designer and illustrator who got the modeling bug again in his late thirties. I stumbled across the sites of Marcus C. Nee and John Payne and had a familiar revalation anyone who's taken up modeling understands. "You mean you can build your own designs?" "Dooooh!" One model (my take on a Centaur Class) led to another, and so on. Some of designs have been inspired (Rebel, Val'Jorran, Titan, Ginsu...) and some not so successful (most of those are not on the site...but names like the Siberian Class, Cavalry Class and Utopia Class come to mind), but all have been engaging and fun.

So for the last decade I have enjoyed the art of scratch-bashed vessels from the Star Trek universe. Why Star Trek? Who knows. Maybe for same reason Alfred Wong embraces the Star Wars universe so brilliantly. I have always been drawn to the design philosophy and vision of Rodenberry and Matt Jeffreys and John Eaves, Andy Probert, Rick Sternbach and all the talented artists who have shared their creativity. Like I said, who knows why. I like it. I'm good at it. I kinda leave it at that. I'm happy I have found a great audience to show off my little hobby, and I thank all of you for your encouraging and kind comments and e-mails. It's nice to know a whole lot of folks enjoy what I do.

I find working in styrene, and conceiving both a design for a new ship, and the ways to create it through engineering, supremely engaging. A great break from the world. All of my models are designed and fabricated from on-the-shelf kits, sheet styrene and my favorite transparent and flouresent rods. They are hand-painted and detailed with a brush. I am a bit of a lazy modeler and the idea of an airbrush seems like way too much work.

All the images you will see here have been modified to place them in context, at warp, exploring a new world, or fighting a pitched space battle. Being a designer and illustrator by trade, I also love creating the backgrounds for my ship images. So when I get tired of glue and styrene, I move to Photoshop and pixels. It's all quite fun.

Thanks for dropping by. I appreciate the visit...

Michael
Here are a few of my early, less...successful...designs. Some are tucked away for posterity. Some met a terrible fate in tragic dusting accidents. Some gave their commissions so another, better, ship could take their place. Enjoy, and cringe when you have too...it's alright. I do.
THE ANURA CLASS
Inspired by a tree frog and named for a species of frog, the Anura was a short hop (pun intended) cutter. She was made from one of the small 3 set Enterprise Es and one of the Cs, with the nacelles from a Voyager 3 set.
THE EMMISARY CLASS
An ill-inspired fusion of the Star Trek and Star Wars Universes, the Emmisary Class is an unbalanced example of what Kitbashing should NOT be. Runabout nacelles on an Excelsior with a Star Destroyer command hull. God, what was I thinking...
THE CENTAUR CLASS
One of my very first kitbashes. Very rough around the edges, but I learned so much from my simple interpretation of the Centaur Class.
THE MAGELLAN CLASS
Another really bad idea. I was intrigued by the Oberth quality of the platform aft of the sphere...but should never have bashed this abomination into the world.
THE UTOPIA CLASS
Not well thought out, but the Utopia Class celebrated a design technique I use...turn it upside-down and see what happens. It was my take on a civilian vessel...a passenger liner. I think I still have it somewhere...