The late illustrator Al Hirschfeld, known his black and white drawings of celebrities and Broadway stars, also did a number of famous drawings of the various Star Trek crews. Now a new Hirschfeld has decided to take on the new crew with a drawing based on the Star Trek movie, and he is giving away 20 of them. Details below, plus we take a look back at the Star Trek works of Al Hirschfeld.
A new Hirschfeld for the new crew
Matt Hirschfeld, who claims to be a ‘distant relation’ to Al Hirschfeld, is an illustrator based in Los Angeles who draws famous people, focusing on films. Unlike Al, Matt uses a computer for his work. Matt tells TrekMovie that after seeing the new Star Trek film he was inspired to draw it.
Star Trek (2009) crew by Matt Hirschfeld
He has made 200 prints of his drawing and is giving 20 of them away. To find out more visit his site at matthirschfeld.com.
Al Hirschfeld and Star Trek
Matt’s work is his attempt to carry on a long tradition of his namesake. Al Hirschfeld did drawings of all the Star Trek crews with the exception of Enterprise. Hirschfeld only did commissioned work, but his longtime gallerist Margo Feiden tells TrekMovie that he found doing the Trek work "tremendously interesting and specifically "he loved being able to draw the ears on Nimoy."
Hirschfeld’s first Star Trek work was a drawing of Kirk and Spock for TV Guide in 1966, the original of this work was later purchased by William Shatner.
Kirk and Spock by Al Hirschfeld
In December 1991 Brent Spiner (Data) commissioned Hirschfeld to do a drawing of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Next Generation by Al Hirschfeld
In 1993 Hirschfeld returned to TOS, doing a drawing of the entire original cast of Star Trek for a private commission.
Original Star Trek by Al Hirschfeld
Finally in 1995 Hirschfeld got another commission from TV Guide, this time to do both Deep Space Nine and Voyager.
Deep Space Nine by Al Hirschfeld
Voyager by Al Hirschfeld
Lithographs and some less expensive Giclees of all of the Star Trek Hirschfeld drawings are available at the Margo Feiden Galleries (including some signed by the Star Trek actors). More information at AlHirschfeld.com. There are also Trek actor signed versions of some of the Hirschfeld drawings at Light Speed Fine Art, all of which are based on lithographs from the Feiden Galleries.
Nimoy Gives Bill a Hirschfeld
Here is a scene from the "Mind Meld" DVD which starts off with Leonard Nimoy giving William Shatner the TOS cast Hirschfeld drawing, right off a wall in his house.
All Al Hirschfeld drawings copyright Al Hirschfeld/The Margo Feiden Galleries, ltd, New York.
Wonderful new material!!
No mistaking Karl Urban’s eyebrows!!
My favorite is still TNG rendering!
there is more of chris pine in the mccoy figure, than in the kirk one.
but still nice work
Wow…. gotta admit the new crew illustration is fantastic, so close to the late illustrator Al Hirschfeldelds style.
I own a Star Trek: The Next Generation print number 54/325 which i bid for at a convention back in 1992 at the Leicester Midcon in the UK for £400.00! Its my pride and joy and hangs in my studio.
If i remember correctly Brent Spiner gave a copy to Richard Arnold who brought it to the convention for auction – all the auction items were for charity.
One of the strangest items on auction that year was a 6 inch nail used in the set of the bridge from ST: TMP LOL!!! it went for £2.50…those were the days! Fun times!
Wow! The new Hirschfeld drawing is AWESOME! I loved the movie!
Thanks to Brent for commissioning the TNG in 1991!!
It was probably the stepping stone to all the complete csst Hirschfelds.
#7 = Panic at the Disco. (Pat D.)
:]
i like how its the same person who drew the original to draw out the new version of the orginal, which i love, now, dearly.
and i love that clip of shatner at nimoys (MIND MEL)
i ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!
Personally, I hate this kind of “Art.” Maybe I just don’t get it, but why is it so awesome to draw someone all disfigured? I don’t like to put style before talent. IMO, that’s all this is.
It’s style and talent… I like
lol i love the ghost of tasha in the tng rendering
He’s no Al Hirschfeld. He copied the style but bungled the likenesses.
Re: 9. They’re caricatures. The trick is, if you can tell who it is despite the distortion without any hints, it’s a good one.
The only good one in the new pic in Yelchin.
Interesting rendering of Spock Prime.
I like Trek things, so I like this new Hirschfeld. :-)
aww, that vid was cute ^_^
The Spocks look nothing like Nimoy or Quinto. Fail.
…and is Matt putting the Nina in his too?
Interesting that Tasha is see-thru in the TNG drawing. Nice touch.
My favorite is TNG picture, but I like them all (old and new)
Nice, but where’s the crew of Star Trek Enterprise?
I guess Bacula didn’t feel like ponying up the cash.
Loved that video, if we can time travel, would loved to show that video to William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy when they were fighting and not getting along in 1960. To make them realize, it will be all worth it.
I’ve always loved that part in the “Mind Meld” DVD with Leonard telling Bill that he was his best friend. Good moment.
It was a bit unsettling to see a “new” Hirschfeld drawing in front of me. I knew that Al had passed away several years ago. Matt does a nice job of capturing his style, though.
@ #18…
Good call, Andy! I was wondering if anyone else on here was familiar with the “Nina”…
Fopr those of you who don’t know… Al Hirscshfeld would incorporate his daughter’s name “Nina” in every piece he created. Often difficult to find, he would give a single clue. Next to his signature, he would include a number. For example, he would sign a piece: Hirschhfeld5, to let the viewer know that the name Nina was hidden in 5 places throughout the piece.
If you look at the TNG cast piece above, you can clearly see the number 7 next to his signature. Unfortunately, Matt Hirschfeld has no number next to his signature so my guess is that Nina didn’t make it into his piece.
Great to see the Al Hirschfeld art. His portraits were caricatures, but drawn with a loving eye and captured the essence of a role/performer perfectly. A true master.
But reproducing Hirschfeld drawings so small/fuzzy that you can’t play “spot the NINAs” should be a criminal offense, guys!
Btw, nice Shatner/Nimoy vid, and a good opportunity to see at least “a small corner” of Nimoy’s art collection that impressed Zach Quinto so much.
I’ve been a fan of all the retro style promos for the new film. Sets me up for the proper digestion of the film. This is great, and I really like the 70’s style new Enterprise on blue displayed at the Trek raves.
I love the DS9 one. Too bad Garak isn’t in it, I’d love to see what he did with that ;D
All of these pictures are dreadful.
aww… I’ve always loved that vid segment. from Mind Meld, if I’m not mistaken.
Yeah, Dukat and Garak could’ve been in it. but they weren’t regulars, only recurring. what characters though!
BTW – all crews have a PR pic together. Does the new crew have one?
Those drawings are ugly.
Yeah I wish these were higher rez so the details would show up. Always liked playing find-the-Ninas but the only ones I can make out from these fuzzy scans are on Guinan’s sleeves.
:(
If memory serves that early Kirk and Spock pic predated Nina’s birth so her name doesn’t appear in it.
34… Nothing like someone who has no talent themselves, throwing out and unthinking comment on some one who has.. “InIdiot”, oops, sorry “InSaint”
#s 17, 31, and 34–
Well, de gustibus non disputandem est, right? For example: I don’t like the new Star Trek movie much, but my guess would be that you do. OTOH, I like Hirschfield’s style a great deal, and thought this artist did a pretty creditable job of capturing it (though he would be better off dedicating his obvious talent to developing one of his own).
I remember seeing a numbered print of one of the Hirschfield drawings at an ST convention some years back–I think it was the one featuring the TNG cast–and was interested in purchasing it until I saw the price, at which point I could only shake my head sadly and walk away.
The ’66 Spock is great. So few lines, and he nails him. I draw (advanced doodling, more like it), and this is fascinating. Al Hirschfeld make it look easy.
The new Hirschfeld’s style echoes the original artist’s, but there are still differences in the look. As there should be. This is actually very cool!
Star Trek meets the New Yorker. I like it!
TNG is the best one; I love Picard’s expession.
That new Trek pic is great. I like the way the line from new Spock flows into the new Spock. He should do a “Transformers” drawing.
I mean new Spock to old Spock
36
Nina was born in 1947.
44. Nina was born in November 1945.
41. It might be more accurate to say that Star Trek meets the New York Times, where Hirschfeld’s drawings appeared for 75 years.
12. I agree with you. why would someone want to copy someone’s style and use their name other than for the simple reason of separating folks from their money. there is only one Hirschfeld and his name is not Matt. don’t be fooled. Save your money for the real thing.
BTW, Hirschfeld redrew his 1960s TV Guide drawing for a set of lithographs in 2001. He also drew Picardo in voyager in 1999 for the actor.
Regarding pknot’s comment, in his criticism of Matt Hirschfeld, pknot failed to disclose that he is associated with the Al Hirschfeld Foundation and has a financial interest in promoting the sale of Al Hirschfeld’s work. Let’s make room for new talent and give credit where credit is due.
What?? No ‘Enterprise’ group portrait???
Hey Pknot,
If you do in do indeed manage the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, it sounds like you’re whole beef with Matt’s work comes from the fact that someone buying Matt’s work siphons away some of the money you get for suckling the late Al Hirschfeld’s cash cow teat.
Tell me, pknot, have you ever heard the ancient Klingon proverb: revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It’s very cold in spaaaace.
@ #18
Yes Andy, I was wondering about Nina also. Apparently Matt is but a shadow of the original. He didn’t even attempt a Pinta or a Santa Maria either.
Woohoo, I was notified I was winner #7. Thanks, TrekMovie!