I tried exploring a few different ideas for the design, mostly involving trying to make something with elements of 'classic' space opera vessels while experimenting with shapes that pushed the center of mass forward a little.

I also wanted to explore the tension between a (somewhat) smooth hull and the really baroque machinery and pressure hull underneath it. This is the reason for the 'cracked lava' look.

I started with a loose sketch of my idea, then made a low poly 3D proxy model to explore the basic massing. Once satisfied, I made a very light printout and drew my final linework over it. I did this for both the ortho and plan drawings.

The vessel is designed for a strike role, sacrificing armor for speed and firepower. The vessel name is a sort of comment on the vulnerability of the critical areas. :p (Lick)