First I built a 3D model with buildings resembling the ones in the original matte painting. Then I rendered a day version and a night version, that I touched up with (digital) paint. I found Albert Whitlock’s name attached to the Star Trek project, under ‘Visual Effects’. It’s likely that he did all or many of the original matte paintings in the series. Knowing his otherwise fantastic work, the work he did for Star Trek (if it was actually his) shows how rushed and low budget it was.