 In addition to his costume chores , Fletcher designed the Klingon and Vulcan makeup . Makeup artist Thomas R. Burman suggested that Fletcher was asked to help because the studio neglected to contract the work out ; Burman received a contract only three weeks before the start of photography . Burman 's bid of $ 160 @,@ 000 was much higher than Paramount 's $ 50 @,@ 000 budget , but he secured the job when his competitor dropped out close to the start of production . " It didn 't come down to money in the end but to who could do it quickly [ ... ] we had a [ reputation ] for working fast and doing quality work , " Burman explained . Fletcher and Burman agreed that the cragged foreheads of the Klingons in The Motion Picture were too prominent , obscuring the individuals ' faces . " It was just too cartoonish , and I didn 't want a Star Wars look in [ the ] movie . There had never been a good marriage between the forehead appliance and the actor 's faces . We tried to keep them in character rather than have these obtrusive things on their heads , " Burman said . The resulting Klingon makeup took two hours to apply . 
