TESV:Skyrim - Early Wisp Concepts

Continuing from my previous Wisp post, this was an early sketch designed to show an encounter with Wisps pre-Wisp Mother. This concept of them (being more like Sirens) was the driving idea in my mind to pitch to the designers and Todd. They have an insatiable hunger that can never be quenched. Doomed souls forever looking for another wayward traveler lost in the woods.

 I imagined the Wisps luring the player deeper into a glen with an enchanting and seductively harmonic song. As they surrounded you they would start stripping away your magica, weapons, and gear as you were lifted into the air by their ghostly forms. After you were sufficiently defenseless they'd drain your health and take on a more corporeal monster/vampiric form and finish you off. After a while the effects of the lifeforce they took from you would dwindle and they'd revert back to a more ethereal ghost like state.

Of course this was a tremendous amount of resources to devote to one creature design and it didn't really fit with the lore so it was never made it in. But in going through this process we explored a lot of ideas that manifested in opening some doors elsewhere and established a new part of the Elder Scrolls canon.

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011

TESV:Skyrim - Wisp Mother

When asked to design the Wisp I researched not only the TES version, but also the Will o' the Wisp from Celtic folklore. There it was a more mischievous creature like a little goblin who would lure wayward travelers to their doom off of a cliff in the fog or roll them in a thicket, etc. In Oblivion they were essentially particle spheres with the promise of loot if you killed them. I liked the supernatural aspect of them but I wanted to design a creature who was more compelling and potentially seductive.

My thought was, if they're supposed to lure you to your doom then they should be tempting bait, no? Difficult to pull off in an RPG setting but I thought I'd try to pitch anyway. Luckily they went for it...

..After making a few quick drawings of ghostly women we came full circle back to the original concept of the TES4 Wisps but with the added component of the Wisp Mother and her 'child' Wisps... 

...The idea pitched at this point was to make her beautiful and ethereal and seemingly like an ally until you got within her striking distance. She'd then reveal her true nature and revert to her 'vampiric' form quickly draining the player's life force...

...When all was said and done these ideas proved a little too ambitious, the transformation concept got axed and probably rightfully so...

Still, this was an evolution for the Wisp and it was really fun to develop with the rest of the team. I'll be updating more in the near future so stop by again soon.

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011.

Exposé 10 has arrived!

Hi everyone, it's my distinct honor to be featured in this year's annual Exposé showcase! Thank you to my beautiful wife Rane, my kids, mom, dad and all of my friends past and present for supporting me through so many trials and tribulations. The book is out now and features gorgeous art from well established pros as well as some very promising up and comers who I'm sure we'll be hearing much more from in the future!

Thank you(s) also go out to everyone at Bethesda Game Studio, and of course the jury working through Ballistic Publishing for selecting one of my paintings for this year's Exposé. Congratulations to everyone who made it in. Hope to see more of you next year! Cheers everyone!

To get your copy, follow this link: http://www.ballisticpublishing.com/books/expose/expose_10/