Monday, October 29, 2012

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

6 comments:

Virginia said...

Awesome :)

Ray Lederer said...

Thanks Virginia!

Benjamin. said...

Cool, you've been updating again!
Nice artwork. Something spooky about the ghost like look, with all of those little... tentacles?


I've gotten a lot of books now own figure drawing, but I was wondering if you knew of any good books on animal anatomy for artists. I want to be able to draw monsters and stuff, but I'm guessing the reason I can't has to do with a good grasp of the anatomy of different animals. I may just end up going to the zoo for a day or something.

Benjamin. said...

Whisps, right. Forgot what those were.

Ray Lederer said...

Thanks Benjamin. As for animal anatomy books I'd suggest 'An Atlas of Animal Anatomy For Artists' by W. Ellenberger, H. Dittrich, and H. Baum.

Another good one is the excellent Elliot Goldfinger book 'Animal Anatomy for Artists'. Both are great and it would be hard one recommend one over the other.

And of course the Muybridge 'Animals in Motion' is a classic and still a goto for many artists.

These are all pretty dry clinical books but they are great for straightforward and thorough anatomical reference.

Hope this helps. If you find anything else interesting out there be sure to share it with me too:)

Benjamin. said...

OK. Thanks Ray!
I checked out a book from the library that looks that it might help, though it only has a few animals. I'll probably look through it for now.

Hopefully I can find some of those books you listed.

Thanks for the help,

-Benjamin