TESV:Skyrim - Mages Pt. 2

Basically the same approach for the Male mages as the females. These costumes are generally designed in conjunction with each other.

Archmage has a bit more symmetry.

Apprentice Mage. It's in the art book but I don't think it was ever actually used in the game.

This one is the standard Mage Guild outfit.

Thanks again. More to come...

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011

TESV:Skyrim - Mages Pt. 1

Mages in the bitter north of Tamriel must have adapted to their harsh surroundings but still maintained their roots in their traditions beliefs and faith. I approached their costumes bearing this in mind and also wanting to give them the feel that they could, like a Shoalin Monk or Chuck Norris drop your ass with a roundhouse kick at any time. 

Lot's of sketching with prismacolor marker and pencils helps quickly develop ideas.

As a young apprentice I thought it'd be fun if they had a bit of the swagger. I liked the idea of  a sort of  parochial school filled with unsure and budding young students learning the ways of the force, hiding in the basement late at night, listening to Legendary Pink Dots and trying to summon C'thulu.

A female Archmage idea spawned the idea of asymmetry in the costumes. I didn't want to just put some robes on them and call it done. There needed to be some sort of  visual hook to make them read from a distance if possible and give them their own identity.

Thanks for stopping by. More to come...

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011

TESV:Skyrim - Sexy Ladies Pt. 2

This assignment was a simple costume design.  Not a whole lot of description is given or necessary for these ancillary designs. They are mostly background texture and side quest messengers. That said I really enjoy working on these because I get to be creative in coming up with my own little internal back stories to give the designs more context while drawing.

I usually start out with a B/W value sketch to work out values and get the idea across to the AD. Once a design is decided on I'm asked to either move on to a color pass or the next assignment depending on how much time we have or if enough is being communicated.

I like concept art that reveals the personality of the character. As in life, the personality of the character can inform the costume. I try to animate costume designs with the life force of the character wearing it. My hope is that it inspires more than just the character modeler but also gets designers and animators juiced with ideas as well.

I thought of  her as a head strong, no-nonsense, and beautiful bartender. Perhaps even owning the place. Kind of the Amazonian version of Marianne from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Probably sleeps on a little cot or pile of furs in a back room by the hearth. Wins every drinking contest and isn't above bouncing some of the deadbeats and brawlers if necessary. 

Thanks for stopping by. More to come...

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011

TESV:Skyrim - Sexy Ladies Pt. 1

What would a Sword and Sorcery game be without sexy bar maidens and dancers? :) Here are a couple of quick sketches that had some elements used for a few of the female NPCs. My muse for them was, of course my beautiful and sexy wife along with her friend and belly dancer Sharon Kihara mixed with some others from my subconscious..:)

I definitely took some ques from Sharon's wardrobe as she has a lovely variety of objects and talisman she uses in her costumed performances.

I'll feature the final version of a Barmaid outfit in another post for another post down the road. Thanks again!

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011

TESV:Skyrim - Jorrvasker (Companions Guild)

 The Companions Hall. The Companions are an elite fighter's guild of Nords with a strange secret who's sphere of influence emanates from inside the city walls of Whiterun. I wanted the design of Jorrvaskr to speak the language of Nord culture and attempted to sum up what they're all about architecturally. 

I went quite a few rounds with myself in coming up with something I thought was more compelling than just a standard viking structure.  

After exhausting myself with a ton of sketches I took a walk around the office and laughed out loud when I thought of what to do. Take a longboat and flip it over dummy! Rushing back to my table I quickly scrawled out this sketch.

Shields along the gutters of the roof would signify each member of the Companions. I thought it might be cool if you got your own when you passed the challenges but I think that was asking a bit too much considering the volume of other content to create for the game. I'm just glad they liked the idea of the boat...:) 

All Images Copyright Bethesda Softworks LLC, All Rights Reserved 2011