Skip to main content

Morrowind books interior illustrations recreation - A call to artists !

Submitted by robbinsmoth on

UPDATE: I have updated the Texture Artist Worksheet. Please look and add your name into the appropriate slot :). Also Twisted, Ellange, Ted help me fill out the book list worksheet please ;)

Texture Artist Worksheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Arnu0S8L8GpMdFdkcFJNc1ZQSGlNYXkxRkdxQlByR2c&usp=drive_web#gid=0

I've gone to the effort to put together a few resources for you. I own a copy of Taschens' "The World of Ornament" and i have access to a few thousand hi-resolution scans of patterns. 

Because these images are royalty free for unrestricted use, i've gone through and provided you with a few that i though might help. I'll update and add more as i go:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/asjqeygy9w5x1yp/GwGORw2Xep

I have also written up a tutorial on how i created my map. Google drive destroyed the colors in it, so in the link above in the tutorials folder i've provided you with my map PSD and the PDF of the tut. 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7nu0S8L8GpMZ2lmZVNYV19sTVk/edit

Hope you guys make use of them. Message me with your progress and post images up for critique. Also remember that the image alone isn't the final product, you have the whole page to design. This includes any text, borders and ornamentation that comes along with it.

Link to Book List Worksheet. Refer to this for tasks that need doing please:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Arnu0S8L8GpMdDVfeWtJc25jTk9RT0E2V01mM3hXZEE#gid=0

Not all of the books need custom graphics. We will design a few templates and reuse them to fill out the various books content.

 

Here is the list of books illustrations we need:

Book Illustration Original User Status
ABCs for Barbarians Atronach [External image] 3AMt  
ABCs for Barbarians Bungler's Bane [External image]    
ABCs for Barbarians Comberry [External image] Ellagne  
Boethiah's Glory Boethiah [External image]    
Divine Metaphysics... Writings p1 [External image]    
Divine Metaphysics... Writings p2 [External image]    
Divine Metaphysics... Figure [External image] 3AMt  
The Egg of Time page 1 [External image]    
The Egg of Time page 2 [External image]    
The Egg of Time figure front [External image] 3AMt  
The Egg of Time figure back [External image] 3AMt  
The Firmament Warrior [External image]    
The Firmament Mage [External image]    
The Firmament Thief [External image]    
Guide to Ald'ruhn Ald'ruhn [External image]    
Guide to Balmora Balmora [External image]    
Guide to Sadrith Mora Sadrith Mora [External image]    
Guide to Vivec Vivec [External image]    
Guide to Vvardenfell Vvardenfell [External image]    
Honorable Writ of Execution Morag Tong seal [External image]    
Map of Red Mountain Red Mountain [External image]    
Secrets of Dwemer Animunculi Animunculi 1 [External image] 3AMt  
Secrets of Dwemer Animunculi Animunculi 2 [External image] 3AMt  
Secrets of Dwemer Animunculi Animunculi 2 [External image] 3AMt  
Secrets of Dwemer Animunculi Animunculi 3 [External image] 3AMt  
         
Invocation of Azura*     Ellagne  

I will update the table shortly.

PS: This lists the current vanilla books illustrations. If you want to create new, lore-friendly illustrations for books that don't have any, feel free to do so.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)
Last edited by robbinsmoth on 24 Jan 2014 - 17:40.

The Wild Elves: Ayleid

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_Wild_Elves

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

Did this one really quickly from tracing the Skywind Ash Vampire model 

Death Blow of Abernanit: Dagoth Thras

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Death_Blow_of_Abernanit

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

The Affairs of Wizards

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_Affairs_of_Wizards

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

The True Noble's Code

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_True_Noble%27s_Code

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

Grasping Fortune 

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Grasping_Fortune

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Fighters Guild Charter 

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Fighters_Guild_Charter

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Mages Guild Charter

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Mages_Guild_Charter

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

Skyrim is the only game with a thieves guild symbol so I'm using this one

Honor Among Thieves

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Honor_Among_Thieves

 

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

The symbol for Akatosh and the symbol for the imperial legion are exactly the same so this will be for the Imperial Legion faction charter and the Imperial Cult faction charter

 

Ordo Legionis

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Ordo_Legionis

And

For my Gods and Emperor

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:For_my_Gods_and_Emperor

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Fellowship of the Temple

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Fellowship_of_the_Temple

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

The Black Glove

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_Black_Glove

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

just a simple thing that I used photoshop for. I dont know I wanted to add a non standard cover to the book. but thats just my personal taste

I thought that it would be cool if the book had more of a gold texture to the pages. so I came up with this little quick texture for that

 

Attachment Size
3.png 1.01 MB
Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Grasping fortune and fighters guild look pixely to me. If needed I can revector them. Just hit me a pm!

Also: What I "liked" about TESO was, that they had three/four basic textures/looks for their books. As I'm not quite sure how your stuff will be used, maybe we should consider having three different types of books out there.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Are you familiar with Adobe Illustrator? Since you've scaled up those drawings, maybe somebody wiith knowledge in illustrator and curves could make a lose less version of them with curves, to be scaled  up as much as you need.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

For books on or by the telvanni may I suggest hemp paper? It has a nice feel to it, and there are many shades etc.

Attachment Size
hemp-paper-brown02.jpg 1.74 MB
j-14.jpg 582.61 KB
Karma: 0 (0 votes)

I could vectorize them. Only question I have is: Where/how are they used. If they are going to be "printed" on the books it would be best to vectorize them and then have them put on the paper, using blending modes. Just vectorizing them is have the job done.

Maybe, I got no idea about coding, these blending modes could be achieved via overlay functions in the code, so just the vector data would be necessary and the base model for the books stays the same, which should save a lot of space. But as I said: No idea if this is working.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

GendunDrup

Mages Guild Charter

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Mages_Guild_Charter

Nice work btw. Did you use underpainting by any chance?

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

ckstxjimmy

just a simple thing that I used photoshop for. I dont know I wanted to add a non standard cover to the book. but thats just my personal taste

I thought that it would be cool if the book had more of a gold texture to the pages. so I came up with this little quick texture for that

 

Perhaps not quite so vibrant and bright, keep in mind that the tech. of Tamriel meant that such colors were expensive, and that such color might contrast with the tones already in place.  Every book is special and sacred, but each one must blend in. I like the direction, though try to break up the consistency in the pattern or age it. What program are you using?

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

I vote for vectorizing everything, the good thing is that you can use the new high quality artwork for other things as well, it's just a blank slate, later on you can use them in banners, books, even in wallpapers for the mod, etc... it will be a good addition!

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Idk what you guys are talking about, everything is vectorized.. I'm just showing what they look like on vanilla paper

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

http://tesrenewal.com/files/GendunDrup/images/hlaalu.png

this is a vector? manually made?

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Endstufe

http://tesrenewal.com/files/GendunDrup/images/hlaalu.png

this is a vector? manually made?

i made vector images for all six of the great houses last year for a clothing mod

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Man, that's just can even be better! So LORE! awesome work!

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

@Gendun: You've been busy! These look pretty good. Hlaalu and Fighters Guild are a little pixellated, though. Don't forget to update the book list spreadsheet so everyone knows what books are being worked on.

AFAIK there is a single page texture used for all books and I don't know if it can be changed or customised, or if doing so is worth the effort. I'll get back to you guys on that one.

Just so everybody is on the same page here (no pun intended), all book art should be on a transparent background (inserting a colour/texture background for showing on the forum is fine). Vectoring is a good idea but isn't *vital*. When the illustration is completed to everyone's satisfaction, upload the version with transparent background somewhere and post a link in the thread, or message robbin or myself. Cheers everybody!

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

You may have not read my comment on that page texture. It would be very nice to have three/four varying ones. It was something I actually enjoyed about TESO (you look for those things, when the rest is messed up :( )

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Boethiah's Pillow Book

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Boethiah%27s_Pillow_Book

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

That's... Boethiah's Pillow Book is not supposed to have a picture of warrior-Boethiah.

Have you read the text that appears in place of 'actual text' in the 'Pillow Book'?

Karma: -2 (2 votes)

Smitehammer

That's... Boethiah's Pillow Book is not supposed to have a picture of warrior-Boethiah.

Have you read the text that appears in place of 'actual text' in the 'Pillow Book'?

The book in Morrowind is one line.

 

If you don't think its appropriate, I welcome you to try your own. 

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

I don't think it's inappropriate, but it doesn't look very good.

Karma: 0 (2 votes)

Don't you guys know how to say something constructive?

 

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Boethiah's Pillow Book is the Kama Sutra.

 

The problem is it isn't inappropriate. [External image]

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

The Axe Man

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_Axe_Man

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Maybe I should have done Boethia going at it with a Guar then, it seems like something he/she'd do

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

While the picture itself is great, it should probably go in a different Boethiah book. This one is a "naughty" book (hinted by the name of the quest involving it: Naughty Gabosa), likely either pornography or some sort of Kama Sutra equivalent. Either way, I doubt that it's emphasizing the warrior aspect of the god.

I'm honestly not sure if that one should be illustrated; half the fun is trying to figure out what in Oblivion might lurk in the pages.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

The Lunar Lorkhan

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:The_Lunar_Lorkhan

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

Redoran Cooking Secrets

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Redoran_Cooking_Secrets

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

Great work! You know what would be cool? A rat head coming out of the nix-hound's neck so that it's "The Rat and the Hound".

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

I'm going to try that, it might be tool detailed for book art though. We will see.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

GendunDrup: Don't you guys know how to say something constructive?
 

[deleted]

Discussed it with Gendun and we came to the conclusion that some of the vectorized symbols need a work-over as they lack of pixel-quality. And I had the idea that drawn illustrations would be the best for some books.

Karma: 1 (1 votes)

I'd say keep the books as they were. Every book doesn't need to be a graphic novel.  If the books had illustrations before, then let's recreate those.  Otherwise let's let the imagination do it's job.

Karma: -1 (3 votes)

Wow I didn't even expect this to be worked on, this really is going to be the most detailed mod ever, I would go almost as far to say there is as much or more effort put into Skywind then Skyrim.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

When I put all of the books and notes into the list, it was so that we could pick and choose which ones we illustrated. That's not supposed to be a checklist. Figured I'd clear that now if it wasn't clear before.

Karma: 0 (2 votes)

I was assigned to do some of the empty books.

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

@Endstufe: It would definitely be nice to have a variety of background textures, but they might not be implementable in Skyrim. If anyone can find a tutorial explaining how to add page textures, wonderful.

@Boethiah's Pillow Book issue: IMO, the text was quite tongue-in-cheek and illustrations are not necessary, given the nature of the content.

@Yours Truly: That is simply beautiful. Custom book exteriors are confirmed to be possible, though a brief search yielded no easy to follow tutorials. If anyone can find one, it would be most welcome. The only thing, I think, is that a book cover would be like a dust jacket – you have to have front and back covers and the spine. Feel free to toy around with this and devise some covers for the other guides.

Alright, onto progress report: I've gotten some illustrations into the game. Formatting and layout haven't yet been addressed; I'll get to that later. I can only find one good looking screencap on my hard drive, though!

There you go, Gendun.

Karma: 3 (3 votes)

Thanks Ellagne, I found a modders resource for journals notes and books called better journal mesh on the nexus, I can now make my won exteriors relatively easily. I recommend it to all artists who wish to make new covers :). Here is my layout so far, for a journal with buttons. If anyone has feedback, feel free. I also plan to add sales pitches like in brochures, so if anyone thinks of a funny phrase for sadrith mora, please let me know :)

Attachment Size
sadrith_mora_guide1.jpg 558.05 KB
Karma: 1 (1 votes)

@Yours Truly: Very nice! Please, make as many covers as you'd like. Could you do the other guides as well?

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

If I can get everything to work, sure. Does anyone know how to save a photoshop file as a dds?

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

Dont use .dds, use .psd when sending your book art in 

Karma: 0 (0 votes)

oh, will someone add the exterior? That's a relief, I have no idea how to do so myself

 

Karma: 0 (0 votes)