Here's some concept art from the nexus forums for a summerset isle mod. This is simple stiff yet still leagues more creative than ESO. Maybe it can serve as some inspiration for you guys:

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/779832-summerset-isle-concepts/

It's kind of hard to explain. Basically, I'm thinking strong design principles (color relationships, shapes, how the eye flows, etc.). Those Mondo movie posters I linked are all art - they're real well composed, clever, interesting to look at. They're the sort of thing that, if you saw it on a wall, you'd not immediately recognize it as a nerdy poster. Look at http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGELwG61m3A/URwOaEaLMxI/AAAAAAAAAIk/oAdcMoDGsBY/s1600/oblivion_tom_cruise_poster.jpg for the movie Oblivion (big Tom Cruise looking like Tom Cruise, standard "man with gun facing forward," says little more than that the movie is probably set in the near future), versus this http://www.mondoarchive.com/poster/oblivion/ (evokes the emptiness, calm, and despair of the movie, wonderful color palate, places the essence of the movie and design principles ahead of Tom Cruise's big face). The lithograph Zenimax released is practically a cliche of "this is a fantasy poster." It's well painted, but not interesting to look at beyond admiring that it looks realistic.

In video game examples, think of the box for all recent TES games. They're simple and graphic, relying on design. It's what makes the games stand out on a shelf of well-made by ultimately same-y covers. That's what I want. A poster that will stand out, not blend into the "we're showing a fantasy warrior, most likely in the blue/orange color palate" aesthetic. I get why companies make posters like that. But we already have those, and this is an opportunity to do something different and make something that could hang in the Hirschorn as well as in your den.

That's not to say I'm forbidding you (I can't do that, and wouldn't if I could) from drawing your Dark Brotherhood Dunmer slitting some sixy Altmer lady's throat. Just make it look like you'd not be embarrassed if your dad/teacher/boss had it hanging on his wall. Or, hell, ignore me completely; I won't mind

I'll admit that my first thought when I saw the contest was to draw the most ridiculous, over-the-top http://fantasy.mrugala.net/Frank%20Frazetta%20-%20Icon/Frank%20Frazetta%20-%20Icon%20-%2021.jpg and treat it like I was being 110% serious.

[URL deleted] This is what I've got. Now that people with actual artistic experience are here, I feel like this isn't as good as it could be. Any pointers? Edit: bad anatomy aside. I'm fixing that.

Edit: deleted the URL for reasons.

Wow, I love it! Great work with emotions of the characters! You got Ayem's personality right, I think =)

Just how actual must our experience be to be worthy of throwing ideas at you? =)

From the symbolism point of view, I'd put Ayem and the Nord-king-whose-name-I-forgot on a mountaintop or a ziggurat of sorts, so that the courtiers would actually be seen below them, standing on either the slopes of the hill or stairs. Then their silhouettes would also fan out in a kinda triangular composition that you could enhance by adding heavy clouds in the sky to the left and right, a bit like a theater curtain. I'd also choose two colour schemes, distinct yet coordinating, for the Nord left half and the Dunmeri right half of the image, symbolising the clash-yet-forced-cooperation when the two schemes meet in the middle. Also then there's the classic advice of drawing the foreground elements (the king and Ayem) in brighter colours, and all the rest in dimmer shades. Your mountains have an awesome aerial perspective!

And don't forget the rest of Ayem's tattoos =)

If I were eligible to take part, I'd definitely have done something about Ayrenn's "untimely" demise. Preferably at the hands of Altmer proper.

I thought the Nord was supposed to be Wulfharth... of course, he doesn't look very ash-y in this picture, so I suppose not. Regardless, I do like the expression on his face: "Seriously, I have to work with you?" And with Ayem smirking right back at him, mocking him even as she gets ostensibly preachy for the viewership of her Indoril audience...

Edit: I didn't notice the retainers the Nord king had behind him. Wulfharth would have been standing alone. I apologize for my lack of attention.

Well, since you are asking. Details details details!!!! Neat concept though.

I have a bad feeling the winner[s] of this are going to be stereotypical Dwarves leading an army of automatons.

Your faith is mindblowing...

Goodness.... not even a lick of hope for humanity in your soul?

“And on the sixth day, Mother Morrowind arose from her meditations, and spoke to Her children. She counseled us not to war, as the Great Houses were clamoring for, but to peace. Peace with our eldest enemies, the Nords, and with the swamp-lizards inhabiting the southern marshes, fit only to be our slaves. And, therefore, despite the misgivings in our hearts, we meet with the Skald-King in the plains outside Mournhold, where our Mother will test Her Mercy against the will of this barbarian warlord.” – Indoril Medresi Sadras

I don't know if we can add text to stuff, though. Or maybe I should convert it to daedric and overlay it?

Ah, I see now. My first ideas were something along those lines, a modified Imperial logo among them - until I realized I'm not very good at this style. Unless ...

Damn, I wish I could enter more than once.

Oh, and I absolutely love Frazetta. 110% serious!

I think you suffer from the same problem as I do, which I'd call "one-perspective-fits-all". By that I mean that everyone in the picture is at eye-level, and roughly in the same position anatomy-wise. It's just how we usually see the world, but it gets somewhat mundane unless you spice it up. Which you could totally do, possibly by capitalizing on the confrontational theme you have chosen. You could use different (yet complimenting) color schemes for left/right, or make one side darker or lighter than the other.

You totally should.

Also, "It can feature text, but that isn’t required." http://elderscrollsonline.com/en/news/post/2013/04/25/enter-the-eso-poster-challenge

I have to redraw the ones in the background completely. I managed to fudge up both the perspective and the anatomy, and it just looks very clumsy. I think my horizon is a bit high, although if I lower it it loses the vast distance feel of the whole thing. The only problem is, I'm not sure how to change anything.

I thought the horizon was fine - if you want to lower it, I wouldn't do it by much. Although I'm a svcker for clouds, so more sky is always nice.

And if you're not sure how to do it, just mess around and see what sticks. Works for me!

I'm noticing that the left side background isn't done yet. Can I make a suggestion?

I would play up the differences between Jorrun's landscape and Ayem's landscape. So behind Jorrun its mountains and snow and behind Ayem its Morrowind plants and lava. Sort of like a symbolic representation of what these two meeting means. Its not just an uneasy meeting between two people. Its an uneasy meeting and alliance between nations and cultures.

Does anyone recognize http://oi45.tinypic.com/wl7gac.jpg? He keeps bugging me.

That looks like the skull that appears on the Altar of Molag Bal: http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120513042927/elderscrolls/images/c/cc/Molag_bal_mace_altar_rusty.png

It looks vaguely daedric. It doesn't match any known skull structures on Tamriel, anyways.

http://images.wikia.com/elderscrolls/images/0/0b/Molag_Bal_Vampire_Altar_.png

Almost definitely daedric, then. Perhaps it's Bal's own skull?

Yup. I think you can also see it in the quest for his Mace, but I don't have a screen from that. I went with this representation, as it's the most recent and detailed and not as goofy as the one from Morrowind / Oblivion.

So, do I get a fishystick if I can sneak in his "spear" without getting disqualified?

You'd get a lifetime supply from me.

Is anyone doing anything summerset related?

I thought there were quite a few people at the beginning of the thread that were very interested in doing something Summerset-related. However, if a lack of interest in Summerset is representative of the lore forum, it might also be considered pretty telling that anything we'd want to put forward for Summerset will suffer to have TESO-related material shoehorned in.

Still doing Finals. Still planning on doing something Dominion themed.