Community Spotlight—Tomato’s Illustrated ESO Adventures

As Tomato explores Tamriel, they illustrate their adventures and share them with the rest of the ESO community. Discover their work and learn more about their inspirations and process in our latest Community Spotlight!

Thank you for joining us, Tomato! Firstly, can you tell us about your ESO experience and how you came to the game?

I started playing Elder Scrolls games when my uncle first gave me his unused Xbox. For half a year, I spent almost all my time playing both TES IV: Oblivion and TES V: Skyrim simultaneously, and when I decided to buy a computer, I got to know The Elder Scrolls Online. ESO is my first online game, and I was shocked to find that I could dive into such a dazzling and deep fantasy world.

When were you first inspired to draw scenes and characters from ESO?

When Eso-ko, the official Khajiit character of the ESO community team in Japan, first appeared, I started a Twitter account and drew a picture of her in hopes of cheering her up. At the time, I hadn’t developed the habit of drawing regularly, and it was just doodling.

You tend to capture ESO’s story and quest moments. What is it about these stories that drive you to draw them?

It’s not only the story from my character's point of view that makes me want to draw, but also the scenes before and after the quests and the emotions and personalities of the NPCs. Even if it is just one word, the NPCs in ESO often say some deep and meaningful things, and I think it would be a waste to experience it just once.

Do you have a favorite Blackwood illustration so far?

Blackwood is full of memorable scenes that make me want to draw, regardless of whether they are main quests, side quests, or just minor events along the way. Those are all the ones I drew, so they are all my favorites!

What is your process for drawing a scene from a quest or storyline? How long does it typically take?

I draw in pencil in my sketchbook, scan it into my computer, and finish them by processing the pencil drawing to make it clearer and removing any unnecessary dust. It can take an hour or two, sometimes longer. Since I am playing the game in Japanese, I will also look up the English names of the characters, quests, and locations on the internet, and use some images and videos as reference. If I do not know the name of the quest or what the quest is about, I will check the quest guide site created by a Japanese community member. For backgrounds that match the image I have in mind, I use the screenshots I have taken, and for the character poses, I also use screenshots and sometimes some reference images on the internet. I may spend more time looking up reference material than the drawing process itself, but when I need something more, I just log into ESO for a quick shot.

How have your skills improved since you’ve been regularly illustrating scenes from the game?

I do not place importance on my skills. What I want to draw is not a skillful illustration, but the impact of the story and characters. Expressing that feeling is what I enjoy.

How has the ESO community reacted to your illustrations?

The response has been better than I could have ever imagined. I am sure that they are comparing their own memories of the characters and quests with my drawings and remembering the colors and emotions of their own experiences.

Do you have any advice for your fellow ESO community members who’d like to draw their favorite characters and scenes from the game?

I think the most fun way to draw is to draw how you feel. When you express your feelings about the world of ESO in your own style, you reveal that version to the community. I would love to see it!