We spoke with the Austrian artist Aronja about her work for The Elder Scrolls Online, her relationship with the Elder Scrolls series, and what fascinates her about the fantastic worlds of video games.
Who is Aronja? Aronja, also known as Raffaela, is a 26-year-old student from Austria who paints images with acrylic, oil, and watercolor. In her paintings, she depicts the beauty of the fantastic worlds through which players travel every day. She is a huge Lord of the Rings fan and is enthusiastic about Skyrim and The Witcher.
On her YouTube channel, she uploads videos where she paints her images in time-lapse. Fans can also view her work on her website. In the interview, she talks about her creative inspirations, the beauty of Skyrim, and what fascinates her about Tamriel, the world of The Elder Scrolls.
The Interview with Aronja
Mein-MMO: You traveled all over the island of Summerset. Which places did you particularly enjoy? Why did you choose that motif?
Aronja: Generally, I like everything that is elvish! I am impressed by their architecture – embedded in beautiful landscapes with waterfalls and colorful vegetation. Even though I do not particularly like the haughty character of the High Elves (I prefer the company of the Catfolk instead), I am most often found in these areas.
Standing on the west coast of Summerset and looking from an elevated forest glade at the impressive capital “Alinor” was one of the most beautiful moments of my exploration.
But Shimmeren is also very impressive – the city itself rises picturesquely on a rocky peninsula in the ocean surrounded by white coral beaches. The city of Artaeum with the imposing tower “Ceporah” immediately captivated me from the beginning.
Probably because the landscape is not characterized by the typical blue sky, lush green meadows, and ornate white towers – but by delicate shades of purple, mist veils along the coasts, and the mystical sky creates a very peculiar atmosphere. I suspect that I chose it because it is something completely different.
“Painting for me is like telling a story”
Mein-MMO: You paint many landscapes and fewer portraits. What fascinates you about these strange, fantastic worlds?
Aronja: Such fantastic worlds give me an enormous scope for interpretation as to what could be hidden within them or what secrets there are to explore. Painting a landscape in such a way that one can really immerse oneself in it is for me like telling a story, only it is up to the viewer to let their imagination flow into it. It’s hard to describe, but I simply love bringing landscapes and worlds from my imagination to life on the canvas.
Mein-MMO: You particularly like the landscape of Skyrim. What are your favorite places in Skyrim that one should definitely visit?
Aronja: If I had to limit myself to a few favorite places, which is hard for me because the whole of Skyrim could be considered my favorite place, then it would probably be the quaint village of Riverwood, the view from Dragonbridge over the coastal city “Solitude”, or the cave “Ancestor’s Glade.” I particularly enjoyed the forgotten valley from the DLC “Dawnguard” or Sovngarde.
How do you create a painting?
Mein-MMO: What is the process for creating a painting?
Aronja: Often, I make my first draft with Photoshop to get an impression of where various elements should be, how the mood and harmony of the colors will look, and so on. If I am satisfied with it, the sketch is transferred to the canvas.
An acrylic painting is built up in several layers. I start very abstractly and apply large areas of just the basic colors to the canvas. With each subsequent layer, more details are added until I am satisfied with the result. If possible, I also often film the creation process. These time-lapse videos then go on my YouTube channel.
Mein-MMO: What fascinates you about Tamriel, the world of The Elder Scrolls?
Aronja: Tamriel is incredibly multifaceted, whether dry deserts, swamp areas, barren volcanic landscapes with rivers of lava, magical temples, snow-covered regions, and much more. But not only the landscapes are so diverse – Tamriel is teeming with different interesting peoples, such as the fluffy Khajiit, various elf races, scaly Argonians, or orcs.
What I like about this universe is the complexity of story, background history or lore, of the different cultures and countries. Also, there is something interesting to discover at almost every corner, even if it’s just a recipe for Argonian swamp soup. For me, Tamriel is the epitome of fantasy – for everywhere you encounter magic, portals, enchanted beings, magical plants, giant mushrooms, and the most curious creatures.
Tips for aspiring artists
Mein-MMO: Do you have creative role models that you orient yourself towards when creating your art?
Aronja: I collect all kinds of art books that come my way – starting with Skyrim, over The Witcher, God of War, or The Lord of the Rings, especially the works of John Howe. Otherwise, I like the images of Raphael Lacoste, Andreas Rocha, Chuck Black, or the concept art from The Elder Scrolls Online.
Mein-MMO: What tips do you have for people or players if they want to do something like this too?
Aronja: Folks, just do it! Don’t hesitate to at least give it a try. During my time in high school, I learned the basics and various theories about art, but in my opinion, the best way to learn is by simply trying it out – “learning by doing” – and finding your own strengths and weaknesses.
My advice is not to set your expectations too high and above all, not to let yourself get discouraged, like “because there are so many good artists out there already.” Find your own way, believe in yourself, find your strengths, and perfect them.
