Concept Art from Around the Spiral!

I recently shared some cool teaser art from Chris White and Jason Young in this post, Today, I want to share a few more pieces I think you'll like from Chris, as well as Billy George. We'll take a look at some unused ships and cool concepts of familiar items.

Chris White

Christopher D. White has worked in the gaming industry since 1996, and he's got an impressive array of 3D models and texture art to show for it. Among his many excellent pieces are a few he did for Pirate101. You can see more from Chris here.

Water Mole Frigate

I think that one of his most fascinating works is the Water Mole Frigate. We have seen a few Water Mole ships in Skull Island. While I don't recall this particular one, it wouldn't be a stretch to guess that these are ships for mobs only or were cut from the player ship list.

Whatever the case, it's often hard to look at and appreciate enemy ships in the game, but one look at this one in the image (click to see a larger version) shows how much detail goes into one - and how all the textures work together with the model. A very nice job from Chris - check out his other work.

Billy George

Billy George has been a favorite artist over the years, having his concepts shared by J. Todd Coleman, and working on some other games and films that players may be familiar with. He does conceptual work - translating ideas into recognizable forms, filling in the gaps of the imagination and adding his own vision and artist marks. See more from Billy here.

Stymphalian Bird

These birds appear pretty small in-game, and they're a pretty quick encounter, but upon closer inspection, are quite unique. It'd be pretty cool to have one of these as a pet and it would definitely work given that they're not special bosses or unique creatures. The concept at the top of this post illustrates these horned Bucaneer birds. Next time you're in Achaea, pay them a visit.

The Hydra

Perhaps one of the most memorable fights in the game, and certainly in Aquila, this Pirate101 battle is one for the books. Facing off against Hydra heads that actually multiple with each one you kill makes it a tough one to solo. Billy George captures the environment and the creature perfectly in this concept. The use of the water allowed Pirate101 make heads popping up seem like they were more attached to the large Hydra body.

There are four types in total - Ebon, Amethyst, Cobalt, and Scarlet (Storm, Ice, and Fire). Each not only has a unique and identifiable color, but also unique characteristics and horns on its head, and a unique design for the body. Perhaps one of the coolest parts of the concept in particular is the tiny legs on which he walks.

Dragonfly Pet

Jumping over to Wizard101 for just a moment, Billy also has some great work there. One of his pieces that I think you'll appreciate is the once-elusive Dragonfly Pet. This guy was rumored to be a number of places, even suggested to be a drop, but extensive searching led to nothing. Eventually it surfaced as a hybrid.

This concept piece wasn't just for a pet, though. If I recall correctly, the baby dragonfly was used in Khrysalis Part 1 as well, in Tyrian Gorge, alongside its larger companions who are available to players as mounts (and a house ride in the Amber Estate). Ultimately, a very fun piece to look at. The egg is a nice touch.

What's your favorite piece from these artists?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!