A talented Skyrim fan has painted the distinct Dwemer ruin of Fal'Zhardum Din, or Blackreach, as it is more commonly known. This year will mark the ten-year anniversary of Bethesda's renowned installment in the Elder Scrolls series, and the game still manages to maintain a strong player base.
Fans have been waiting many years for The Elder Scrolls 6, and while the game has been officially announced, little information has been shared beyond that. Bethesda has not been idle with its fantasy franchise during this time, and has been updating The Elder Scrolls Online, but the MMO has seemingly not captured the same magic as its single player predecessor. Even after a decade Skyrim maintains a devoted fanbase that not only still supplies new content for the game in the form of mods, but also contributes a steady stream of fan art that comes in all shapes and sizes.
Reddit user LongFineArt recently posted an image of a painting they created showcasing the distinct Skyrim dungeon of Blackreach. This Dwemer ruin sets itself apart from the many others that can be explored in the game thanks to the massive glowing mushrooms specific to the area. LongFineArt paid special attention to that fact while capturing the dungeon in paint by actually making the artwork able to glow in the dark. More photos showcasing the piece can be found on the artist's Instagram, aaron_long_art.
This is not the first Skyrim themed piece this artist has designed, as evidenced by their Instagram account. Aaron_long_art not only does traditional paintings, but sculptures as well, and all of them appear to be based off of the 2011 title. Fans who may be interested in a Skyrim work of their own will be happy to know that aaron_long_art does do commissions, but according to their Instagram they are currently booked with paintings. Sculptures, meanwhile, still appear to have some openings.
Many games have similar responses in fan art communities shortly after launch, and they usually last for a few years after that. Only a select number of titles manage to go beyond that point, and those are the ones that are culture defining. Skyrim was and is a defining title, as it has managed to leave its mark on the world beyond gaming. Very few other titles have a comparable impact where they can still inspire artists to create so much quality content so long after they first released.