Arcane University:Weapons (2D)

In concept art (specifically in Skyrim modding) there are a variety of types of claims (or categories) you may encounter and choose to concept. Not all categories can be designed and presented the same way and they are often subject to different expectations.

Note that the information you read here might not apply to projects outside of Beyond Skyrim, or even within Beyond Skyrim - a project's art lead may have their own way of doing things. Be sure to clarify what their expectations are if you are unsure. But as a whole, if you follow these guidelines, you’ll be creating good Skyrim modding concept art.

Be sure to read our main Concept Art page for an overview of the basic workflow, expectations, and technical information needed for any claim. This page is additional reading.

Weapons
Single Weapon claims are typically an easy claim, however weapon sets can be medium or hard difficulty because of the amount of work and time required to complete the claim.

The contents of a Weapon concept art sheet depends on the weapon type, but you must have:
 * Your name (from the start)
 * Claim name (from the start)
 * Orthographic Front View
 * Size measurement/comparison
 * Notes regarding the design
 * Material image references
 * Optional: Rendered Views
 * Optional: Detail shots
 * Optional: Design Alphas
 * Optional: Project logo

Weapons are one the easiest concepts to layout and simply require an Orthographic front view, details view (if needed), and any patterns or designs that need to be included on the model. Shields and crossbows are the exception. They will likely need a front, side, and back view in order to display the front, how the player should hold it (and what it should look like on the ‘inside’) as well as the shape and slope of the shield from the side. It's important to do research and see how the player character holds Shields and Crossbows. Crossbows require a top view instead of a back view.

A Warhammer might need an additional view to explain the shape of the head.



This can be used as a reference for how large weapons should be compared to each other. Also useful as reference for the thickness of the handles, as those must match to make animations work properly, and the (rough) position of the blade/head/whatever part hits the target The sizes aren't super fixed however, as you can see with the glass waraxe here. Just as long as the blade and the grip placements match, you should be golden.



One Handed Weapons


 * Daggers
 * Maces
 * Swords
 * War Axes
 * Shields

Two Handed Weapons


 * Battle-axes
 * Greatswords
 * Warhammers

Projectiles


 * Bows (and arrows)
 * Crossbows (and bolts)

Hot Tips

 * Take into account how the player will hold the weapon. Knowing where and how the player grips the weapon let's you know how long the handle needs to be. If you must, go in game and take screenshots both in first person and third person.
 * Get inspired by real life weapons. Skyrim's style is relatively realistic and it's weapons are no exception. No World of Warcraft or FF sized weapons here.