NOTE: Just in case the embedded is not visible, here's a link.
http://img408.imageshack.us/i/armorcomposit.jpg/
Wanted to try my hand at some armor design. I just went with shoulders, since that is the most unique and prevalent item (being able to turn off helms and all that. What follows is by no means intended to be final products. These shoulder designs are just concepts (I only spent a 3-4 hours on each). Enjoy!
1. Death Knight Since Arthas is dead and the DK's are finally free, I thought something showcasing that broken bond would be applicable. I also made a 'nod' to the Paladin set in some of the subtleties, due to the original lore between the classes.
Effects: swirling souls coming out of the chasms... Ghostbusters 2 anyone?
2. Druid have some cool looking sets, but always so upbeat. I love their style, but I wanted to give it another angle. For Cataclysm, the world gets all effed up. Felwood became the primary inspiration that the druids and the land itself is pretty pissed. Things aren't always happy-fun.
Effects: Twisting and writhing vines. Maybe spiders crawling over top. Crying goo might be pushing it...
3. Hunter For Tidestalker I went with an obvious sea theme - turtle shell, scales, shark teeth, and harpoons with nets. Coloring from Abyssal Maw concept painting.
Effects: Glowing rune w/ vapor trail
4. Mage Arcane imbued frost wraps containing orb of fire. Since mages wear cloth, I thought 'who ever said the shoulders have to be solid?' That, and I wanted to go with a more tattered look, like the mage actually went out and did something.
Effects: fire glowing inside the shoulders, and possible ice particles floating down from fringes
5. Priest Sorry but I started running out of ideas. Mainly wanted to pull the common tassel off the shoulder, keep the 'cloth' material, and add a little pendulum blade for time ticking away to the end of the world. Prophecy gave rise to apocalypse (ie Cataclysm), but that was a little extreme, so I went with the more biblical term of Revelation.
Effects: Glowing things
6. Paladin have been asking for Tyrael for a while, so Indignation is based on him. Unlike the warlock T6 wings, these would NOT be proc based, but would always show up. Note: I'm not sold on the coloration, but w/e the idea is still there.
Effects: You can go to Diablo3.com for the animation.
7. Rogue Plague wing of ICC mixed with the gas mask from holiday event with a steampunk quality.
Effects: Periodically the brass valve would turn, emptying the tubes, and then refill.
8. Shaman was initially inspired by the idea of a new ability by the same name: Fissure, some sort of frontal cone attack that mixes nature and fire damage (similar to Shadowflame or Frostfire). Went with the shoulder idea instead. Current sets include: Earthfury, Earthshatter, Cataclysm, Worldbreaker, and Earthshaker, so I figured Fissure would fit in line.
Effects: lava dripping down and embers floating up.
9. Warrior I just took Deathwing's jaw and strapped it down.
Effects: furnace spitting hot fire
10. Warlock Their enslave demon ability was the primary inspiration, and added the fel green because warlocks just need more green fire. Skulls and bone for accents.
Effects: Green chain has an ethereal quality and could periodically ignite
I'm curious to see what other people come up with, or what recommendations people would like to see. Oh, and painting in photoshop isn't my forte quite yet, so be gentle pls.