What is Artisan Skinning?

[Chunderpants]

I just picked this up last night (Im at work now) :sad:

In my mind "artisan" means the ability to create bespoke artwork, but I cant see how this applies to skinning as a profession! I went to the bloke with the plans and there werent any different ones or different skills other than those I already knew.

Also, all of the leatherworking clothes I can create right now are less in armour value than the armour I am picking up as drops/rewards and wearing, which kind of begs the question of why am I bothering to make stuff when I can only sell it - I may as well just sell the unmade leather :undecided:

Is this something that will change as I get better?

[Loriel]

First off, Blizzard applies the terms Journeyman, Expert, Artisan and (with BC) Master ranking to all trade skills, regardless of whether or not you actually produce anything. Well, skinners produce leather and hide from slain mobs, so I guess it makes sense to call it a trade - i.e. something you can get better at.

As for leatherworking (and other crafting skills), you really do have to push hard to stay ahead of the curve - and thus be able to make items that are competetive with quest rewards / instance drops. Even if you manage to skill up your trade and get some good recipes, there are only a few items that are really worth crafting. The rest are just filler items that you make to get a skill increase. And yes, for these items the mats are usually worth more than the finished product.

This is imo true for the majority of the 1-60 game, although trade skills have gotten some very nice buffs in BC - so once you get to Master ranking and can craft 350+ skill items, those should be competetive (and in some cases better than) world/instance drops and quest rewards.

[mesonm]

I just picked this up last night (Im at work now) :sad:

In my mind "artisan" means the ability to create bespoke artwork, but I cant see how this applies to skinning as a profession!

An artisan is "A skilled manual worker; a craftsperson."

Thus, Artisan basically means that you can't do something in the profession that beginning folks can't go....which is to skin higher level creatures (due to the complexity of skinning them, etc.)

Do you think that a master furniture maker isn't an artist?