[ALT] Card Alters — Questions, Tips & How to Get Started!
This is the thread to ask all your questions about altering cards - tips, techniques, paint mixing, how to get started, etc.
A central thread for these kinds of questions will get more attention than individual threads and should lead to more productive discussion. If there are any bits of information that should be added to this thread - let me know.
- Bristol
1. Liquid Acyrlic paint- Many of the top alterers use nothing but this in their alters, it is a very versitile medium and fairly forgiving.
2. Markers(Fineliners)-A good set of fineliners will be invaluable to you especially if you want to do cartoon/anime alters. When choosing what ones to buy I recomend looking for Pigmented ink (Pitt art pens, Sakura Pigma Pens, Copic, and Letraset are some big brands along these lines)
3. Coloured Pencils-Useful for some applications but to be honest I rarely ever use min in my alters.
4. Erasers- In particular 'Ink' erasers like Dixon's Pink'n'Ink or Stadtler's Duo Plast. The blue end of the eraser is at this time the single bvest thing I have found for removing card art/blanking a card.
5. Emery cloth- Also used for removing art from cards and very useful because it can be cut into special shapes for small area art removal.
6. Tape & Stickers- Very useful for masking off areas when removing card art so that you only remove the art you want to.
7. Acetone- Not really recomended as you need very pure(lab grade) acetone to really do anything and it is kinda dangerous(not that dangerious but a little) but it will remove the art of the surface of a card like wiping chalk off a slate.
8. Clear Coat- Not everyone uses a clear coat to finish their alters but if you are using ink you will need to (so the ink want ever smear). As far as what to use after a lot of testing my personal favorite so far is Krylon Kamar Varnish as it creates a really nice sheen to the card very close to the unaltered glare of the card but if you prefeer a matte finish I recomend Krylon Photo Fixative Spray.
9.Liquid Frisket- Great stuff for doing those alters where the paint goes right up to the lettering rather than leaving it boxed out or really any tiem you would want to mask out an area.
10. Brushes- My recomendation on Brushes is dont blow your wad on them but dont cheap out too much either. Personally I use the store brand brushes from a DeSeres (a canadian national art supply store)
1. When painting on a card you first have to put down a basecoat of paint. The reason for this is that Acyrlic paint is made to be translucent there for is no base coat is used the underlying layers will show through. When painting this basecoat is is advisable to thin your paint down as much as possible and do many super thin layers rather than one or two thicker layers of basecoat, this will give a much more polished look to your final alter and make the brushstrokes less visable.
2. Always remove excess paint from your brush before trying to paint with it. As a general rule anytime you dab you brush in the paint you will pick up more than you really want so it is advisable to do a brushstroke or two on a piece of scrap to get to the amount of paint you want beforehand. This will reduce/eliminate blotchiness in your painting.
3. Let your paint/ink dry completely before trying to do your next layer. To this end you might find it easier to work on a few alters at a time so that you have something to do as paint dries (not that it takes that long)
4. Be very careful!!! Even though it is sometimes mindnumbing to move surely and slowly trying to paint/draw something in particular but it almost always ends up saving you time in the long run if you just expend the effort in the first place. Fixing mistakes is generally a much more time consuming activity than going really slow so as to get it right in the first place.
5. Imaging Software is your friend. Have and idea but not sure you can pull it off or not sure it will look and good? Well mock it up in Photoshop or MS Paint or something and get and idea of what it is you want to do. You can also grid off your mockup so as to help when transfering the idea onto a real card.
6. When masking off a card to erase it you must not use scotch tape as it will melt/peel away under the friction of the eraser/sandpaper for this I recomend either eletrical tape or Sitcky back Paper labels.
7. Dont get discouraged. Remember if you try to measure your first alters against likes of Masamune, Card Kitty, Laura Lou, and Yawg and their ilk you are most likely gonna feel a little humbled but who cares the most important part of doing the card alters is to have fun with it.
Do you have any recommendations for the materials? I hate buying a product and finding out it's complete junk. I see a bunch of different liquid acrylic paints. Also, is clear coat necessary for card alters made using only the paints?
I've been looking for a thread like this. Is there any chance this could be a sticky?
I have a few questions regarding liquid acrylic paint.
I've been a painter for a very long time, but I paint on canvas and when I use acrylic paint, I use the traditional type found in tubes at art stores. I understand that these are two entirely different mediums, but I need to know more about liquid acrylics.
1. Is there any brands that are suggested to use?
2. Likewise, are there any to avoid?
3. Are there some specific hues that are essentials? Like, as an artist, there are 8 colors of paint that I consider essential, but I wonder if the same goes for liquid acrylics?
4. Brushes - Is it advisable to use synthetic brushes with liquid acrylic, or should I stick with real hair brushes. I'm used to useing real hair brushes.
Well, this is all I can think of for the time being. Thanks for making this thread.
I'm wanting to do extended art underworld dreams, but I'll do a lot of practice runs on less valuable cards till I learn the tricks of the trade. I figure it will take me less time to get decent because I have experience as an artist, but there are pitfalls in everything.
I would say that for your top coats just about any paint will do, Hell I know of one alterer (one of the better ones IMO) who uses Dollar Store tole paints for everything but the basecoat for which they use a higher quality paint. I would say that in general Golden Brand paints are the most widly recomended and the only brand I have used that I would say stay away from 100% would be Reeves as they are too thick and dont waterdown well at all (they remain clumpy like lumps of paint in water)
The biggest thing is experiment and see what works for you personally for the most part I have gotten away from using paint at all in my alters as I just dont feel like I am a very good painter and tend to be much more pleased with the results I get just using markers and pencils.
The best thing, if you plan to do alters for a long time, is go to events. Go to GP's, Pro Tours, Worlds, and PTQ's and sometimes FNM's (depending on the area). I make tons of money doing my alters at events. I have been to a few events and had so many commissions in one day. But here is the thing, some people who alter also PLAY magic, so they go to tournaments to actually play. While I DO play magic, I do not play competitively so I go to events with my fiancee and friends, but I go to sell my alters. It is really fun and it gets your name out there to some of the better players. I have had a few encounters with some pros too. So that is my advice!!!
For me, it is a side income doing something I love (art!), involving another thing I love (magic!). I've seen cards that I was proud of go for as much as I felt they should, and cards that were merely ok by my standards go for much less. People can see the quality, and if that Thoughtseize weren't so well done, it would never be seeing that kind of bidding.
I also try to level out that need when commissioning- I feel that a nice balance between my time and work should come about even with the quality and coolness of what the buyer is getting. I'm not going to go into prices, as I'm sure they are all over the ballpark right now (agreed, an "Altered Art" union of sorts would be cool to help with this stuff :)), but right now I'm starting a commission for 4 Spider-Man alters, and the only thing I can think of is "THIS IS SO COOL. I GET TO PAINT AWESOME SPIER-MAN PICTURES ON A MAGIC CARD AND GET PAYED FOR IT". Sure, I'm an uber nerd, but that kind of feeling can't be found doing some menial job (the one I still have to do :D), and I'm hoping that the end result makes the consumer happy to boot.
Anyways, seeing as a few people have dabbled in the "Step-by-step" (please forgive the double post, only so many attachments per post!) approach, I decided to take pictures every step of the way doing a chinese Chrome Mox (which was kind of a weird art to alter btw!) for a commission. So besides posting my first alter for 3 days (I've been busy though!).. Hope this helps people, if I forgot anything, let me know fellow artists! Here we go!
Step 1. Materials
Just ask yourself: What would McGyver do?
Grab your materials. I will be doing this in acrylics for a few reasons: They are easy to work wiht, as they blend, and can cover lines and the card itself very well. They are also kind of elastic by nature, so it will dry appropiately on the card without fear of cracking or something (if you use oils, prep them properly! and forget watercolors!). In a few cases (which I'll cover), they are also easy to work with in case of mistakes. Markers are very hard to use, as they are harder to blend, and blending is a key to making the card look as seamless as possible (for borderless alters anyways. for superhero custom work, go right ahead!). They are also less forgiving in most scenarios. Kudos to anyone that has success with them!
So grab your paints, multiple THIN brushes (you are working on a tiny canvas!), an eraser, a pen and pencil (for various detailing or sketching beforehand), some tape, and... oh yeah, a Magic card ready to be made into awesomeness.
A quick note. Just like a newborn puppy, you will be making quite a mess most of the time. Try and get a surface beneath you that won't mind getting covered in streaks of hard-to-remove paint. A trashcan nearby will help you from making multiple trips. (can't help with the bathroom trips though)
Step 2. Prep work
I watch in horror as my Chrome Mox starts blending in with my table...
So you are ready to alter your card. There are a few places to start. We are going to go ahead and do some precautionary erasing. This is semi-optional, as the paint WILL sometimes cover the borders on its own, and therefore doesn't need the erased card to work. However, a few things arise in the process- you DON'T want to see any borders/lines beneath the paint. Erasing makes sure this doesn't happen. You also don't want to have to put too many coats on to cover them up. Thinner the better (though don't worry too much about that- even thick, it's still pretty thin).
As you can see in the picture, it doesn't have to be pitch-white either, just enough to not see that bold black border underneath. I've heard different things about erasers (ink erasers are supposed to work well), but I've found that a generally hard eraser works fine. Just be careful how hard you scrub sometimes, if the card gets caught up, and you lose hold, it CAN get bent in your erasing frenzy.
The tape comes in handy here- you can erase to your heart's content, without worrying about erasing the box away. Just a quick note though: try and stick your fingers on and off the tape a little beforehand, just to get a little of the glue off. The tape can sometimes bond too much to the card, and can either take a layer of paper off, or worse. Just a precaution.
Step 3. Ready... Set... Paint!...?
Donato Giancola laughs in triumph over his impossible-to-blend color scheme!
You knew this was coming. So the card is taunting you with it's bare, ready-to-be-painted edges. Time to step up! Get your pallete ready with all the colors you think you might be using. Looking at Chrome Mox's picture, it was a little daunting- it's not only a very detailed picture (damn you Donato!), but the colors in the background range all over the place, and are very subtle. But identifying the base color in any card's art will help you out, as it's that base that you will build off of with the light and dark details. The base here appears to be a light greyish beige (beneath the weird rainbow and black smudges). You can see that the blacking hints are already starting to blend towards the bottom edge of the card. Don't be afraid to go back to the mixing board to get it right- because getting it right will result in a much tighter, much more seamless card. The light grey at the top didn't mesh for me, and I needed to remix my colors. The small dash of light brown in the middle of that grey seems to match pretty perfectly, so besides a few variations in darkness, I'll continue with that shade to finish my base coat.
Also, tape is still an option to not worry about going into the text boxes/name/cc. You can see I strayed into the textbox a little. It won't be the first time. Taking your time, and avoiding that is best, but we're only human. Just remember not to let the tape touch the acrylic. It will most likely pull it off.
Another note at this step, and an important one: Don't be afraid to go into the picture a little! Blending your paints into the picture is what will make it seamless. You erased those borders for a reason!
Ignore my ugly brush- I need new ones.
Step 4. Finding your snow.
A fuzzy picture to hide my shame...
Alright. While you were gone, I finished up the border's base coat, with what I thought was looking good, till I took a step back. As you can see, the range from light on top, to the black on the bottom, seems to fit the picture, but DAMN does it look ugly being only grey and black.
But take heart! This is natural. You have to see that we've not only just begun, but with acrylics, you are able to cover your tracks, or at least try.
As you can see, I've gone out of the lines quite a bit (insert Peter Griffin quote here), but we'll cover that at the end, when we clean this sucker up. Still, it's not encouraged, just don't rip the card up, and snap your brushes in half if you do.
The base coat is still an important step, as you are setting the flavor of what you will paint over it. Painting a Snow-Covered land? Most likely you will be painting half of it some shade of white. Sure you will blend blues, purples, greys and blacks into it, but that's all additional. Chrome Mox's snow is beige, slowly fading into brown. If that makes any sense. <_< So going by the artist's picture, try and evolve of of that and start adding your colors, and the start of your details.... (that means move onto step 5!)
Step 5. Colour or Color?
And you guys thought I had given up hope! Take that, evil Magic card art!
So, here we are. As you can see, I've done my best to incorporate not only the colors and background of the picture to the edge of the card, you also have to work the way the artist did. The style he worked with will most likely be the style that dictates you here, because you are *ahem* extending HIS (HER) art.
Like I mentioned before, matching the colors, and blending it just right will help you the most here. Those little flecks of greens, pinks, browns, and blues all seem kind of random, but in the end they develop into a pretty good idea of what Donato was thinking when he did the first 80% of the card's art.
I won't lie, this was pretty difficult to match, as it was very easy to tell if the flow wasn't quite working. Patience, and blending, blending, blending will eventually win out though, keep trying!
But what's this? I can't just match the pretty random-color-background-thingy? He had to go and add those little detailed pendant chains. Let's trudge onto step 6!
The Chains of Mephistopholes have nothing on... THE CHAINS OF CHROME MOX!
So we've got to do that chain. Details like this on something this small can be rediculous, but don't lose heart! When you do paint on a card, people DO understand this, and will accept artistic license when you were too sucky to do it right preferred to keep it in your own style. >_>
So start by getting your finest brush. With this, I started out by putting the darkest layer down first (black/dark brown), and slowly work my way up the lightness scale, so to speak. I put some light brown/pink accents on the underside of the chain, to match the ones in the art, and finish it up with light grey to white reflections on the top of the chain. The thinner the brush, the better, as you are basically doing the tiny surgeries that give the card's art a real oomph to the viewer. For black details, an ink pen will work pretty well on top of the acrylic, but just don't scratch it too hard (it will tear up paint, and make a big mess of things), get it on the name/cc/textbox, or smear it, as it won't come off.
I won't lie- this isn't the proudest part of my tutorial. The chain on this card was very difficult to do as detailed as Donato did it, and although I did my best for now, it will be a challenge for another day. Overall, I still think it looks good, and matches the card well enough that the desired effect worked.
So, we are coming to a close on the details, but the card is starting to look pretty shoddy with all the acrylic where it isn't supposed to be. Using a Pact of Negation I was doing as an example, view the next step to see how I deal with that.
Step 8. Finishing touches (aka, fixing your mistakes)
Pact of Sloppiness. If you don't pay the upkeep, nobody will buy it! And that means you lose the game. Of life.
OHNOES. Yup. You got crap on your card (in the namebox for those that can't see glaring faults...). Not only that, but it's where it shouldn't be. Unless for some reason you are going for the "sloppy and ugly" look, your card should be as scrisp and clean as possible. It helps it look professional, it adds to it's value, and don't forget that your cards represent your work as a whole, and should therefore NOT represent the aforementioned "sloppy and ugly". It should represent "awesome, leet, beautiful work". So yeah. That poor Pact of Negation has been turned into an abomination.
Let's fix it! Start by grabbing a toothpick. Next, you are going to be LIGHTLY scratching off that rebel acrylic paint. Acrylic will easily come off if scratched, but you need to take your time, and do it slowly and carefuly, as you don't want to A) scratch into your previous work, or B) scratching into the card. It can be done, just be careful and patient:
Go-go-gadget toothpick!
And presto, you've fixed that problem. You should keep this trick in mind when you screw up here and there, but it can't be relied upon every time. Every now and then the paint will stain the card, regardless of whether you scratch it off, or you will miss, and go into your previous paint job, and have to repaint it, etc. It's just there, so you don't panic every time you cross the border.
FINISHED
YAY!
I took the liberty of putting some light color into the textbox, to reinforce the flavor of the card, and what it does. but other than that, it's finished! Next and final step (if you can call it that), is to help out the card's durability. Obviously, if you can erase parts of it with a toothpick, it's not exactly indestructible. Altered cards will always be sleeved, and handled with a bit more care, but a nice layer of varnish (or two.. I usually only do one, so as not to warp it or something, but it might work), will help it stay fresh and pretty for years to come.
It's what's for breakfast!
And that's it. I'm not too sure what didn't get covered.
A few more things: Try and work in a well-lighted area. You aren't just sketching something out in black and white, you are sitting 3 inches away from a tiny piece of cardboard, trying to match colors. You shouldn't be making it any harder on yourself.
This took about 2 hours. You should make whatever artistic alterations you want (something bleeding into the textbox, etc), if you feel you want to do it. Besides the original artist, you are taking this card to another level, so have fun, and do it justice!
Also, there has been some discussion on whether the artist's name should be left on the card. It *usually* looks better without some random block of unpainted card at the bottom, but the point is still valid. I've personally dropped the name on most commissions, as they usually ask me not to include it, but if I were selling it more publicly (like on an auction site), I would definitely keep it as legitimate as possible.
I try and leave my initials somewhere on the card, just to make sure it doesn't get resold, etc. I don't see this happening yet, but as this "profession" takes off, there are bound to be some bad seeds.
A rule of thumb is that the higher priced the card is alone, that generally means a well sought after card. An altered, cool looking version of a chase rare will always mean more demand than some average common. There are a few ways you can get more money for your average common (custom paint job, a truly exceptional job, or a "chase" common like Oblivion Ring), but you get the picture. Supply and demand is already rediculous for some cards (like Thoughtseize), that making a unique version is just gravy for collectors.
And last, but not least, have fun! The cards produced are one of a kind, and do look amazing, but you can always tell when someone was genuinely proud of the work they've done, and what was just blown out in a minute for money. If you are getting paid to do it, great. But making unique Magic cards is certainly an awesome acheivement, and I'm glad to be a part of it!
Thanks for reading! Again, let me know if I've missed something, or if there are any glaring flaws in my logic, thinking, or art. Ok, be nice on that last one though...
Oh and here's another step-by-step by DJ Catchem, Altering a Stripmine:
Thanks again for this post, it's so helpful. I'm going out soon, with my shopping list, and this is what I'm planning to get.
Golden fluid acrylics
Hansa yellow light
Primary yellow
Pyrrole red light
Cadmium red medium hue
Cobalt blue
Primary cyan
Titanium white
Bone or carbon black (I have no idea which is better)
I may get a few base browns
Yellow ochre
burnt sienna
raw umber
Then a few small brushes (all of the brushes I own are rather large ;)), a small plastic palette, some tape for blocking, a duo plast eraser, and some spray clear coat.
I do have one question. Is there any advisable trick to holding the cards in place while working? I was thinking of building a small makeshift easel out of cork board and just bracing them with pins (not piercing the card, of course).
This looks like the right spot to ask questions so here I go. I have NEVER done alters before and I want to give it a shot, how do I decide on a card to try out? I am thinking of doing a Fiery Fall just because I have 3~4 extra playsets of them. It also looks like a reasonable card to do. To get the border off, do you just erase it? Is it really that simple? Final question, what are some tips to get it to look really good, just continue the art around the card? Keep it clean and professional?
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Thanks for the Sig! SpiderBoy4 at [High~Light Studios]
This looks like the right spot to ask questions so here I go. I have NEVER done alters before and I want to give it a shot, how do I decide on a card to try out? I am thinking of doing a Fiery Fall just because I have 3~4 extra playsets of them. It also looks like a reasonable card to do. To get the border off, do you just erase it? Is it really that simple? Final question, what are some tips to get it to look really good, just continue the art around the card? Keep it clean and professional?
I'm not a professional, but i'd agree with what you seem to be planning to do. Magic Rub eraser works awesome, and if you're just planning to eraser the black border, i'd tape off the inside of the card to stop from bleeding over. [can be hard to control where the eraser erases.]
As an update to my (old) tutorial, painting an undercoat of an opaque color (black/grey/white works best), and then painting OVER that with your alter works better than erasing. At least... it works a lot FASTER, and it's less painful.
As for the brand of anything, it shouldn't matter, though you usually get what you pay for. Golden acrylics really are pretty damn good, though I usually just buy them in the base colors I need (especially black and white), since they get pricey.
I'm just starting out altering and I've heard quite a bit about how easy Acetone makes erasing the ink on the card. What I have been doing is using regular scotch tape and an eraser, tried that with acetone and the tape turned into a big melty mess.
I also saw somewhere electrical tape recommended as a better alternative, but before I run up to the store, I was wondering if anyone knows if electrical tape will melt the same as scotch tape if I apply acetone?
I'm just starting out altering and I've heard quite a bit about how easy Acetone makes erasing the ink on the card. What I have been doing is using regular scotch tape and an eraser, tried that with acetone and the tape turned into a big melty mess.
I also saw somewhere electrical tape recommended as a better alternative, but before I run up to the store, I was wondering if anyone knows if electrical tape will melt the same as scotch tape if I apply acetone?
Thanks!
Dont bother masking off areas if you are using Acetone to erase as it will just seep under whatever you are trying to use as a mask. Really although painting over and erasing are far more labour intensive would recommend one of those techniques.
Generally I find acetone just makes a real mess of the card and dont ever use it anymore.
Does anyone else agree that we need a full textless version of Chandra Nalaar FOIL-Lorwyn ART ONLY, of course. That picture really looks sweet in foil.
This has been covered to some extent, but I want to add a slightly different angle to the discussion.
When looking through conversations about card painting techniques, there is a lot of discussion about using Scotch Tape. I understand that it does works pretty well but I have run into a number of downsides. The biggest issue is that if you get too strong of a bond (especially on the edges of the card) it can actually tear off the top layer of cardboard. Once this happens there is no real way to fix this and it textures of shredded paper looks pretty bad no matter what else is on the card. The other downside is that it if you get a good bond and don't tear up the card, you can actually have the adhesive stick to the card while the tape peels away. This leaves a sticky, unworkable, messy area on your card and I haven't found a way to get it off without making another mess. My solution (and the solution of airbrush artists everywhere) is something called Frisket Film.
What is Frisket Film? In short, it's a plastic adhesive sheet that is used to mask areas on a paint surface. Typically, airbrush artist use it because it creates amazingly clean edges, works really well on paper, and can accurately and easily be cut to any shape without worrying about a grain that can steer your blade in errant direction. So...It's a material similar to tape, but: 1. It is sold in sheets and rolls. They are usually 8"x10"- 18"x20' The stuff isn't cheap, but since we are working on such small surfaces, it doesn't come out to be very expensive per card. 2. It a plastic film with an adhesive. This is how I would describe Scotch Tape as well, but Frisket has a stronger plastic that has an adhesive backing that is made to stick to a surface without ripping it up. Scotch Tape was made to stick and not really care about the perfectness of the paper it's stuck to. Frisket would have failed as a product a long time ago if it tore up paper, so you know it's good. 3. It cuts much much more accurately than Scotch Tape. It doesn't have the same grain that can cause your blades to slide. Some tapes have a very definite grain and others have none. Scotch Tape is actually too thin and slippery sometimes to get accurate straight lines. Just imagine the difference between cutting meat on a glass cutting board and a wooden block. Another key piece is a sharp X-acto Blade or Safety Razor Blade to trim the mask.
Another bonus is that you can/should cover the backs of your cards with a nice clean layer of Frisket Film. I know that when I am erasing an area on a card I need to push down pretty hard, and if you flip an altered card over usually the back has been scuffed pretty badly. Sure, most people that want altered cards aren't really going to care about the backs of their cards and will be sleeving them anyway. BUT.... Craftsmanship is a quality that I think you can see in all aspects of your process. A card with a Near-Mint back and a well painted, cleaned edged front presents very well to people. If you use high quality paint, clean your brushes well, and care about the straightness of your edges, you sure as hell should care about clean backs. Right?
So, the way I have been doing it with some success is this:
1. Lay a 4"x5" piece of Frisket Film down, adhesive side up, on my table.
2. Place the card in the center of the film; also face up. Then rub the film into the card with the tip of your finger or gently with a wooden Kemper tool (pictured). Now you have a solid protective backing on your card and enough hanging off the edge for step 3.
3. Lay the 4"x5" onto the center of a 5"x7" piece of stiff cardboard. Then use wide masking or artist tape to hold the whole thing down to the board. In the end, you have a card attached to a small work surface. This is very handy when you want to keep finger prints and hand oils off your surface.
4. Next, I use the same Frisket Film to isolate areas on the front.
5. Now it is ready to start erasing. The first picture is a "redy-to-start" card even though you can't see all the masking on the front. The key I have found to successful erasing is to erase towards the edge of the card and never into the edge or into the edge of the mask. Erasing takes quite a bit of effort so you want to give yourself the best chance to keep the mask intact.
6. Start painting. It's really nice to have a few extra inches to hold onto and a strong surface to paint on.
That's it. By having a clean erase and accurate masks, you can paint looser and not have to worry about tightening up and painting slow. In my experience, painting slow causes a lot of unwanted textural build ups and awkward transitions between my paint and the printed card.
I have posted large-ish images of the process HERE.
PM me if you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for future step-by-steps.
I find it quite difficult to put on basecoat, because the first (like 7) layers do not stick very well, it will probably take ~ 12 layers to cover the black parts... do you guys have any tips or tricks? Because the time before you get to the actual painting is enormous (I am used more to drawing where everything is more straightforward for me)
If you look though the tutorials you'll see most people erase out the parts of the card they want to paint. It seems that a few people have stopped doing this because of the time it takes, but I am still an advocate for that because it's way easier starting with a white surface than anything else. I do spend a good chunk of time prepping cards, but in the long run it saves time and paint. And if you can use those 2 elements well, you will get a better finished product.
After I erase, I put down an under painting of a color similar to the colors in the original illustration. If it's a dark image, I lay down a dark color. If it's light, I lay down a light color. In either case, I never use white or black since they are both too extreme, and the whole point of the under painting is to help bridge the value gap.
Some of it may also be attributed to the paint you use. The quality is important, but not as important as actual pigments you work with. My normal palette (when making paintings) is very different than painting cards. The transparent pigments I have been using for years are nearly useless when I have to work thin. So, if you are using transparent or semi-transparent pigments it will take a lot of layers to cover up anything.
The short answer: Erase borders, use a thin under painitng, and use opaque paints.
Card altering is something I've been intrigued by for a while. Ever since the idea of a card game, there have been those that want to print their own cards or release their own expansions.
Personally I started with attempting to find my own paper and go that route to altering and such, but that ended in a dead end.
When I see these large image customs and such I think someone must have erased the entire card...Has any do any work with a thin spray paint coat over cards and then printing/painting on them? I've got some cards drying in the garage now and I'm interested to see how they turn out. I'm sure it wouldn't be perfect, but it's a start at least for me I wish there was an easier way to get a nice black card (and no acetone doesn't work )
Has anyone tried applying primer paint instead of erasing or adding a ton of layers to cover? It's what I use for Warhammer minis, because the primer holds better to the plastic/metal, the paint holds better to the primer, plus the primer covers a lot better than normal paint.. My only fear is it might crack, as it's not intended for cards.
If you are using black as your opaque base, it should be fine to cover up everything. Then, after that layer dries (it will be sensitive to more paint/brushstrokes while it dries, and can scratch/smear off occasionally), you can add white, or colors mixed with white, to apply on top of that.
Erasing, or acetone, are just ridiculous, and I think that applying base coats are also the cleanest way to get the textbox. It really just matters how much time you take, and how careful you are.
I finally tried adding a first layer of primer paint. Here are the pros and cons:
PROS
-Primer sticks great on the card. After covering it up in primer, you can bend the card, rub it, whatever, it won't come off.
-Primer covers very nicely, so 6-7 layers are more than enough. The paint you apply to the primer afterwards will make the card beneath invisible!
-Acrylics stick perfectly to primer, MUCH better than to the card itself.
-You can use soft pencils on the primer paint, so it's easy to draw a sketch before starting to paint!
CONS
-Primer sticks a LOT to the card, so you can't fix mistakes with toothpicks, etc. Be extra careful!
-It adds a bit of thickness to the card, so be careful to apply thin layers!
-You CAN erase soft pencils from primer, but that means if you try to draw with the pencils again in the part you drew, it won't stick correctly. Acrylics will still grab on perfectly, however.
-As the primer is slightly thicker, it can add unwanted texture to the card! Remember to apply very thin layers, and DON'T add all the layers with the brushstrokes in the same direction.
Can someone let me know what the price to get started on this is? I looked at some acrylic sets today and it seems the paint alone would be around $40. Then you have to add brushes, markets, etc.
I want to know what i am going to spend before I actually go spend it. It would be awesome if someone listed a good "start set" (brands and all parts) with a price.
Another question: where is the best place to find supplies? Should I just go to a craft store like Michaels, or is it best to use a specialty online retailer? If an online retailer is best, does anyone have any suggestions?
Can someone let me know what the price to get started on this is? I looked at some acrylic sets today and it seems the paint alone would be around $40. Then you have to add brushes, markets, etc.
I want to know what i am going to spend before I actually go spend it. It would be awesome if someone listed a good "start set" (brands and all parts) with a price.
Can i get a booster of alter's?
A lot depends on what you are looking for. Some people use Americana Craft paints and like them. Personally, I think they look dull and chalky. They are also harder to work with than other "Artist grade" paints. $40 seems like about right for a set of paints, but if you buy it tube by tube you can get the job done for the same price, but actually have control over the paints you get. If, however, you are completely new to painting a starter set might be the way to go. No matter what, get the best paints you can afford. Paint quality is directly tied to quality in 99% of the brands out there. Other than Winso&Newton, you pay for quality and not the name.
Brushes are tricker. Good brushes are very expensive, but I feel that good brushes are bad for painting cards. Actually, it's more like the best brushes are not the best for painting cards. Super fine brushes are great to work with when you use oil with solvents or watercolor. Acrylic eats good brushes alive because it dries so quickly (long explanation I won't bore you with). So, go with smaller brushes that keep a decent tip. Mine are all the cheap Loew-Cornell $5 brushes from Michaels. Not great, but good enough. I have to buy new ones every 3-4 weeks, but you sacrifice durability for control.
Another question: where is the best place to find supplies? Should I just go to a craft store like Michaels, or is it best to use a specialty online retailer? If an online retailer is best, does anyone have any suggestions?
The best place to buy supplies is your local art supply store. Michael's is okay, but they typically have a bad selection of good art supplies and the people who work there are clueless about art; usually. All the big box craft stores are this way. You are going to get a better experience at most local shops just because they are usually picky about their hiring process. If those aren't appealing options and you can't buy locally, there are a ton of online art supply retailers that I have dealt with before. Most transactions with Utrecht, Jerry's Art-a-rama, Dick Blick, Daniel Smith, and Cheap Joes have been good. I have had problems with all of these in the past too, but I have probably spent close to $20,000 at these stores, so it's bound to happen.
This is the thread to ask all your questions about altering cards - tips, techniques, paint mixing, how to get started, etc.
A central thread for these kinds of questions will get more attention than individual threads and should lead to more productive discussion. If there are any bits of information that should be added to this thread - let me know.
- Bristol
1. Liquid Acyrlic paint- Many of the top alterers use nothing but this in their alters, it is a very versitile medium and fairly forgiving.
2. Markers(Fineliners)-A good set of fineliners will be invaluable to you especially if you want to do cartoon/anime alters. When choosing what ones to buy I recomend looking for Pigmented ink (Pitt art pens, Sakura Pigma Pens, Copic, and Letraset are some big brands along these lines)
3. Coloured Pencils-Useful for some applications but to be honest I rarely ever use min in my alters.
4. Erasers- In particular 'Ink' erasers like Dixon's Pink'n'Ink or Stadtler's Duo Plast. The blue end of the eraser is at this time the single bvest thing I have found for removing card art/blanking a card.
5. Emery cloth- Also used for removing art from cards and very useful because it can be cut into special shapes for small area art removal.
6. Tape & Stickers- Very useful for masking off areas when removing card art so that you only remove the art you want to.
7. Acetone- Not really recomended as you need very pure(lab grade) acetone to really do anything and it is kinda dangerous(not that dangerious but a little) but it will remove the art of the surface of a card like wiping chalk off a slate.
8. Clear Coat- Not everyone uses a clear coat to finish their alters but if you are using ink you will need to (so the ink want ever smear). As far as what to use after a lot of testing my personal favorite so far is Krylon Kamar Varnish as it creates a really nice sheen to the card very close to the unaltered glare of the card but if you prefeer a matte finish I recomend Krylon Photo Fixative Spray.
9.Liquid Frisket- Great stuff for doing those alters where the paint goes right up to the lettering rather than leaving it boxed out or really any tiem you would want to mask out an area.
10. Brushes- My recomendation on Brushes is dont blow your wad on them but dont cheap out too much either. Personally I use the store brand brushes from a DeSeres (a canadian national art supply store)
2. Always remove excess paint from your brush before trying to paint with it. As a general rule anytime you dab you brush in the paint you will pick up more than you really want so it is advisable to do a brushstroke or two on a piece of scrap to get to the amount of paint you want beforehand. This will reduce/eliminate blotchiness in your painting.
3. Let your paint/ink dry completely before trying to do your next layer. To this end you might find it easier to work on a few alters at a time so that you have something to do as paint dries (not that it takes that long)
4. Be very careful!!! Even though it is sometimes mindnumbing to move surely and slowly trying to paint/draw something in particular but it almost always ends up saving you time in the long run if you just expend the effort in the first place. Fixing mistakes is generally a much more time consuming activity than going really slow so as to get it right in the first place.
5. Imaging Software is your friend. Have and idea but not sure you can pull it off or not sure it will look and good? Well mock it up in Photoshop or MS Paint or something and get and idea of what it is you want to do. You can also grid off your mockup so as to help when transfering the idea onto a real card.
6. When masking off a card to erase it you must not use scotch tape as it will melt/peel away under the friction of the eraser/sandpaper for this I recomend either eletrical tape or Sitcky back Paper labels.
7. Dont get discouraged. Remember if you try to measure your first alters against likes of Masamune, Card Kitty, Laura Lou, and Yawg and their ilk you are most likely gonna feel a little humbled but who cares the most important part of doing the card alters is to have fun with it.
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http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=155934
My Blog
http://bleedingteddy.blogspot.com/
I can't wait to start doing this
I have a few questions regarding liquid acrylic paint.
I've been a painter for a very long time, but I paint on canvas and when I use acrylic paint, I use the traditional type found in tubes at art stores. I understand that these are two entirely different mediums, but I need to know more about liquid acrylics.
1. Is there any brands that are suggested to use?
2. Likewise, are there any to avoid?
3. Are there some specific hues that are essentials? Like, as an artist, there are 8 colors of paint that I consider essential, but I wonder if the same goes for liquid acrylics?
4. Brushes - Is it advisable to use synthetic brushes with liquid acrylic, or should I stick with real hair brushes. I'm used to useing real hair brushes.
Well, this is all I can think of for the time being. Thanks for making this thread.
I'm wanting to do extended art underworld dreams, but I'll do a lot of practice runs on less valuable cards till I learn the tricks of the trade. I figure it will take me less time to get decent because I have experience as an artist, but there are pitfalls in everything.
The biggest thing is experiment and see what works for you personally for the most part I have gotten away from using paint at all in my alters as I just dont feel like I am a very good painter and tend to be much more pleased with the results I get just using markers and pencils.
My Traders.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=155934
My Blog
http://bleedingteddy.blogspot.com/
Tstar
-- Altered Magic Cards --
www.tstarmagic.com
[email]tstar.magic@gmail.com[/email]
and part 2 of Masamune's tutorial
Oh and here's another step-by-step by DJ Catchem, Altering a Stripmine:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=134466
Just because his tut is 2 posts doesn't mean you get to triple post. -ChKl
Golden fluid acrylics
Hansa yellow light
Primary yellow
Pyrrole red light
Cadmium red medium hue
Cobalt blue
Primary cyan
Titanium white
Bone or carbon black (I have no idea which is better)
I may get a few base browns
Yellow ochre
burnt sienna
raw umber
Then a few small brushes (all of the brushes I own are rather large ;)), a small plastic palette, some tape for blocking, a duo plast eraser, and some spray clear coat.
I do have one question. Is there any advisable trick to holding the cards in place while working? I was thinking of building a small makeshift easel out of cork board and just bracing them with pins (not piercing the card, of course).
I'm not a professional, but i'd agree with what you seem to be planning to do. Magic Rub eraser works awesome, and if you're just planning to eraser the black border, i'd tape off the inside of the card to stop from bleeding over. [can be hard to control where the eraser erases.]
Good Luck!
~Center of the Gaming Universe~
Microsuck
As for the brand of anything, it shouldn't matter, though you usually get what you pay for. Golden acrylics really are pretty damn good, though I usually just buy them in the base colors I need (especially black and white), since they get pricey.
Also, that Moxen is embarrassing.
Art Page
Alters for sale
I also saw somewhere electrical tape recommended as a better alternative, but before I run up to the store, I was wondering if anyone knows if electrical tape will melt the same as scotch tape if I apply acetone?
Thanks!
Dont bother masking off areas if you are using Acetone to erase as it will just seep under whatever you are trying to use as a mask. Really although painting over and erasing are far more labour intensive would recommend one of those techniques.
Generally I find acetone just makes a real mess of the card and dont ever use it anymore.
My Traders.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=155934
My Blog
http://bleedingteddy.blogspot.com/
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=251644
Trade Thread-
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=169691&highlight=sandrameals
When looking through conversations about card painting techniques, there is a lot of discussion about using Scotch Tape. I understand that it does works pretty well but I have run into a number of downsides. The biggest issue is that if you get too strong of a bond (especially on the edges of the card) it can actually tear off the top layer of cardboard. Once this happens there is no real way to fix this and it textures of shredded paper looks pretty bad no matter what else is on the card. The other downside is that it if you get a good bond and don't tear up the card, you can actually have the adhesive stick to the card while the tape peels away. This leaves a sticky, unworkable, messy area on your card and I haven't found a way to get it off without making another mess. My solution (and the solution of airbrush artists everywhere) is something called Frisket Film.
What is Frisket Film? In short, it's a plastic adhesive sheet that is used to mask areas on a paint surface. Typically, airbrush artist use it because it creates amazingly clean edges, works really well on paper, and can accurately and easily be cut to any shape without worrying about a grain that can steer your blade in errant direction. So...It's a material similar to tape, but:
1. It is sold in sheets and rolls. They are usually 8"x10"- 18"x20' The stuff isn't cheap, but since we are working on such small surfaces, it doesn't come out to be very expensive per card.
2. It a plastic film with an adhesive. This is how I would describe Scotch Tape as well, but Frisket has a stronger plastic that has an adhesive backing that is made to stick to a surface without ripping it up. Scotch Tape was made to stick and not really care about the perfectness of the paper it's stuck to. Frisket would have failed as a product a long time ago if it tore up paper, so you know it's good.
3. It cuts much much more accurately than Scotch Tape. It doesn't have the same grain that can cause your blades to slide. Some tapes have a very definite grain and others have none. Scotch Tape is actually too thin and slippery sometimes to get accurate straight lines. Just imagine the difference between cutting meat on a glass cutting board and a wooden block. Another key piece is a sharp X-acto Blade or Safety Razor Blade to trim the mask.
Another bonus is that you can/should cover the backs of your cards with a nice clean layer of Frisket Film. I know that when I am erasing an area on a card I need to push down pretty hard, and if you flip an altered card over usually the back has been scuffed pretty badly. Sure, most people that want altered cards aren't really going to care about the backs of their cards and will be sleeving them anyway. BUT.... Craftsmanship is a quality that I think you can see in all aspects of your process. A card with a Near-Mint back and a well painted, cleaned edged front presents very well to people. If you use high quality paint, clean your brushes well, and care about the straightness of your edges, you sure as hell should care about clean backs. Right?
So, the way I have been doing it with some success is this:
1. Lay a 4"x5" piece of Frisket Film down, adhesive side up, on my table.
2. Place the card in the center of the film; also face up. Then rub the film into the card with the tip of your finger or gently with a wooden Kemper tool (pictured). Now you have a solid protective backing on your card and enough hanging off the edge for step 3.
3. Lay the 4"x5" onto the center of a 5"x7" piece of stiff cardboard. Then use wide masking or artist tape to hold the whole thing down to the board. In the end, you have a card attached to a small work surface. This is very handy when you want to keep finger prints and hand oils off your surface.
4. Next, I use the same Frisket Film to isolate areas on the front.
5. Now it is ready to start erasing. The first picture is a "redy-to-start" card even though you can't see all the masking on the front. The key I have found to successful erasing is to erase towards the edge of the card and never into the edge or into the edge of the mask. Erasing takes quite a bit of effort so you want to give yourself the best chance to keep the mask intact.
6. Start painting. It's really nice to have a few extra inches to hold onto and a strong surface to paint on.
That's it. By having a clean erase and accurate masks, you can paint looser and not have to worry about tightening up and painting slow. In my experience, painting slow causes a lot of unwanted textural build ups and awkward transitions between my paint and the printed card.
I have posted large-ish images of the process HERE.
PM me if you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for future step-by-steps.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
If you look though the tutorials you'll see most people erase out the parts of the card they want to paint. It seems that a few people have stopped doing this because of the time it takes, but I am still an advocate for that because it's way easier starting with a white surface than anything else. I do spend a good chunk of time prepping cards, but in the long run it saves time and paint. And if you can use those 2 elements well, you will get a better finished product.
After I erase, I put down an under painting of a color similar to the colors in the original illustration. If it's a dark image, I lay down a dark color. If it's light, I lay down a light color. In either case, I never use white or black since they are both too extreme, and the whole point of the under painting is to help bridge the value gap.
Some of it may also be attributed to the paint you use. The quality is important, but not as important as actual pigments you work with. My normal palette (when making paintings) is very different than painting cards. The transparent pigments I have been using for years are nearly useless when I have to work thin. So, if you are using transparent or semi-transparent pigments it will take a lot of layers to cover up anything.
The short answer: Erase borders, use a thin under painitng, and use opaque paints.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Personally I started with attempting to find my own paper and go that route to altering and such, but that ended in a dead end.
When I see these large image customs and such I think someone must have erased the entire card...Has any do any work with a thin spray paint coat over cards and then printing/painting on them? I've got some cards drying in the garage now and I'm interested to see how they turn out. I'm sure it wouldn't be perfect, but it's a start at least for me I wish there was an easier way to get a nice black card (and no acetone doesn't work )
I'll try it out and post results in a few days.
Erasing, or acetone, are just ridiculous, and I think that applying base coats are also the cleanest way to get the textbox. It really just matters how much time you take, and how careful you are.
Art Page
Alters for sale
PROS
-Primer sticks great on the card. After covering it up in primer, you can bend the card, rub it, whatever, it won't come off.
-Primer covers very nicely, so 6-7 layers are more than enough. The paint you apply to the primer afterwards will make the card beneath invisible!
-Acrylics stick perfectly to primer, MUCH better than to the card itself.
-You can use soft pencils on the primer paint, so it's easy to draw a sketch before starting to paint!
CONS
-Primer sticks a LOT to the card, so you can't fix mistakes with toothpicks, etc. Be extra careful!
-It adds a bit of thickness to the card, so be careful to apply thin layers!
-You CAN erase soft pencils from primer, but that means if you try to draw with the pencils again in the part you drew, it won't stick correctly. Acrylics will still grab on perfectly, however.
-As the primer is slightly thicker, it can add unwanted texture to the card! Remember to apply very thin layers, and DON'T add all the layers with the brushstrokes in the same direction.
RU Owling Mine (Runeflare Trap) RU
Recent FNM's
3-1 2nd
2-0 drop (Yeah, that is 2 wins and a drop...)
3-1 3rd
I want to know what i am going to spend before I actually go spend it. It would be awesome if someone listed a good "start set" (brands and all parts) with a price.
Can i get a booster of alter's?
The only net decking I do involves the Home Depot
A lot depends on what you are looking for. Some people use Americana Craft paints and like them. Personally, I think they look dull and chalky. They are also harder to work with than other "Artist grade" paints. $40 seems like about right for a set of paints, but if you buy it tube by tube you can get the job done for the same price, but actually have control over the paints you get. If, however, you are completely new to painting a starter set might be the way to go. No matter what, get the best paints you can afford. Paint quality is directly tied to quality in 99% of the brands out there. Other than Winso&Newton, you pay for quality and not the name.
Brushes are tricker. Good brushes are very expensive, but I feel that good brushes are bad for painting cards. Actually, it's more like the best brushes are not the best for painting cards. Super fine brushes are great to work with when you use oil with solvents or watercolor. Acrylic eats good brushes alive because it dries so quickly (long explanation I won't bore you with). So, go with smaller brushes that keep a decent tip. Mine are all the cheap Loew-Cornell $5 brushes from Michaels. Not great, but good enough. I have to buy new ones every 3-4 weeks, but you sacrifice durability for control.
I don't use markers.
The best place to buy supplies is your local art supply store. Michael's is okay, but they typically have a bad selection of good art supplies and the people who work there are clueless about art; usually. All the big box craft stores are this way. You are going to get a better experience at most local shops just because they are usually picky about their hiring process. If those aren't appealing options and you can't buy locally, there are a ton of online art supply retailers that I have dealt with before. Most transactions with Utrecht, Jerry's Art-a-rama, Dick Blick, Daniel Smith, and Cheap Joes have been good. I have had problems with all of these in the past too, but I have probably spent close to $20,000 at these stores, so it's bound to happen.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.