Artwork has always been subjective, but I'd say planeswalker art has actually gotten better. They just sort of have those misses here and there like with Archenemy. Gideon of the Trails looks pretty slick and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar is probably the best Nissa artwork we've had in a while. I'd say the worst art we've had recently was the CGI eldrazi in BFZ block.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Most of it is bad because its full art where more than half is covered by card text and semi opaque backing, or whatever the right term is. They all look better when you can see the whole art, even if most of the time they are just hero/villain posing.
I'm not sure what the fix would be here.
I actually like Sorin's "80's airbrush" look. Its different, and I like a more varied collection of art styles than what magic has been defaulting to lately. One of the big early draws for me was the art, and how it seemed like a collection depicting various spells, creatures, and magical artifacts drawn from different sources, rather than a single comic series with a single art direction.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
A lot of the cards suffer either from poor lighting, which makes everything dark and hides details, or just from poor artwork (Chandra, Pyrogenius springs to mind here).
Now I want a Rebecca Guay Kiora piece, and I'm sad because that's not going to happen.
This needs to happen. If it's a crap card, I'll still buy a playset. Because Rebecca Guay.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"We'll scale these cliffs, traverse Brittle Bridge, and then fight our way down the volcanic slopes on the other side."
"Isn't the shortest route through the canyon?"
"Yes."
"So shouldn't we—"
"No."
The Planeswalker deck PWs have all looked like hot garbage, though. It's like WotC is going out of their way to make their bad cards just awful.
I mainly agree, I think the the Gideon and Nissa are misses in my book, personally. They should just have AlekseiBriclot on retainer to do walkers (and landscapes), that or Daarken. I think that when they miss, they really miss y'know. I like Jaime Jones art and he's only done three walkers:
I know, I saw those and was just "Holy smokes I want them!" and then realized they only published them in Japanese. My heart filled with sadness that day.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I'll agree that I find the art on the 'walkers for the Planeswalker decks pretty rough, although outside of that I don't find it to be bad at all. Perhaps they have less budget for products like those, or something like that? I wouldn't know.
I'm not really sure where you're seeing this. Maybe posting some images or giving more of where you're getting this line of thought would help.
Of the last set's walkers, Liliana, Death's Majesty is a great image that's dynamic with the setting, and Gideon of the Trials's art looks good, albeit in the same pose/layout as all his other cards, and Nissa, Steward of Elements looks like trash.
The Planeswalker deck PWs have all looked like hot garbage, though. It's like WotC is going out of their way to make their bad cards just awful.
Samut, the Tested, Nissa, Steward of Elements, Ajani Unyielding, Nissa, Vital Force, and Sorin, Grim Nemesis are a few recent examples.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I'm not sure what the fix would be here.
I actually like Sorin's "80's airbrush" look. Its different, and I like a more varied collection of art styles than what magic has been defaulting to lately. One of the big early draws for me was the art, and how it seemed like a collection depicting various spells, creatures, and magical artifacts drawn from different sources, rather than a single comic series with a single art direction.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Chandra Ablaze, Liliana, Death Wielder, Ajani Vengeant, Dovin Baan, Liliana, Defiant Necromancer, Sarkhan the Mad, Nissa Revane. Chandra and Liliana seem to have some of the best art out of all the Planeswalkers.
A lot of the cards suffer either from poor lighting, which makes everything dark and hides details, or just from poor artwork (Chandra, Pyrogenius springs to mind here).
God, that Sorin art is so bad.
375 unpowered cube - https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/601ac624832cdf1039947588
Now I want a Rebecca Guay Kiora piece, and I'm sad because that's not going to happen.
This needs to happen. If it's a crap card, I'll still buy a playset. Because Rebecca Guay.
"Isn't the shortest route through the canyon?"
"Yes."
"So shouldn't we—"
"No."
- From Canyon Minotaur
I quite like Nissa, Steward of Elements...
The art for Nissa, Worldwaker and OG Kiora are also sweet in my books.
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
URW PillowFort Stasis (costruction)
modern:
U Taking Turns combo
pauper:
UB Servitor Control
xenob8 : you know you are going to have a bad time when opponent starts with snow covered island
I know, I saw those and was just "Holy smokes I want them!" and then realized they only published them in Japanese. My heart filled with sadness that day.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Draft my Peasant Cube.