I'm sure this style of question has been asked in the past, but my Search-Fu returned minimal results on the topic.
I am always interested in learning about how other people play/view Magic the Gathering. For me, one of the my favorite aspects is the Art - I would love to read about people's favorite styling. Or more than one as is often the case.
For a start I'll say that the Promo version of Burning Wish is amoung one of my favorite pieces of Magic artwork. I'm saving up just to buy a playset so I can put them on display/use them.
Sadly, I feel like the art of Magic has lost a lot of its charm in the last decade. Ever since the adoption of the modern card-face, and even before, there has been a trend towards more consistency, and less stylistic nuance. You can't stop good artists from making good art, though, and Magic art continues to be excellent, even if it all looks like it was rendered in the same way. Rebecca Guay (Bitterblossom, Channel,) Nils Hamm (Deranged AssistantTopplegeist,) and Therese Nielsen (Force of Will, Birds of Paradise) are all artists who have managed to maintain a different stylistic approach.
It can be difficult to search for Magic images you like: that's one reason I only included cards I knew of off the top of my head in my list. The best way I know is to search by your favorite artists on Gatherer.
I admit that I prefer the newer style myself - cards like Dryad Arbor & Somberwald Dryad are absolutely breathtaking. I've used Somberwald more than once as a background for my computer.
Just a small selection of other pieces of art I've come to love:
If you can cast a spell, you're doing well, If you can't, that's okay, too. It usually takes a few turns before you have enough mana to do anything. Meanwhile, you should figure out whether you need to discard (p.11). Then announce the end of your turn, and let your opponent have a go.
Rathi Dragon has always been my favorite image from MTG.
Jace, Telepath Unbound despite my dislike of the card, I think is just beautifully done. Stormchaser Mage has caught my eye since its release. Fireblast is another I have always really liked.
As a Vorthos art is critical for me. In fact, my favorite art and themes (ocean creatures, etc) are how I build all of my EDH decks. It doesn't matter what a card does, if the art and theme are what I love, the art is in.
I love a lot of Rebecca Guay, Terese Nielsen, etc. but I'll post a few of my favorites. In reality though, there are literally so many cards I love that I'd basically list all my EDH decks here.
A lot of different tastes and art here. I'll admit: I'm starting to like some of the older art, if nothing more than for its obvious uniqueness compared to the more streamlined modern works.
I've always loved the art for Blood Moon, but John Avon's Mountain 301 for Champions of Kamigawa just absolutely takes the cake. Would love to get a playmat of that sometime.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard: GR Pummeler
Modern: Mono-Red Control, Lantern Control, Eldrazi Taxes, Skred Infect
Pauper: Affinity
EDH: Gaddock Teeg Kithkin Tribal, Meren
Legacy: 8 Rack, Omnitell (Both in progress)
I am always interested in learning about how other people play/view Magic the Gathering. For me, one of the my favorite aspects is the Art - I would love to read about people's favorite styling. Or more than one as is often the case.
For a start I'll say that the Promo version of Burning Wish is amoung one of my favorite pieces of Magic artwork. I'm saving up just to buy a playset so I can put them on display/use them.
Sadly, I feel like the art of Magic has lost a lot of its charm in the last decade. Ever since the adoption of the modern card-face, and even before, there has been a trend towards more consistency, and less stylistic nuance. You can't stop good artists from making good art, though, and Magic art continues to be excellent, even if it all looks like it was rendered in the same way. Rebecca Guay (Bitterblossom, Channel,) Nils Hamm (Deranged AssistantTopplegeist,) and Therese Nielsen (Force of Will, Birds of Paradise) are all artists who have managed to maintain a different stylistic approach.
It can be difficult to search for Magic images you like: that's one reason I only included cards I knew of off the top of my head in my list. The best way I know is to search by your favorite artists on Gatherer.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
I admit that I prefer the newer style myself - cards like Dryad Arbor & Somberwald Dryad are absolutely breathtaking. I've used Somberwald more than once as a background for my computer.
Just a small selection of other pieces of art I've come to love:
G
Primeval Bounty
Vitu-Ghazi GuildmageW
Satyr Grovedancer
B
Necropotence
Bitterblossom
Liliana of the Veil
R
Shivan GorgeC
Nova Chaser
Blood Moon
W
Linvala, the Preserver
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Soulfire Grand Master
U
Rhystic Study
Gifts Ungiven
Force of Will - the Eternal Masters edition
There is something about those old cards. They are so f****** cool looking. I don't know if it's because I chased after cards from those sets as a kid, or the game just had a special "something" back then that it lacks now.
Jace, Telepath Unbound despite my dislike of the card, I think is just beautifully done. Stormchaser Mage has caught my eye since its release.
Fireblast is another I have always really liked.
I have to mention that Rebecca Guay is exquisite.
-Chandra Nalaar
Terese Nielsen is probably my favorite longtime artist.
oh, and original Necropotence is CLASSIC AWESOMENESS. Tedin was the man who made me love classic MTG.
Darigaaz, the Igniter
Liliana of the Veil
Ramses Overdark
Toshiro Umezawa
Heartless Hidetsugu
Kiku, Night's Flower
Honden of Night's Reach
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Jund Battlemage
Jund
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
I love a lot of Rebecca Guay, Terese Nielsen, etc. but I'll post a few of my favorites. In reality though, there are literally so many cards I love that I'd basically list all my EDH decks here.
And the Theros and original Zendikar Basic Lands.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Some R Giant-themed art:
Bearer of the Heavens
Chancellor of the Forge
Cinder Giant
Flowstone Giant
Fomori Nomad
Inferno Titan - Regular & Promo
Magma Giant
Shatterskull Giant
Modern: Mono-Red Control, Lantern Control, Eldrazi Taxes, Skred Infect
Pauper: Affinity
EDH: Gaddock Teeg Kithkin Tribal, Meren
Legacy: 8 Rack, Omnitell (Both in progress)
Abrupt Decay
Voice of Resurgence
Liliana of the Veil
Nahiri, the Harbinger
Geist of Saint Traft
Invisible Stalker
Kruin Outlaw
Descendants' Path
Rites of Reaping