Why the hate on Rebecca Guays art? Because opinions. But among older players and people who are savvy with what goes on behind the scenes at WotC, there has been a long standing dislike of her arrogant and complete lack of wanting to provide Wizards with the art they request for cards.
For example, Wizards wants art for a green card, and on this card they want depictions of flowers, birds, and trees. Rebecca Guay wants to draw an elf in a waterfall. Wizards submits their design request and are given back an elf in a waterfall instead of what they wanted.
In fact, the controversy surrounding what is depicted on the aforementioned Persecute Artist came during Legions. Wizards wanted to create masculine, super powerful looking spells to show what was going on in Otaria at the time. Rebecca wanted to draw feminine watercolor stuff as she always does. Thats what she gave them again, and they gave her the finger. Fans got buttdevestated and they rectified the issue by saying they just werent going to include her art in Legions but would use it in the future.
Lastly, and this is anecdotal, I have heard that she is extremely arrogant and can be rude or standoffish in person. Im sure these rumors float around about pretty much everybody whos name means anything, but this case doesnt seem like too much of a stretch to me.
ahhhhhh! nope. I typically just let these threads play themselves out, but i need to speak up and just say 'no' on this one. Rebecca is a sweetheart and i have nothing but positive things to say about her, personally and professionally. Legions was before my time, but i can tell you that Rebecca contributes more heavily to Magic than most of you think. Not only does her Illustration Master Class provide upcoming and talented illustrators, but she was one of my instructors at Pratt Institute. She helped make me the monster I am.
C'mon, how about like a knight fighting a zombie or Jace punching a dragon or something?
DON'T YOU THINK I WANTED THAT?! I've had a sweatshop of children trying to create a picture of Jace punching a dragon since Lorwyn. There is simply too much GRAWESOME inherent in the image. So far, macaroni pictures seem to have the structure required to support such an illustration, but every time we try to add color, the kids explode.
I don't have experience in printing posters. Anyone know if kinko's can do it?
Kinko's will not (or at least should not) print material for you that you don't own the copyright to (they used to grill me when i was trying to print portfolio samples of my own work). If you like the art, please support the artist.
Seriously UNimpressed with either of these. Wtf Jarvis?
==
(I am glad for an update here, and I've never really bashed a card for its art before now. THAT is how bad I think both of these are, fwiw.)
I did it to give you something to complain about!
Actually this is the first FTV that really didn't *need* anything reillustrated, but new art is a part of the product. What you'll find, when you've finally seen all the new stuff, is that since the originals are very, very good, i couldn't really try to out do the originals, so i gave you a different stylistic approach to them.
Volkan's tightly oil painted Teferi as opposed to my loose watercolors;
Argyle's hyper clear detail as opposed to Raymond's hectic mark-making; etc.
these new illustrations are an exercise in stylistic reinvention, playing against your aesthetic memory of the cards.
yes, i could have gone back to jaime and asked him to show us the other side of Progenitus through the mist, but that's not very interesting.
Keep an open mind, and even if you don't personally love all of them, you will get a kick out of some of the re-interpretations.
please no one use that first post for any contact info. I'm sure some of it is still correct, but just at a preliminary glance i saw several addresses no longer in the correct State, and at least one for an artist who no longer lives in that Country.
I'm pretty sure this is just style guide/concept art, but I'm still pretty hyped to see it revealed. And while I don't think it guarantees we'll be seeing the praetors as legends, it could still mean we'll get to see more of them featured on cards.
Also, on a related note, some of the silhouettes seem somewhat familiar to me, but I'm not sure I can place it at this time.
Yes, those silhouettes are derived from Richard Whitters' awesome Praetor concept art. So, maybe they also appear on cards, maybe they don't.
Oops, you're right. I was thinking that because I had seen the Xbox version first, that it was the original artwork. I'll accept the foul on that one.
On top of which, I guess I should apologize for the snide remark, as well. More of a cheap shot meant to be all in good fun, because you're absolutely right on the objectification and exploitation in other T-rated games, but even in an internet forum with little consequence for my actions and statements, I still feel the need to make peace. No disrespect meant!
haha, thanks, but no offense taken. I just want to remind people that Magic Creative does take gender and race issues very seriously, and we really strive to both deliver what players and fans want, and meet our own concerns and standards. I just hope people notice. our women in Magic kick just as much a** as our men.
EDIT: Technically, it IS alternate art. If you notice, she shows less of her chest than in the ZEN art, going with her original artwork before WotC decided that women didn't need any more positive image-based role models and made her outfit provocative.
not true. The more revealing version is the artist's original take on nissa, which we did not feel was offensive or exploitative at all. We have told this story through our site: the ESRB denied us a T rating unless we raised her neckline. So i had the artist revise her to the more 'modest' version. If you do a quick google search for females portrayed in T game marketing (see: capcom etc) i think you'll find that Nissa is one of the least objectified and exploitative out there, even with a low neckline (eye roll).
Not to mention she has more meshing covering her up as apposed to the Zendikar one where she is showing more off if you will.
Ah ha! yep, wanst going to mention it because its subtle, but yes, this is the Xbox Marketing version of the art that has her a bit more dressed up. This version has not been printed before.
Not a huge fan. No alt art or special expansion design like for the XBox version...doesn't mean I won't be getting one, though!
there are differences... the underprinter of the frame is built differently (the foily-ness of the card frame in particular is different) and there is a glossy finish applied to the card face that deepens the color and enhances the 'shine'. I have a small stack right beside me. they are pretty cards.
JJ
ahhhhhh! nope. I typically just let these threads play themselves out, but i need to speak up and just say 'no' on this one. Rebecca is a sweetheart and i have nothing but positive things to say about her, personally and professionally. Legions was before my time, but i can tell you that Rebecca contributes more heavily to Magic than most of you think. Not only does her Illustration Master Class provide upcoming and talented illustrators, but she was one of my instructors at Pratt Institute. She helped make me the monster I am.
DON'T YOU THINK I WANTED THAT?! I've had a sweatshop of children trying to create a picture of Jace punching a dragon since Lorwyn. There is simply too much GRAWESOME inherent in the image. So far, macaroni pictures seem to have the structure required to support such an illustration, but every time we try to add color, the kids explode.
ps: also, Ral is not Dack.
JJ
Kinko's will not (or at least should not) print material for you that you don't own the copyright to (they used to grill me when i was trying to print portfolio samples of my own work). If you like the art, please support the artist.
Contact Brad (the artist) about buying one.
I did it to give you something to complain about!
Actually this is the first FTV that really didn't *need* anything reillustrated, but new art is a part of the product. What you'll find, when you've finally seen all the new stuff, is that since the originals are very, very good, i couldn't really try to out do the originals, so i gave you a different stylistic approach to them.
Volkan's tightly oil painted Teferi as opposed to my loose watercolors;
Argyle's hyper clear detail as opposed to Raymond's hectic mark-making; etc.
these new illustrations are an exercise in stylistic reinvention, playing against your aesthetic memory of the cards.
yes, i could have gone back to jaime and asked him to show us the other side of Progenitus through the mist, but that's not very interesting.
Keep an open mind, and even if you don't personally love all of them, you will get a kick out of some of the re-interpretations.
fair enough?
you'll come around.
and future sight was my first. you were really close though...
(i still like the lorwyn swamps too)
Yes, those silhouettes are derived from Richard Whitters' awesome Praetor concept art. So, maybe they also appear on cards, maybe they don't.
also, unhelpful Art Director is unhelpful.
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/108
this is correct. their knees and ankles support weight the same way ours do, but the feet are narrow and a bit long, and end in a hoof structure.
JJ
haha, thanks, but no offense taken. I just want to remind people that Magic Creative does take gender and race issues very seriously, and we really strive to both deliver what players and fans want, and meet our own concerns and standards. I just hope people notice. our women in Magic kick just as much a** as our men.
not true. The more revealing version is the artist's original take on nissa, which we did not feel was offensive or exploitative at all. We have told this story through our site: the ESRB denied us a T rating unless we raised her neckline. So i had the artist revise her to the more 'modest' version. If you do a quick google search for females portrayed in T game marketing (see: capcom etc) i think you'll find that Nissa is one of the least objectified and exploitative out there, even with a low neckline (eye roll).
Ah ha! yep, wanst going to mention it because its subtle, but yes, this is the Xbox Marketing version of the art that has her a bit more dressed up. This version has not been printed before.
good eye!
JJ
there are differences... the underprinter of the frame is built differently (the foily-ness of the card frame in particular is different) and there is a glossy finish applied to the card face that deepens the color and enhances the 'shine'. I have a small stack right beside me. they are pretty cards.
JJ