nerd art (chris's magic the gathering favorites)

It doesn't take a keen eye to appreciate the art that comes from Magic: The Gathering; it's just that good. The card game that everyone has come to know as the ultimate "nerd hobby", immerses its players in worlds of fantasy beyond the wildest of imaginations. I have to applaud the growth of the card game (and the art in particular); it sure has come a long way. 

Starting from Ravnica block, the art took a huge leap in quality. This can be both attributed to a higher budget and increase in use of technology. Some artists are still hardcore about painting canvas, like Greg Staples, and it really shows in the work, but there are less traditional artists these days. More artists illustrate using nothing but a Wacom tablet and are still able to achieve a unique "painterly" effect. Altogether, the artwork moved from simplistic paintings to more detailed fantasy paintings and now high-detail digital work. The level of intricacy is mindblowing.

Skyknight Legionaire from Ravnica

You can see the growth of these artists and the development of their styles: Greg Staples, Scott M. Fischer, Kev Walker, Aleksi Briclot, Brom, Matt Cavotta, Rebecca Guay, Chippy, and so much more. The list is ginormous. Keep an eye out the next time you play, you might just find a favorite artist!

Below I will list my top 5 card artworks. Honestly though, the list doesn't do much justice. There is just too much amazing work that I believe deserves attention - these are just the cards that pop up off the top of my head. 

5. Empyrial Archangel by Greg Staples

Greg Staples has been on the top of the A-list for Magic art since the beginning. One of the more notable works includes the Serra Angel versus Hypnotic Specter painting done for 10th Edition. His ability with traditional art is unparalleled as seen in his amazing brushstrokes and use of colors. 

4. Serra Avenger by Scott M. Fischer

Scott began to catch my attention during Mirrodin with Viridian Shaman and Pristine Angel. His artwork always featured abstract and ornate backgrounds, as seen above.  By the time we moved into Kamigawa, he went balls-out on these backgrounds, making it his signature style. His most famous card is Meloku, The Clouded Mirror.

3. Mayael the Anima by Jason Chan

Jason is a newer recruit amongst the ranks of WotC. His debut was during Lorwyn block, and his work features amazing use of color and composition, as well as superbly dynamic poses (note Apocalypse Hydra, Wilt-leaf Liege and Spellbreaker Behemoth). His two most popular cards were Nimbus Maze and Pact of Negation.

2. Master Transmuter by Chippy

If you want to talk about an artist whose style has improved tremendously, Chippy is your man. His focus on light, detail, and a-symmetrical balance is unparalleled. This picture above is one of the most amazing pieces of art produced for Magic, ever. His popular cards include: Grim Monolith, Faith's Fetters, Flowstone Slide, and Nightmare Void.

1. Windreaver by Aleksi Briclot

The man of the hour. Aleksi Briclot is, without a doubt, the most talented artist (along with Greg Staples) currently contracted by Wizards. There is an intensity in his work that has surpassed all the artists in his league and has really set the bar for the coming generations of artwork for the game. The saddest part about the art above is that the card is absolute trash, but the image is beyond words. I can say his other cards were insanely popular though - just ask the original 5 planeswalkers.

I hope this has opened everyone's eyes a bit more when they're looking at cards now. This game is so beautiful to look at it makes me cry.

Ugh, midterms week.