Magic the Gathering is a remarkable game for many reasons, and one of the most notable is the stunning art its cards possess. If it wasn’t for the eye-catching art on the card “Serra Angel”, the is a good chance I would never have started playing Magic.
Present in the frame of every single card, regardless of era, set, or design, each card has a unique piece of art attached to it. Too often taken for granted some of them are is truly remarkable, so much so that many people do not play the game itself as they simply collect cards for their beautiful art.
Nearly every style is represented, and each card is painstakingly brought to life by professions to create a genuinely stunning catalog of masterpieces. Below, I have put together some of the best art you can find in Magic The Gathering.
1. Dakkon Blackblade
Few artworks are as badass as those depicting warfare, and there’s no single example in all of Magic more badass than Dakkon Blackblade.
Illustrated in almost a comic book style by Richard Kane-Ferguson, this legendary warrior radiates sheer awesomeness.
His armor is spikes and shadows, his blade is as black as rock, and his glare glows with crimson malice. This is a historic, pulpy artwork and the perfect way to start this list.
2. Island – Venezia
By far, this 1998 Euro Land promotional is my favorite Island.
With bold hand-painted colors and a stark, eye-catching division between sea and sky, Eric Peterson brings the cultural capital of Venice to. From the gondola in the foreground to the piercing church spire in the center of the picture, this Island perfectly captures its location with startling accuracy.
Even the reflections in the water and the shadows of the clouds are rendered in deep, intense oils: a startling piece and a beautiful basic land.
3. Overbeing of Myth
This card art tells a story. I have no idea what it is, but I think that’s the point.
The surreal portrayal of this demigod, these silken red tones, the haunting owls and the gnarled staff, and the skeletal physique all point to something. I’m not sure what, but the glowing orb in the center of the Overbeing of Myth’s definitely torso seals the deal. Chippy’s art here is mysterious, fascinating, entrancing.
I hope wondering what it means doesn’t turn me into the poor soul cowering in the foreground, though.
4. Damnation
There’s something to be said for minimalism, and, here, it’s just damn glorious.
Pun aside, Kev Walker’s Damnation is a sight to behold, as well as a mainstay in any Commander deck running Black. Here, the center of the frame is dominated by this all-consuming black hole, sweeping up both your attention and the masses of helpless mortals in the picture’s lower third into its destructive vortex.
Only blankness is left, in the art anyway. Seeing this, my expression is more one of awe and amazement. If I could afford it, I’d hang a copy of this on my wall.
5. Shivan Dragon
A personal favorite card art of mine is Melissa Benson’s rendition of the legendary Shivan Dragon.
The dragon comes to life here with hand-painted care that’s rarely seen in modern sets, and oh boy, does it come to life! In bold primary colors, the bold firebreather intimidates into view over a simple background of twinkling stars.
Gigantic, rippling with power, the Shivan Dragon can’t even be captured by its card’s minuscule frame. Back in the days of Alpha, this card made a unique impression. It still does today.
6. Ethersworn Canonist
In Magic, there’s no shortage of fantastic artifacts either, such as Ethersworn Canonist.
The portrait here is marvelously surreal and utterly inhuman, nearly something out of a horror film if it wasn’t so serenely rendered and delicately composed. Everything here is chilling regardless, and Izzy’s use of color and texture here has everything radiating a calm order that’s so alive yet so typical of the card’s Esper setting.
This card art shines with an elegance that is maliciously precise and deeply unforgettable.
7. Forest
They say the proof is in the pudding, but there’s no devil in these details.
Of all the lands in Magic, Stephan Martiniere’s urban take on the mainstay Forest always strikes me as utterly incredible. There’s a level of intricacy here that’s rarely seen in any kind of art at all, and this landscape is even more beautiful for it.
Just marvel at the detail in how the trees blend so naturally with the architecture, how the warm and shadowy organics playoff against the cool stonework and glowing lightwork to create this stunning vista. I would live there. I really would.
8. Baneslayer Angel
Generally, Magic’s angels leave an impression, and there’s no better example of this than Greg Staple’s impressionistic painting of the legendary Baneslayer Angel.
Truly, here is an artwork that radiates beauty, emanates majesty, and glows with power. This art has no better fit than the awesome set of mechanics that it’s “stapled” to.
Everything here just works, and I can no more find fault with the light flowing from the clouds than I can with the Baneslayer’s serenely lethal expression or her flowing robes and gleaming armaments. Even the curls of her hair somehow suggest a divine reckoning.
9. Commander’s Authority
Johannes Voss’s use of light here is simply incredible.
The card damn well nearly glows! The sun’s brightness complements the shadowed figures perfectly, especially with the amount of detail that’s present here.
From the glare of the light in between the figures to their outline, the intricate texture work on their skin, clothes, and the medallion itself, everything depicted here stands out in a beautiful chiaroscuro.
Add in the distinctive monochromatic orange color palette, and Commander’s Authority is truly a unique and distinctive card.
10. Baleful Strix
Of course, no discussion about Magic art is complete without Baleful Strix.
Nils Hamm’s rendition of this biomechanical owl is jaw-dropping. The blended watercolors, normally sublimely calming, radiate here an aura of alien mystique and truly play into the “half-flesh half-machine all-nightmare” theme of this magical bird.
This dreamlike weirdness is only amplified by the surreal tones and shades used to bring this card into being, especially with the contrast between the glistening metals and amorphous background mist.
11. Bitterblossom
Without dispute, there’s no card art quite like Bitterblossom.
Even among Rebecca Guay’s own remarkable portfolio, this picture here is something else, something marvelously incredible. You can almost taste the intoxicating aura of the scene, of the nascent eventide coated in blossoms and haunted by mischievous faeries.
The watercolors only enhance this sense of enchanting twilight magic, and their deep violets and lavenders perfectly contrast the malicious greens of the emerging faeries and brewing mischief. Bitterblossom is genuinely wonderful, aesthetic, remarkable.
Magic is a far more impressive game to have a card like this in its archives.
Who Does The Art For Magic The Gathering?
Although Magic the Gathering used to buy the rights for preexistent art for the cards, now all art is either specifically subcontracted or made in-house to bring the cards to life.
Magic contracts various artists with specific descriptions of the subject, setting, theme, general mood and colorwork of the piece, and a generous offer of payment.
Kev Walker, however, has illustrated the most cards, at nearly 440, and his own art features on this list.
Generally, though, most card art now is digital, drawn on computers, for ease of adjustment and editing.
Here are some of my favorite TCG Accessories.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful on your TCG journey. After 20 years of being in the Trading Card Game community, I commonly get asked what my recommendations are on X products. To help save everyone a bit of time, I’ve listed below my top picks as a TCG collector that I hope you’ll also find helpful.
These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use them, I’ll earn a commission. But in all honesty, these are the exact accessories that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own friends and family.
Sleeves: If you want the best for Magic and Pokemon cards, I really like Dragon Shield Matte Art sleeves. They have an excellent shuffling feel to them and have great durability, so you don’t have to worry about them breaking on you. If you want my full thoughts on these sleeves, check out my written sleeve review.
Binders: For competitive Magic and Pokemon players, go with the Vault X 12 Pocket Binder. I’m a big fan of 12 pocket binders for keeping playsets of 4 together and this binder is good quality without premium prices. For the pure TCG collectors, I would recommend Dragon Sheild 9 Pocket binders.
Deck Boxes: If you are looking for a solid deck box, then you can’t go wrong with Ultra Pro Towers. Fantastic protection at affordable prices, everything you need. If you want to get a bit fancy like me, go with the Gamegenic Watchtower.
