Art, old versus new, and artist

[Gryphonclaw]

Everyone knows that the art is an integral part of the magic environment, so here's the question, do you like the newer art?

Way back when the set first started the art was not quite as refined as it is currently, but there were still good pieces. Especially demonic tutor, wich captured the essence of the card very well.
As the game progressed from set to set the art became more sophisticated. I quite liked the art in the rath cycle, and the urza block had some good pieces.

So, did you like the art on the older cards? Or the more recent stuff? And what about new art on reprints? (Orgg?)

And what about artist? I know that Phil Foglio has quite a following, anyone who wants to confirm this or mention a different favorite?

 

[Apollo]

I like Daniel Gelon's Savanna Lions, White Knight, and Orgg. Serra Angel (Douglas Shuler) is one of my favorite pieces (blush). Actually I like it because it's realistic and captures purity and her warrior spirit at once. And she's sexy.
I always liked Dragon Whelp (Amy Weber) because hes just so absurd looking and beating someone down with something that looks that silly is pretty cool. I have been a fan of Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, and I think it's cool that they started on Magic. From what I've seen, their Magic work is good too. And of course the best artist name goes to Chippy, although I never really thought his stuff was that great.

Apollo

 

[Ura]

I can't really say one way or the other if I like the new art of the old art more. Both of them have their good and bad points. Ring of Renewal is still one of my favorite pieces and its just a ring. I also like the art on blinding angel or the predator flagship. I actually find it easier to say what I don't like in the art and that was that blurry stuff from fallen empires and the dark (murk dwellers anyone?)
As for artist, I'm a big Phil Foglio fan and I like Clyde Caldwell quite a bit. Melisa Benson and DiTerrlizi (<--spelling?) are great too.

 

[Duel]

My biggest problem with new art is it all looks generally the same. Sure, there are differences, but not enough. When you look at the bizzare, expressionistic cards that came out originally, I loved that art. Now all lotuses look like such, all goblins look like such, all elves must have this, this, and this. I loved cards like Brain Geyser, Stasis, cards that made you step back and say "Whoa, what the hell is a kangaroo doing praying to the KKK on a seesaw?" (okay, so only one card made me do that) Art now is too realistic and down to earth. One person said they could replace the new molds with the old battletech ones, and they were right, the art shouldn't be realistic, just cool.

 

[Ed Sullivan]

I've always been a huge DiTerlizzi (sp?) fan. Granted its only on a white background, his stuff in the D&D Monsterous Manuals were great. Not to mention his planescape stuff too. Oh yeah, and Magic.

-mike

 

[theorgg]

well, the original dojo post for this is at http://www.thedojo.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000089.html

see that for some of my ipinions.

as for today, I see no real veriety in the arts. I wish Ian Miller was still around doin' his excellent art. the black lotus guy, too. All of the art nowdays is too easy to lump all in the same catagory. there is hardly any different styles to the art nowdays.
as for the re-draws(like trained ORGG), I like some of them. others? no. but to quote an afreaken freind of mine, it is all well.

The only thing I'm glad about is No Drew Tucker!

sic semper,

[Edited by theorgg (03-25-2000 at 09:53 AM).]

 

[asadoine]

My favorite art was Justice
(I Hope that its the right name, only got it in foreign language, white enchantment against red ....)

I find the new art is great, but it becomes harder to differentiate some cards from others ... maybe too much stuff on some of them especially with the rebels at the moment ..

Somehow I find that with older cards it was easier to differentiate what was an instant, enchantment or creatures .. There was also less "background interference"

As an exemple, I ended up putting a red instant or sorcery (swap toughness / strength) in a deck thinking it was a ghitu fireslinger. I dont know the exact name of the other card but maybe you know what I am talking about ..

In short : new art is great but maybe less efficient than older one ...

berto


[Edited by asadoine (03-25-2000 at 09:55 AM).]

 

[Wizard2000]

I like the quality of the newer art, but sometimes they seem to do more than is necessary. A card like fireball had artwork that was quite correct for the card. Now if you had a fireball they would have some wizard launching a fireball at a group of people with houses and smoke and all kinds of other things all in the art for fireball. While it's nice to see the art, the art sometimes doesn't fit.

 

[King of Cheese]

I liked the newer art better. The pictures on cards like masticore and two headed dragon are just too cool to not love. My favorite artist was Christopher Rush, though I don't know if he still draws cards. His Rathi Dragon from Tempest was awesome.

 

[TomB]

I like some of the old art, and some of the new. Doug Shuler's work is great, but I also like DiTerlizzi, Ron Spenser, Thomas Gianni, Rebecca Guay, Therese Neilsen, Pete Venters, and Dan Frasier, to name a few. Brom is excellent too. I think the list of great Magic artists is indeed a long one.

If you're talking about the older cards released with alternative art, my favorite Disenchant was the one released in Mirage. I like the Power Sink from that set too. The best Stone Rain was the original, I think. Ice Age had the best Counterspell, though my favorite part of that card was the quote.

And for worst Magic artist of all time, I say it's a virtual toss-up between Drew Tucker and Harold McNeill, with Harold getting the nod simply because at least Drew TRIED to make the picture a picture. To me, it looks like Harold just put some gray paint onto a brush and swirled it around until he had most of the canvas included in the swirl.

And they ALL look almost exactly the same, no matter what the subject matter was. He was just horrible.

TomB
CPA Member

 

[Chaos Turtle]

Didn't McNeill do the Teempest lands? Gods, those were awful...I couldn't even tell the damned things apart.

Stasis is still my favorite card art of all time, but I'm weird like that.

The art is better quality now, but not as interesting in many cases. It seems that only the "star" cards (Masticore, etc) get the definitive art.

 

[Spiderman]

I love the Foglio's art, it's just so goofy.

The only bad art that stands out was I think a lot of the Mirage set. Was that done by Drew Tucker? He does seem to come to mind...

 

[FoundationOfRancor]

I love the tempest land! oh well, guess thats just me . I really like the new art. I think its clearer than it was before. Yeah, soem of it does look the same, wizards should just hire more artisits to shake things up. I personally love ron spencer, he is THE artist.

 

[Dune Echo]

Actually, I really liked the Island cards for Urza's Saga. It was the same Island from different perspectives which I thought was really cool. I'd like them to do more "glistening oil" swamps with a HEAVY Phyrexian theme on them.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

you know whos great?
Kev. Walker that guy rocks think about it

Deranged Hermit
Volrath
Argothian Wurm the list goes on and oh ya Jeff Miracola because he made beebles
= ) later guys, Spaceman Spiff

***************************************

I never Metamorphis I didn't like

 

[arhar]

I'm quite surprised NO ONE mentioned the GREATEST MAGIC ARTIST OF ALL TIMES!!!!!!1


Richard Kane Ferguson.

Arcane Denial. Pillage. Nebuchadnezzar. Dakkon Backblade. 'nuff said.

As for the newer art, there's just too many sets coming out each year to have time for quality artwork for each card That's why we have some great art like Blinding Angel and some horrible, horrible nonsense like Dark Triumph (check out Crovax's head on that one!)

 

[Dune Echo]

Arhar! You are my new friend! I still have only RKF Icatian Scouts just because they looked the best!

I also like Paolo Parente (I'd use Flowstone Armor just because it looks so cool!), Rebecca Guay, Chippy, DiTerrlizi, Kev Walker, Dermot Power, and Christopher Rush (WE NEED MORE RATHI DRAGONS!)

 

[Killer Joe]

I once saw a dude in Madison, Wisc. wearing a t-shirt that read on the front: "What is Art?" and on the back it had a picture of a hobo with a cloth and pail of water and underneath it read: "Art, is a window washer."
Seriously though, art is subjective and so, there are no wrong answers here. However, the motive for liking the old art could be nostaglia (no, not the card). It might be driven from a yearning for the days when the MTG world was young and fresh. IMHO, some (and I say again, SOME) of the old cards has art that is,.....well.......over simplistic (PC way of saying it sucked). <Yellowjacket quickly dives back into the hive for protection----wait, I'm dead anyway, oh well, flame at will> Give an example, you say?, huh? I could but again Art is subjective and what would be the point of arguing the opinion of one person's taste to another's. Personally? I like Rebecca Guay's art, it has a certain Romantic Era look to it. I absolutly hate Ron Spencer's work and I'm sorry, Richard Kane Furguson's art is all the same just like Spencer's. I actually get confused sometimes between those two artist's. Foglio has the funniest art and an honorable mention goes to rk Post, I like that style.


[Edited by Yellowjacket (04-06-2000 at 11:58 AM).]

 

[Dune Echo]

How do you get RKF and Ron Spencer's stuff confused? I can see Mark Tedin and Ron Spencer maybe, but not the other one.

Oh, and I like Ron Spencer's stuff too! Anyone remember Rob Alexander? He's done some great stuff. I think RKF is an acquired taste, so I can understand that. I just like that the artwork is different but you can still see what's going on, unlike Drew Tucker.

---------------
Dune Echo

What the heck is going on in Light of Day anyway?

 

[terzarima]

Well, I was surprised to see Douglas shuler made a seventh card, I mean, we haven't seen this guy around for many a set!! I agree with you guys, I like the new art, but it seems to be lacking somehow. I like Richard Kane Furgeson (spl?), expecially her boomerang. I like Donata Gionacola, his old amber prism and his new work amazes me. REbbeca Guay, who has been drawing for WOTC for a long time is probably my second favorite artist. But I would have to say, even though he's "new" in comparison to others, my favorite artist is R K Post, his avatars are kind of twisted but deep down cool, I like his way of twisting things and putting in odd things, it appeals to me.

But yes, I agree Kaja Foligio is a bad (not bad, but kind of out of place) artist when it came to magic. Statis is cool (I think Faya Jones is a relative of Garfeild...) just because it was sooo out of place and that little bit abstract. I also dislike Drew Tucker, she(or he... you can never tell with drew) went overboard on the watercolours