Magic art, why emulate wizards "chemical art?"

[magicmoney]

Magic the gathering is completely dead. It becomes "magic 3d mega graphics the technologic".
Magic was a game that made success for the new kind of playing, and more for the variety of art it had. Artists can make what they want, only some subjects was assigned to be of some kind, but even in that the artist was free to use every technique every fantasy.

Today nothing in magic art is free, magic is become slave of the polls, of the selling, and people enjoy the mediocrity of the art. Computer graphic, full of cinema blockbuster action movie. Every art is a scene that draw the stereotypes emotion created by the media. None of the cards have variety, the message is everytime the same, "powerless" is the keyword.
For example compare the five planeswalker arts and nicol bolas arts, with the five dragons of the legends series (palladia mors, vaevictis asmadi, etc...), look the art of Nicol bolas.
On the old you can see fantasy, you can image something of your own, on the new nicol bolas you are ready to wear 3d eyeglasses and see the movie. The old art is powerful, is happy! The new art is powerless, is unwell stupid is only aggressive, stupid.
But just look the planeswalkers art, you can't draw more powerless subjects. They are ready to battle in the next movie with 3d actions.


Magic the gathering was created to be a fantasy-mithologic game, (and it made the success by that)... like if you go to the afghanistan mountain and by searching old ruins you find a metal box full of those cards, with subject that symbolize an enormous variety of being.

The card art today is become technologic, full of layers and effects, star trek symbols, if you compare old cards with new, the new jump on your eye much more, because they wanted aesthetic, like tv reclame, for impress, for sell...

I can say more and more, but i stop here and ask...
Why emulate by changing the old art of the game and replicate the chemical art?

[Aswan jaguar]

I speak only for myself but I like variety on card art,both old and new and I love how the game picks different card art versions and it is as if you have 4 different persons of the same family " Nicol Bolas " instead of 4 same " Nicol Bolas " identical twins.

Anyway if you don't like the new card-art work you can go to CardArtManalink file and CardArtShandalar file erase the ones you don't like (newer ones) and keep the ones you like.In most cases the older ones are the card art with no numbers on name e.g Icy Manipulator.jpg the next is Icy Manipulator (1).jpg and the rest.....
If you have to delete a card art with previous number and keep the next you have to rename it in order to be picked by engine.

[stassy]

I asked god about "chemical art" and only found abstract post modern art, sorry

Joke aside I don't think Magic art has dwindled into 3D Poser art yet, but I agree that there is a trend for more realistic representation. This is not only about Magic, but entertainment artists in general working on AAA titles (video games, role playing game, comics, book illustrations...).

Is it better or is it worse? I don't know but for Magic as Aswan jaguar said as long as we can keep all versions it's fine by me.

[gmzombie]

the bigger question is Why is this in development and not under general..just saying i was excited to see something new under dev until i read this post.

[magicmoney]

The bigger problem is that this kind of art is pure Cinema videogame merchandising reclam. It's not variety at all, simply just e-mail many of the artist of magic, you will receive the same answer they told me, "I can't draw what I want" "I can't make impressionist paint, no abstract, no painted frame..."
Nothing that is eterodox, players must focus on the planned graphics bio chemical life.

No way to let other styles paintings like these
cards:
(the forum don't let me put links, look on google image at the oldest mtg paints):

stasis (no way, don't let symbols and true colors roam in their minds)
northern paladin (Thats a Paladin! A paladin must be angry in action, full of weapons, he can't look at you so simple, and what a stupid plebeian face!)
orcish librarian (No no no, too much simple colors, we need eleborated graphics, and you can't put this game on a ridicolous way)
Titania's song ( A flower lady with a guitar!! The song must be of death not of living things)
hurr jackal (you spit on the paint? I can't see the subject! Where is the angry subject?)
foxfire (It's a paint or a decoration!!? With frames in the painting, i told you to use the word FIRE, want some action in the paint, not decorations!! )

Karma (You finished the colors, where are the glossy computer colors!)
wall of fire (Another time those simple colors! Fired! )
Dwarven warriors (this is not dungeon and dragon, this is CHIMIC THE GATHERING fool!)
Dwarven Soldier (What do you think randy asplund, that we live in the middle ages? where is the super action in this scene!! I see i simple combat, nothing of spectacular, let the dwarven use more power that he can make!)

Vaevictis asmadi (What the hell of a dragon is this! His face is stupid! We need heros, invincible heros, mega fire dragons flying, in action, full of weapon of mega distruction, they have to be cool, do you heard the keyword COOOOLLL !! idiot!)


This is only few cards, except my bad english i think you would understand the complete loss of variety in this game.

[stassy]

Well, there is no arguing about matters of taste unless you make those kind of articles which can be discussed about.

My guess is that Magic players base are now all grown-up, and like long term popular CCG, the makers need to adapt to their target in order to widen their audience...and seems to be for Magic it's emo Twilight and 3D Call of Duty graphics that are the most popular so you get what you deserve

I am bashing the mass but I won't deny that I am a part of it, I would rather buy a card with graphics like Deadly Allure rather than Deathmark...

[Aswan jaguar]

Thanks Stassy for the links they were fun to read.

[magicmoney]

Even stassy understand the loss of variety. But that links are 90% made from kids addicted to cool action life cinema. They put many art that are nonetheless the best of magic.


Not only to ruin a game, but even to let freeze people brain. Nothing can grow without variety. They are making one univocal message and people remain ignorant and grow stupid, and with stupids and ignorant you sell better.

There isn't artists, no one! There are 1 planner and 30 thirty painters, he plan, they draw what he plan, how do you call this other than Chimic the Gathering?

1 message, in every card, one track mind.

[stassy]

The issue has always been there, even in non-game art : art is dependent on money and unless you want to be recognized as a post mortem genius you have to blend with the mass taste, there are plenty of examples in History of Art.

It's much more efficient and secure to follow an established art movement rather than trying to create one if you want to be an illustrator for a living, especially in those economic crisis days

[Aswan jaguar]

I will not argue with you in fact I agree with some of your opinions.Like tv,cinema,games even books we are driven always to more violent,sexy,angry..... don't think much, be driven by your desires or what you are told is interesting.

If by any chance you are an artist and want to share arts you made for cards I would be glad to use them to my mtg copy,if I like them of course.

[magicmoney]

The issue has always been there, even in non-game art : art is dependent on money and unless you want to be recognized as a post mortem genius you have to blend with the mass taste, there are plenty of examples in History of Art.

Perfect analisys, link to this on youtube " Il capitalismo e altri giochi da bambini - parte 1 di 4 "
from 1:05 is in english the audio

It's much more efficient and secure to follow an established art movement rather than trying to create one if you want to be an illustrator for a living, especially in those economic crisis days

Efficency and security are linked more to machines productivity than humans. But right its efficient and secure follow the money but how sad it is? Doing schoolhomeworks for entire life?!

[stassy]

I am sorry but copy pasting your text in youtube lead me to this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-F80ZTUU48
Which has nothing to do with the money relation between an artist and his work (and more important : his commissioner).

Also, as Aswan jaguar subtly hinted but it doesn't seems you catched it : you seems to fit the "idea guy" type which you can read the definition hereand there, and unless you are not you are very welcome to show us your own definition of variety art merged in Magic format.

Of course, if you don't like the new card art of recent expansion you can still remove them from the ManalinkCardArt folder...

[magicmoney]

I am sorry but copy pasting your text in youtube lead me to this video:
........
Which has nothing to do with the money relation between an artist and his work (and more important : his commissioner).

That is the video, 4 part to watch, it have relation, magic was start and have success without follow the mass, today as you sayed is blended to become mass follower money maker

Also, as Aswan jaguar subtly hinted but it doesn't seems you catched it : you seems to fit the "idea guy" type which you can read the definition url url, and unless you are not you are very welcome to show us your own definition of variety art merged in Magic format.

I'm only interested to let understand the question of this thread.
It's easy to understand the variety, the two link that i was judge as made by kid's addicted to chimic art are the proof, you see inside there so different art styles and ideas and messages, that you can understand that the modern (magic) Chimic the gathering are making people grow poor, ignorant, and stupid because that blog authors was judge that arts the worst. Those that make that blog of bad art, never looked outside the world of Cooliness, they are afraid.
And the world of cooliness is working on fear.
If i look to the forests today, they are swamps, the heros are powerless, they are in costant battle with theirself, angry till stupidity, sad to nausea. Almost every card are painted and touched with 3d or computer graphic glossy to look great! Every card art is so thirsty, so anxious, so frenzy to say "i'm the strongest!", and what anyone will think of a man that he say to be the best man in the world and say it by demonstrating constantly till paranoia his power? A man like this have a big complex of inferiority and must demonstrate constantly that he aren't never ever, in anyone of the little aspect fragile. Like a gym hefty stupid guy that stand constantly in muscle position, and say "i'm strong, i'm strong".
But how much better would be if magic look like this muscle stupid guy, everyone will see how ridicolous and make a smile.
But magic is taking this art, in a serious way, look at the subjects, look at the symbols of this: for example the heros planeswalers. They are serious in their sadness, they say "i'm strong, i'm strong" but few people smile about this heroes stupidity. The planeswalker are proud about their stupidity. They pretend to be serious, and who played with this art, take this messages, and imitate their heroes, become stupid (like 90% that blogs about worst magic), and take everything out of that "i'm strong, i'm strong"(cooliness) as fragile and so they discard it.
It's not a matter of taste, art contain messages, words if you like, political aspects, magic is become sad -i have nothing after sadness itself- but "nausea-sad" and proud to be "nausea-sad" (glossy megawonderful technique graphics). Magic was start wondering, and painted the variety of the thinking aspects. Now magic have only one message, that sad-nausea and their sub cousins.
And begin the one track mind.

Of course, if you don't like the new card art of recent expansion you can still remove them from the ManalinkCardArt folder...

I already made, but the problem was about the question of this thread.
I like very few of those new cards, but magic have changed even the modern frame, the message is inside that frame, look at the old land frame is old and does not stand out, and the modern frame look like computer graphic layer, look at the old red marble frame, and the modern is lava and recall even electric things, the old green frame is nothing but shadows, the modern is some leafes and biochimic staff zoomed with microscope, the black remain the same, but changed the text box, on the old there was a scroll, on the new only a computer rectangle, even on the green text box, on the old there was wood, on the new a simple rectangle...

[Aquillion]

I miss the variety from earlier editions; I liked the mixture of realistic and stylized art. Now it's almost all realistic generic fantasy stuff.

I also miss the more humorous Phil / Kaja Foglio art... oh well.

Well, there is no arguing about matters of taste unless you make those kind of articles which can be discussed about.

My guess is that Magic players base are now all grown-up, and like long term popular CCG, the makers need to adapt to their target in order to widen their audience...and seems to be for Magic it's emo Twilight and 3D Call of Duty graphics that are the most popular so you get what you deserve

I am bashing the mass but I won't deny that I am a part of it, I would rather buy a card with graphics like Deadly Allure rather than Deathmark...

I think two other likely explanations are:

1. WotC has more money now. Part of the reason for variety early on was because they had to hire cheaper artists, which limited their selection; now they can afford to go for a more consistent art style, so they do. In other words, some people on the staff probably always wanted it to look like it does now, but just couldn't afford it.

2. When WotC bought up D&D, they probably also acquired its art department, and eventually someone probably had the bright idea to merge (or at least cross-pollinate) between that and M:TG. As a result, the art trends that affected D&D spread to affect M:TG.

[Sonic]

I think Fallen Empires was something of a wake up call for the artwork.
WotC apparently gave the artists free reign with the creature design with this set. And ever since nobody has the faintest idea what a Thrull is supposed to be.