[THB] Can we talk about the art on Commanding Presence for a minute?

[RxPhantom]

Are you not horrified? Do your retinas not burn? Are you not enraged at your being subjected to it? Who thought this was okay? Is it the end of days?

It looks like some of the wonky goofiness of Magic's earliest days, like this unspeakable abomination:

Truly, this is the end of Magic. Goodbye everyone.

[plushpenguin]

You thought that was bad.

Look up the art of Valor in Akros (the Origins version)

They actually made new art for the Master 25 version probably because they knew it wasn't up to standards.

[Jace]

I did notice that. I like it in a stylized way though, and although Commanding Presence isn't my favorite, it's at least not highly rendered and digital.

The Origins valor in Akros on the other hand... yikes is that one bad. Glad I'm not the only one who cringed about it all this time.

[Atraxian]

As one who used to hate Kaja and Phil Foglio art back in the day, but now can see that it was a little charming or endearing in its own way, I can't say the art on Commanding Presence is out of place in MtG at all. It has a kind of cartoon/comicbook vibe to it.
I personally don't like it, but some might and will.
In a time when WotC pushed for a unified art style not so long ago, I welcome almost anything that strays from that style.

Valor in Akros really is horrible to look at. That artist is capable of so much better (Etched Champion or Thief of Sanity), but has his occasional stinkers, like Highspire Mantis (first thing came to mind was "That insect looks like half baked, early 90s cgi", just look at a hi-res version of the art and you will understand immediatly what I'm talking about).
On the other hand, all artists have their misses... Just compare Cyntia Shebpartd's Blood Host or Flameblade Angel with Sublime Archangel (God, the body proportions of the archangel make no sense).

[RxPhantom]

There's just something ugly and cheap-looking about Commanding Presence to me. Not only that, but it doesn't really match the name or function of the card. It looks like it should be some kind of Insurrection variant.

There is something to be said for an art style that deviates from MtG's current mandate of homogeny, but...this just doesn't do it for me. I want Richard Kane Ferguson back!

[lyonhaert]

There is something to be said for an art style that deviates from MtG's current mandate of homogeny, but...this just doesn't do it for me. I want Richard Kane Ferguson back!

He's one of the few I will go out of my way to get the version with his art. :heart:

Art matters, WotC.

[Guardman]

I love the art for Commanding Presence. I really love the old style art from back in the days and am glad to see it seep back in.

Also yeah, not only do we need more Richard Kane Ferguson, but we also need more Rebecca Guay. I think the last block where she got any significant amount of cards was Lorwyn. I would really love to see her do planeswalkers especially.

[RxPhantom]

I am shocked to see so many people liking this art. Shocked, I tells ya! I miss a lot of MtG's divergent and cool art styles of yore, but not this style, I suppose.

I totally agree that Rebecca Guay needs more commissions. I miss how wildly different some of the artists were, and I'm totally pro-Foglios, cuz stuff like Sulfurous Springs needs to make a comeback.

[Guardman]

I am shocked to see so many people liking this art. Shocked, I tells ya! I miss a lot of MtG's divergent and cool art styles of yore, but not this style, I suppose.

I totally agree that Rebecca Guay needs more commissions. I miss how wildly different some of the artists were, and I'm totally pro-Foglios, cuz stuff like Sulfurous Springs needs to make a comeback.

I love the Ice Age Sulfurous Springs. It's one of my favorite land arts. I was looking at my copies the other day wishing they weren't so worn from being played so much.

[Serenade]

I was thinking yesterday morning about how I need one of those.

We do need more humor in this game. Sometimes we get great flavor text, but the art needs to chill once in a while.

[toctheyounger]

I'm all for some fun with artwork, it doesn't all need to be perfect. I agree though, Commanding Presence isn't great.

That being said, just look at this dumpster fire. Aeons worse than Presence. It's truly awful.

[Jace]

I wish the new Thirst for Meaning had art that looked less digital and rendered. I adore the card and the general idea or theme of the art is great, but it looks so much like a PlayStation screen capture. A card like that would have been amazing with watercolors and being a genuine dreamy painting with rich blues

I love Guay's art and feel like Theros and Eldraine were perfect sets for her. You'd think the success of her basic lands from C16 would have reintroduced her to MTG already... I don't like some of the old art though.
It depends on the piece really

Quinton Hoover's Tragic Poet always felt like it belonged in Theros and I always loved it. I actually think newer art has higher proportions of amazing quality art than older sets. But there truly are some standout pieces from older art that they should consider more often. Seb McKinnon seems to be playing in this space of something creative, beautiful and traditional all at the same time

[Pip_Maxwell]

"This ain't it chef."
-The professor, maybe

[Atraxian]

Also yeah, not only do we need more Richard Kane Ferguson, but we also need more Rebecca Guay. I think the last block where she got any significant amount of cards was Lorwyn. I would really love to see her do planeswalkers especially.

Agree on that.
I would also love to see more Terese Nielsen art, but with all the raging idiots defacing her cards because she is "not woke enough" I doubt WotC will ever hire her again. They are too scared of a bunch of imecils on social media.

[Jace]

Also yeah, not only do we need more Richard Kane Ferguson, but we also need more Rebecca Guay. I think the last block where she got any significant amount of cards was Lorwyn. I would really love to see her do planeswalkers especially.

Agree on that.
I would also love to see more Terese Nielsen art, but with all the raging idiots defacing her cards because she is "not woke enough" I doubt WotC will ever hire her again. They are too scared of a bunch of imecils on social media.

I was wondering where her art was in TBD. I loved her work on several cards in the original Theros block (and the game overall of course) and am surprised that not a single card so far features her art for this set. I'm not exactly sure what transpired on Twitter but I do recall there was some sort of absurd outcry which I strongly do not feel was justified based on what I heard at the time. Especially if it means you will no longer get art from her. I really hope that isn't the case because from what I understand it was a very silly reason that some were up in arms.
I'm really sick of this whole Internet outrage culture we have.