Magic Card Redesigns

[MindCandyMan]

I thought it would be a good idea to have an ongoing thread (similar to dsg) where we could redesign magic cards. I would love to be able to do magic cards one day so I think this would be good practice to use the description and the color of the card...etc... to come up with a good concept. Try to make it as finished as possible...pretend you are being paid to do them and have a time limit. If you think this is a good idea here is the first card. ( I will be pulling ones from the new scourge set)


Ageless Sentinels
White
Creature-Wall 4/4

(Walls can't attack.) Flying

When Ageless Sentinels blocks, its creature type becomes Giant Bird. (It's no longer a Wall. This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)

Rare

Let's see what we can come up with!...after everyone posts their cards we can put up a link to the actual card to see how stuff matches up...What do we say...2 weeks per card?...one week?

[ShawnYe]

This is a cool idea. Perhaps 2 weeks will give people enough time to do a better job. I'm not sure whats the usual amount of time they give? I'm all excited already. :chug:

[MindCandyMan]

I think it depends on how many cards you take on but the pros can usually churn out a card at the longest in a week of constant work...It would be cool to post our preliminary sketches as well...if we were working for them we would have to have our preliminary design approved...we should do that on here too...that would be cool.

[WildSpruceMoose]

Yeah my friend has this card actually. I'm in for it. 2 weeks sounds good, but a week might be enough time. I'll try and get started on the preliminary sketches today :D

[Fipse]

The idea seems interesting to me. Is there a chance to see the original Cards? I always thought that this trading-card games are a waste of time & money and just had the aim to make cheap money for the companies so I never bothered aboout them ;). So maybe if you don´t want to show the cards, please explain what the stuff means ...

But as an idea for comparing work it´s going in the direction of "weekly DSG", something I always liked.

Fipse

[strych9ine]

Hey MindCandy, I've been lurking here since the place opened and this has really inspired me for some reason. I've always wanted to DSG but I'm never around at that time... would you all mind if I jumped in on this one?

BTW, 1-2 weeks would be perfect...

[endregan]

fipse, just have a look at www.magicthegathering.com and see some examples of cards -you should get quite the idea and inspiration. very awesome art. it makes the cards. looking forward to this!

[endregan]

btw mindcandy one week sounds pretty good. however extensions are cool cuz some people get busy - one week is not too much but it shouldnt be too strict. 1 week and a couple days if need be sounds good to me, i dont know? what do you all think :)

[haiku]

Sweet idea.
Hopefully i could get some inspration for my brother, who also seem to love these magic cards (So do I but don't tell ;))

[Fipse]

Yes, I know the art and there is of course some nice stuff around. But when I want to participate I have to understand the ideas to make concepts. This is what we´re here about - vizualising ideas. And in fact I don´t want to go deep in the rules of this game but I would like to participate because of the topic. So for the few non-Magic Players here it would be interesting if this card means if this is a strong or mediocre character, are there "alliances" that could show similarities in design, etc. pp.

I´m playing Roleplays, Boardgames and Tabletops but I haven´t got the nerve to go deep in a game I basically don´t like ;) .

Fipse

[MindCandyMan]

basic thing you want to remember fipse is that black is decay, death, swamp......green is forest, nature....white is air, pure, angelic, etc....red is fire, rock...lava...etc....blue is magical, water, etc...

Besides that I think the artists just go off of what the card's text says and what the card actually does. (for instance with this one you could incorporate a bird or flying or something because of what the card does...etc...)

Hope that helps

[I.was.ink]

This sounds cool mcm. So are we drawing a pure flying creature? or are we drawing an ageless Sentinel? Whatever it is, this sounds like so much fun.

Since I'm now moderator of the sketches section Grooveholmes and I'll make sure this stays up at the top with a sticky!

[WildSpruceMoose]

That's a good idea to make it a sticky. Maybe this could remain an activity in sketches forum?

My idea is, because it comes into play as a wall, to make it a bird stone statue in the wall, maybe some glowing eyes to show it is going to birst when it becomes blocked and because I love glowing eyes :D

[MindCandyMan]

I had sort of the same idea wild moose...without the glowing eyes though


http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic 1 sketch 1.jpg

Let me know what you guys think of the sketch...magic probably wants them much more finished than this but you can tell me where to from here at least...

[Jeff Gran]

I think that sketch is an awesome start. It does the name justice...like it's a statue waiting to be attacked and awoken. Maybe put a couple of them in a row, because it's plural. The slightly crumbling wall behind adds to the "ageless" idea. You should color it.

[MindCandyMan]

Great idea jeff I will add another statue off to the left a bit (partially shown). I will post a colored version soon.

[R_M]

Awsome Idea MCM, count me in!
this is why I hang out at CA!

[Rhomb]

Great idea MCM. I used to play MTG too couple of years ago. If made properly this could be good portfolio material also.

Fipse, little more about the terminology; the first "four" of the numbers "4/4" means how much the creature deals damage in the battle and the latter how much damage it can take/block before dying (damage worth of 4 will kill it). Small, weak creatures could have power/defence values e.g. 1/1 or 1/2. Creatures with values like 8/8...10/10 are very huge and powerful and rare to come by.

Each color/faction gets its power from different types of land cards; black = swamps, white = plains, green = forests, red = mountains, blue = islands.

The sketch looks very nice MCM. You could also somehow display that it is residing in some elevated, high place because it is capable of blocking flying creatures.

Ville

[wassermelone]

Hmm. Not a card I would have picked... but oh well. My big problem with it is, that it is a Flying wall, that turns into a bird.

So... I like the whole thing about it being a statue... but if it is a statue, how is it flying?

Curious.

[MindCandyMan]

Thanks for the comments guys I appreciate. Can't wait to see your stuff R_M!

Toaster - It doesn't become flying until it is attacked and blocks is what I am under the impression of. I'm just picking the cards at random from a list I have so the next one I will make sure isn't a wall. But I think it's good to have to sort of mix opposite things...flying...and a wall...some cool concepts could come out of that.

rhomb - Eventually these are the types of things that I want in my resume...that's exactly what I was thinking...I'm glad you reaffirmed it. Now all I need to do is get better at painting heheh. I think you are right about having it be higher up. I think I will extend the composition to include some of the background where I can show the landscape far away. I appreciate your input it's nice to have someone like you in here to help guide us. Thanks.

[MindCandyMan]

First step...just blocking in some colors and such

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic%20card%201%20step%201.jpg

[endregan]

cant wait till its finished!!! i am still working on mine. hope to get some more done tomorrow

[Irate Customer]

Great idea - I love this kind of thing. I am waiting on my first Wacom and when I am done I can't wait to take a stab at threads like this. I had the same image pop up when I read the description of the card, only I envisioned a row of them.

Can't wait to the submissions!

Irate

[strych9ine]

MCM, this is pretty damn sweet. I think you hit the functionality of this thing on the head, actually... almost done with my sketch, can't wait to get this thing done. Thanks again for the inspiration, man...

[I.was.ink]

mcm, this is looking great and I'm glad to see you tackle such topics, but I have a couple of questions for you on your sketch. Is your flying creature, a statue, in front of the wall right now? I thought it was supposed to be part of the wall, and came out, kinda like a gargoyle.

IMO, if a wall were to be protecting a base, or fortress of anykind it wouldnt be all torn apart, with holes in it. Maybe if you were to extend the size of the wall, (length) we could see how important this creature is to this fortress wall.

Another thing is the perspective of the wall, it looks kinda bland, if we're just simply looking at it head on. Maybe if we see it at a different angle, it'd be more impressive. I totally like your winged creature, but I'd like to see it attached to the wall some more.

These are just ideas and suggestions I have mcm. Just little things I think would help spruce up your design.

Keep us posted! :)

[MindCandyMan]

I think you're right iwasink...I have been looking at some more reference pics and I think I am going to do it differently...I have a better idea. Thanks.

[I.was.ink]

Glad I could help buddy! ;)

[R_M]

Been doing some thinking here.... and to me this wall that isn't a wall but really is an attack card sounds much more like an artifact. it is really hard not to fall back on that.
I played Magic some years ago, so I know the difference beween the various classes, even if I am not up to date with the latest rules.

kudos to MCM for choosing this suckass card, that is really hard to picture in way that satisfies the wall criteria as I remember them.

I'll crawl back to my basement, and do some more grumbeling, for all the good it will do me...

[MindCandyMan]

Working on my new idea and composition...I want the sentinel to be coming out of the wall...to almost be a part of it...that will be a rope bridge through the archway to another part of the wall/city...not sure how much you can see on this quick sketch but hopefully you will get the idea.

R_M - Yeah that's why I picked this one...takes some thought and experimentation...not just (The evil sludge monster)...


http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 1 step 2.jpg

[endregan]

:craps himself:. you da mahn.

[I.was.ink]

I like this idea better mcm. Looks freakin cool! :)

Just keep this fatty goin

[R_M]

mmmmhhh....did some more thinking, gotta stop that.

Easter Island inspired. I had several direction I was going: totem poles, grifon statue, or something more massive. I chose the latter and createt this floating rocks, who are sun powered.
Worked 5 hours on it, and would say it is 90% done. what do you think?

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/magicfinalonecard.jpg

the card

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/magicfinalone.jpg

the image detail.

[MindCandyMan]

Looks good R_M I really like the concept...that's cool to make it more tribal as well. I don't think the rays of light work though that are coming from the sky...perhaps make them a whole lot softer...like opacity 8 with airbrush or something like taht. Also I think the modeling of the statue forms could be pushed more and also the clouds could be more realistic or randomized. The shadows on the ground create some good depth and I really like the composition. Keep pushing it...you churned that out quick!

[R_M]

Hej MindCandyMan,
yeah this is my record time...

It so good to get some constructive feedback it really helps one not to take it easy. I find it very interesting to work on a Magic card cause the final print size is so much smaller than the original, and that makes one think more on where the pice needs working and where it will just be a waste of time due to size...
I am afraid to work too much on the stone shapes bucause of this, but then I can see now that the sky could be improved.

Wanted to comment on your second version, when I posted mine but was to eager and kind of forgot.
So here it goes. much better! and the colour skeme workes better. By keeping the main staute centered to your canvas, you give it a very static and solid feel. If you mooved it a bit to the left or the right, you will create some imbalance, and you could use that to imply movement. Especially if the statue itself is just about to free itself and take flight....just an idea.

[MindCandyMan]

That a great idea R_M...you've made me think of something in my head that I will have to try tonight.

The other thing to keep in mind is that wizards of the coasts asks everyone to do stuff, in general, at 8 x 6 at 400 dpi...the reason they do this is because they may have other uses for your card design...downloads as desktop backgrounds...and many other things. So you don't have to have a massive amount of detail you are right...but it should still look good printed at a larger size. Keep up the good work.

[R_M]

3200x2400 pixels uh...?

that is big! I worked 2000x1600 and felt like I was in a Kingsize Bed! have to remeber that one thanks.

[I.was.ink]

I like to see what you guys got goin there.

R_M I thought the first pic of the card was an actual existing card that already existed. :eek:

There are a couple of things that you still need to work on, but mcm already mentioned them. just make sure you update us!

[MindCandyMan]

I will also say though that even though you are working that large...don't be afraid to keep it loose (loose but not indistinct or poorly rendered) in areas that aren't the focus...etc... A lot of the magic cards aren't detail detail detail...but they show hints of everything at least.

[cucaracha]

heyhey, you started the thread :D

ok, I'll have to come up with one tomorrow.
I have many cards in mind to redesign... esp. things like "Static Orb" or "Wrath of God"

cu

[R_M]

just for the record

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/ageless_sentinels.jpg
The one and only original.


I.Was.Ink/ that is the best kind of praise, but it ain't done yet! are you doing one to?

MCM/ why isn't this thread a sticky anymore?

Cuc/ welcome to the party

[MindCandyMan]

I'm not sure why it's not a sticky anymore. Davi probably unstuck it because there are so many stickies heheh. He gets annoyed when another one pops up hehe.

Thanks for the goading cucaracha hehe...we are all currently redesigning the "ageless sentinel" card but if you wanted to do your won that's cool too. I just wanted to let you know that's what we all were doing.

[endregan]

here is small preview of what i have so far. i am sort of learning how painting goes. had to adjust some with color balance to give the 'gold effect'

http://www.visiblesurface.com/mtg/smallprev.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

I'm so frustrated...I can't paint worth crap...any help or paintovers would be greatly appreciated

Just trying to block in the main values and I can't even do that... :(

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 1 step 3.jpg

[endregan]

dood thats so awesome. sometimes we all need diff perspectives on things...from what i see its really good. sculpt really well. now the thing is just add details and push the values and work on the wall some more. patience my friend! :) love what you have so far

[Elwell]

MCM--

Crop in closer on the figure and show just enough of the wall so that it reads. Remember, these are made to print tiny.

Maybe you could show some other statue/figures in various stages of animation?

[R_M]

Hej Endregan! I really dig your composition. It is a tree that trows braches and stuff right? cool idea, and from here it looks nicely rendered. You should post a bigger version for some more detailed critique.

MCM/ we 2 work differently. you are more into colour and value, while I am a linework guy, so I can't help you in this phase. But I do feel that you should work on your camera view and composition before colour choice.
Right now the viewer is level with the statue, a bit to the left of it. If you move the viewer more in a corner and a couple of meters below the statue you give your new camera angle more dynamism, and the "taking off" will feel more dramatic. hope it is understandable.

[Carnifex]

Originally posted by MindCandyMan
I'm so frustrated...I can't paint worth crap...any help or paintovers would be greatly appreciated
pfft...what shall i say then?:rolleyes:i feel like the worst noob with this pic.:baby
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/fisite/sentinel.jpg
the hat thingy is something alike what the babylonians(sp?) had.a giant bird-creature-statue or something.anybody have tips?still have to colour it.

[MindCandyMan]

Good call everybody I will change the composition tonight. Will work better that way...thanks for the input.

[endregan]

tack r_m. (i know some swedish cuz i have a friend who is obsessed with it :P). glad u like it. ill post a bigger version when im more complete, i am really not that great!! its more of like 3 serpents protecting this wall but hey the tree idea sounds cool and if u see it, thats gravy too :). Thanks!

Mcm keep it up...your so close to getting a solid idea then u just gotta go with it.

carnifex keep it up. try adding values now!!

[R_M]

this is my effort.
rather happy with it, and it was really fast! there could be some improvments, but when working I began thinking of a "serra angel" remake and my concentration mooved away from Ageless. hopefully I'll finish the angel soon.

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/agelessd.jpg

endregan/ ahh I can see it now. :D

Carnifex/ yep, time to throw around some paint the week is almost up...

[endregan]

sweet r_m. love the way you did the tribal floating. very cool...and the scenery is pretty nice too! the birds give it a nice finished touch too. gj. i hope to get mine done soon and post it :)

[endregan]

Well heres my final...It was fun and I learnt a lot. I will be looking forward to all of the rest and next weeks assignment!

http://www.visiblesurface.com/mtg/finalpresentation.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

Still working on this...I am going to follow Targete's advice and finish a sketch totally before I start painting...will help me. Still have some work to do on this but I will finish the sketch hopefully by tomorrow...I hate going to a stupid office...I should be home drawing!!!!

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/bound%20sketchbook%20114.jpg

[strych9ine]

I think that's fantastic, having the Ageless move throught the walls instead of being the wall. Great idea, man... the composition is working better too.

[I.was.ink]

I agree with stryche, but one thing that I think that would help out, is that the foreground line( i know its not called this, but I forget what its called, im referring to the bottom line of your pic) shouldn't be even with the picture plane, but at some sort of angle, to read as a more interesting composition. For example, if you take a look at this painting (http://jonfoster.com/3bigcol6.gif) by Foster, you can see that his horizon line(that's what its called) is not parallel to the picture plane and gives it a very dramatic feel. I think thats the only thing that's suffering from your piece.

I like the new direction your going with , where the creature seems to crawl.... or move through the walls, as a sort of guardian.

Keep, this goin mcm. I hope I helped

[R_M]

Endregan/ I really like your colour choice and composition, it feels very "white".
I think you could add some contrasting colour in it, like some ruby red for the snake eyes...
you shoud work a bit on contrast. I can see the 3 snakes now, but they are a bit to hard to tell apart.
like the spatial feel to it :D, it has nice depth.

MCM/ targete will turn you into a linework guy! I tend to do that, and it is really hard to keep ones patience troughout the whole initial phase and not start colouring straing away.
your idea is very dramatic, but for some reason I see it as a black card.. and it will be very interesting to see your colour and lighting choice. when you post it, it would be really cool if you could tell us why you have choosen the colours that you have (what mood you want to imply..) and how that is related to the cards white colour.

[Carnifex]

pfftt...i think i need a background because i have no other ideas.changed the point of view and coloured sloppy.any other tips?tell me what background i should go for before the day ends.tomorrow i'll we be on holiday for three weeks so i won't have the opportunity to post here(even if i will draw on either way)
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/fisite/sentinel1.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

Thank you to everyone who has been helping me through this process...I feel like I have learned so much already just doing it...I've also learned that my skills are crap hehe (It's frustrating to not be able to visualize things they way you truly want to)...but that's another story


Carnifex - I think it would be cool to have a huge totem like that in the middle of a big city. A huge statue to sort of "watch over" the city would be really cool. In my opinion at least hehe.

R_M - I think color choice will make a big difference...you are right. I have some ideas of what I want to do...I will see if I can pull it off hehe.

iwasink - That's a good idea using a bit of a dutch angle. I will try it out and see if it works. You have been helping me through the whole process...thanks. ;)



Ok friday the 11th is the cut off date (since June 27th this card was proposed)...giving us two weeks should be plenty of time...and then we will choose another card. R_M is lightning fast so he will make more than all of us in the future hehe...pumping out 15 magic cards a month and collecting the cash hehe.

[MindCandyMan]

One more thing too...what kind of card do you guys want to do next...black, green, red, white, blue?....creature....land....etc... Lemme know what you guys think.

[R_M]

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/Serra_angel.jpg
original serra angel card!!!!


i have begun working on this one...I know it is white again, but the wall card was kind of hard, so I needed an easy concept monster. :D

[MindCandyMan]

It would be really hard for me to redesign serra angel...I've looked at it so many times (from when I used to play). I have an idea...how about we provide two options each time and people can pick which one they want to do. That way if someone hates doing a certain type of card they don't necessarily have to (although it would be good practice for them).

I was thinking this card.

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/undead warchief.jpg



So maybe the choice for the next one between serra angel and undead warchief?

[R_M]

Good idea MCM, I just don't know any cards anymore. it is my vacation,so I have plenty of time on my hands, but if we do 2 cards at the time, then people should do them both and state which one is the main one. this way we still have to do a card that we don't like to much.

still I think a really classic card like an angel, or one of the dragons, poses a very different challenge than a weird one. it is a bit like fan art, the trick is to reinvent something without making it look the samo ol'...
if we do 2 cards at the same time, one could be a hard one, and the other a classic...

man this is fun!

[endregan]

thx for comment R_m. I like this idea. I will attempt both but since we just did white im going to focus more on the opposite - black. the warchief sounds fun!! To mix it up sometimes we could do artifacts or enchantments, or if extra time during week attempt a land :P. cool stuff

[R_M]

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/serracard1.jpg


the colours aren't final, and the detailing isn't begun yet, but it is a start...

[I.was.ink]

R_M: Your pics dont show up.

I want to participate in the next one, and I like the idea of the two diff choices. I'd prefer a creature card.

MCM:What does serra angel look like?

[R_M]

all of them or just the last post?

[I.was.ink]

I can see them now

[R_M]

must have been a gremlin.

[DustinTrimble]

R_M that angel painting is looking great so far. Can't crit much except make sure you don't put too much detail in the painting that you loose it when it is small on the card. you may even want to boost the contrast so the mouth and features read when it is smaller. I know you aren't finished, but the design and initail colors are looking good.

Mindcandy, I like the newest stuff on your wall card design, I did a quick sketch copying your first pose, which the newer one you did is already stronger. but I kinda pushed the muscles a little on him, and this is just my take on you first drawing:
http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/mindcandypose1.htm
I'm still weak at setting values, but my point is give yourself more form to give value to, and that may help the drawing.

And here is my first take on the Sera Angel, which used to be a sweet card, I haven't played with any of the newer sets, so I don't know how good it is now:)
http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/seraangel1.htm
Self crits are I noticed her left side of her torso(and breast) is out of perspective, and of course I haven't made any background for her. I should look up some wings too, **sigh**.

[endregan]

whoa sweet R_M :). male angel, something i wouldnt of guessed!! :)ill be doing them both but well see how things go!

[matthewthirteen]

Undead Warchief...

http://www.fototime.com/C19A1CE7D94CB86/orig.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/1BFBD2EFAFE4174/orig.jpg

matt.:beer:

[R_M]

Dustin/ thank for the comments :chug: about the detailing on the card, I am having a bit of trouble figuring out how much really to put into it. I can't use the screens zoom function cause it is to loose, and my printer doesn't have the kind of resolution needed to print it at 400dpi.... maybee I should do some tests with a professional laserprinter...

Matthew/ welcome to the magic thread! I like your post, but I think you can push it a bit more in the colour area. the design is good, you really get the impression that it is made up from different people. keep it up.



worked 2 days on it....and am having trouble to figure out how muchdetail is needed...bah I feel it comes out to lose, so I'll probably spend more time on the zombie details...

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/serracardfinal.jpg

[matthewthirteen]

R M- Thanks for the advice, i don't know if im gonna really work on it more though since I really just did this for fun :)

And with your card, it looks really good, but i wouldn't go into so much detail with the background if your working with something so small. I would think that some general shapes and colors without all the detail would really push the sera angel at you. But I'm no expert, just my 2 cents.
lookin' good,
matt.:beer:

[endregan]

awesome R_M as i said before. the only thing you should look into is the blue in the wings, which is cool but i dont know if you are going for subtle colours, if so just tone it down a bit. but this is really cool, the proportions are pretty good but i am a bit confused about his arm all the way back there, but maybe it just looks odd... try shortening it or making the chest go back a bit more! I really like this though. Would've liked to see it over the current one :)

(the current serra angel card that is)

[MindCandyMan]

Painting is hard... :(



http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/Magic Card 1 finished.jpg

[endregan]

wow. that is just so awesome mindcandy :). I love this one! . There is only one thing that bothers me, the guy in the doorwar is he walking away or towards, so the sentinel is coming out to greet him on one side but hes walking away, or how does it work? really awesome, finished id say :). painting is hard but your are really good at it, better than I am for sure :)

[gekitsu]

mr mindcandy...
i find it hard to imagine that it isn't all that long ago when you first stumbled in here.
my deepest respect!

[MindCandyMan]

Thanks for the compliments guys I really appreciate it. You have been there since the beginning...thanks gekitsu!

That soldier is walking away from us...I imagined him walking by the statue and rounding the corner and then it started to come alive.



Here is my prelim sketch for the "undead warchief"

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 2 pencil sketch.jpg

[Erik]

MCM: great card and nice to see the thought process!
R_M : your last one can become great but the head is twisted so that it seems his neck is broken... I think people can't twist their neck that far... Also: maybe make a contrast or saturation difference between arm and head to help read the pose better in the small version of the card. Nice wings with the blue reflections!
I also like the graphic green warchief image

Very nice this thread! Where can one find the 'frame' for a picture? I don;t have any cards...

E.

[endregan]

Erik; we post the original, so your just copy and paste over the old card and put your image ontop and save as teh new one or go to www.magicthegathering.com :)

jon: id like to see the overlord zombie very defined, different from the other zombies, the crown is cool but hmmm something more like, i dont know yet really myself so just play around a couple sketches before you go for it. love the bg though so far with the creatures :)

[MindCandyMan]

Hey Erik...I look up the cards and download the pics through this website...they won't let you right click and save so I just capture the screen (alt + printscreen) and open up photoshop start a new document...paste it in and then crop out just the card. Sounds long but it's really quick hehe

http://www.findmagiccards.com/



Working on this some tonight.

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 2 step 1.jpg

[R_M]

MCM/ now it is you who is working fast! your sentinel works really well in the card frame! and the colours are very sandy like, good choice.
if I have to crit it is more the way you renderd your concept. I think the idea of a statue inside a wall is tremendous, but your the statues anatomy isn't very imposing, and it looks like he has been hurt, and not the other way around, where he is going to do the hurting. It is not a 4/4 creature, but more of a spell card in my opinion. But it is a rather mean spell! :D, just think about it, "target creature becomes trapped into the wall every time you tap your sentinel, ad 1/1 to the wall for every creature captured"
your textures are good and give a stone feel to it. what program do you work with? have you tried painter8?
the zombie looks good so far and the green fires on the guys heads are a nice touch. I have begun work on mine lets see who hands it in first!

erik/ you should defnitly join the thread, it is rather funny, it is like the DSG, but you get the time to hand in something more detailed, and it is good practice for when we will all work at the WOTC office in Renton next summer. :D
To your comments to my angel, I think that the pose I chose is doable, but rather extreme and needs momentum to get the variuos limbs the way I did them. It doesn't work to well though.
the colours are a bit off, and I have tried working with them, but for some reason I don't seam to get them rigth.

everyoneelse/ thanks for your comments, they have been processed...:alien3:

[endregan]

hhee cool jon., i like the colours :). the warchief looks silly in the purple but we all imagine differently and makes us all unique that way :). keep it up

[R_M]

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/zombiewip.jpg

been having problems with this one,and the idea is really depressing me.
the pond is made up by bones, and the zombie chief is supposed to live in it...but her colours are to saturated, and like with the angel card, I can't seem to get them right. bah.

[endregan]

wow thats really cool. id try and lay over some darker colours to make her fit in a bit more, or just give her green or redy muddy feel, maybe like some water coming off of her. its really cool i like that. give everything a bit of detail and your off to a cool piece :). the hair needs a bit more definition, but this is really cool!

[R_M]

Endregan? you raise a cople of interesting points, and I think I have made up on them (I have no I dea how to render water on her...)
so here is my effort for this one. happy with it :D crit away!

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/undeadfinal.jpg

[endregan]

really good roberto; you are a quick one too! I am just starting my serra and my undead but it will be done within this week :). You produce good quality images, I am suprised you don't work for WOTC already ;). Love how you finished the card, good job. I honestly would've liked to see yours printed instead of the one wizards printed!

[R_M]

Whooa you are to kind Endregan, but hopefully I will work for them one day, maybee we all will! I allready sent them a portfolio last year but they weren't interested, I will send one again one day...but after become a member here and have seen the quality images some of the guys do I am not to eager to make a fool of myself with WOTC again.

about working fast, that is actually a problem for me. it comes from not having patience, and allready thinking of some new picture while working (I have the concentration span of a fly). Untill recently a picture could take me weeks to do, but it was all because I kept reworking colours and am to hasty when painting them, so they looked crap.
I have no Idea how Mullins or Sparth can basically puke colours out and make them look like anything they want, for me it is somthing I am working on...

[killing.people]

that marsh is sick.

[wassermelone]

R_M: Although that pic is rendered very well... I don't think it works well as a "Warchief". Your Serra was very beautiful.

MCM: Very nice work with the Undead Warchief =)
My only critique on the Sentinels is the fact that the picture is actually quite dark and ominous looking for a white card.

Anyway... I am going to try one of these cards...

[MindCandyMan]

Working more on this:

http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 2 step 2.jpg


Don't have time at this moment to give full comment on everyone but thanks for the feedback everyone is giving me...I take it all into consideration. Nice job R_M...more subtlety in tones will help I think. Thanks guys.

toaster - thanks you are dead on...I can't wait to see your card.


R_M - You are right...he looks more in anguish than anything...good lesson for me in actually conveying the right concept.

endregan - I like purple...purple = royalty hehe

[Elwell]

This is coming along really well. I'm especially glad you got rid of the Christmas lights he was wearing :) .

Before you do anything more in terms of rendering, though, I've got a compositional suggestion. Right now we're looking down on the Warchief and there's a lot of empty space above him. If you moved him up in the picture plane he would be more dominant both pictorially and conceptually.

[R_M]

toaster/yeah, agree 100% with you. I got the undead part pretty much spot on, but it is defantly lacking in the warchief department.

Mcm/ what happend to your WIP thread? It was a good idea.

[wassermelone]

MCM: Just a small critique ;), your Undead Warchief is actually quite low in the picture. His head his dead center... which I have been constanltly told is a composition no no :)
Its probably pretty hard to fix and it looks good anyway =D

[MindCandyMan]

I'm an amateur and it shows :rolleyes: ....I can move him...such a dumb noob mistake. You guys are right...I will move him up.

R_M - You were right I think it's a bit overkill to post it there too...so I deleted it :o

[wassermelone]

Don't worry about it! I am still a noob too!

I will try and show mine at it's current stage tonight :)
But I do have to work on/finish another picture before I work on this one anymore...

[R_M]

grumble.... we should get rid of noobs....

yeah you go away!
and you to!
you suck, go home!
my little brother draws better than you!

:hmm:

where is everybody?

[Fipse]

Hi everybody,

as threatened I found some time to do a preliminary sketch, too. I´m not sure if I find the time to colour it. But that´s a really nice idea to do some concepts ...

http://www.kriegsherren-von-og.de/webpics/undead-warchief-sketch.jpg

How I understand the card, this warchief is kind of stitched together. I see him more as a leader not so much as a monster as the Hildebrandt-version.

Fipse

[R_M]

good composition Fipse! there is a lot happening, but I think it could work very well wiith a Magic card, just needs some colours...

the next one doesn't need an explanation...

http://roberto.webconnect.dk/gfxgallery/land1final.jpg

[Erik]

Great mountains. Very Sparthy colors!

[endregan]

wow thats awesome rob. :) looks really good and is an interesting position for the mountains :). I really like that its structured like an old ruins almost.

[Fipse]

Once again from me. I´ve been putting some colour on the sketch. Again I´m not sure if I should go further or see this as another colour-study.

http://www.kriegsherren-von-og.de/webpics/Undead-warchief.jpg

BTW this is a kind of premiere for me. As long as I remember I never did purposely a concept for a "monster" :).

Fipse

[imager777]

I'm in. This is what I've got so far.
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3c5qd/images/warchf.jpg

[endregan]

cool imager keep at it. not sure about that hat though. reminds me of vivi from final fantasy :p. oh and fipse, nice and for your monstery feel. has a sort of cartoon feel to it too, authentic :)

Well looks like this thread is dying, should of stayed stickied but here is what I have so far for the serra. I am kind of in a dilemma as I dont really know how to paint well and all but im trying. heres card preview

http://www.visiblesurface.com/mtg/serra/cardprev.jpg

[Stplmstr]

This was done about 10 days ago but went on vacation so here it is. (this is for the wall card) the first is the original sketch i did second is the actual coloured peice.

http://images.deviantart.com/large/indyart/indymisc/sketchstuff12322544658789809.jpg

http://images.deviantart.com/large/indyart/indymisc/finalthing7858756876876.jpg

[DustinTrimble]

Fipse, I did this bad paintover, but maybe you can see another direction for you lighting. I think it's too dark, and you are starting to push him to the midground with the light below, and kinda shy off of it. Here is kinda an exstreme quick interpretation on it, though I pushed the background too light.

http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/undeadpaintover.htm

Imager777, I like the subtle pallete you have going, I think you can use the same kinda soft highlight you have on the face and arms for the approach on the highlight of the clothes too.

endregan painting is so difficult! And there is many ways to approach it, but that's why we post. I like your colors there, but he looks a little more like a Gargoyle, the way he is all grey. also the way he is cropped is a little odd. No worries though, you should do a couple more, just maybe as drawings, and I'm sure everyone will give you feedback:)

Stplmstr: nice! Just tighten up the wings a bit, and this piece is golden!

Rm, mindcandy: Nice!

Here is a new start by me, neads so much work!:
http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/serapaint1.htm

[Fipse]

Hi Dustin,

thanks for the Paintover. You´re right, your lighting is putting the Warchief more to the Foreground. Lighting is one of my big problem-zones, I´m still quite reluctant about it (I suppose I have made too much constructional work in the past years ;)) Thanks again, this is helping me very much, giving me some ideasa to improve.

Endregan,

don´t give up! Maybe at the moment everything doesn´t work out the way you want but as I´m seeing it myself drawing is a hard and steeple way. You´ve got to have patience and simply draw. Nothing more to say about it ;).

Stplmstr,

I like the idea of your pic and the execution. I don´t know if the composition will work out on a magic card with the square layout. And the symbols on the sketch are imo better (and in a perspective). BTW have you been doin the rendering traditional?

Fipse

[Hermchen]

This is my contribution. I can remember playing magic cards for some years, but I prefered to just look at them, admiring these small pieces of art. I was in love with them.
I never thought, I'd redesign one :)
I chose the warchief and tried to visualize this 7-men-thing...

http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/undead_warchief.jpg

[endregan]

hey nice herm! I like that concept :). The lines make it look unfinished but it gives it a sort of 'look'. Id like to see the lines removed and touched up. very good work! I should get back to working on mine this reminds me :).

nice dustin...i like thet concept. :) however most think of serra as a female warrior angel (and the story is that), this does not mean we dont have freedom as it is not the actual card that will be approved...but whatever works is cool!! I like your idea for it

[DustinTrimble]

Endregan, actually it was meant to be a woman, but she is looken very masculine. You gave a good crit!

Hermchen, nice design! I love how the jaw loops out:)

[endregan]

No Problemos :). I gotta keep at it but I have to wait till later to finish it off. we should get back on track or start a new card soon :)

[MindCandyMan]

I ended up hating my painting so I just finished it as a sketch


http://www.mindcandyman.com/jons_uploads/magic card 2.jpg

[R_M]

Hi guys!
great work on the different cards everyone!
been away from a computer for vacation, and when I come back the thread is full of life and concepts.

So what card is next? Blu, green, red? Spell, artifact, any ideas?

[lauri]

hi
im quite new in here, but still would like to share my ideas here.

as a part of my BA degree work in university i did magic the gathering card redesign. the subject seems really interesting and the challange was great thrill......
so ill share them with you

all illustrations were also done by me
the language/spelling is bad, cause english is not my mother tounge, also the colors are littel bit too much, but still


http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/blue.jpg

http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/black.jpg

http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/red.jpg

http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/artiffact.jpg

http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/green.jpg

http://www.hot.ee/loommusic/white.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

Lauri - Those are really cool...wow thanks for posting all of them. I love what you have done with all the land cards...those are awesome. Also the pontifex maximus card is really sweet too...great work wow so many!


How about this artifact card for the next one:


Card : Proteus Machine
Cost : 3
Type : Artifact Creature
Power : 2/2
Wording : Morph 0 (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Proteus Machine is turned face up, its type becomes the creature type of your choice. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)
Edition : SC - Scourge
Rarity : Uncommon
Colour : Artifact
Mana : 3


http://www.findmagiccards.com/Cards/SC/Proteus_Machine.html

[Fipse]

Mhm, seems this interesting thread is losing interest ... I´m a little late ´cause I haven´t had much time in the last week. Today I found some time to sketch the Serra Angel. Unfortunately it´s too late and I´ve got too much beer to colour it. Maybe I´ll do this tomorrow.

http://www.kriegsherren-von-og.de/webpics/serra.jpg

Fipse

[Carnifex]

hey fellas!i'm back from my vacation so i have time to post here again and draw for the full.
i'm sorry i couldn't finish my ageless sentinel,alas i decided to make the undead warchief.
it's not very special or good...just the thirst thing that came into my mind:)
http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/fisite/undead_20warchief.jpghttp://www.angelfire.com/dragon/fisite/undead_warchief_c.jpg
will continue on next given card(most probably)

ahh...it's good to be here again:D

[DustinTrimble]

Here's my take on the Proteous machine, I figured it'd be cool to do a artifact merfolk chick. I may post the first sketch I did, it seemed to have a little more feeling to it. Heres the painting:

http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/proteousdustin.htm

Here is the sketch for it:

http://www.geocities.com/xstin2000/proteousdustin2.htm

[Hermchen]

My goal: To set this most interesting thread back to top.

My card: Proteus Machine.

My concept: An orb that emitts high energettic light to shape the creatures.

My pic:
http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/ProteusMachine.JPG

[endregan]

Cool herm. almost forgot about this thread O_!O!!

[Mr. Headcrab]

:eek:

[MindCandyMan]

That's sweet herm I love it...awesome idea.

[Shambacca]

http://gallery.passion4art.com/members/shambacca/proteusmachinefinal1.jpg

My take on the proteus Machine. Kinda like a transformer, only made of wood and...is a fish.

Watercolors in Painter.

[NaTe J]

Hey guys, love the idea by the way. Perhaps it is too early to suggest a card b/c it looks like yall arent done with the previous ones yet, but anyways. I think yall should do:
__________________________________________________
Strength of Lunacy
Black
Enchant Creature

Enchanted creature gets +2/+1 and has protection from white

Madness (S) (You may play this card for its madness cost at the time you discard it from your hand.)
__________________________________________________

Now for you non magic players, it is NOT a creature card. You place Enchant Creature cards on a Creature which either makes em better or worse or whatever the card says. So you place this on a creature and it gives that creature +2/+1 ect...

Now i know this isn't the coolest card ever but i think the name "Strength of Lunacy" deserves a better picture than the crappy one given to the card which is a pic of a guy running. Pretty lame for the name.

And the madness part means u can bring it back to your hand if it is discarded, i think....

;)

[Hermchen]

@NaTe J: I wanted to make this complete:

link (http://www.findmagiccards.com/Cards/TR/Strength_of_Lunacy.html) to the card at FindMagicCards.com

And this is how it looks like
http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/Originale/StrengthofLunacyOriginal.jpg
© Wizards Of The Coast Inc.

[NaTe J]

Thanks Hermchen.

Pardon me for being the noob of all noobs but i dont know how to add the pic in there. :(

thats also y i dont put some of my art on here.

Forgive me

[Hermchen]

You are forgiven.

I recommend you to ask at the lounge thread how to post images or click here. (http://209.126.148.88/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8340&highlight=posting+images)

[NaTe J]

Sigh ..... If i only had a scanner

However your time wasnt wasted trying to help me Hermchen. I plan on getting a scanner soon.

And when is someone gonna put some more pics on here? Im anxious to see some more.

:D

[cucaracha]

fipse: this is the best thing by you I ever saw :thumbsup:

I hope you don't mind me to do this little overpaint:

http://www.epm-clan.org/cv/unbenannt.jpg
(only overpainted one wing)

I think it would look better if the wings are more bird-like.

Found a nice reference:
http://webuser.rhein-main.net/su.su/adler.jpg

cu

[Fipse]

Been a little out of order for some time ... our firm has been burglared and I had much too do do get the system running again (and the rest of the time I was having one of the greatest hangovers of my life) ...

Thanks cucaracha,

1st for the compliment (I should take more time for my drawings as I did for this one ;)), 2nd for the paintover. I was thinking about giving her metallic wings therefore the more stylised approach but after seeing your paintover I´m rethinking it ...

Hope I will find again more time for drawing next week..

Fipse

[Hermchen]

Strength of Lunacy


original design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/Originale/StrengthofLunacyOriginal.jpg http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/StrengthofLunacy.JPG



. . . larger version

http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/StrengthOfLunacyBIG_ftp.jpg


no reference used :cool:

[Carnifex]

hey,that looks wayyy better than the original card!:firedevil
only,if you ask me,i would make his clothing more barbaric-like,to say you should erase the gloves and make his upper body part bare.but that's just me:)

[NaTe J]

Hey Herm

That looks cool. Are those arrows in his arm?

I agree with Carnifex, he could be a bit more barbaric. Those sleeves make me think of him being an Indian, er Native-American. but yeah still looks cool

[jerO]

Cool idea for a thread.
sorry i didn't dig through it sooner.

couple notes regarding card art in general from my stupid head.
Resolution: you're usually looking at an average of 6" tall by 8" wide at 300 DPI. That's my general size/ratio for random work. Most games vary but if you're working at 2400x1800 or higher, you're fairly good to go. it's also just engough for a landscape print with a decent border :)

Backgrounds: almost absolutely necessary. Even if you're just doing an item, try to make it interesting. Most ADs really want to see stuff that's alive in an environment. (mostly because i'm looking at Herm's really strong piece right here... if you could just stick dirt under him at the least, or some corpse feet to make it even better). This is just a guideline, because i could turn around and grab 10 cards in 30 seconds that have some random texture or mood lighting and no real "set" to speak of. I'm just saying make sure that ultimately what you put in your portfolio is that "done".

Compostion: Keep in mind that your art is going to get shrunk down to less than 2" tall. Super-fine detail might not make it, and another rule of thumb is that closeups/medium shots are better than long shots unless you're doing action stuff. Odd angles are usually a really good sell.

that's it until i get more BS that i feel like spewing :)
keep up the good work!
jerO

[Hermchen]

@JerO: Thank you for the good advice. I will work on it today. I think there will be an reworked piece this evening. (Cool, something to do :) )

@everyone else: This thread is a very good thing. I'm really sorry that it isn't that frequented! Are you all gone for holiday? Or is this topic to restricted? If you think so: The more restricted an assignment is, the better get the ideas. You can make a virtue of necessity! So come on, keep up the good work.

[NaTe J]

Sigh.... this thread is dead :cry:

[Hermchen]

No,it isn't yet!

Strenght of Lunacy (2) still in progress. I don't know if it's worth finishing. What do you think?

http://home.arcor.de/hermchen/postingstuff/Magic/StrengthOfLunacy4.jpg

[shyst]

yO nice industial strength lunacy Hermchem!

Nate -laugh you crazy bra:nod:

id like to try one but i dont paint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


SHYST
tmt

-Frazzetta-

[jerO]

this one's more like "strength of i'm-an-ass-kicker". I like your other one where the dude looks nuts and has obviously taken a lot of damage.

just put a background in that one :)
jerO

[NaTe J]

Hey hermchen

that looks cool and i think you should definately finish it. im just glad your still posting art on this thread.

good job

is that done with pastels?

[jerO]

hey, just checking to see if "strength of lunacy" is still the current card or not. i might have time to do something soon.
jerO

[endregan]

Bump!!!!!!!!!!

[fukifino]

Oooh, I really like this idea. I used to play magic when it first came out, up until about Fallen Empires (ahh, how I miss my complete set of Arabian Nights...but the money I got from selling them was worth it ;) ).

Are there enough people still interested in this idea? Unfortunately a lot of the old images don't work so I can't see a lot of these redesigns. But I really like what I did see. I think it would be a cool challenge to start this back up again.

[Hermchen]

Finally one reply. After months of waiting...haha.

Well I would like to introduce this card. Could be fun, I think:

http://www.findmagiccards.com/GF/USC/MTGC/AP/ANASPLE1.jpeg

REDESIGN!!!

[MindCandyMan]

yeah magic redesigns...I will try some more again!

[R_M]

There is still life in this old bag?!
cool:D

Ana disciple it is?

[endregan]

sounds good to me. perhaps im putting too much on my plate but, it will be fun!

[ProjectZeppherv2]

Bump!

lets get this tread (re)Started !

http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/portal2/angel_of_fury.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

yeah let's get it going again...someone pick a card!

[ProjectZeppherv2]

teh angle of fury! (look above)

[MindCandyMan]

sweet...angel of fury...cool

[ProjectZeppherv2]

so imthingk ing about 2 weeks? does that time limit sound got to you?
lemme know.

peace

[MindCandyMan]

yeah two weeks sounds good definitely

[AmishCommy]

this thread has been around for over a year an i haven't noticed it.

i'll try to bust out my version over the holiday break

[liam.c]

hay this is a really good i dea for a thread !ill give it a go as well !

[AmishCommy]

Here's my Redesign for Angel of Fury:

I stated this a week or so ago and worked on it through the night. Haven't touched it since. Its still not done. I'll try and finish it this week if time permits.


http://www.arkadyroytman.com/drop/MagicTG/angel01.jpg