One of the most stigmatized, popular games in existence is “Magic the Gathering.” Yes, it’s a fantasy role-playing game that includes wizards, spells, creatures, and monsters that is created for … adults. But bear with me! It’s far more interesting and relevant than one would believe…

In order to explain the artistic aspect of this card game, I will cover some of the history and basic rules. It’s a trading card game that was published in 1993 and is played by two players. Each game represents a battle between wizards (the two players) who use creatures, spells, and more, all depicted on their cards, in order to kill the other opponent (think pokemon). There are organized tournaments, a world championship, and local games. It’s a complicated and strategic game that requires a sharp mind but is equally as fun and exciting. You need to be able to devise strategies, think ahead, read the other player, and think quickly!

Now, there is a certain aspect to the game that is almost as popular as the game itself: Magic the Gathering artwork.

Magic the Gathering (MtG) is also known for its incredible artwork that is displayed on everything from its cards to its accessories. There is even a book that was published to document the art. There are websites and forums dedicated to posting the art and discussing it. There are over 10,000 cards, each with a unique scene, creature, or object. A secondary market exists for these cards, and are constantly being traded and sold. The art truly brings the game to life. The artistic community for MtG is very exclusive, and only the most intricate and beautiful artwork is accepted. Here are some examples of the artwork:

MtG players are constantly engaged with the whole concept of the game, as evident by the emergence of “altered” cards. Altered cards are MtG cards that people haven changed or added to in order to create a different card – solely for artistic purposes. These cards cannot be used in gameplay but are a creative and interesting addition to the expanding MtG game-world. Some examples of altered cards (left is original, right is altered):

Magic the Gathering has been expanded to more than just a game. Since being introduced in 1993, it’s still in it’s growth phase; the dedicated fan-base continues to add more and more people. Business-wise, the brand is rumored to never have had a decrease in sales since it’s introduction. The whole concept is strange; it’s a very rare example of physical media thriving in a dominating digital age.