this one ain’t it
I disagree. There's something to the Zug art that just... speaks to me.
(Then again, I'm a heretic who doesn't much like RKF's art. It tends to feel weirdly muddy to me.)
General Aesthetics Debate Club: Optimizing Art in Cube (Daily!)
- Thread starter MilesOfficial
- Start date
I disagree. There's something to the Zug art that just... speaks to me.
(Then again, I'm a heretic who doesn't much like RKF's art. It tends to feel weirdly muddy to me.)
Def one of the two original from Alliances which depicts the Ice Age ending after Freyalise cast her World Spell.
Don’t know which to vote for because for me they both live up to my requirements. I have put my vote on the one with the most red in the art but it could have gone either way.
Don’t know which to vote for because for me they both live up to my requirements. I have put my vote on the one with the most red in the art but it could have gone either way.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Original Kev Walker art for the Titan: it really captures the heat coming from the lava from which it is emerging.
RKF Arcane Denial with orange fireball. Though I do give credit to Mark Zug for depicting magic as slime and goo rather than ethereal energies.
RKF Arcane Denial with orange fireball. Though I do give credit to Mark Zug for depicting magic as slime and goo rather than ethereal energies.
Day 2: Arcane Denial | Results
RKF | Alliances (Red version) - 12 Votes (67%)Mark Zug | Commander 2013 - 5 votes (28%)
RKF | Alliances (Blue version) - 1 Vote (6%)
RKF reigns supreme, but not by the margins many of us may have predicted!
Day 3: Ponder | Survey
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This one was chosen to mess with Waddell's algorithm! The most popular and iconic art for Ponder is not the original printing, but the reprint from a few years later with three orbs representing the three choices the card provides, and there are quite a few compelling and abstract promos/Secret Lairs that make this not as easy a decision for the Jason-bot as another card would be
My personal favorite is Julie Dillon's Eternal Weekend promo. I don't personally proxy cards, but if I were to, this would be one I would absolutely need, even absent the gorgeous old-bordered frame that's not found on any other printing.
I'm currently running the M12 Ponder, but I'm not sure if that was a conscious decision or if it's just what I had on hand at the time and I've yet to update it, as I'm confident I have the Lorwyn art too.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Julie Dillon is one of my favorite artists in Magic right now, and hers is the prettiest Ponder for me. I don't like the aesthetics of Tedin's Lorwyn merfolk, plus he seems to have a thing for merfolk tiddies, so the original art doesn't really do it for me. I like the more abstract M10 Ponder art, and Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe's promo, as an hommage, is basically a better version of that artwork. I can appreaciate Lauren YS's artwork for its art, but as card art I don't like it. Steve Argyle's version, finally, is pretty, but only available in textless, and therefore automatically last place.
1. Julie Dillon
2. Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe
3. Dan Scott
4. Mark Tedin
5. Lauren YS
6. Steve Argyle
Incidentally, my top three also best represent the card mechanics in the artwork.
1. Julie Dillon
2. Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe
3. Dan Scott
4. Mark Tedin
5. Lauren YS
6. Steve Argyle
Incidentally, my top three also best represent the card mechanics in the artwork.
This one is pretty tough, lots of good choices. i roll with the Ebenebe one in my own cube
Ponder Hand is superior to the Merfolk and various promos. It even comes in a nice old-border printing!
My favorite Ponder art is my altered art one I have in my cube. But of all the official arts, and there are many to choose from, I prefer the M10 with the three orbs. I also like the new eyeball rings but it doesn’t have a new card frame so that’s a no. If I were to only include a single copy of Ponder in a cube it would be the original from Lorwyn even though the art is my 3rd choice. The set logo does it for me.
My vote goes to M10 orbs.
My vote goes to M10 orbs.
Cool series! Ponder was a great choice for the latest vote. I like the M10 since I prefer to use the most well known art, and I prefer art that explains the card. I also like art that isn't specific to a plane when I can get it.
I might go with one of the Commander versions that use the newer frame to keep things even more consistent, but that's a tossup. I like the M10 frame better.
I might go with one of the Commander versions that use the newer frame to keep things even more consistent, but that's a tossup. I like the M10 frame better.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I'm a new border guy, so ideally I'd want julie dillon but in borderless, but I'm not sure the original piece has the dimensions for it.
Having it in the Odyssey era old border is fine I guess.
Having it in the Odyssey era old border is fine I guess.
For this one I have been pondering it, but while I usually like new art, the m10 one just works so perfectly in conveying the mechanics with the art. Just something about the hand reaching out towards its choice that is just *chef's kiss*.
The Julie Dillon art looks too much like the butterfly meme in my head
Day 3: Ponder | Results
Julie Dillon | Legacy Invitational Promo - 9 votes (45%)Dan Scott | M10 - 8 votes (40%)
Mark Tedin | LOR - 2 votes (10%)
Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe | SLD - 1 vote (5%)
Very close, but Julie Dillon's entirely inaccessible promo takes the cake here!
Day 4: Temple Garden | Survey
Rob Alexander | RAV
Volkan Baǵa |RTR
Min Yum | EXP
Titus Lunter | GRN
Tyler Jacobson | SLD
Piotr Dura | UNF
Click the survey to share your opinion here!
This is one I actually asked amongst my old playgroup last year and was wholly contentious.
For me, it's very easy. The original Rob Alexander, even without the sentimentality I have associated with it, both does the best job representing the collision of white and green mana as a land and captures the imagination. Stunning lighting, perfect framing, and an evocative landscape. One of my favorite all-time card arts.
i love both the alexander and baga arts... its really hard for me to vote against baga, but i do really enjoy how grounded and real alexander's landscape is. that's a temple garden i could see myself walking around, yknow?
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I think Tyler Jacobson has the prettiest art, but it's hard for me to not associate Temple Garden with Selesnya, so it feels out of place. I was never a fan of Volkan Baga's version, and while Titus Lunter's art is on a frame I personally like better, I do think Rob Alexander takes the cake here. I'm not going to waste many words on Min Yum's and Piotr Dura's versions. It's not that either piece of art is necessarily bad, but bot feel very, very far removed from what I'ld like my Temple Garden to look like.
1. Rob Alexander
2. Titus Lunter
3. Tyler Jacobson
.
4. Volkan Baga
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5. Min Yum
.
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6. Piotr Dura
1. Rob Alexander
2. Titus Lunter
3. Tyler Jacobson
.
4. Volkan Baga
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5. Min Yum
.
.
6. Piotr Dura
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Chris Taylor
Contributor
It is a shame the Unfinity one is so off theme for temple garden, I love the borderless frame/small text box to bits asthetically.
I think my favorite art is the Titus Luntner, the Rob Alexander one always felt too washed out and textbooky, for lack of a better word.
I think my favorite art is the Titus Luntner, the Rob Alexander one always felt too washed out and textbooky, for lack of a better word.
For all 10 shocks:
RTR Block > Originals > Everything Else.
RTR Block > Originals > Everything Else.
Generally agree. Only reason I give Alexander (RAV) is 1) they're all the same artist..OCD..and 2) (self-centered) I happen to own playsets x 10 and it was a big level-up for me at the time.
Day 4: Temple Garden | Results
Rob Alexander | RAV - 12 votes (63%)
Titus Lunter | GRN - 3 votes (16%)
Volkan Baǵa |RTR - 2 votes (11%)
Min Yum | EXP - 1 vote
Tyler Jacobson | SLD - 1 vote
Piotr Dura | UNF - 0 votes
Not as close as I anticipated! Nothing against Piotr, but I think any of the other Unfinity lands would've at least scored a few points. Even if I'm not a fan of this one in particular, I thought it'd get some love!
I was worried about engagement on weekends, but we got about the same number of votes as usual, so I guess I will do my damndest to keep this up truly daily
Day 5: Reclamation Sage | Survey
Clint Cearley | PM15
Christopher Moeller | M15
Ilker Yildiz | LTC
Click for the survey here!
This one's difficult for me, as I don't adore any of them. From a composition perspective, the original M15 art (not the promo) is the most visually interesting. When I saw it was getting a LotR skin, I was very excited for an art upgrade but....I don't think this one's it, which is too bad - could've been a cool opportunity to get some Mirkwood or Rivendell action going on in my cube!
The Game Day promo has never done it for me. It's part of that overly-digital feeling era of MTG art I just wasn't a fan of, no disrespect to the artist. It's the one I've seen most commonly on Cube Cobra lists, though, so I anticipate it'll be the winner here.
Play Tranquil Frillback instead.
I don't know, I'll have to go with the OG as well, but I don't love it.
I don't know, I'll have to go with the OG as well, but I don't love it.