When you work on MTG, you receive what is called a ‘style guide’. This book is full of concept art for that particular set of cards, and ensures that all the future commissioned artwork will maintain a consistent look. These style guides are absolutely stunning, as is all the work that comes as result of them. Every set of cards results in literally hundreds of works of brilliant art.
Just about every Illustrator I know that works on Magic the Gathering has asked themselves at some point… “Why is there no ‘art of’ book?”
Well, lo and behold, the wait is over!
Thanks to Parka Blogs (one of my favorite art book review sites), you can see a sample of the work contained in the book in the video below:
And the best part about this book, Amazon details it’s description as ‘Magic the Gathering (Book 1)’, which I can only take to mean that there will be more of these books in the near future.
You can order your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/142158249X
Hello Dan. I just purchased this book and it is awesome but I don't believe it is the first book of Magic the Gathering art. Here is a link to, what I believe, is the first MtG art book http://www.amazon.com/Art-Magic-Gathering-Lizz-Baldwin/dp/0786911786/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1454316582&sr=8-2&keywords=magic+the+gathering+art+book and it is for the Rath Cycle. But please do more previews of your favorite art books. Also remember the its not hoarding if its books!
So Amazing!
Yeah, that one is long out of print, and gets a hefty price. I was unaware of it myself until I started researching this book.
Full Steam Press released a book from the original artists, a sort of “What are they up to now” titled “The Gathering”.
Cool! Thank you for the heads up. I must be out of the loop, I have a couple pieces in there that I saw in the video and I had no idea they were making a book. 🙂 Looking forward to picking one up!
Snatched the 'Rath Cycle Style Guide' up for like 25 euros, about 12 years ago. Probably still my favourite concept-art book. All the cards are there (Bottomless Pit etc.) plus explanations on the process by Mark Tedin. It's a gem!
PS: and I'm sorry to say this, but the cohesiveness at atmosphere of that set was so much better than the last couple of sets. I feel that the universes created now are so far from our own reality, that it's hard to relate to the characters. Wheres during the Rath, Invasion and Odyssey sagas the characters were very heartfelt. Or it might just be nostalgia…