In the past few years, I have picked up Magic: the Gathering as a dedicated hobby. I've dabbled in the game previously, but only now have I decided to build a collection and spend time at local game shops to play with others. Spending time with such a wide array of cards, each with unique and beautiful art pieces printed on them have inspired me to create custom alters of popular cards as a means to practice my own design skills and learn about the process of creating a visually engaging yet readable game piece.
Each of these designs pushed me to ask myself some important questions: What do players need to see to be able to play with this card? What can be abstracted? Is this card widely known enough to abstract anything at all? How can I balance this card's type with its imagery? How can I present this card's subject while staying on theme with its in-game effect? What can I add to make it my own? Can I fit all that on a tiny card face? As I made more and more cards, these questions gradually became easier to answer. I was able to add my own artistic flair, try multiple mediums, (remix public domain artwork, photography, vector graphic, illustration) and even successfully print some of these card and use them in casual gameplay!
What started as a small side project meant to hone my visual communication skills has turned into a successful design exercise for me. One that I plan to continue iterating on and showcasing here on my website.
