It always amazes me the sheer amount of amazing art that comes along with each set. Having played damn near every card game out there I have to say that this is one aspect where Magic the Gathering stands above the rest and well Strixhaven does not disappoint. So join me in counting down my picks for the top 10 Card art of Strixhaven
If you are interested in checking out more art from the artists featured in this article, then don’t worry I have you covered. I will link each artist page below their respective art on this list, so be sure to show them some support as well. Alright, let’s not waste any more time and get into my first selection.
10 Daemogoth Titan
By Chris Cold
My first choice is the haunting Daemogoth Titan by Chris Cold. His style works so well with this rotten and ancient being, with its mossy covered shoulders and the Green-Black energy that just oozes from it.
He has a way of framing important aspects by making the outer details hazier than the focus, instantly drawing you to the creature’s face, one of unfeeling ancient magic. I also enjoy that there is a character positioned in the lower left-hand corner which gives you a proper sense of scale, really emphasizing the Titan aspect of Daemogoth.
9 Zimone Quandrix Prodigy
By Ryan Pancoast
Ryan Pancoast is an artist that always manages to find his way onto my lists, even if he isn’t one of my top 5. His ability to capture human expression, while seemingly freezing a moment in time, is quite amazing. I would highly recommend you check out his website, it's chock-full of this sort of art.
As far as Zimone, Quandrix Prodigy is concerned, you get much of the same. You really get the feeling that she is hyper concentrating on her work, but that small smirk tells us she loves what she is doing. It's somehow simple yet engaging.
8 Waterfall Aerialist
By Lie Setiawan
For me, this was the most Prismari art that we get in Strixhaven. Its form and function, it is flowing yet jagged, and it is all brought together by the elements and represented by art.
Lie does such a great job framing this character in a chaotic swirl all while giving them the momentum of a dancer. It really makes me wish I could see the whole dance in motion, but this piece of art will have to do by simply sparking my imagination.
7 Kasmina Enigma Sage
By Ryan Pancoast
Wow Ryan has made his way onto this list again already, well there is no way I wasn’t going to include this alternate art for Kasmina, as it is by far my favorite representation of her that we have seen in any set.
She comes off as a powerful, mysterious, and frightening figure. Someone who you can’t quite read, as far as her intentions. Pancoast just blows me away with his ability to express so much with so little. There is no overt action, but in the pose, expression, and every accompanying detail I am given insight into this character. Very cool!
6 Professor of Symbology
By Jason Rainville
The first thing that came to mind when I saw this piece was the work of Norman Rockwell, shown perfectly in the way that Jason manages to capture the expressions of each character in the picture so perfectly. As your eye moves across each one, you get a different sense of wonder, all ending in the teacher, who has a look on her face that can only be described as quizanomical (yes that’s a made-up word don’t look it up). I can always appreciate someone who manages to pull something like this off, really rewarding you for taking the time to look over each detail.
5 Enthusiastic study
By Jesper Ejsing
I can never say enough good things about Jesper Ejsing’s work. Everything he does is so beautifully composed. Unfortunately, I could not find a higher resolution image, but there was no way I was leaving this one out, as it’s a piece that just brings me joy. It's fun, silly, and yet so well crafted. The flurry of papers, the expression on the focal character, and the chaos brought about in her wake just brings me joy.
4 Professor Onyx
By Kieran Yanner
Now here we have a tie for fourth with both variations for Professor Onyx, a very familiar teacher… I am just not too sure why hmmm, well that’s a question for another day.
No matter which one you go with as your favorite between the two, you have chosen a great piece. I wasn’t familiar with Yanner's work before this piece, but I have to say here we have an artist to look out for, do yourself a favor, and check out the rest of his work.
That said these representations of Professor Onyx are top notch and I fell in love with them right away. The glow of the tattoos, the design of the dress, and the silent yet arrogant look on her face just embedded themselves in my mind right away. The variation where she is in her office might end up as the next print I purchase. As amazing as these are though, I have to still move onto my top three and they are artists who I keep an eye out for in every set.
3 Rise of Extus
By Wylie Beckert
While Wylie Beckert is still fairly new to making art for Magic: the Gathering, she has really made a name for herself rather quickly. Everything she makes is so beautiful and I knew after Eldraine I would have to seek out her art wherever it made an appearance, and well, Rise of Extus in Strixhaven does not disappoint.
In a lot of ways, it’s rather simple and doesn’t use many colors, yet everything in it does exactly what it needs to do. The encircling despair is felt even though we can’t see the character's face. The pink smoke is so ethereal and comes off of the figures like flowing ribbon. Truly great work and I look forward to seeing what else she does in the future.
2 Harness Infinity
By Seb Mckinnon
The legendary Seb Mckinnon is easily my favorite artist featured in Magic: the Gathering and it's easy to see why.
Once again, he manages to pull off something that is not like anything else you would see from any other artist, much like Wylie Beckert. Harness infinity feels like a dream or a vision. He pulls you into a magical space that is not quite reality, and is both haunting yet beautiful.
I just don’t understand how he pulls off the sky in this piece, with the stars swirling inside the clouds, all pulling towards the figure of pure magic. Even the trees seem to reflect the stars with their pinpricks of light. Everything about it is just so beautiful.
1 Igneous Inspiration
By Pindurski
I am not sure if this is one of those pieces that would be at the top of everyone’s list but for me, this was the most captivating of them all. The motion, the expression, the lighting, and the detail are somehow so mesmerizing.
Pinurski really did capture a sense of action and urgency with this one. I find myself looking top each corner of the image and noticing each perfect stroke. A lot of artists tend to allow much of their image to be abstract, which makes sense since the images are so small on the cards, but this one is just so crisp. For me personally, it just checks all of the boxes for exciting art.
I would love to know what piece would be at the top of your list, so be sure to leave a comment down below letting me know. Also be sure to subscribe to the page that way you get notified when a new article comes out, or follow me on social media, or join the discord to stay up to date. With that, I’ll catch you in the multiverse, bye!
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Harness Infinity is the most breathtaking piece I’ve seen from Seb in a while, which is saying a lot. I didn’t even notice how big the Daemogoth was!