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If you're at all interested in the discussion of Magic art, then you'll likely be interested in the Original Magic Art blog. Currently, the blog is running a poll asking readers which MM15 cards had better original art and which have improved in their new form. You can vote in these polls here.
For whatever reason, I usually find myself favoring original art. This is no doubt in part due to nostalgia established by the original printings- though I'm much less likely to care on cards that I would never play with/ aren't Meddling Mage. And then in some cases the new art just baffles me. Specifically, I wouldn't feel the need to spend money on this:
When I already had the rights to this:
Ultimately discussions like this probably aren't for people like me, as the first example of new art that I like that I could think of was the new Summit Prowler. It's still fun to compare the "new hotness" to the " classic genius" though.
I prefer the old art. In large multiplayer games it can be hard to keep an overview of the board. I can usually count on recognizing cards by their art, but new art on reprints messes with this.
Which is funny isn’t it. One of the reasons WotC doesn’t want altered cards to change the primary art is for recognition, and yet they go and do this.
It is indeed. Possibly different departments making decisions on these things.
how on EARTH did they justify taking FINKEL out of the new Shadowmage Infiltrator art…?
The same way they took Pikula and Thoren out of the art on those reprinted Invitational cards.
I like both. New art is fine, though I tend to prefer it on cards that aren’t/weren’t iconic faces of the game. Things like Lightning Bolt, or Tarmogoyf, or even Serra Angel. Some of my favorite printings are classic arts in the modern card frame – for example the Coldsnap theme deck Brainstorm is my favorite Brainstorm.
I also really like the new Dark Confidant art, but like many others I’d prefer they keep the invitational winners on their card.