How I make Magic The Gathering Proxies - Tutorial on how to make your own Magic Cards

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Magic: The Gathering is one of the big three "analog" gaming IPs, right next to Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer. It seems like a real money sink...but you can make your own dream cards and have lots of fun doing it!
Thank you for watching!
Music written, played, recorded and mixed by me.
All my links:
linktr.ee/ben_has_hobbies

[@Whitetigertablecraft]

1 part tutorial, 2 parts heartfelt love letter, all parts good vibes. Thanks so much for doing what you do the way you do it, you are a singular entity and the hobby is better because you are in it.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Don't make me tear up, man

[@HQRubbish]

This got me really amped to make custom cards for any number of game systems- Time to start digging through my old artbooks and magazines.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Oh yeah! Cut them up! Thanks for watching!

[@marklindsey4112]

Not an MTG player, but I love the idea of DIY proxies and those cards you made are absolutely beautiful. Really great video.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you kindly :) I'm glad I could take you on this lil journey with me.

[@FDBites]

love your energy🤭 this video gives me early youtube days feelings

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! I'm known for my old school energy :D

[@HeliosFaust]

one of my favourite creators makes proxy’s for my favourite card game with artworks of one of my favourites painters of all time. Doesn’t get any better 🎉 (i established a MTG group at my lokal tabletop club and i will convince them that we make our own proxy’s in the future)

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for your kind words! A whole group working on proxy decks sounds like a dream, mate.

[@TheHobbyExpert]

I feel you man. I started playing as a teenager and now as I’m turning 25 and growing up, it really hurts to work for 2 days, use all of the money I made to buy a deck on top of the time between those shifts actually putting the list together and optimizing it. I’ve just couldn’t justify my longevity in the hobby until I discovered my printer is actually amazing. Photo paper cards work so good and dare I say more enjoyable. I’d rather spend just a few hours doing it myself. Much more rewarding. Plus you still get to play the cards!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Finding healthier ways to game is something I can definitely salute! Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@drvissierl1404]

I can really feel the vibes from your video and i love it. And i also see your cat really loves you which shows you’re a good pet owner and i really like that so I subscribed 😁

[@ConjuredCraft]

I was so excited to watch and then saw you linked me in I’m the description 🥹 you definitely made my favourite cards from Proxypalooza. I can’t wait to try making some physical cards soon. Thank you for sharing your process.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Always so inspiring to see your art. You are a pillar of the indie gaming scene and I am glad we sail the same seas in a way. It's amazing to have such good company.

[@devanradford6108]

I liked this a lot. I've been a fan of proxies for a long time now, but my current ways to Proxy were to print out the card and put it in front of a land, or to use pen and paper and "make" the magic card with art box (custom art of coarse) and all. I had not thought about using art pieces and painting the important information onto the card. Thanks for opening my eyes a little wider.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@devanradford6108 Thank you for the nice words! It can be as easy or complicated as we want that’s the beauty of it :)

[@spacecentergames]

I started playing in 🤔 1995. It definitely was fascinating at the time, and I put in a lot of money. I remember splurging to buy The Dark booster packs. But playing in tournaments (and winning) kept me going. I eventually stopped playing at the Rath (sp?) Cycle. It was whenever they changed the design of the front of the cards. I never made proxies, but if I were ever to pick it up again, then this would probably be the only way. I still have my cards, and it is fun to take them out with gamers my age and reliving the 90s 😊

[@ben_has_hobbies]

What a magical time that must have been! Sadly I missed the very first wave of the MtG craze (got into it in 98/99) but I always loved the very early sets. I'm glad you still break those cards and play styles out today! Thank you for watching and your nice comment!

[@spacecentergames]

@ben_has_hobbies I was kind of sad that it became so big, and especially that it was collectible. I just enjoyed playing. In tournaments, I discovered that everyone was just playing the same few, published decks that the pros were using. Even if they didn't know how to use it. I can honestly say that I only ever played my own decks, but I definitely had to keep the meta in mind. Now, it truly is magical to run into people who recognize the old cards. Just the old art is great to see. It isn't so much about winning turn one, but looking through the cards and remembering old times. I even still have unopened boxes, packs, and boosters of Ice Age, Mirage, and such - tournament winnings. Out of curiosity, I went to a local game store, and the owner said that they only dealt in singles, but he wanted to touch it. I suppose that I really should sell them at some point, but getting into such commerce doesn't appeal.

[@ManglingMinis]

I got some MtG cards from a parent's friend years and years ago. They ended up sitting in a box, never used. And while ill still probably not ever play with them, making a proxy out of one is now very tempting!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Oh yes! I'd love to see what you come up with, Tara.

[@IOptOut26]

You just popped up on my feed and I too have developed a love/hate relationship with magic! I’d been thinking about how to go about proxying and this has given me some great ideas!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

I'm glad I was able to provide some ideas! Thank you for watching.

[@TheVierinsky]

The cards ended up just beautiful! I'm following instagram, and I was really expecting to see this video to get to know your process.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Glad you like it! Thank you for your support!

[@adammccarthy2176]

Absolutely love this. A brilliant way to personalise proxies, I’m definitely giving it a go!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! I hope you're getting great results.

[@Aironfaar]

That's a very cool approach to proxies. I happened upon your video and channel altogether while looking into the process of creating proxies for the first time, and while I don't think I'll ever do this approach (I usually avoid even just alternate art versions of cards), what you're doing there looks absolutely gorgeous. Übrigens, Grüße aus Berlin nach Berlin.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Danke, Danke, mein Guter!

[@punijaps]

It was not what I expected but they actually look pretty nice!!! Thanks for sharing Ben

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for watching and commenting. Appreciate it!

[@mikeblair6648]

Seriously some of the coolest proxies I've ever seen :)

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you kindly!

[@capnskustomworks]

What a cool concept!!! I’m always in favor of bringing more DIY aspects to games, and that is a really accessible way for folks to expand their possibilities! And I love recycling the art books, the added details look great with those prints!!! That’d be a great use for some library sales and thrift finds!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

For sure! It#s always awesome to put your own style and personality into the games you play :) Thanks for watching!

[@matthewbrereton286]

Thank you for creating this video! It was lovely to watch!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for watching it! I highly appreciate it.

[@FozzyFUCT]

I knew I was going to enjoy this video before I even pressed play, boy I wasn't disappointed!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

That's so kind, thank you!

[@SpaceChampi]

Thanks a lot for the inspiration ! I am getting into MTG *casually* because I fell in love with the aesthetic of Bloomburrow but I don't really feel like investing more money for cards than I already have... Without access to a printer to get copies of various quality of the official cards your method is a really great middle ground ! So I'll be trying it out soon and hopefully make my deck stronger :D

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! I'm glad you found something here you can incorporate in how you play and collect.

[@The_Grimsun]

Wow I got into proxing tokens because I am not super good at painting and I needed some tokens for a couple decks so I figured it would be a good stress free way to get into it. That being said cutting out pictures from books is a really cool idea. Certainly tons of historical things that would work great as mtg cards and same goes for even fantasy books. This is such a cool idea I think I might take the 4-5 books I have already and make a whole deck out of them. Thanks for the amazing vid.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! Glad you found some motivation through my video.

[@daandegersem9928]

Finally got around to watching this! Absolutely gorgeous cards, love the process! Guess I'll be on the lookout for some art books to cut up!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much, Daan! Can't wait to see your results.

[@Nemessos]

Great as always Ben. Whatever the medium, you always deliver unique and interesting art! ❤

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you, friend! I'm very glad you like it.

[@Silverpicker]

This is so awesome! I am definitely going to try this. Love the art book idea!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@Silverpicker Thank you kindly! Have fun making your cards!

[@N1NJ4P1R4T3]

Absolutely beautiful. Bosch is a great choice!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! An eternal master for sure.

[@Carbide-1]

Thanks for allowing us to hangout with you and see how you make these miniature works of art Ben! Never played the game, my son does though, so now I have another way to relate to him. Cheers fella!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@Carbide-1 That’s heartwarming, mate! Thank you!

[@Jamgeoso]

This is really inspiring! I'll have to give this a try

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you! I'm glad I could inspire you

[@BPCustomCreations]

I love them! Thanks for sharing the process

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for your continued support, Ben!

[@Lemon_Sage9999]

This is a new video, but it feels made for me... I opened my youtube page to a video called "how to quit Magic" and two videos below is yours here! All those overpriced rectangles are leaving soon, so this is inspirational for me as I make copies of my overpriced game pieces

[@ben_has_hobbies]

All the stars aligned! Thanks for watching.

[@demonjanitor]

Positively stunning art design choices! Thank you for the inspiration 😊

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@demonjanitor Thank you for your support! Much appreciated!

[@Wiktorion]

Gorgeous cards my friend!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much

[@matthewcheeseman6453]

Completely different game, but I always wondered what could be done with old Command cards in Warhammer 40k. When there is a new edition, these £20+ cards become completely useless, which is a shame because of the quality of the cards, packaging and artwork ect. This video has given me loads of ideas, thank you!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

For sure! Proxying cards for wargaming and making your own "rules overviews" is very rewarding. Making the game yours in every aspect :)

[@cryptidcrafts666]

Amazing tutorial!!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Very glad you liked it! Then I guess this video was tailor made for you :)

[@RSAdro]

this is amazing, thank you so much for sharing. i really love the cards you have made

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank YOU for watching!

[@HShaud]

This is awesome. Lovely video and fantastic work. Cat is wonderful too

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you kindly! And my cat Lars sends his regards :)

[@TheCryptFiend]

Fun to watch and a great execution, Ben! Now I want to watch you paint a card from scratch…🐈

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you, Rick! I will for sure do that in the future at some point!

[@TheCryptFiend]

@@ben_has_hobbies Can't wait!

[@crocholiday]

There's a few card design sites out there where you can make your own cards by either copying the actual art or uploading your own. I've made my own tokens this way. I plan to make some playable joke cards for friends this Christmas by taking actual cards / text / costs and renaming them with new art. Like take counterspell, rename it "oh no you don't" and adding my own art for it. Cool thing is, if you get enough proxies, you can actually have a company that prints playing cards print them for you. Not as cheap as using a printer but better quality. Proxy is a great way to go to see what kind of a difference adding a spendy card will make in a deck or even if you want to play but don't want to fork out the cash.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

That's an awesome idea!

[@Johto_]

This was a chill video to watch

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thanks! Now I wanna play some Heartgold.

[@MopeyN]

Das hast du richtig, richtig gut erklärt und dargestellt! Weiter so, bleib kreativ und fröhlich 😊

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Vielen Dank! Freut mich sehr, dass es dir gefallen hat.

[@bluemanblue2316]

This is so wholesome! And those proxies are wonderful!!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Much appreciated! Thanks for watching!

[@feelluckypunk1312]

WooWoo already Love it....only 2 minutes in & yes, man like Always awesome to watch

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you as always, friend, for your undying support!

[@feelluckypunk1312]

@@ben_has_hobbies WooWoo 🙌❤️

[@ajdecaro5474]

Beautiful work

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you kindly!

[@norsewind8686]

Gorgeous work!!!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much!

[@Owitsch]

Awesome work! I made something similar last year for the idols of torment game. bought some tarot cards of gustave doré and painted over them. But yours look so much better! Now i have to improve mine😅

[@ben_has_hobbies]

I'm sure your cards rock! I always wanted to check out Idols of Torment. Can you recommend it?

[@Owitsch]

@@ben_has_hobbies Thank you. Its a fun game and the rulebook is so beautiful grimdark. Also, there are free rules now, if you want to try it.

[@Owitsch]

@@ben_has_hobbies Thank you. They are OKish I think. Idols is a fun game with not so complicated rules. I love the grim style of the rulebook and the setting.

[@Schmino]

That demonic tutor goes hard ❤

[@breenizm92]

This is great, thank you!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for watching :)

[@isaacramos4335]

This is incredible!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thanks!

[@zakswearengin7871]

This is genius. I am doing this now!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@zakswearengin7871 Thanks! Hope you’re having fun!

[@Jamgeoso]

This is really inspiring

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thanks!

[@mondayyys]

love this

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you!

[@Duskraven377]

This earned my sub. Nice video

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for subbing!

[@MTGVS]

This is actually beautiful

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much, mate! Really enjoy your content here and on IG.

[@OsomePainting]

Awesome Video 😍

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much!

[@brunoyudi9555]

great idea

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thanks!

[@lt7388]

100% support this for kitchen table play

[@ben_has_hobbies]

The place where the Magic happens for me :)

[@King_0_Frod]

great stuff!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you kindly!

[@The_Dying_Rose]

I might need to start making proxies for some of the expensive cards and lands (who in their right mind can complain about proxying a basic land?), ive thought about making some cards using my own art and this might be a good way to do so. Or just useing art from some of my favorite artists, Gris Grimly, Mike Mignola, Mark riddick and Seb McKinnon, although he already does art for mtg cards.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Turning your own art into cards is the absolute best! and those artists you named are some of my favorites too :)

[@uniteallaction]

Awesome video

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@uniteallaction Thank you so much!

[@andrewsparks-pb5kn]

Bob Ross of Proxy cards

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Just some happy accidents on Magic cards!

[@andrewsparks-pb5kn]

@@ben_has_hobbies lol!

[@ryanday633]

I don't give a fuck about what people say about proxies I'll always use them.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

And why shouldn't you!

[@spaghetti50]

i am now gonna force my friends to play proxy magic soon

[@ben_has_hobbies]

In this household we love enabling people to have fun!

[@thefan199]

waht a twist, from the thumbnail he was too similar to bryan kibler, and i thought he was really into proxys

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Oh, I admire Bryan! What an awesome player and game designer.

[@mrpizzacat8273]

5:45 this is for me who likes your videos, miniatures and while not a fan of mtg an very interested in the culture.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you so much! It's great to hear that these weird llil videos connect with people. Very glad to have you!

[@justarabbit1982]

Step 1, get a basic land and fine point sharpie. Step 2, scribble out the text. Step 3, copy text of desired card onto the basic land.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@justarabbit1982 can be as easy as that!

[@palmoliv2000]

when every body will do proxies, there will no more magic ^^

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@palmoliv2000 Oh well, then I think we play with the existing 27.000 different cards. We’ll manage ;)

[@runcmd1419]

My problem with this style of proxy (and secret lair treatments as well), is it makes it very hard for other people to follow your board state.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

That is true. "Special art" makes the game a bit less intuitive and this isn't suited for a more competitive environment. Thanks for watching!

[@runcmd1419]

@@ben_has_hobbies I also have this problem with learning Null Signal’s netrunner, which is full proxy legal. With veteran players they can have any number of official alt treatments or their own proxies. Would highly recommend if you want a print and play friendly game!

[@matoautomato]

Liebs sehr!!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Vielen Dank!!

[@drewswann5351]

Was wondering what kind of printer you use if ya don't mind me asking

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you for your question! I am not using a printer at all actually. These are all clippings from art books.

[@ohhedwig]

🎉

[@ben_has_hobbies]

[@gabrielmonteiro6194]

Over time, doesn't the glue start to make the card crooked?

[@ben_has_hobbies]

They get crooked in the beginning when the glue is still hardening but once it hardened they are flat as flat can be. Got cards from 2 years ago and they are still flat. Can't say that about real foil cards I own :D

[@danielprivate8038]

Algo 100

[@kevin171994]

Nice but i only buy original cards

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Fair enough! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@TheRealCalPerr]

cat

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Meow!

[@danacoleman4007]

I still can't wrap my head around these large groups of people doing counterfeiting and being so obvious and upfront and excited and proud of it.

[@MupHiLoL]

Counterfeits are intended to look and feel like the original. Counterfeiting cards is a crime. Making proxies like this is art and is completely fine and accepted by a large group of Magic players in a casual environment. These proxies have nothing in common with counterfeits. Similar with money: Counterfeits are a crime, because you could pay with it and the other person doesn't notice, but got a worthless piece of paper in the end. If you take a blank piece of paper and you write "100 Euro" on it it's not a counterfeit and nobody will accept this as money. You coule play a game of Monopoly with it though.

[@doomfusion1807]

I can’t wrap my head around spending cash on a shit company

[@danacoleman4007]

@@doomfusion1807 agreed

[@ben_has_hobbies]

@@MupHiLoL Thus speaks a scholar and a gentleman.

[@brunoyudi9555]

its a card game, who cares?

[@timewalkwithme724]

I'm not a fan of defacing books, but otherwise this is very inspiring. I might try this with magazines.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

I respect your high opinion of books!

[@MupHiLoL]

So inspiring. Thanks for sharing your process!

[@ben_has_hobbies]

We are entering the circle of inspiration

[@dannykstick]

Beautiful work.

[@ben_has_hobbies]

Thank you!