Top 10 Weirdest Old MTG Card Arts

Today the art that shows up on MTG cards is tightly controlled and developed by Wizards, but in the earliest days of Magic things were much looser which allowed some truly absurd card arts to see print. As such, today we count down the top 10 weirdest old MTG card arts! Do you have a favorite weird card art? Make sure to let us know in the comments!
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[@Graatand]

Wait. This isn’t Nizzahon’s channel.

[@exmachinz]

Yeah I did a double take too

[@funfunfun18]

Me too!

[@PharaohofAtlantis]

I feel like a top 10 wont be enough to truly cover the weird art in full.

[@MTGGoldfish]

So true. In the old days there was a lot of weird art.

[@bedwarssweat6205]

@@MTGGoldfish for instance, the entire works of Phil foglio

[@gypsieking3280]

Phil's art was. the. Best.

[@Brinta3]

@@bedwarssweat6205 Phil Foglio’s art wasn’t weird, it was funny.

[@ericperry2032]

The art for Stasis perfectly depicts the opponent's state of mind. Halfway between hallucination and being lobotomized.

[@SandstormGT]

As a former Type 1 Stasis player, I approve of this comment.

[@ExtremeMedium]

For those who didn't notice, both versions of the Basal Thrull Seth brought up were both illustrated by the husband and wife team of Kaja and Phil Foglio. I miss their art in MtG so much.

[@mtg_banana1617]

Phil Foglio is my go to if I wanna show someone crazy Magic art. Personal Favourite: Killer Bees

[@ExtremeMedium]

@@mtg_banana1617 Shahrazad is still one of my favorite pieces of MtG art ever created.

[@vmcampos]

My favorite husband and wife team of vintage MtG artists! I just backed their Kickstarter for some playmats of their classic art.

[@mostlyholy6301]

I also think the art is great, Thrulls are supposed to be a mis-matched race of grotesques, with no two looking alike.

[@nezix]

Yeah I was like "How is Seth not mentioning the artists?!"

[@8EnfEnEt8]

Ebon Praetor looks like a messy divorce hearing about who gets to keep the kid

[@jesseupperman1676]

I just picture Dante's Inferno, if Dante did a lot (more/of) shrooms.

[@jebooiii6462]

This is too accurate xD

[@leovalenzuela8368]

Ouch, my dude.

[@allyourpie4323]

I think this is my favorite description of that card ever,and I fear the implications of "shared custody" in this context.

[@shanegedekoh121]

Randy Asplund On Ebon Praetor: "Many years ago I painted a picture for the game MAGIC: The Gathering, and it was originally given the working title "The Dark Judge." But the company released it with a card named "Ebon Praetor." The painting generated quite a buzz with people frequently asking me why there was a white bunny rabbit in the painting. My answer was that it was not a bunny rabbit at all, but a Pookah, a Celtic spirit/demon. You may have encountered such a creature in the movie Harvey, starring Jimmy Stewart. "

[@nicholasearle9572]

That is fascinating

[@Chuubii]

I think the balanced scale in stasis show how effect is symmetrical, but requires constant attention ({U}) to maintain it.

[@eusouzoom]

The wizards spell is aiming to the base of the scale, maintaining it balanced. It becomes really clear when you look at it for a moment.

[@PlaneShaper2]

If it helps, the title of the art piece itself is "Standstill" not "Stasis" which better represents the idea of the balanced see-saw.

[@Fubnin]

Another good list Nizzahon, keep it up!

[@andrewbinder6338]

Seth: "Wizards doesn't make cards with real people on them." Dark Confidant, Meddling Mage: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@Skhmt]

Snapcaster too right?

[@Kaffeebaum]

@@Skhmt And Voidmage Prodigy

[@Eastside97]

Fervent Champion from Eldraine

[@thebrotherschronicles5913]

And shadowmage infiltrator

[@goat666db]

Mutton Chop Guy Solemn Simulacrum, Avalanche Riders, Rakdos Augermage

[@elementalheroshadowX]

in the same vein as updraft, the fifth ed art for flight seriously cracks me up. it's just an awkwardly levitating zebra hundreds of feet in the air.

[@caladbolg777]

I’m really surprised that Time Walk wasn’t mentioned. It’s so abstract like Stasis is, but it fills you with a sense of wonder if you try to begin to understand what’s going on in the piece.

[@MarkWandRobBobPresent]

I like that the burrowing creature left a Bugs Bunny-like trail in its wake.

[@ShaqPlaque]

Also, distinct lack of mountains

[@Brinta3]

It’s not just a cartoon thing, moles in real life actually make such trails.

[@margibso]

I love Horrible Horde's flavor text. Few underestimate them! "Eh, those horrible horde's really aren't all that threatening" "Yea, you're right. "

[@absolutfx]

You sir have obviously not seen Goblin Chirurgeon, where he is sewing a Llanowar Elf into a tiger or something insane.

[@robmitchell3039]

It's Jedit Ojanen.

[@flylikehawkings]

Wall of wonders makes perfect sense to me. The items pictured are the wonders, and the wall is the fact they are densely packed into the picture.

[@Shadowquacker]

I find that critique of the Updraft art really bizarre: surely the whole point is that it’s a creature that doesn’t normally fly, and while no: normally wind doesn’t lift tigers, this is literally a magic spell! There’s even obvious wind lines on the art! I really don’t find it in the least bit weird :-)

[@Brinta3]

Very true. An updraft is an upward current of air. The wizard doesn’t actually give the tiger flying, it just gives it a huge leap so that it jumps over the opponent’s creatures and in that way it can attack the opponent. “Flying” in this context refers to the game mechanic, not literal flying.

[@cooperburnham2359]

"Great I'll draw this sweet Game of Thrones esque ice wall" - the artist says to themselves before the first book is even released

[@leonboivin8643]

Uktabi Orangutan has some people playing super smash bros in the back

[@nathanielnizard2163]

Stasis is my favorite art :). I feel it works well with the card theme. I feel strange that wiz has not made special cards for the card components, like the wolf, the painter the moon and the scale.

[@totallynotthecia]

I liked this video, enjoy seeing cards from when i was 4 or 5 and my tiny brain was blown by the creativity in the art. I was also scared of a lot of the artwork. Terror, for example, scared me so I didnt play it in my deck. Of course I was 4/5 years old so my grasp on the game was tenuous at best lol! Keep doing vids like this seth!

[@MTGGoldfish]

Glad you liked it!

[@SpaceLordof75]

For great old art that’s not even on MtGO, check out Pixie Queen. RIP Quinton Hoover.

[@vmcampos]

Hoover was one of my favorite artists. RIP

[@joshuameyer2461]

This video was hilarious, please do a follow up!

[@gotchab003]

I love the art for Hyalopterous Lemure from Ice Age. A lemure is a ghost-like apparition forced to stay on Earth, but the artist didn't know that so he drew... a lemur. With butterfly wings. In a graveyard. So amazing.

[@thedarkemissary]

If you read some of the flavor text, the art makes more sense.

[@computersocsci]

Great video! Can't wait for part 2 :)

[@VincentWolfeye]

Loved this. And how you described the process was just the best! Thank you ❤️

[@julienboles9376]

"Updraft: You'll believe a tiger can fly."

[@nickjackson1993]

Regarding Uktabi Orangutans: “...slip into sets anymore.” Nice Seth, nice.

[@kriosuranous3440]

My favorite old card art is no doubt animate wall. The face and arms of the wall, paired with the woman cowering but not looking afraid all combines to be super funny to me.

[@egarran]

I always saw it as the woman being the wizard animating the wall.

[@bernabes8424]

This was awesome. Please do more of these

[@danielbretado7660]

Floral Spuzzem. The artifact breaking banana always makes me laugh. Plus, according to the rules text, it is sentient.

[@egarran]

I like how the wording makes it the Spuzzem's decision.

[@BoshiYoshi]

Oldschool Magic art was so incredible. It's a big part of what got me into the game in the first place. I used to go to my local comic shop that had boxes full of junk cards from Revised all the way up to Odyssey block. I'd spend hours just picking through them all, buying cards largely based on the art. Living Wall had some crazy art on it, as did Blistering Barrier (a lot of oldschool Wall cards had crazy or really cool artwork. I used to collect them just for that reason). There's also the infamous Clergy en-Vec. My favorite oldschool art is Chromium's. It's not weird, it's just badass to me. I hate the redesign they gave Chromium in the modern era. His original card looked so awesome. he was literally just a giant chrome mecha dragon. And I kinda miss old man Bolas too. Just a nice looking grandpa dragon napping in his comfy chair, having fallen asleep reading a book.

[@CrabBaskets]

I find it interesting he brought up a number of arts done by the Foglios. Also super excited about the kickstarter that recently closed to get Foglio art on playmats and prints.

[@vmcampos]

Same! Love their art and backed the Kick. ❤️

[@roboticbychoice1081]

Blistering Barrier was always the weirdest art for me. Specifically the lips.

[@Mr_Skellington]

I love these new art videos. Keep it up!

[@MTGGoldfish]

Thanks :)

[@nedcurfman3486]

First place I would go for drawing Wall of Wonder would be a caricature of Noel Gallagher.

[@noahjaffe3094]

This video made me smile a lot. Seth please keep making wonderful content like this!

[@noahjaffe3094]

Also Phil Foglio WOW

[@joerogers9648]

Maze of ith and living wall were two of my favorite weird arts from back in the day.

[@jessedoyle9489]

Soooooo Good Seth! That was awesome!

[@Kaaierd]

Hey Seth, love your analysis on Basal Thrull! Now Imagine that they were painted by Kaja en Phil who may have been sitting next to eachother behind the same desk in the same house, making these totally different interpretations of Basal Thrull. Kaja and Phil met and married in the ninetees.

[@AceMathias]

Love the video and the humour. I suggest to keep going with the series. 10 wierd from modern era. 10 most gross. 10 cutest etc.

[@roninnder]

And even though burrowing grants mountainwalk, that gophercorn is 100% burrowing through some plains.

[@Malverde888]

As a kid the art played a massive part on me liking and learning the game. Fucking Ron Spencer, man! Matt Cavotta, Ron Spears. Even the most worthless chaff cards had striking art I would hang in my wall. Getting into Magic also made me learn English at a super young age. I don’t think current art makes a lot of kids interested in checking the game out when everything else around them is trying to cater and get their attention by any means necessary.

[@westre]

I hear this comment. Part of the greatness of old Magic art was its aura of mystery - like you were seeing illustrations from an ancient tome of wizardry. These days it feels a lot more same-y with only a couple of notable exceptions (McKinnon in particular). It's like they've asked artists to have as little unique style as possible :(

[@Khazuki_]

"If you weren't around, don't feel bad, I wasn't either". Seth began playing Magic with Theros.

[@MTGGoldfish]

Theros: Beyond Death actually.

[@andrewallstar2719]

I love these kinds of videos so much

[@crovax1375]

The artwork on Essence Vortex nearly got me after school detention.

[@Metallicity]

"You can't honestly be telling me you're playing the card for its actual effect" - the teacher, probably

[@crovax1375]

@@Metallicity the card was fine in the meta I was playing it in...

[@Goblin_War_Buggy]

Come back next week with earthbind tribal

[@nightbush]

gotta appreciate the cute art on the thumbnail, absolutely love it

[@jpankhurst82]

I remember back in the day (mid 90s) there were some cards that had quotes from real world literature on them. Seem to remember some zombie card that had The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

[@KynElwynn]

Scathe Zombies

[@ShaqPlaque]

My favorite of these was the Emily Dickinson poem on Soul Barrier. Really miss the classic literature

[@BetweenTwoFires8]

I'm shocked that I feel this way with all of the great content from this channel. But, I think this is my favorite video from this channel. I love hearing Saffron ragging on these hilarious pictures.

[@xSal101x]

Demonic Torment was Anson Maddock’s work. He definitely knew how to draw faces. Check out some of his other cards. He was one of the more prolific artists in the early days. As for my favorite pieces, it’s hard to narrow it down. I did carry Richard Kane Ferguson’s version of Goblin War Drums in my wallet, though. I also collected all of his Legends cards. He was my far and away favorite early artist.

[@goat666db]

RKF is awesome. Love his Pillage, Boomerang and Arcane Denial

[@newtpondskipper]

Anson was also featured on a Vampire the Masquerade card called Anson. The only card I kept from that game.

[@vmcampos]

RFK was the GOAT. Loved his style.

[@SirZapdos]

The Horrible Hordes artwork reminds me of the parade scene in Paprika.

[@johnmeier1]

You definitely need to do more of these

[@kaiyamorgulis2392]

Old magic art is the best. Original Phyrexia is crazy. As for me, Thalakos Dreamsower is one of my favourite arts of all time.

[@Malverde888]

Absolutely the most kick-ass art of any set, IMO. Mirrodin Besieged, New Phyrexia... that’s where you can feel the artist trying to create some never seen before creatures.

[@shadowisp]

I laughed, you hit me in the nostalgia, and i liked the commentary. =). I kinda wanted "Tinder wall "and" Giant strength" to be on this list, THose were silly lookin cards.

[@Bleuchz]

Love videos like these!

[@MTGGoldfish]

Thanks!

[@richardadams429]

"updraft" is like THE perfect Synthwave album cover and/or a t-shirt design that a kid is wearing at Daniels school in o.g. karate kid..

[@aidennoir597]

You missed the best part about the Basal Thrull arts: they were both done by different Foglios! I can't even imagine the conversations. "Hey honey, what's your Basal Thrull going to look like?" "Some weird long nose spindly goblin guy who may or may not have bones who is just the best at Twister. Yours?" "Like a purple gorilla torture chamber." "This all seems perfectly reasonable."

[@aseventhson]

Bring these to us in an ultra-jank Commander Clash deck along with some other runners-up... maybe there is some secret unifying theme!

[@pedroguilhermelemesalves1011]

Updraft makes sense for me. If it gives flying just until the end of the turn, when a tiger jump so high, it's looks like he is flying for a moment.

[@olecwow]

been a player for a long long long time, and really miss the old artwork. my favorite still is time walk. loved that card's art work

[@j.m.3600]

fantastic video please make more

[@Zolthux]

Whenever i see the art for Horrible Hordes, the song "Parade" from Paprika plays in my head

[@SnoopPogg]

I love the art from Flight in 5th/6th edition and starter 2000. The flying zebra homie is iconic

[@aleshark17]

A couple of very recent honorable mentions that come to mind: Pouncing Shoreshark Porcuparrot Hushbringer

[@kyledoolittle8048]

This was cool and different I like it seth

[@abeesknee8306]

I'd love to see another of these for modern art

[@antoniobush4560]

I can appreciate how the art in burrowing has the thing going under a literal plains

[@weilzudope]

horrible hordes is so awesome, wish mtg art would go back in time

[@caniuse3]

Thank you sooo much for briefly talking about the criticisms to current magic art. I feel like MTG stepped away from it's roots and they did so with good intentions to involve a wider audience, but I feel they sacrificed their signature look to a great degree. I still greatly miss the old border colors and if I have the favorable opportunity to play with the older cards, I would much rather hold onto old gold than new silver.

[@allyourpie4323]

Anson Maddocks is my all time favorite Magic artist. Apparently he was commonly used to churn out good fast useable card art when deadlines weren't met,because he could. So yeah,possible very correct.

[@RollTheBonez]

A modern top 10 would be fun. From the Vault version of Dryad Arbor is a spicy one.

[@eselvero]

Please, let's have more of these videos! :D

[@-jonahdrake-]

Some of the old school magic art is the same kind of goofy fantasy style that i imagine an old 80's Hannah Barbara style version of adventure time would look

[@sebvieira]

MIssed opportunity for your number 10: Uktabi Kong! It shows that Wizards has a great sense of humor

[@ericd1022]

The art for Legacy Weapon is really weird and abstract. Also, The original Macabre Waltz is probably the scariest art I’ve ever seen on a magic card

[@santyricon]

Those Foglio guys are a couple of disturbed minds, for sure

[@EdgePhreek]

The art on Horrible Hoard is something you would see if you watched The Brave Little Toaster on a bad acid trip.

[@MihaelGeng]

Ah, the sweet art of Uktabi Orangutan. And the happy duo story surely goes on later: tagger.scryfall.com/card/unh/115. 😂

[@westre]

So apparently Anson Maddocks got a brief from Jesper Myrfors for Urza's Mine (all four versions) that neglected to mention what kind of mine it was. So he did four paintings of things blowing up from the ground. He sent in the finals, and Jesper says "uhhhh yeah, we meant a different kind of mine..." So the four mines you see today are what Anson painted IN ONE NIGHT. Love that story. Anson's instagram has one of the old/lost versions up for all to see.

[@greeenwiing4098]

Maybe next try 10 most broken decks in MTG history. That one would be awesome!

[@MarkWandRobBobPresent]

Stasis depicts a balance, or an equilibrium, which is the definition of the word stasis. It's also about motion or energy slowing down and stopping due to this balance. The two creatures - whatever they are and whatever activities they might be doing are very different in appearance, yet they are standing on opposite ends of a seesaw-like balance that is level. It appears the esoteric, and probably magical, activities they are doing might be important to maintaining that balance. So the character on the right gives me the feeling that it might be carefully positioned to maintain the balance. Perhaps holding the round, red object as some sort of a weight that it can pull towards or away from itself to adjust as needed. The blindfold makes me think it's in some sort of meditative or very focused state. The one on the left is standing precariously to maintain that equilibrium, while painting the wall. I'm not entirely sure he's actively painting, but the teal blob that is weighted mostly on his side makes me think that that's what he's doing. Maybe the painting activity is involved in maintaining the magical balance, and the left character needs more of it on his side. Makes me think of something shamanistic. It looks difficult to maintain that balance, the two characters on either end being very different as well as their respective activities being different. The art would have an entirely different feel if they were exact clones of each other just standing rigidly on opposite ends of the balance. But the disparate nature of the two characters makes me relate the art to the function of the card in the game itself - the two players are probably playing different colors with different creatures and spells on the table, yet this one card wrangles it all, as long as that crazy, magic-fueled balance can be maintained. (At least in theory - in reality you only play this card if you think you can work around it or work it to your advantage). But you know it's going to implode eventually as it costs a blue per turn yet you can't untap anything. It's weird and fairly abstract but it can be interpreted.

[@patbateman69420]

Anyone have a link for the Stasis art in the thumbnail?

[@TheMattmatic]

Great list but the original att for Karma should be on here! That art... just wow

[@redmillion7089]

Basil* Thrull is now my favorite card

[@TribeWars1]

Spinal Villain is another great one

[@diogomoraes6790]

mtg "press" needs more of those. original and great contents!

[@Itachi21x]

Horrible Horde reminds me of one of Hieronymus Boschs paintings

[@andrearosina6375]

I think it's a clear reference

[@TheTrueFool]

I love seeing old Magic art (and D&D) of questionable quality. Not even ironically, there's just a strange appeal to it.

[@abem7948]

Stasis is my favorite art of all time, it's a shame I can't find prints anywhere

[@SorisMusic]

Same! The story behind Stasis is super interesting, too!

[@benhensley3621]

I would love to see some of these creatures in the art to actually be made into real creatures, especially that flying tiger xD

[@danielbergholtz5761]

Smorgishboard? That almost made me choke on my freshly prepared, moist, delicious, succulent, surströmming smorgish.

[@jesseupperman1676]

Came to check for Humility... got enough Foglio to be happy.

[@goat666db]

Love that. I have a Humility mousepad at my desk at work :)

[@jesseupperman1676]

@@goat666db One of my favorite card artists next to Jesper Ejsing, I love humility... almost as much as my friends hate seeing it. So goofy yet so soul-crushing.

[@goat666db]

Jesse Upperman Judges just love explaining layers too lol

[@jesseupperman1676]

@@goat666db When your win condition involves confusing your opponents into conceding.... ahh fun game.

[@tzarl]

The Fifth and Sixth Edition versions of the card Flight are similar to Updraft but I think much more intentionally funny and strange. That zebra is definitely not having a fun time.

[@JakeMC521]

Okay Seth, but card the card gives a non-flying creature flying. What use would an updraft be to an animal that can already fly? 🤔

[@Igor369]

Orbital flight, duh.

[@nicholaslangrock8293]

I think it's also especially funny that burrowing doesn't feature any mountains in the art.

[@lxyacht]

Not so much weird in the way it looks, but my favorite art that I'm surprised got through was Odyssey's Repentant Vampire (which not only bears resemblance to Angel from Buffy, but is obviously a mechanical nod as well) and Gallantry which when combined form Buffy and Angel fighting some like ghouls.

[@marcopolo1020]

The whole reasoning/explanation for demonic torment was great. "painting faces is hard". 😅 Actually a lot of Seth's made up stories to describe how the art was made for some of these cards are hilarious

[@Chpow01]

A ton of the artists came from a D&D standpoint, if you look at the old monster manual for like 1st edition, then look at stuff like burrowing, earthbind, dragon whelp, scryb sprites, you will see a very similar motif. Stasis was drawn by a friend of Garfield's who was a renowned abstract artist.... If I fully recall that is. Favorite/wtf old art - Sulpherous Springs (Ice Age) - Phil Foglio Eureka (Legends) - Kaja Foglio Amnesia (The Dark) - Mark Poole Preacher (The Dark) - Quinton Hoover Animate Wall (Alpha) - Dan Frazier Artifact Blast (Antiquities) - Mark Poole (grumpy wall!) Blood Lust (Legends) - Anson Maddocks So many more that I can't even put them all together really.

[@Chpow01]

Yeah, this. She was Richard Garfield's Aunt. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fay_Jones_(artist)

[@kashiffarees881]

Burrow and other cards in the same style make me weirdly nostalgic but also uncomfortable.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

I would say Paralyze. The artwork itself is not weird, but it was weird in the sense it was an Alpha card that depicts a centaur getting hit by the spell and the first centaurs where not printed until Ice Age.