Legendary Magic: the Gathering artist Greg Staples has returned to traditional mediums for Modern Horizons, creating two traditional card illustrations for Magic’s newest supplemental set. On Tuesday May 28, his Wall of a One Thousand Cuts sold for $3,200 and one day later his Aria of Flame sold for $2,500.
Wall of One Thousand Cuts by Greg Staples, acrylic and oil on board, 9.5” x 13.1”
Wall of One Thousand Cuts is a work of acrylic and oil on board, measuring 9.5 inches by 13.1 inches. Aria of Flame is a work of oil on board measuring 10.4 inches by 13.8 inches. Both paintings were commissioned for Magic’s newest supplemental set, Modern Horizons, and marks the artist’s return to traditional media when it comes to illustrating his Magic card commissions.
Aria of Flame by Greg Staples, oil on board, 10.4” x 13.8”
Some time ago, Staples made the transition from traditional sketches and paintings to only traditional sketches and digital final paintings, and then moved to an almost an entirely digital process. Once he began working with artist agent Mark Aronowitz, combined with the fact that the market for original Magic art having dramatically increased in the last two years, he has begun to create traditional illustrations once again. It turns out he picked the perfect time to return to traditional mediums, as both of his works were sold on the MTG Art Market on Facebook by the artist’s agent for a combined $5,700 via a one week auction within the group.
Greg Staples has illustrated more than 275 cards for Magic since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured illustrator and most prolific artists in the history of the game.
