When I wrote AP101 back in 2021, I had no idea the incredible growth the collecting community would undergo in the year and a half that followed. It’s a series I vowed to keep going when I began, and followed the initial article with AP301 in the summer of last year, inspired by my trip to Commandfest Orlando with Andrew Mar. At the time we’d been working together for about a year, but I had no idea what we were doing would help lay part of the groundwork for the Rhystic Studies video that’s been watched over 150,000 times.
If this is your first introduction to artist proofs, the best place to start is that video. Sam takes you front to back with the who/what/when/where, and you can build a base before you dive into collecting. Once you’re all set there, keep on reading below, and we’ll discover perhaps the most exciting part of the entire niche: the art on the back. This article will provide a brief overview of the options to fill the blank white backs of your collected artist proofs, from pencil sketches to full scale oil paintings and beyond. The artists featured are a mix of both folks I work directly with as their agent, as well as other highly prolific artists within the AP community.
Get settled, class is in session. This is AP201.
Artist Proofs begin with a blank white back. Photo: Sam Burley
Blanks
This might seem like a silly place to start, but every AP artwork starts the same- a blank white back. There are some folks who only collect blanks, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are some who even build decks with blanks: I’ve seen a Melira Commander deck almost entirely made with AP blanks, card faceup (apparently it’s a quirk of the collectors, and his only one, who knew?). And some collectors use blanks as a starting point, securing the cards they eventually want sketched on painted, in case the artist isn’t taking commissions, or commissions are a little ways off.
Pencil Sketches
But say the white void is starting to make you twitch, and you wonder to yourself “What if the next AP I buy has something super cool on the back instead?” Then perhaps it’s time to start with pencil sketches. Usually these are the most affordable of the art options, outside of con doodles, which have largely fallen to the wayside. These often range anywhere from $50 to $100. I always point folks to Matt Stewart’s Etsy store– it’s almost always open, and he’s known for his fantastic pencil work (among other mediums too!) at friendly prices.
Pencil AP Sketches by Matt Stewart
There are some folks who offer breathtaking pencil work in lieu of color options (and priced accordingly of course). For example, Marta Nael’s pencil sketches have quickly become fan favorites; her level of finish is unparalleled, and they make for an exciting addition to the medium for new and seasoned collectors alike. I fully regret not grabbing one when I met her at MagicCon Philadelphia.
Nahiri Pencil AP sketch by Marta Nael
The most important takeaway here is pencil sketches can be found at every level of AP collecting, from your first AP to #100 to #1000; find the artist’s who know pencils are their jam, and rock on.
Ink & Spot Color
We’re going to move by price level more or less. Maybe you want something a little darker, a little bolder, or something stark against the plain white background? Then look to folks working in all matter of ink on APs. There is no shortage of artists doing otherworldly work in black and white. Ink work is often only a bit more expensive than pencils, and ranges from $100 on up depending on the artist.
Ink Artist Proof by Andrew Mar
Known ink master Andrew Mar (seen in the 100 Proof video above, I told you to watch it!) is at the very top of those working in ink on APs. His creativity knows no bounds, whether collectors request something specific or leave him to his own devices. He’s become one of the most collected artists in the AP spheres because of it.
Ink Artist Proof by Evyn Fong
You’ll also see folks occasionally add one spot or highlight color to their ink and shadow. It’s one of my favorite things to see, and collect myself. Folks like Andrew and Evyn Fong (above) did this with the Serra Angel to add a bit of flourish and finish. It keeps things super simple and elegant, but makes the sketch especially pop. Normally these sorts of color additions are left to the artist, and I’ve found leaving the request to their discretion often works best.
Non-Painted Color
Moving up in price comes non-painted color sketches: Copics, marker, sharpie, micron, colored pencil, and the like. I don’t single this out from “paintings” for any other reason than usually they’re priced differently; an average non-painted but color sketch is going to fall around the $150 mark, almost never less than $100 and ranging up to where paintings are, depending on the artist.
Mixed Media Color Artist Proof by Justine Jones
Justine Jones works largely this way, and creates some absolutely wild works in Copics, micron and chrome. She brings all the details of her ink work, but infused with the literal rainbow, and the result is completely unique.
Color Artist Proof by Cara Mitten
Cara Mitten also works this way, using a smorgasbord of different mediums to create each piece, from color pencils to chalk and everything in between. When I asked her once what she was using, she said simply “You name it, I used it.” The effect is unmistakable.
Paintings
Rising in popularity since 2020, full paintings on the back of APs are in many cases the pinnacle for collectors. Artists can work in their preferred medium- oils, acrylics, gouache, watercolor and the like, and create incredible miniature works on these tiny canvases. These account for the bulk of what the artist’s I represent offer to collectors, and are what I’ve become most familiar with over the last few years.
There is exceptional diversity in painted proofs, so rather than prattle on with examples, prepare your eyeballs and check out some of the stuff my folks have been working on.
Most paintings begin around $200, and in recent months the market has seen some from certain artists range considerably higher, and I’ve even seen nearing $1000 for a single painted proof commission. Fear not: these are definitely outliers, and largely based on artist schedules and subsequent demand, so please don’t be discouraged by those prices. There is no set standard pricing for artist proofs, and as with any other collectible, not all things can be accessible for all collectors. Most of what I’ve showcased here can be acquired for $200 or less, opening up possibilities for a lot more collectors.
Multi-Card Proofs
I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention multi-card proofs. They’re rising in popularity as the tippy top of AP collecting, and artists are finding unique ways of working across multiple cards, to enlarge the canvas and in turn make something exceptionally special. Below are a few examples from the Gallery Nucleus show Magic: The Gathering in Miniature, as well as a handful from recent commissions from artists I represent.
Just when you think you’ve collected every option, you find there are in fact, infinite possibilities.
Wrapping Up
Artist Proofs and their artists have become something very near and dear to my heart since I began collecting, and then working, in the space.
Pearlescent Plains AP Painting by Sarah Finnegan. The sold work I collected from Magic: The Gathering in Miniature at Gallery Nucleus
Along the way I’ve been able to see some of the most incredible miniature masterpieces, and meet some of the finest folks in the larger Magic art world. We’ve seen so many options for art in this article, and yet truly have only skimmed the surface. For every artist currently offering artist proofs and sketches, there are many more folks just getting started. As artists innovate and continually do cooler and cooler things with their APs, the entirety of the collecting community becomes richer and more interesting. We are in the Golden Age of Artist Proofs.
Again, check out the Rhystic Studies video as well as AP101 and AP301 for further information on this wonderful little corner of Magic: The Gathering. You might just discover something you’ll love even more (or at least as much) than how you currently interact with the game.
And looking forward, the next Mirror Gallery article will celebrate my 5th Anniversary writing for Hipsters of the Coast! Beyond that, March of the Machine is right around the corner, and with some absolutely incredible story by K. Arsenault Rivera, it’s shaping up to be one hell of a set. I should also mention I will be at MagicCon Minneapolis, so please make sure to come say hello at Justine Jones booth in the Art of Magic. Keep your eyeballs tuned right here for all the good stuff leading to that event, and as always thanks for reading and see you next time.
Donny Caltrider (he/him) is a Senior Writer at Hipsters of Coast writing about all things related to the art of Magic: The Gathering and the larger imaginative realism genre. He has an M.A. in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University and enjoys telling stories about art, objects, and the intersection of fantasy with real-life. When he’s not writing for Hipsters or working with artists, you can find him traveling with his wife, petting his two cats, and watching the Baltimore Orioles.