Three Works: Art Highlights from Tarkir: Dragonstorm
A decade has passed since we walked upon Tarkir- how does it look now?
Tarkir: Dragonstorm transports players to a plane we haven’t seen in ten years. It’s familiar, but also quite different, both in story and style. It required equal parts something players would know, recognize, and remember, alongside something fresh, crisp, and contemporary, indicative of modern Magic. The resulting, newly released set is both wide and deep, stretching through the plane’s history to tell tales of old, while welcoming scores of new artists and styles like never before.
For the first time in a long time, there were way more pieces on my short-list than I have room to talk about. I almost feel as if I should write two of these, because when I can’t fit a Minguez Dragon, a set of Paquette landscapes, and a Planeswalker by Jeremy Wilson within the thousand words of the Three Works, you know this is an extraordinary set. I could have easily done my article on the three paintings below:
Instead I walked through a different Omenpath, and I think you’ll see why. Let’s look closer.
Mox Jasper by Steven Belledin
My. Precious.
The feeling is immediately overwhelming, as cold-cracked hands cradle something of undeniable value. We’re snapped immediately to Tarkir; the tempestuous background and fur-lined sleeves transport the viewer easily, adding an element of narrative and storytelling without removing the focus from the piece at (and in) hand. It’s a stunning technical rendering; within the comments of the Facebook auction for the original, Belledin mentioned that the prompt called for the gem to appear with ‘fire inside.’ That is exactly what he gave us.
Although this is the artist’s second Mox, it’s wholly different from his first, the masterwork that is Mox Amber. Mox Jasper continues a visual tradition that began with Volkan Baga, extending across all eight of his Mox artworks, with a most recent nod in Double Masters with a Phyrexian reimagining of Mox Opal by Martina Pilcerova. This painting connects the modern Mox across artists to full present, and at the same time marks a new masterstroke in Belledin’s body of work. He is, albeit quietly, one of Magic’s greatest illustrators, past, present and future.
Kheru Goldkeeper by Randy Vargas
Randy Vargas usually works digitally, but every so often an art brief pushes his hand and persuades him to pick up a paintbrush. It is always done to astounding effect, but this time, it’s extraordinary.
For regular readers of my column you know the premium I place on storytelling in card art. I think it’s essential to tell the tale of the time and place in this tiny window to another world. Vargas’ illustration does exactly this: Kheru is the center of worship for the now again Sultai, once Silumgar clan, and that reverence isn’t just to dragons, but also to treasure. Attendants, painted at the size of a Magic card, dote upon the dragon, sitting smug and Smaug-esque upon his hoard. Light streams to the center from above, drawing your eye upon the dragon and letting it wander its massive presence before taking you through the rest of the work, and the rest of the story.
It’s an Uncommon card, but regardless it’s a painting the set should be remembered by. The work is a reminder just how honed Vargas is at his craft, no matter the medium in which he is working
All-Out Assault by Joshua Cairos
Vorthos Mike shared this artwork with me during the TDM preview season, and it made me put my car back in park before leaving work for the day.
Joshua Cairos is another artist who typically works digitally, but once again, a commission came calling that compelled him to work traditionally. While this card is not an official Story Spotlight it serves that purpose, telling the tale of the Mardu clan in modern times.
It’s an incredibly complex composition: dragons, warriors riding dragons, warriors riding big cats, lightning and a big ‘ole tree with some serious ROOTS. And yet, it’s perfectly legible both at card size and as a full scale painting (which in the grand scheme of things is not painted all that large, making it even more impressive)
Cairos has illustrated nearly two dozen cards for paper Magic in a very short time, alongside a handful of artwork for Arena’s Alchemy as well. His effort has not gone unnoticed, and I think he’s going to be someone folks are looking at and talking about for a very long time.
A Quick Shout
The Tarkir: Dragonstorm Draconic Showcase frame was designed by Justine Jones, and appears across 35 cards with alternate artwork alongside the main set. I am always a sucker for the Booster Fun Showcase frame, and this is one of the very best we’ve seen since these began in earnest in 2019. Justine did a brilliant job designing this, and it elevates the entire run of artwork that lives across the subset.
End Step
Tarkir: Dragonstorm was a beautiful re-visitation to one of Magic’s most beloved planes. Absence certainly did make the heart grow fonder, and the more than decade separation between the original Khans block and this newest iteration was no easy task to get right. Lead Art Director Forrest Schehl and team absolutely got there, and that’s especially important when there are only three non-Universe Beyond projects set to release in 2025. Tarkir: Dragonstorm had to count, and it absolutely does; it’s a treat, and I very much enjoyed it’s aesthetics from start to finish.
Its a beautiful set. I first played during the original Tarkir. Dragonlord Oujutai, siege Rhino, and thoughtseize was brutal, 😂