MtG Artists: Karl Kopinski

Buyers of UK-made historical miniatures and of some of Games Workshop’s older boxed miniatures will know Karl Kopinski from his awesome box art. His gritty style is well-suited to grim historical scenes or the pseudo-grim scenes of Warhammer. This is not his only style, and he has produced a number of notable cards for Magic: the Gathering in recent years. Here are five that I would like to share:

1. Mountain

The basic lands are Magic’s most common and most overlooked cards. Almost every deck uses them, and often in large quantities. Basic Lands are the only type of card your deck can have in high numbers; other cards are restricted to four per deck at most. This means that while you are playing, basic lands are what you see most. In recent years Wizards has put more effort into making all their basic lands look suitably grand. Kopinski’s Mountain has been used in several core sets in recent years, and it’s easy to see why.

With its steep sunlit top and mist-shrouded bottom, to the lonely birds flying nearby, these mountains look like the setting for some epic tales. Also, I only just noticed the three figures in the picture.

2. Krenko, Mob Boss

Krenko is a character from the vast city of Ravnica. He has the ability to summon a large gang of goblins to assist him. It is this theme in mind that has created two linked cards. See the two goblins in the background? Well…

3. Krenko’s Command

…here they are!

This art is from a separate card that also summons goblins. It represents a close-up view of Krenko’s henchmen flooding into the alleys behind him. It’s touches like this that make magic cards something I like to collect.

4. Polukranos, World-Eater

In the Greek mythology-influenced world of Theros, the hydra form one of the key monster groups that the heroes must defeat. Hydra can be difficult to draw well, there are heads twisting in every direction, but them need to move as one creature and be clearly connected to the body they spring from. On his version of the massive Hydra Polukranos, Kopinski has realised a fearsome beast.

5. Ezuri, Renegade Leader

As with Krenko, this card represents a single character seen close-up. Rather than the wild goblin, Ezuri is a brooding, menacing elf. This is another type of bandit leader, the sort of Robin Hood you wouldn’t want to meet.

See all Karl Kopinski’s Magic Cards here