Issues between Wizards and Ed Beard Jr.

[robertweinzetl]

I concur.

Based of what? Little kids, and the Yu-Gi-Oh-ish style of drawing.

No offense, but this can kill a game in the long run. Remeber when we collected cards because of the art? No new and inspiring art recently :( (although Puddnhead and Martina Pilcerova are good...)

Who want's to start plastering this e-mail all over the MTG internet world? If noone else wants to, i'll post it on MOTL.

Well for your information puddinhead is a staff artist that in at least one case took Ed's art and redid an image that is 99% the same.  (Trust me here I have the original Ed did)

I compliment art when its due, but I can't condone stealing someone elses piece (even after you bought the rights to do so) and claiming it as your own, its just wrong.

Robert.

If anyone needs proof I'll get a scan of it and post it (the original that is)

[robertweinzetl]

Well, I have to say that this really sucks for Ed, us as players, and the game in general.

I met Ed once at a tournament and I have to say he is one of the best.  He took the time to chat with us early folks, joked around, gave us tidbits of info, etc.  He was very cool to deal with.  

I don't understand the complaints that his artwork is too classic fantasy for Magic.  Each set should have a wide variety of art work, first of all in order to satisfy everyone's tastes.  Including 145 pieces of the same artwork is only going to make the people who like that style happy.  Including 5-10 pieces of various styles will at least make a large group of people happy.

I don't know where R&D is planning on going with this game, but I hope it is not in the direction of more Kamigawa stuff.  Kamigawa block was fun, but very, very un-magic-like in my mind.  After all, as I've been saying for quite a while, if I wanted to play a Japanese-themed game, I would play Legend of the Five Rings.

Ravnica looks to be an improvement over Kamigawa, but I would have thought that the highly detailed style of art they have previewed so far would fit right in with Ed's style.

Anyhow, I am rambling now.  Does anyone know if artdrop@wizards.com  is the correct address to complain to the Art Department about this development?

Thanks
Aleks

They have agree'd to forward all e-mail about this to the correct people (per Ed.)

So please let them know and to an earlier poster they have threatened to delete all users who post about the topic of Ed and his plight on the wizards site.  

So if your going to post there make a new name you don't care about.  

Robert.

[Dilligaf]

So please let them know and to an earlier poster they have threatened to delete all users who post about the topic of Ed and his plight on the wizards site.  

So if your going to post there make a new name you don't care about.  

Robert.

this sounds like there is another reason.. wotc board admins dont just randomly threaten stuff like this.

delete posts, threads.. maybe..

but users?  that seems fishy.

[ANALOG_KID]

Sadly enough,  this isn't the first time that Jeremy Cranford has done something like this.
Anyone remember when they said Rebecca Guay's art didn't "fit in"? There was a huge fan-following backlash.

Needless to say, I'm sure there are artists out there who do not care for Mr. Cranford's management style as he continues to alienate them and the fans with what he "thinks" is art.

Someone reading (or being read to) the consumer demographics of a toy manufacturer and saying that we want the art to appeal to (insert age range),(insert gender),( insert education level),( insert median household income),(insert cultural references), (insert this) is not a person that I would want overseeing a department of professionals with years of experience who make their living (or at least a part of it) from the art they produce.
Has anyone seen a card with J. Cranford credited for the art?

Ironic that Mr. Beard ended updoing the art for Facist Art Director.
Maybe Cranford's subconcious was passing out the assignments.

If you don't agree with Cranford, let him know.
If he doesn't listen, tell his boss, and let WotC know.

By no means am I hate mongering Mr. Cranford. He's probably a decent enough guy with a family, trying to make a living, but so are the artists.
Besides, I will give him BIG credit for one thing....
He's doing a tough, near thankless job, that I couldn't and wouldn't even try.

[robertweinzetl]

I have to disagree with your last couple of lines though.

He should do the research about what art people like and dont like BEFORE getting rid of an artist, not wait till fans complain AFTER its to late to save face and have a good relationship with those that work for him (in this case the artists).

I feel the main problem here is Mr. Cranford is basing decisions on what art he happens to like, and not the magic fans.  

If I or a boss of mine worked like this, our employee's would all be upset enough I wouldn't want to show up at work.

Robert.

[Mr.C]

Well for your information puddinhead is a staff artist that in at least one case took Ed's art and redid an image that is 99% the same.  (Trust me here I have the original Ed did)

I compliment art when its due, but I can't condone stealing someone elses piece (even after you bought the rights to do so) and claiming it as your own, its just wrong.

Robert.

If anyone needs proof I'll get a scan of it and post it (the original that is)

That's Interesting... I didnt know that... Care to show us the art?

Also, do you work with Mr. Beard, or are you just a fan? Just wondering...

[squt]

I read an interview with Richard Garfield about 2 years back, and when he was asked what he would change about magic as it is now, he said something to the effect of "I would like to see more diversity in the style of artwork used on cards.  Right now, they all look the same"  (note this is not an exact quote!).

I have to agree 100%.  I don't particularly LIKE Rebecca Guay's style, or Richard Kane-Furgeson, or Quinton Hoover's, but I really like that their style is represented in magic.  I like the diversity.  I even like the fact that there's a silly painting on the original Stasis!  And I'm certainly aware that there are lots of people who go nuts over RG BECAUSE her style is so different.

Variety is the spice of life, and there's room for a lot of Variety in magic art.  

I just hope Mr. Beard doesn't mind this e-mail being posted all around!

Squt

[robertweinzetl]

That's Interesting... I didnt know that... Care to show us the art?

Also, do you work with Mr. Beard, or are you just a fan? Just wondering...

I do not work with him, but I am a fan and a friend.  

I tried to scan it but didn't come out well (its framed) I'll try to get a digital pic of it soon and post it for you.

Scans came out all black from the glass reflecting.

Robert.

[Gryfalia]

Personally I miss one of the most commonly 'hated' Artists..Drew Tucker.  Pretty amazing stuff, usually.

Gryfalia

[robertweinzetl]

if your into Drew Tuckers art his e-mail (from his business card) is

blkeye97@aol.com

I have not used this e-mail in over a year.  I hope its valid for you.

Robert

[GavinO]

This is further demonstration that Jeremy Cranford is an idiot. How can art be 'too classic fantasy' in *the* classic fantasy card game? Variety is good, but I don't see variety in newer art as much as it simply being different from older art.  

For those who know things: was JC responsible for the 7th Ed Ankh of Mishra not being an ankh, but a winmill?

[flatmatt]

For those who know things: was JC responsible for the 7th Ed Ankh of Mishra not being an ankh, but a winmill?

You mean Fifth Edition?  No.  Jeremy wasn't AD that long ago then.

[Mr.C]

Note that Mr. Cranford wants art to be 'Matrix meets Magic'...

Like Dilbert would say, we're doomed.

[squt]

Mr C - I think that was from 3 years ago, when they would have been working on Mirrodin, which kind of was Magic meets Matrix...I'm sure that's not the direction that they gave for Kamigawa Block, or even Rivinca.

And Gavino - it's a wind-powered ARK, as in boat.  The mistake was Ian Miller's (one of my all-time favorite MTG artists), and they may not have had time to correct it after they received the final product.  Sometimes they're able to switch around artwork if the art director feels it isn't appropriate for the card, but what else in 5th would have looked like an Ankh?  I'm sure that probably had something to do with the fact that they now require sketches before the artist works on the final product.

Squt

[Gryfalia]

And the Hyalopterous Lemure incident didn't give them a minor hint that maybe such precautions needed to be taken?  Hehe..

Gryfalia