$5 books and crowd-sourced listicles about Magic

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13: Art Embellishment
Magic culture has a lot of love for artists and cos-players!
Alters

In situations where a card is highly prized, the owner will sometimes get art painted over parts of the card. These are known as alters, and there are lots of great examples and images to be found online. Sometimes they embellish the lore depicted in the original art; others import characters from other fantasy franchises, or are original and creative.

Proxies

Along similar lines, there are some artisans who make their own cards, known as proxies. These are not legal for organized play; but in Commander or cube you’ll get away with it. Sometimes proxies have alternative art or design, and sometimes they are merely stand-ins for expensive cards.

Tasteful Art

Magic’s characters represent a broad slice of humanity; people of various races and genders have frequently been shown in a very positive, egalitarian light.

Also, while there are bare bellies and legs here and there, the outfits and bodies do not reflect overt sexualization. I think the temper of the fantasy realm contributes to a mellow atmosphere that is generally welcoming to people of various backgrounds, ages, and genders. To be sure, there are problems with behavior at times, and there are players who get immature when they are losing, or even without provocation. However, players of all kinds are typically treated with respect, and welcomed into the community.

Cosplay

Some people take inspiration from the art and create lovely costumes to portray the planeswalkers and other heroes. They are common at large competitions as well as a growing variety of events.