With nine sets on the 2024 release calendar, you could fill an entire gallery with all the stunning Magic: The Gathering illustrations we’re set to see this year. From what we’ve seen so far, MTG Modern Horizons 3 is no exception.
And what a treat! After all, before your mind gets a chance to read through abilities in a set like MTG Modern Horizons 3 or get into the nitty gritty questions of balance or format legality that plague the best card games, the art is what forms players’ first impressions.
That said, players have been finding certain cards particularly aesthetically pleasing. Just earlier this week, the first look for Outlaws of Thunder Junction featured a certain pointy-eared bad boy that left fans blushing. Modern Horizons 3's answer to this comes in the form of Ajani Goldmane and his brother Jazal. While the set has a Modern focus, these two leonin beefcakes seem to have rejected the contemporary social norm of wearing a shirt. It's all good though, it's not like the furries are complaining.
Ilse Gort (A.K.A. Caraid) is an illustrator, self-professed “cat lady”, and the brush behind the gorgeously rendered borderless Ajani, Nacatl Pariah art. She hopped on Twitter/X to address the heated fan response to the card’s reveal.
Okay look a lot of people are calling the Ajani card art furry/horny bait but let me tell you I did THREE sketches and they CHOSE the upskirt shot. So this is really only partially on me. (will share the full art and sketches soon!)February 28, 2024
While Caraid proudly claims the furry label, she says that her art director choosing to “lean into” the anthropomorphic pinup vision was an unexpected development for her.
Alongside her statement, the artist posted images of the three original digital sketches as well as the full traditional painting. Thankfully, it turns out that all that the card’s text box conceals is a little pair of blue modesty shorts (if you wear skirts, you already know what’s up).
Many thanks to Sarah Wassell who was my art director for this piece for giving me this opportunity! These were my sketches for this piece! My personal favorite was C, but I was honestly happy with how they all came out and I think any one would've worked! pic.twitter.com/Yjmw0nOx19February 28, 2024
Cat warrior Ajani has had it real rough as of late. After seeing him receive some brutal cybernetic treatment during last year’s March of the Machines arc, I’m happy to see him living his best life in what seems to be his home plane shard of Naya, gallanting through the treeline and feeling the wind in his hair (or fur, I suppose).
If you’re keen to add a tasteful bit of Ajani upskirt to your collection, I'm afraid you’re going to have to hold out until Magic: The Gathering - Modern Horizons 3 releases on June 14.
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