Going for simplicity

Comments

• Corwinnn

  March 2016

  The best advice I can give you is
  1. Don't just try to make stand out cards. Part of the fun and learning process is making cards that are just "meh" and turning them into something better.
  2. Start with a simple idea. Everything doesn't have to be mythic or complicated.
  3. Artwork is important. Sometimes the art alone can convey what you're trying to get across in the card.
  
  And check out some of the other Cardsmiths.
• Grimshac

  March 2016 edited March 2016

  Not to blow my own horn (hue), but I do consider myself a Cardsmith with a simple design goal, so if you want to you can go check out some of my cards, as I often delve into "short and sweet" - Not always, but often.
  
  also, if you want advice, feel free to contact me with a card you need help simplifying.
  
  Now this is a bit of foreign concept to some, but it applies to all parts in life - Learning to "settle" is a skill everyone must have. For us, it means that you need to decide when enough is enough and let the card and the mechanics speak for the themselves.
  Sometimes hinting at things is a much more efficient way to make some interesting than to go right out and say "AND THEN HE KILLED HER WITH A SHOT THROUGH HER HEAD BLOOD EVERYWHERE!", so to speak
  
  It's all a little convoluted and I have yet to find the best way to describe this "skill", but it's coming along
  
  
• saveria201

  March 2016

  Thank you for the advice guys. It's very helpful.
• Faiths_Guide

  March 2016

  Good luck with future card creation @saveria201 ! Can't wait to see what you come up with!
• MrRansom

  March 2016 edited March 2016

  I have posted, below, a few articles on card design that you may find elucidating, @saveria201.
  
  Filling the Design Skeleton - http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/nuts-bolts-filling-design-skeleton-2011-02-28
  
  Developing Commons - http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/ld/developing-commons-2014-10-03
  
  Developing Uncommons - http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/developing-uncommons-2014-11-14
  
  Design 101 - http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/design-101-2003-04-21-0
• saveria201

  March 2016

  @mrransom Wow, thank you! I'll read these on my train trip today.
• MrRansom

  March 2016

  @saveria201,
  
  Welcome.
• Corwinnn

  March 2016

  Thanks from me too @MrRansom!!
• MrRansom

  March 2016

  @Corwinnn, no problem!
  
  You are very welcome.
• DomriKade

  March 2016

  @MrRansom It may be worth linking those articles in a more permanent place. They have some worthwhile advice for newer 'smiths.
• MrRansom

  March 2016 edited March 2016

  @Domrikade, where should I link them? I have a few others that are similar as well. WOTC has articles talking through the whole process of designing entire sets all the way down to individual cards.
• Corwinnn

  March 2016

  @MrRansom - Post them here
  http://forums.mtgcardsmith.com/discussion/497/tutorial-cardsmithing-m15-or-the-art-of-making-custom-cards#latest
• Gelectrode

  March 2016

  This card may seem cramped, but its because I decided to include reminder texts.
  http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/soulgraft-oak
• Fyresis

  May 2016

  @Saveria201 If you do M15 text frame, then you have the option to change the text from large to small. It allows you to fit a lot more wording to make the card even more complicated
  
  Example:http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/savagebound-fiend-1?list=user
  How in the world would that card wording fit without small text?