MAGIC: The Gathering
Artist Proof (A.P.) Card Page
of
Randy Asplund
Update 2/14/2026
Card lists are in tables below- Scroll down.
It has been a while since I've been doing AP commissions, and a lot of things have changed. One of those is our ecconomy. AP values are different, and commission prices also need to better reflect our new ecconomic reality. So for now, until I have a chance to do that, I am taking down the prices for cards and commissions. I'll post them up again when I am ready to work on commissions.
-Aside from that, I am NOT changing the prices for other art on my web site, at least for now. (I will do that eventually.)
Although I'm still not adding to my commission wait-list yet, the plan is this:
1) I'm nearly done with two big, imprtant projects. Right now I'm waiting on a US Mail notification on one, and the other is just hard work, but close to completion.
2) When those are resolved I still have my book "Secrets of Forgotten Masters" to get done, and that will take a while, so I will divide time between that and doing some art.
3) Doing some art: I want to create a visual story that features all of the characters I have made for Magic cards. I'll be focusing on the Detonate card from Antiquities as the core of the story line. The story will be told in images painted on Detonate AP cards. The story is about how the explosive wand has passed from one character to another, and how it has been used by them. The wand is magical, so it reassemles itself after it explodes (much more to the story- and the mystery!). The story will use the character designs I created for MAGIC: The Gathering, but it will not be the M:TG world. It will be one of my own creation.
This story will be revealed a card at a time, painted on Detonate AP cards. It will be a whole series, but not released all at once, because that would keep me away from doing other commissions! So I expect to make a few to get things rolling, probably selling them in auctions while I am also splitting time getting the SoFM book done. Somewhere along the line I'll also start working on commissions again.
Meanwhile-
*Prints and existing originals are always available.
*Some Artist Proof cards are available on demand, without art commission on them.
*When "SoFM" is done, that's when I will be back on commission work. I'll start by contacting folks on the wait list, and after those I will open up to new commissions.
Timing? I have no idea. There are just too many variables. I will make announcements here and my FB pages, and the M:TG Art Groups on FB well before I open up to adding more people to the commission wait list. So the best you can do is keep paying attention to the applicable ONLINE groups on FB, my pages on FB, and check this page on my web site for updates.
*********
Regarding the current Wait-List for commissions,
In the meantime, I AM STILL SIGNING CARDS! Please check the main CCG page of my site for details.
I have a limited number of Autographed Artist Proof Cards available!
Wizards of the Coast
has done a cool thing for we artists. They produce a set of white
-backed versions of the cards we have painted for them. That is
to say, each card is white on one side, and the other side has
exactly the same art as you see on a regular card of the same
game. Only the artists are given these cards and the number is
very low. Of some I got only around 50 or so, many are in the
110-120 count range. They have given
me samples of these in English versions and some of the different
language versions of the game produced by WOTC. What a collector's
item! They are way more rare than the rarest of regular cards.
A.P. CARD PRICES:
I have both MAGIC: THE GATHERING and BATTLETECH Artist Proof Cards.
The CARD PRICES are (being re-assessed). The CARD PRICE is IN ADDITION to any artwork to go on the card. YES, you are welcome to supply a card of your own for me to paint on (when I am back taking commissions).
When numbers of a type in stock drop below a certain number, and then they move to a category where they will only be sold with an art commission on the backs (or an alter) worth $(To Be Announced) minimum, or when rare enough, only with a full painting on them (see examples below). Ask for details. See below for examples and prices.
NEW:
* Urza's Miter is a special case. The last of mine have been commissioned. Also, I have decided that any of the Urza's Miters I paint from now on will use either modern acrylic and imitation gold gouache, OR if you choose to have it made with the medieval techniques and materials it will be done on a genuine parchment laminated to the card before painting (when I am back taking commissions). (see the photo & description below).
PAYMENT: I can take personal checks for smaller orders (inquire first), but otherwise, for your convenience I take credit through PayPal. My PayPal address is Randy@RandyAsplund.com.
IMPORTANT! If you use PayPal you must make sure that I receive the entire amount. Unless Send Money to Friends & Family is used, PayPal takes out a fee. Please add enough to cover their deduction. If you have difficulty making sure of the amount they will deduct, I am happy to promptly refund any overage that you send. NOTE: If your payment is short -at all- (sorry, but I don't want to be arbitrary by letting lower amounts slide), I understand. It happens. And I'll email you and ask for the balance, or you can have me not sign a card from the batch.
If you live outside the US, remember that those postal coupons cover less than the amount you pay for them, so please confirm their value when used in the USA. Please see the www.usps.com website for rate information. You are welcome to request USPS Regular or Priority Mail, or FedEx, or UPS as the carrier. Client pays all mailing and insurance costs. Michigan customers must ad 6% Sales Tax.
FOR ART COMMISSIONS: I usually take 50% as a downpayment (Large orders are broken down more). If there are costly materials involved in the artwork commission, such as real gold, genuine animal skin parchment, precious pigments, etc., then the full materials portion of the commission is ADDED to the downpayment. Final balance plus mailing are due on completion and final approval. When the payments are complete, I ship the art promptly.
* Means this card is ONLY available with an art commission (when I am back taking commissions).
See ART ON CARDS PRICE LIST chart below:
BATTLETECH A.P. cards are $4 each.
|
ANTIQUITIES: --Urza's Miter (out) |
LEGENDS: -- Thunder
Spirit (out) |
THE
DARK: --Sorrow's Path (out) |
FALLEN
EMPIRES: -- Ebon
Praetor (out) |
|
ALLIANCES: |
CHRONICLES: |
TIME
SPIRAL: |
JAPANESE
Black Border: |
|
CHINESE
Black Border: |
4th
EDITION REVISED: |
||
|
5th EDITION (1997): |
VI
EDITION: |
BEATDOWN: |
ITALIAN: |
(Price based on complexity. Price can vary up or down if changes to design are requested)
See Art Examples Below-
|
*Urza's Miter has special notes. See below with the example-
SAMPLES OF A.P. ART & OPTIONS
These are examples of what you can expect for a given price.
Except on request for Urza's Miter, all paints are Acrylic.
Oil paint on request, but it takes longer to get the art to you.
All pencils are sealed with clear matte Acrylic.
ALTERS:
ALTERS: When I am back to taking commissions: These are priced based on similar complexity and how much of the card is altered, so if it is just the image box on the card with a full repaint, that would be 2/3 of what a whole card would be. I do not use markers. Alters will be done in acrylic paint -unlss you want oils and are willing to wait for drying time.
SAMPLES
OF FULL PAINTINGS ON WHITE-BACKS of A.P. Cards:
(ALL samples are previously sold commission work)
Antiquities
 |
 |
|
Clockwork Avian
|
Detonate |
A.P. Card must be supplied by customer (because mine are sold out)
This version is made with all Medieval Manuscript paint:
Genuine gold, Lapis Lazuli blue, Vermilion, Folium, Verdigris + Weld Lake, Iris green,
White Lead, Red Lead, Azurite, ink made from oak galls.
Medieval paint version on genuine parchment laminated to the card. Add genuine 23k gold leaf on gesso ground as a 4th color in the background:
DETAILS: Laminated to the card??????
Yes, the proper ground for the medieval gold and paints in the Italian White Vine book style is genuine animal skin parchment. The art represnts a medieval book page, and that's what they used. Therefore, if you want the real thing, that's how it will be done. Curious? Take a look at my Articles & Exhibits web page (menu at the left) to see how I do this kind of art.
The A.P. card is 0.30mm thick card stock. The parchment varies slightly (even when measured on the same piece) to be about 0.27mm to 0.33mm, and typically about 0.30mm thick. That means yes, the A.P. card will be doubling in thickness. It's not much. And some artists are making thicker paint than that. Think of the parchment as being like a primer ground under any other painting. It's not gesso, it's skin. This parchment panel will be 2-1/8" X 3-1/8", so that produces a 3/16" white card border al around.
The Dark
 |
 |
| Riptide |
Sorrow's Path |
 |
 |
| Inferno (Left of Diptych) |
Inferno (Right of Diptych) |
Legends
 |
 |
| Fortified Area |
Kobold Taskmaster |
 |
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| Tor Wauki |
Undertow |
 |
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| Thunder Spirit |
Raging Bull |
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| Sylvan Paradise |
Lost Soul |
 |
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| Sea King's Blessing |
Sentinel |
 |
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| Sentinel Becomes Aware and ready to Defend |
Thunder Spirit vs. Master Yoda |
 |
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| Sea King's Curse Inspired by Sea King's Blessing |
Sea King's Curse Inspired by Sea King's Blessing |
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| Reprisal: The Leonopteris |
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| Urza's Workshop- With Ornithopters and Clockwork Avians |
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| Sylvan Paradise |
Collection of Clockork Avians, Thunder Spirits, and Dwarven Soldier. 2020.
Other Versions
You can choose to have a different level of work, or different media such as pencil,
 |
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| Kobold Taskmaster Alter |
Sea King's Blessing Pencil Loose pencil, but covering most of the area |
 |
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| Lost Soul Single figure painted, minimal background |
Mermaid (Alternate subject) Single figure pencil, minimal background |
 |
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| Battletech also has AP cards! Loose rendered full card |
Stylised Gorse (Alternate subject) Simple single figure |
Raging Bull in Amsterdam
Full drawing in pencil
Thunderspirit Print & A.P. Card in scale
Sea King's Blessing Print & A.P. Card in scale