Corrosion Edict, Magic the Gathering card 2006

Greg Hildebrandt made this in 2006, it looks like it was painted for a Magic the Gathering card. I can imagine the artist beginning with a loose underpainting, establishing the basic forms and composition, probably with thin washes of paint. It looks like they then built up layers of color and texture, using both thick and thin applications of paint to create depth and visual interest. The brushstrokes appear deliberate and controlled, particularly in the rendering of the liquid and reflective surfaces. I wonder if they made studies or sketches beforehand, or whether the composition emerged organically through the act of painting itself? The overall composition and rendering of forms is so intriguing! There is something about the eerie, dark, and fantastic subject matter that speaks to me. Hildebrandt is clearly in dialogue with the wider world of fantasy art and illustration.