#riddleform

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Riddleform by Steve Argyle

[magicjudge]

Thing in the Ice with 1 counter, Riddleform, and an instant. When you cast the instant can you get the conditional board-bounce and the sphinx or will Riddleform be returned to your hand if choose to let it trigger?

When you cast the instant, both Thing in the Ice and Riddleform will trigger. Since you control both triggers, you choose the order in which they go on the stack. If you put Thing in the Ice’s trigger above Riddleform’s trigger, you’ll remove the last ice counter, transform it, and resolve Awoken Horror’s trigger before Riddleform’s trigger resolves. Since Riddleform isn’t a creature when Awoken Horror’s trigger resolves, it won’t be returned to your hand.

[gatheringsteveargylesmagic]

Steve Argyle - Magic: the Gathering Hour of Devastation Riddleform, card # 043/199

[Overall release #124] - [Regular release #62]

Hour of Devastation is the second set of the Amonkhet two-set block.  The set became available at pre-release events beginning on July 8, 2017.  Steve Argyle made two illustrations for the set.  This uncommon is the first of those two.

This illustration has an interesting side story in that it was officially permitted to be revealed by Steve prior to the card being previewed.  Steve was permitted to not only reveal the artwork early but also give its name and sell prints and playmats bearing the work at GP Las Vegas on June 15, 2017.  I would love if this is a new precedent from Wizards of the Coast.  Giving artists the ability to reveal their work gives the fans of the game who have a heightened interest in the artwork to see new illustrations without spoiling the pace of game-related information being revealed.  Not only that but the name Riddleform was fuel for some minor speculation among those who knew the work existed which is a fun pastime for some.

Steve posted a detail page for the illustration on July 31, 2017.

“Wizard's of the Coast asked me to create a sphinx forming from a waterfall” - Steve Argyle

Armed with that knowledge the image becomes more clear.  The blue is clear and there is also clearly a waterfall but the illumination from the eyes makes the image appear to be made of some sort of energy rather than water, at least at card-size.  When the larger resolution is viewed we can see the water coalescing around the edges of the sphinx’s form which makes the image far stronger.

I find that the water seems to read as water better along the upper surfaces of the wings and head where the overall color is a brighter and paler blue.  Where the color drifts into purples the effect starts to lose the appearance of water.

This was a difficult task to be sure.  The image is successful but the fine detail that goes unnoticed at card size is essential to truly understand what you are seeing.

[gatheringsteveargylesmagic]

Steve Argyle - Hour of Devastation - Riddleform

GP Las Vegas 2017 official art sneak preview

[art-of-mtg]

Riddleform (Hour of Devastation) - Steve Argyle

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Riddleform

Artist: Steve Argyle TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link