TL;DR

Riftbound TCG, the new League of Legends card game, doesn’t just play well — it looks phenomenal. With original illustrations from Riot’s veteran artists and Fortiche (of Arcane fame), Riftbound captures the heart of Runeterra in bold, expressive, and stylized visuals. Champion cards like Yasuo, Jinx, Viktor, and Ahri are not only powerful on the battlefield, but literal works of art. Whether you’re playing or collecting, Riftbound is already shaping up to be a must-own visual collectible TCG. Here’s a deep look at how Riot is using art to make this game unforgettable.

🎨 A League of Art Legends

League of Legends has always been known for its high-caliber artwork — from splash illustrations and cinematic trailers to the art direction of Arcane. With Riftbound TCG, Riot isn’t recycling digital assets or cutting corners. Every card in the Origins set features brand-new, original art, created by celebrated League of Legends artists and visual teams that include Fortiche Production, the animation studio behind Arcane.

This means players and collectors can expect:

• Unique character portrayals that don’t appear anywhere else in the League universe

• Full-art and alternate-art cards with visually distinct treatments

• Custom card frames, icons, and rarity indicators designed around each champion’s theme

🖼️ The Champion Cards: A Study in Style

Let’s take a closer look at what makes these cards so visually compelling.

Yasuo – The Unforgiven

The Yasuo card previewed by Riot features:

• A wind-swept pose, backlit with swirling energy

• Ornate Ionian patterns embedded in the gold frame

• Symbolic icons representing his region and class

• A clear, elegant text box with thematic font choices

It’s not just gameplay-ready — it’s gallery-worthy.

Viktor – Herald of the Arcane

Viktor’s card includes:

• Fortiche-style animation shading

• A dark cyber-blue palette layered with tech-inspired sigils

• References to his Zaunite origins and tech-based summons

• A visible credit to “Fortiche Production” in the art frame

This transparency in artist crediting is a big move in TCGs and demonstrates respect for the illustrators who are elevating Riftbound’s identity.

Jinx – Chaotic Icon

Her Champion Deck box alone is a visual explosion:

• Graffiti-inspired accents

• Bold color shifts from pink to purple

• Oversized comic-style expressions on the sides

• Jinx herself, front and center, cackling with a rocket in hand

The card art itself mirrors her gameplay: loud, vibrant, and unpredictable.

🧬 Thematic Design Through Card Frames

Unlike most card games where all cards share the same frame, Riftbound’s card borders and layouts change based on the champion’s faction, personality, or combat style. This dynamic approach makes each deck feel like its own mini art exhibit.

Some examples:

• Ionian champions have flowing, nature-inspired accents

• Zaun and Piltover decks incorporate tech, steel, and circuitry

• Demacian frames look regal and knightly

• Noxian cards lean into jagged, aggressive shapes and crimson tones

This level of visual detail reinforces the lore and identity of each region — an art direction approach rarely seen in TCGs.

🃏 Foils, Alternate Art, and Collectible Appeal

Riftbound goes heavy on the foils — every booster pack includes three foil cards, and booster boxes average 6 or more Epic-rarity cards, plus at least 1–2 alternate-art chase cards.

Confirmed collectible features:

• Full-art variants of popular champions

• Possible Arcane-style alt-arts

• Shiny foils across all rarities

• Signature finishes and region-themed embellishments

If you love binder pages full of shimmer, or want a displayable copy of your main champion, Riftbound’s set will deliver that and more.

🖌️ Art-Forward Product Packaging

Riftbound’s art commitment doesn’t stop at the cards — even the boxes are beautiful.

Booster Box:

• Front panel features Jinx, Yasuo, and Ahri in full-color poses

• Side flaps show characters like Teemo and Miss Fortune

• Riftbound branding framed by intricate sigils

• Designed for both retail presence and collector display

Champion Decks:

Each deck comes with:

• Custom art of the champion on the box

• Matching themed playmat

• Custom printed deck box

• Holographic accents and bright gold edgework

Even unopened, these products look amazing on a shelf or table.

🖍️ For Art Lovers, Cosplayers, and Collectors Alike

If you love LoL’s splash art or are a fan of Arcane’s visuals, Riftbound TCG is:

• A portable gallery of champion expressions

• A new medium to collect and celebrate LoL characters

• A cosplay reference goldmine, especially for new poses and outfits

• A game where art is as much the point as gameplay

And if you’re someone who frames your favorite MTG or Pokémon cards, these are right up your alley.

🔗 Where to Buy Riftbound (and Own the Art)

You can pre-order Riftbound TCG right now, including all the visually rich products mentioned above:

• 🎨 Booster Box – Riftbound: Origins

• 💥 Champion Deck – Jinx

• 🧪 Champion Deck – Viktor

• 🥋 Champion Deck – Lee Sin

• 🏟️ Proving Grounds Box Set (4 Decks)

Final Thoughts: Riftbound Is an Art Piece Disguised as a Card Game

Riftbound TCG isn’t just Riot’s attempt to break into tabletop games — it’s their chance to curate a new collectible experience that merges gameplay and aesthetic beauty. Whether you’re in it for the meta or the visuals, Riftbound brings the League of Legends world to life in spectacular cardboard fashion.

For art fans, collectors, and those who believe cards should be beautiful — this game is your next obsession.

The post Riftbound TCG Is a Visual Masterpiece – Here’s Why the Art Is a Big Deal appeared first on Artiholics.

From bold champion portraits to atmospheric spell effects and detailed region theming, Riftbound’s debut set—Origins—offers over 300 cards that merge gameplay with fine-tuned fantasy illustration.

🔹 Cards as Art Objects

Each card is a mini-canvas, designed to capture the essence of its champion. Whether it’s Jinx channeling her chaotic energy or Lux radiating light magic, Riftbound cards go beyond function—they’re expressive pieces that players will want to show off as much as they play.

Collectible enthusiasts and visual art lovers will especially appreciate the chase for rare and alternate art cards, which are likely to include foil treatments, limited editions, and full-art variants. The potential for collecting, framing, or even displaying entire themed decks is immense.

🔹 Product Highlights

If you’re looking to appreciate the full range of Riftbound’s visual storytelling, check out:

• Riftbound Origins Booster Box: Hunt for rare illustrations and alternate arts.

• Champion Deck – Jinx

• Champion Deck – Viktor

• Champion Deck – Lee Sin

• Riftbound Proving Grounds Box Set

Each product has its own visual narrative. Champion Decks are themed not just mechanically but artistically—color palettes, card frames, and layout echo the champion’s tone and region. For fans of illustration, design, or narrative art, this is a TCG that offers genuine artistic depth.

Riftbound will be published by UVS Games.

The rift awaits… EP Chengran Chai and Game Director @davetron introduce Riftbound, the new TCG inspired by League of Legends. pic.twitter.com/kVe65M88B3

— Riftbound (@playriftbound) March 31, 2025

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The post The Art of commUNITY: Beautiful Cards and Beautiful People appeared first on Artiholics.

The My Hero Academia Collectible Card game, is a recent entry into the world of the TCG; the card game was received very well by the fans of the anime and the TCG community. Thanks to the art direction that Jasco games took with this one, the cards came out really great!

The Card Game has managed to sell out almost every single product they have in store for the fans, and rightfully so. The characters from the anime form the backbone of the card game just like they do for the anime; I’ve never seen a show in which the side characters get more attention than the actual protagonist!

Because of this, many cards from the first edition of the card game have managed to sell for big prices; one such card is Concentrate from the first edition set base set. The card features one of the most popular female leads from the show hence the high price. In today’s blog post, we’ll shed some light on the card, its origins, the illustration, and its value!

Origins

Ochaco Uraraka is one of the first female characters to be shown in the anime and also one of the first students that got close to our protagonist. Her power allows her to defy gravity; anything she touches and concentrates on becomes free of the force of gravity, allowing it to float.

Uraraka’s super moves include attacks like a Meteor strike. She makes a large pile of rubble floaty and then sends it crashing down onto the enemy, similar to a meteor strike, those with quirks that resemble a dinosaur get serious PTSD from this move!

Trivia

Uraraka is a prevalent character; hence she has managed to get some much-needed attention in this first base set; there are three different cards from the set that features Uraraka that are worth having in your collection!

Illustration

Concentrate features Uraraka concentrating on something. As we mentioned earlier, her power is to defy the laws of gravity; she does this by touching an object and concentrating on making it floaty. Hence the card’s name and the illustration that you see on it.

Not only is the card a good one when you play the game, but the illustration also has managed to garner some attention. Though the illustration isn’t as good as some other cards in the set, it was enough to get fans excited about it.

Value

As of writing this blog post for Concentrate, it is selling for $40 on multiple sites, and most of them are sold out. Who wouldn’t want to get their hands on the most popular characters that form the first base set? The card will probably be worth a lot more in the future.

The success of the card game totally depends upon the anime’s performance, which doesn’t seem to be going down any soon. So if you ever manage to get a hold of this card, make it a part of your collection!

Recommended – Kurogiri from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

The post Concentrate from My Hero Academia: UniVersus! appeared first on Artiholics.

My Hero Academia Collectible Card game is one of the best card games released in recent times. Ever since the initial release, it has managed to garner a lot of support from the MHA fans and also from the casual TCG players. The game features incredible artwork of the already very popular characters from the anime.

The characters from the show are some of its biggest strengths; they have managed to create a cast so diverse and unique that MHA is one such show in which the side characters are more popular than the main protagonists. This just gets to show how well detailed the characters are.

The brand new expansion, Crimson Rampage, features a lot of unique cards; one such card is the Himiko Toga XR, which obviously features Himiko Toga. The card is trendy at the moment, so we decided to create a blog post dedicated to this card’s glory; so let’s dive into it!

Origins

Himiko Toga is one of the deadliest members so the league of villains; her quirk is so dangerous that without even using it, she can kill people. Her Quirk allows her to take the form of any person she wishes to, but to do so, she has to ingest their blood first. So she literally carries needles around with her to suck the blood out of people; the loss of blood kills many people!

Trivia

Himiko Toga is a popular character. She has multiple cards in the expansion; one such card is shown above.

Himiko Toga is also popular for her sexuality. She was one of the first bisexual characters to be introduced in the anime!

Illustration

The Himiko Toga XR features the villain in her daily attire; yes, she dresses like this even in battles; as her quirk transforms her into other characters, she doesn’t really need a costume. She only needs syringes to suck up the enemy’s blood!

The pose she stands in is also very reminiscent of her crazy personality.

Value

As of writing this blog post, the Himiko Toga XR is going for around 50 dollars o multiple websites. The card value will also depend upon the time you are reading this blog post and the condition. Still, a near-mint a mint condition card will be sold for $50+.

The card features one of the best characters from the show and is one of the first cards to show her in the Card Game this makes it a card that you need to have in your collection!

Recommended – Joint Effort XR from My Hero Academia Crimson Rampage

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The My Hero Academia Collectible Card game has been an enormous hit. The fans of the show have embraced the new game with open arms. The already existing TCG community has also enjoyed the game. All in all, it is a game that will stick around as the anime shows no signs of stopping.

The characters in My Hero Academia are its biggest strengths; the excellent costume design that can hero has just made the anime worth watching. In fact, it is one such anime in which there are more fans of the side characters than the protagonist himself! One such character for the show was Stain, a renowned anti-hero whose philosophy inspired a lot of villains.

The card that features this incredible character is the Dropkick Slicer XR; the card shows the villain in a dropkick pose, hence the name. The card has become one of the best sellers in the new expansion, Crimson Rampage, so in this article, we’ll be shedding some light on this card and find out why it is worth so much!

Origins

Stain or Chizome Akugora is one of the most deadly villains in the anime; I won’t even call him a villain per see as he wasn’t inspired by the motive of harming people. He was called the hero killer for a reason; he kills a lot of Pro Heroes as he thinks Heroes are the worst in society.

According to his thinking, Heroes are as bad as villains as they do it for the fame and the money, this might not be truer, but Stain definitely has inspired a lot of villains and a lot of ordinary people too.

Trivia

Stain probably has one of the most badass quirks in the anime, he uses a blade to cut through his opponents, and when he tastes their blood, the opponent becomes wholly paralyzed! This is the reason he was able to kill so many Pros.

Stain is a favorite villain and hence has a lot of cards in this Crimson Rampage expansion!

Illustration

The card’s illustration is one of the reasons for its high value in the reseller community. The card features stain in a badass pose where he is barging from the top with a dropkick, and the card’s name is very fitting.

Value

As for writing this article, the card is being sold for around $120 on multiple reseller websites. It might go up even higher than what it is right now for a reason. The card features one of the best villains we’ve seen in the anime, and this is one of the first cards that feature him; in the long run, collectors would love to have this one in their possession.

Recommended – Joint Effort XR from My Hero Academia Crimson Rampage

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The My Hero Academia Collectible Card game has managed to garner a lot of attention from the fans of TCG and the show. The card game quickly rose to prominence and right now is one of the best-selling card games around the globe, thanks to the lovable characters that My Hero Academia boasts.

The first edition set was received with praise, and it didn’t take the creators much time to come up with the next expansion pack, which is My Hero Academia Crimson Rampage! The expansion features some of the best cards that we’ve seen in this TCG, especially cards that feature fan favorites!

One such card from the expansion is the Joint Effort XR which probably will become the most valuable in the expansion. The card features two of the most popular characters in MHA and probably all of the shonen right now, Deku and Bakugo.

Let’s dissect this card, and see what makes it so popular and its value!

Origins

Deku and Bakugo are pursuing the Pro Hero course in the prestigious UA High School for heroes. They both are passionate about what they want to do and push each other to do better, especially Deku. He started off as a kid with no quirk, and Bakugo has all the power in the world.

His quirk was one of the best ones you can get; that dude could literally blow up anything he wanted. But Deku soon acquired a quirk as powerful as Bakugo’s this obviously made him angry at Deku. Since then, they have developed a dynamic similar to Goku and Vegeta!

This dynamic looks really cool on Joint Effort XR!

Illustration

The card features both Deku and Bakugo charging at someone with all the force they can muster. The duo is probably in a battle and is charging at the enemy; this makes for a great pose, especially on a card. Both are in their Hero Attire which is loved by the franchise’s fans! The card’s background doesn’t have a lot going on, which helps us focus on the duo!

The background features the colors of Deku and Bakugo in conjunction, symbolizing the team spirit that they share in Joint Effort XR.

Value

As of writing this blog post, the card has been valued at $150. This might change depending upon the card’s condition, but judging by this bas price, it is fair to say that the card is in high demand right now. As mentioned before, Joint Effort XR has the most popular characters on the card; this makes it a valuable asset in any collection, especially when you consider that this comes from one of the first expansions for the MHA TCG!

Recommended – Summon Dark Shadow (XR) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia is one of the best shounen anime on air right now and has a massive fan following. It is a one-of-a-kind show in which we’ve seen side characters getting as much hype as the main character. So to capitalize on this ever-increasing fandom, Jasco came out with the first-ever My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game!

The massive cast that My Hero Academia boasts gives Jasco a ton of space to work with; they can create amazing cards for almost every hero in the anime and their special moves. This results in a first edition set with some fantastic cards, and as this is the first edition, fans are going crazy trying to get their hand on some of the chase cards in the set.

One such card from the set is Rikido Sato which features Rikido Sato, aka The sugar hero, Sugar man! As mentioned earlier, MHA has a lot of heroes who fans love apart from the protagonist, Rikido Sato is one such hero, and his card is doing decent numbers on the reseller markets. Let’s see why it is getting so much attention so that you can make a calculated judgment before buying it!

Origins

Rikido Sato is a student of Class 1-A in UA High School, the best hero training school in all of Japan. His hero name is Sugarman which correlates with his quirk. Sugarman’s abilities allow him to consume sugar and become more powerful, enabling him to get superhuman strength.

His special move is called Sugar Rush. He consumes sugar and throws a flurry of devastating punches at his enemies. I’d keep pastries away from this guy if I ever got into an argument with him!

Trivia

The name Sugarman is also seen in Marvel comics as a villain who is not widely known.

Sugarman ranked twelfth in the Quirk Apprehension test, so he is mid when it comes to power levels in his class. His favorite food is cake (who would’ve guessed that)

Illustration

The Rikido Sato card features himself standing in a pose that the fans are familiar with. He is a strong kid, and when he eats sugar, he gets more robust, so it is important to have an illustration that depicts his strength to the fans, and this card does a great job at doing that. The background of the cards is in classic MHA art style!

Value

Rikido Sato, at the moment, is selling for around $80 on multiple resellers’ websites. This price may fluctuate depending upon the card’s condition and also location. The card is the first edition and has a popular character on it might hold its value in the long run. But no one can tell if it will appreciate in value or not, as the MHA card game is still pretty new!

Recommended – One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia has emerged as one of the best shounen anime of all time in recent times;. However, it takes a lot of inspiration from its predecessors; it does many things better than them. The characters in MHA, for example, are some of the best that we’ve seen in a while; in fact, the characters are so loved by the community that multiple characters in the show are more popular than the protagonist himself!

So to capitalize on this newfound fame for the franchise, Jasco came out with the first-ever My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game, and it features some amazing cards! And as the set is the first edition of the game, the fans have received it very well, especially popular character cards!

One such card from the bunch is the Summon Dark Shadow (XR), which has been one of the highly-rated cards in the past few weeks and demands a high price from anyone who wants to get a hold of it; let’s shed some light on this card and what makes it so popular!

Origins

As many of you know, Summon Dark Shadow (XR) features the hero called Jet-Black. His real name is Tokoyami Fumikage. He is a part of the Class 1-A at UA high school and is a friend of Deku, the protagonist of the show!

Fumikage’s quirk allows him to host a dark monster in his body, which can retract and contract on will. Still, too much brightness makes it weak, so it goes back inside Fumikage’s body!

So this means that when there’s no brightness out there, the dark shadow monster is the most powerful, hence Tokoyami’s hero name, Jet-Black!

Trivia

The My Hero Academia Universus First Edition set features not one. Still, two Tokoyami cards look amazing, to say the least!

Illustration

Summon Dark Shadow (XR) features Tokoyami in action and his trusted ally, dark shadow, which can be seen out on a hunt for his next enemy. The card has made sure to put Tokoyami in his natural fighting position; this makes the card even better to look at, as a normal standing pose would’ve been boring!

Value

As of writing this blog post for the Summon Dark Shadow (XR), the card has been being sold for over $30. No, this goes without saying, but just as an extra measure, I’d like to include that this $30+ price is reserved for cards in perfect mint conditions. There are also cards out there that are not in every good condition and are being sold for a lot less.

As for the future value of the card, no one can predict it accurately, but like this is the first edition of the MHA card game, there’s a good chance that the chase cards from this set become valuable in the future!

Recommended – Frigid Heatwave (XR) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia is one of the most highly rated shounen anime. It has been steadily increasing its cult-like fan base over the years, and in 2022 it is by far the most popular shounen anime out there. The fans love the show and the characters it has; this is for the first since Naruto when fans have loved side characters as much as the main character!

To capitalize on this enormous fan following these characters have, Jasco games came out with the first-ever set of My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game which features some fantastic cards.

One card from the set with a great illustration is Kurogiri, featuring, Kurogiri! The card has been really popular ever since the set dropped, so let’s take a look at some essential features and facts to understand why it’s so hyped up.

Origins

Kurogiri was one of the first villains to be shown in the anime. He has a peculiar face; it’s a purple smoke with two yellow eyes piercing the smoke. His powers are powerful, allowing him to create portals that can be used for instant travel. This power has saved him many times!

Kurogiri is nomu who was created by doctor Kyudai Garaki to protect Tomura Shigaraki!

Trivia

Kurogiri is the first nomu to appear in both the manga and the anime!

His name contains Kanji for the color black!

He wears a protective neck armor piece that protects him, as this is the only place where he can’t generate the protective fog!

Illustration

The illustration of the cards is the first thing many card collectors look at, so if an illustration is great, the card will also sell for a higher amount. Kurogiri’s card features him standing in his signature pose with a great background that looks like a portal is about to form.

The card is also perfect when playing the game. Hence it has such a high price even though Kurogiri isn’t one of the popular characters from the show.

Value

As for writing this article, the value of the Kurogiri card is set around $60, which is just crazy as Kurogiri isn’t one of the most popular villains out there, but as I mentioned earlier, the card is also perfect in the actual game. Hence it has a higher value.

The card’s value will only increase in the future as it is from the first MHA card game set. If history’s anything to go by, first edition cards tend to appreciate in value.

Recommended – Frigid Heatwave (XR) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia is one of the most popular shounen anime out right now and has had a lot of different promotional products out in the market, from games to posters and all that stuff, but the card game is a thing that no My Hero Academia fan ever thought would come to their beloved franchise.

But it only makes sense as My Hero Academia is the go-to shounen for many in this generation of kids. It has been getting better and better with every passing season, plus the characters in the show are fantastic, to say the least, the side characters are loved as much as the main character of the show!

So to capitalize on the popularity of all these characters, Jasco games created the first-ever set of the My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game, which features a ton of great cards!

One such card from the set is the Giant Ice Wall (XR) which features the half hot and half cold, Todorki! Let’s take a look at this unique card and maybe try to understand why the card has seen such immense hype in the past few weeks.

Origins

Shoto Todoroki is a student of class 1-A in UA High School, where the most talented individuals go. Shotto is one of the strongest at his school with his quirk Half Hot Half Cold.

He shows immense potential but initially is not very keen on using his fiery side, which came from his father. His father is the number 2 hero endeavor who abused Shoto’s family to create the best Hero possible. Because of this, his relationship with Shoto isn’t the best.

Trivia

The Universus set is the first one and has shown some extra love to Shoto. It features not one, not two, but three Todoroki cards, each with a great illustration!

Illustration

Giant Ice Wall (XR) features Todoroki performing the Giant Ice wall move, which, as the attack says, creates a wall of ice. We’ve seen this attack many times in the anime; it is an unprecedented attack to watch and very deadly for the enemies!

The illustration on Giant Ice Wall (XR) looks impressive, to say the least, and it might explain why the card is being valued so high on reseller sites!

Value

Writing this blog post, the card is being sold for anywhere between $50-60 on multiple reseller sites. The card’s price may also vary depending upon the country you’re in and the card’s condition.

And as it is a Shoto Todoroki card it is going to be popular, plus the card is from the first edition of the MHA card game. First edition cards tend to stay in demand for a long time, so the value of this card just might increase.

Recommended – One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

The post Giant Ice Wall (XR) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus! appeared first on Artiholics.

My Hero Academia is one of the best shounen anime that is out right now, the anime has been steadily gaining a cult-like following over the years, and in 2022 it is probably the biggest shounen. The anime features a ton of great characters loved by the franchise’s fans!

The popularity of the characters isn’t limited to the protagonist but to many other side characters as well. So to capitalize on this fame, Jasco games came out with the first-ever My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game. At first, there was no interest in the project as not every My Hero Academia fan is fond of cards. But, since the cards were released, the hype surrounding the first has been spreading like wildfire.

There are many great cards in this first set, one of which is the Midnight (Top 8) which features the Hero Midnight in all her glory. The card is one of the most in-demand cards at the moment, so let’s take a look at what makes this card so valuable!

Origins

Midnight is one of the strongest Pro heroes in Japan. Also, she is a teacher at the prestigious UA high who trains the next generation of heroes to come! Midnight teaches Modern Hero Art History at UA and some other subjects.

Her power releases an aroma that puts people to sleep; this aroma works best on males!

Trivia

Midnight’s real name is Nemuri, and she was supposed to be the homeroom teacher for class 1-A at UA high school.

Illustration

The card features midnight in a signature pose of hers. People who’ve seen the anime know what Nemuri’s personality is like. She has a very seductive tone in her voice, and the males just flock to her.

Her quirk might be the reason for this phenomenon, but her looks also help her out.

The illustration that you see in the card is an illustration that can be found in many different MHA wikis, so it’s nothing new. Still, it does the job of depicting Nemuri very well. Her whip is also featured in the illustration, which goes hand in hand with her dominatrix theme.

The purple color behind her represents her quirk which is an aroma, which often is purplish-pink in color!

Value

As of writing this blog post for the lovely Midnight (Top 8), it is being sold for a whopping $450 on tcgplayer.com! This amount was unheard of in the My Hero Academia card collecting circles. Still, apparently, the hype surrounding this set has gone to such levels that people are willing to pay $400 to get Midnight’s card!

This is the first set in the My Hero Academia card game; this card might only increase in value as years go by!

Recommended – Frigid Heatwave (XR) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

The post Midnight (Top 8) from My Hero Academia: UniVersus! appeared first on Artiholics.

My Hero Academia is a massively popular shounen anime right now, it has one of the biggest fan bases, and fans just love to see the characters from the anime on screen. The author has managed to craft really great characters that keep the viewers engaged.

The show’s characters are its strongest points. The folks at Jasco understood this and came out with the My Hero Academia collectible card game! The Card Game space is very new for MHA. There were a lot of doubts when the game was announced. Still, surprisingly, the game has received a lot of hype ever since its release, and the cards are being sold for hundreds of dollars on resellers’ markets.

One such card from the My Hero Academia Universus set is the Frigid Heatwave (XR), which features the one and only Shoto Todoroki. He is one of the most popular characters in the show; some might even say he’s more popular than Deku.

In this article, we’ll shed some light on Frigid Heatwave (XR) and analyze why it is priced at such a staggering amount that it is right now.

Origins

Shoto Todoroki is a student of class 1-A in UA High School, where the most talented individuals go. Shotto is one of the strongest at his school with his quirk Half Hot Half Cold.

He shows immense potential but initially is not very keen on using his fiery side, which came from his father. His father is the number 2 hero endeavor who abused Shoto’s family to create the best Hero possible. Because of this, his relationship with Shoto isn’t the best.

Trivia

Apart from the Frigid Heatwave (XR), the set also features two more cards that feature Shoto Todorki, worth checking out. They are being sold for a lot of money and feature some excellent artwork!

Illustration

The illustration on a card can make or break its demand in the market. Fortunately, the artist has done a great job depicting Todoroki in the Frigid Heatwave (XR). The card shows Todoroki from behind and also adds fire and cold ice in the mixture to make the card more unique.

The illustration on Frigid Heatwave (XR) is one of the best in the entire set, and this is the first-ever MHA set; this card holds a lot of value!

Value

As of writing this blog post, the Frigid Heatwave (XR) is being sold for anywhere between $60-80 on multiple sites. The card’s price might also vary depending upon the condition of the card and the supply of the card in the market.

As for the future of this card, MHA is certainly a top-rated show. Todoroki is a beloved character. And this set is the first-ever MHA set, so this card might value a lot in the future.

Recommended – One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia is probably the best shounen anime airing right now. It has been getting better and better with every new season, and the fans are always keen on seeing their favorite characters back on the screen. The characters in My Hero Academia are super popular, every single character from class 1-A can get their own show and it’ll be successful.

To capitalize on the popularity that My Hero Academia commands, Jasco Games has recently come out with the first-ever My Hero Academia card game. The cards from the set look awesome and many fans of the show who never played cards before have started entering the space.

There are many cards in the set that deserve your attention, but nothing beats the One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike XSR which features the protagonist of the show, Izuku Midoriya, or Deku!

In this blog post, we’ll shed some light on One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike XSR, what are its origins, some fun trivia, what the illustration means for the card, and its value. all this and more in the blog ahead!

Origins

Izuku Midoriya the boy who was born quirkless in a world where quirks’ are everything. He always strived to be a hero, but without any superpowers, it seemed impossible. Until his role model, All Might decided to give some of his hair to Izuku.

The hair wasn’t given for some weird reason, the hair actually is used to pass on the powers that all might passed, and by giving his hair to Izuku to eat he was passing down his powers to Deku who now has to train hard to control it!

Deku is one of the most popular shounen characters of all time at this point, and the card which features him is ought to sell at high prices!

Trivia

This set feature two more chase cards that have Deku on them.

According to artists who drew Izuku, they had drawn him in a way so that he looks plain and simple to suit his personality more.

Deku’s favorite dish in the show is Katsudon a type of rice dish with broth on it.

Illustration

One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike XSR features the one and only Deku on it. Deku can be seen in action in the illustration as he tries to punch his way through some enemy. He is seen using his quirk “One for all” but only at 5% power as seen in the anime.

Any more than that and he can end up breaking his arm in battle by his own power. The card’s blue background creates a great contrast with the red lightning that can be seen coming out of Deku’s hands. This makes One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike XSR pop out even more!

Value

As of writing this blog the card is selling for more than $200 no TCGplayer.com. Apparently, the cards were selling for an even higher price point before. As this is the first edition, One for all: Full Cowling 5% Strike XSR is really valuable and will be a gem in your collection!

Recommended – Nitro Explosion Ignition XSR from My Hero Academia: UniVersus!

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My Hero Academia is one of the most beloved shounen airing right now. It has garnered a lot of attention; both the manga and the anime are doing very well. To capitalize on the franchise’s popularity, Jasco games have come out with the first-ever My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game!

The hype surrounding this card set is immense, and as it is the first edition of the card game, the fans are flocking to the storEs in large numbers to get their hands on it. The cards in the set have some great characters with phenomenal illustrations, which are enough to entice any My Hero Academia to get into the game.

One such card from the set is the Nitro Explosion Ignition XSR which features the exasperated Katsuki Bakugo. The card has a lot of hype surrounding it, and in this article, we’ll see why.

Origins

Katsuki Bakugo, or ‘Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight,’ a hero name, is a student of UA high school and studies in class 1-A. He’s training to become a pro hero and already has surpassed many adult heroes who have much more experience; with his fantastic ability to cause explosions using the sweat on his palms, he indeed is one of the most likely candidates to become the number 1 hero in Japan.

He’s always trying to best his friend Deku, who has inherited All Might’s power!

Trivia

Katsuki Bkaugo was initially supposed to be a very gentle and senile character in the anime, but seeing how bearing it would’ve gotten, they decide to change him into a bloodthirsty, angry young man who wants nothing more than to cause an explosion on his enemies!

Bakugo was ranked number 1 in the UA Entrance Exam and 3rd in the quirk apprehension exams!

Apart from the Nitro Explosion Ignition XSR, Bakugo is also featured on many other cards on the site. One of which is this popular Katsuki Bakugo XR!

Illustration

The illustration of any card is one of its core selling points; if the image is on point, you can expect the card to be popular, and that’s what the Nitro Explosion Ignition XSR is. The card features one of the most popular characters from the show and can be seen in his most comfortable form: being angry!

The card’s background emphasizes Bakugo and his abilities to cause an explosion; the entire card’s artworks ties in together to the themes of Bakugo’s character very elegantly, leaving us with a phenomenal card.

Value

The set was just released, and there are a lot of booster packs still left to be opened, so expect the price to fluctuate a lot as more and more cards enter the reseller market. As of now, the card is telling for around $180!

As this is the first edition, many would like to have the most coveted cards from the set in their collection; hence the price might even increase. Plus, Bakugo is the second most important character in the series; any MHA fan will love to have this card in his collection.

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Ciao Fabio,

Please introduce yourself and your background.

I am from the southern part of Italy, Catania, Sicily, but I am really a little bit from everywhere. After the mandatory Italian military service, I left for France. I was 18 and that happened in 1996. I lived 3.5 years in France and then I moved to the United States in September 1999. Throughout my three years in France I learned about French techniques and French coiffeur and I started to take academic courses in England. I moved away from Italy because I needed to learn techniques and visions from other countries. In my field the Italians are considered to be super artistic and crafty with their hands “we are artisans”. It makes a huge impact to be able to visualize and finish something in a proper way. The English have much more structure and precision and they use technical abilities. The French are a combination of both (like the Italians and the English). The French also have a middle eastern influence as well. They know how to deal with different types of hair from a technical point of view but they are also artisans.

After these 3.5 years of experiences, I moved to New York and to Los Angeles and I have been here for 22 years and I currently live in New York.

This dream started in my childhood so I have been doing hair since I was 12 years old.

What do you call yourself?

I can be called a “hairstylist” but I am actually an “Artisan-Artist”, with the vision of an artist and with the technique of an artisan. I am also a hair doctor, consultant, a “Hairapist”.

Anybody can be a hairdresser but I am like a hair specialist. There is always someone that can do better. But do you have many people that can do better than you in every single aspect holistically speaking? The answer is no. I challenge everyone. I can specialize in every single area because of my time and my mindset. The way we approach things here is a little bit different than others. We can cover almost everything from the trichology to morphology and we try to see the psychology and the behavior of the customers in front of us as well as their facial features. Then we analyze everything and cover every single base.

When did you open your first salon and how many salons do you have now?

I have two salons. We have about 15 stations. I would have a maximum of 25 stations.

What made you decide to become a hairstylist? What inspires and motivates you? 

Italians by default have big passions: cars, motorcycles, food, and women. My neighbor was a hairdresser and he was always coming home with beautiful women on dates; he had a nice life and a great car. This guy had it all! He was always well dressed. My mom’s best friend was a hairdresser too and she was coming to the house along with other women and this also encouraged me to become a hairdresser as well. I could be around women, make money. I am very ambitious, I don’t do mediocre things. I always do the best and so I liked the whole package. So this is how everything started.

I was a visionary. Italy unfortunately is not very good about dreams and visionaries. Yes it was good to learn the craft and the creativity but not for dreams.

I learned a lot in Italy. I convinced myself to follow my dreams. I went to do an internship after middle school and I did “the gavetta” without being paid. I was doing a lot of side jobs to support myself.

How did covid have an impact on your business and how did you adjust and create a safe environment for your customers?

We are not anti vaccine, not political oriented, we just want what is the best. We had to adapt to the times, I went beyond the guidelines and I did everything and beyond what they were asking. We wanted to make sure that clients had a protocol when they came in. We stayed updated with the guidelines, we measured the temperature, and everyone had to wear a mask, and kept 6 feet distance between the stations. We stopped offering drinks, (we had a full bar, no more coffee as well), so people could learn how to manage the social distance and feel safe and comfortable when inside our salons. We washed our hands and sanitized everything and each station. Each customer stayed at a station and if they moved we sanitized the entire station and re-cleaned everything. We asked people not to stay in the salon if they didn’t have an appointment. We asked people to remove the mask they came in and put on a new mask; that was a little bit hard, but not negotiable. Nothing was negotiable in the guidelines. It was an extra precaution. The goal was to make sure that our staff members and family and customers were all safe.

We tried to cut down the hours or extend them according to the needs to make sure to be safe. We also eliminated magazines.

If people did not want to follow our guidelines, we had to ask them to leave. It only probably happened twice.

Through PPP we were able to keep the business afloat and I kept paying my staff.

We also started to ask our customers how Covid-19 has been impacting their lives and lifestyles, how often do you wash your hair now? How are you doing your hair now? Now they don’t go to the office but maybe they work on Zoom, so there are differences between seeing people in person or on a flat screen. I therefore asked people to bring a screenshot of how they look on Zoom so that we can work on their hair.

We currently maintain these standards and requirements.

What are your dreams and plans for the future?

My dream, my plan for the future is as follows: one part of my dream is to grow the Fabio Scalia brand in the most important cities in the world where we can be and become pioneers and inspiration for young hairdressers who want to pursue this career and make it a treasure. I also want to be able to give a wonderful opportunity to those who for one reason or another perhaps do not believe in themselves or do not believe that they can have a nice and lucrative professional future by doing hair.

Fabio Scalia’s Website

Instagram 

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Her vibrant and multi-dimensional work ranges from sculpture to animation, which she uses to craft her own ‘surreal, myth-like alternative habitats’ which both celebrate and transcend language.

You root your work in language and translation. Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how this theme came to influence your art?

I grew up in a rather conservative middle-class family in Bavaria, Germany, in a house full of 19th-century art. My own desire to study art, however, was not an acceptable career choice so I ended up studying English and French. As a result, I had a colorful working life; I did some translation work, worked in administration and taught German and French to children who weren’t too keen.  Though language has always fascinated me, etymology, semantics, social and geographical contexts of words and phrases, the desire to create art was always inside me. When I finally made the leap it seemed to be logical to examine and to look at language in a visual way as well.

Can you describe your work for us?

With the realm of language being so multifaceted and inspiration coming from many different angles, it is difficult to describe my work in a short paragraph. I draw a lot on day to day conversations, literal translations, (anti) feminist language and I like to poke fun at political rhetoric and propaganda. I see language as multi-dimensional, therefore a lot of my work is sculptural and multi-disciplinary. Still, I don’t like to be restricted in my practice or pigeonholed in any way, and although language and translation are probably the main strands in my practice I like to stray occasionally to wherever inspiration lies…

How did the pandemic influence your art?

Working from my garden studio and studying remotely for a Master’s degree, the pandemic initially had little impact on me, despite having had several exhibitions cancelled at the last minute. As weeks turned to months, the pandemic started to hit me more emotionally as my isolation was suddenly no longer self-imposed, but something forced onto me.

With this sense of losing control, I began to work on a new body of work ‘I’m still alive’ (which then transmuted into ‘Albeit Hanging by a Thread’), in which I explored these sudden, unfamiliar emotions that resulted in such very conflicting sentiments of despair, hope, endurance and optimism in collages that became more and more surreal. There were days when I thought I was developing bi-polar tendencies; my mood was up and down like a yoyo. ‘Through the Pink Gate to Far Horizons’ is one of these works. Dreaming of a brighter future, it also incorporates some of my photography (the pink gate), symbolizing positive expectations.

Several lockdowns also resulted in new creative ways of looking for and finding materials. I began to work more with recycled materials, particularly packaging paper and items found around the house and on my dog walks.

What materials do you enjoy working with the most?

I used to call myself a painter and started my career with watercolors but my focus shifted a lot during my studies and I began to incorporate multiple disciplines and materials. A favorite material is newspaper but paper packaging, random objects, children toys, clay and paint, all have their uses. It’s very much determined by what I’m working on, the concept dictates its own materials.

I collect a lot of old magazines for the collages for example, that have become an art material in their own right. Cuttings from magazines, once taken out of context, develop an agency that in return affects the other images in quite a powerful way. It is quite fascinating watching the narrative develop, which often takes weeks; and although I tend to start with a rough idea or concept it frequently takes a different path, as the images take control and turn me into a mere facilitator!

What are you working on now?

At the moment I am focusing on my upcoming solo exhibition ‘Nomansland’ in Chester [UK] in September, which is based on a feminist language inspired utopia. Parallel to this, I’m currently working with hybrid photography, as a way of incorporating more photography in my work that seems to be gaining a lot of significance for me as I’m wrestling with some recent personal trauma.

Visit Brigitte’s website.

And if you’re wondering why ‘Make Slugs Beautiful’ – this refers to the litter of slugs on Brigitte’s countryside running route, and the nagging thought that if they were beautiful like sea slugs, they wouldn’t be so bad.

The post In the Studio with Artist Brigitte Watkinson from Make Slugs Beautiful appeared first on Artiholics.

Artiholics caught up with the artist.

You’ve been in the international news during the pandemic. Can you tell us about it? 

When lockdown started my work was due to go to the Tate for an art festival. The pandemic prevented this. Whilst at home in isolation I decided to fight back, so I began putting on impromptu exhibitions in my back garden.

Because of my disability, my teenage kids would help me install and inflate the sculptures. My neighbours started hanging out of their windows to see this exhibition appear over the garden wall, and even the local ‘bin men’ shouted over the fence that they loved the work. One of my neighbour’s young daughters, Florence, would draw me in my garden with the sculptures, which she would then post through the letterbox. This had such a huge impact on me. A little bit of magic in the bleakest time.

I then started to get interviews requests from newspapers in Germany and then TV companies arrived at my door. In lockdown, this attention had a regenerative effect on me and lifted me to create new art, in new ways. I never stopped working, as you can’t put breaks on the creative process. The attention I received seemed to boost this exponentially.

The 10ft tall, colour changing and illuminated ‘Jason and the Argonauts’ inflatable is a stunning example of your work – what’s its story? 

In 1963 the Ray Harryhausen film was released ‘Jason and the Argonauts’ and when I came along in 1969, my parents named me after this illustrious and dynamic hero. I was always intrigued by my name and where it came from. When I found out more about the story of the ‘other’ Jason and his voyage, where he set out to find the finest heroes in ancient Greece to set sail with him and reclaim the magical Golden Fleece, it fitted in well with what I was attempting to do with my art practice.

I had stopped making art just about myself and started to focus on making art about others in the disabled community, and making a conscious decision to make art with and about them.

I was attracted to the idea of replicating a great heroic voyage of discovery where I was collecting stories, which I would then reflect on and make art about.

I am very much a reluctant disability activist, although I choose to use humour and psychedelic colours to get my points across. The works I created are influenced by my working-class childhood, in Yorkshire, in the 1970s.

The surface of this sculpture is covered with the iconography of my own life and the stories which have been shared with me. It is also richly adorned by the names of all who have taken part in my work and my travels around the UK, working with deprived disabled communities.

I am not a spokesperson for these communities, I am just an artist who chooses to make these statements, to make art about those I feel some connection with.

I love the fact that this sculpture is linked so closely with my biography and with those I choose to work with also.

When people ask what my work is about I simply answer that it lies somewhere between the British children’s comic book ‘The Beano’ and the social commentary film ‘I, Daniel Blake’. Don’t be fooled by the bright colours, as the work is a trojan horse (or even a trojan sheep) in that the viewer is pulled in and then I can discuss the complex hidden stories.

And there’s an even bigger inflatable on the way?

Yes, there is a huge inflatable sculpture on the way, which will be unveiled at my solo show at 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in October. The sculpture is so big that it will allow the viewer to walk in and around it.

It shows a prone figure who is brightly coloured and highly decorated with tattoos, each with a significant meaning. I have designed it so that you will continue to find different things, regardless of how many times you view the work.

The figure represents a disabled person who is being changed on the floor, as they cannot access proper toilet facilities.

I wanted to create an accessible piece of work that told this story whilst being careful not to preach. Being angry does not work for me when making art, and I think the best approach is to get people on side by making them smile or even laugh first. It is meant to be absurd and provocative.

You use AR a lot in your work and have an iOS app, ‘Jason Residential’. Can you describe this work for us?

Most of my sculptures link to an augmented reality app, so I can animate and move the work and unlock further content, which adds to the sculptural work and is a piece of art in its own right.

Technology has democratised my art and allowed people to download my sculptures into their own living rooms or gardens. I get photos from people who have downloaded my virtual sculptures and it fills my heart with joy, especially when I was so isolated in lockdown. The technology set me free.

The ‘Residential’ app allows you not only to download my work but virtually walk around my head and see the creative process. Think of the film ‘Being John Malkovich’ but in digital form, as the app fully immerses the viewer.

Through the AR I can extend my practice by integrating my love of 1970s animation and popular culture, using the most up to date and cutting edge technology.

In lockdown, I loved the idea of the 70s movie ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’ as I wanted to escape the four walls I was trapped in because of the pandemic. I wanted to create magical portals, just like the tollbooth, through which you could see movies and animated characters who acted as strange and magical gatekeepers to this wonderful new work.

This unique approach was adopted by SHAPE Arts and developed by Hot Knife Digital Media to create the app Unfolding Shrines, giving a creative space to other disabled artists around the world. It effectively became a virtual artist AirBnB. 

What’s coming up?

I have a new sculpture being unveiled as part of the prestigious Folkestone Triennial in July and in August I am releasing my first virtual reality video game, which is going to be housed at Shire Hall Courthouse Museum in Dorset.

In September I will be taking part in a SKY Arts tv programme, but I can’t say too much about that yet, and I am unveiling two new inflatable sculptures. In October my work is going to be shown at 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in Scunthorpe. This will be so exciting as I get to unveil my largest ever sculpture.

Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

‘The Argonauts on Tour’ is showing across the UK in 2022 and is available to tour to venues internationally. If you are interested in showing the work, then please contact me at Jason@jwmartist.co.uk.

You can also see more of my work at my website www.jwmartist.co.uk and on my Instagram account wilshermills.

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My mother, Joycelyn Erho Calande, was an artist so art has always been part of my life. Going to museums, galleries and art shows was nothing foreign to me. I have always enjoyed “creating” so by the time high school was wrapping up it was pretty clear to me I wanted to pursue art professionally in some capacity. I ended up attending the oldest art school in the U.S., The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. At the time, at age 17 and fresh out of high school,  I was the youngest to ever be admitted. It was an intense 4 year art program focusing on drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. By the time I was finishing college, I was doing commission work, showing in some Philadelphia area galleries and entering shows. 

 

 

I’ve never been big on having my art “say something”, that’s what books are for. That’s not to say there’s never a hidden (or not so hidden) message in some works. But mostly I feel as artists we are creating something unique, a different way to see and express something visually, we are sharing pieces of ourselves. Sometimes a pretty picture is just a pretty picture. And I think that’s where artists excel. We make the world a more beautiful and more interesting place. At least most of the time. 

What is your experience with the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity?

I’ve been a longtime collector of animation art. Specifically the original production art used to create the original Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodie cartoons. I’ve always loved the art form. Many of those animators were also fine artists themselves. I was lucky enough to meet Chuck Jones (and the Jones family) on many occasions as well as some of the other animation artists like Maurice Noble, Pete Alvarado, Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle and others. What I loved about meeting Chuck Jones is that he always made sure you left with more knowledge than which you came. After visiting Chuck’s gallery many times over many years, I began to participate in their annual Red Dot Art Auction. Artists from all over the world donate 12 x 12 inch works of art for a silent fund raising auction. The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity uses the money to offer art and creativity programs to people of all ages, but especially to the young and old. I believe September of 2021 will be the 11th Red Dot Auction and I’ve participated in almost every one, missing only a year or two. This year I’ll be donating 2 works of art….or maybe 3, we’ll see. But the auction brings two of my loves together, Looney Tunes and art. It makes me happy that my work not only raises money for a good cause but it’s nice to know the auction winners are living with my artwork, giving it a home, and enjoying it. Hopefully for some, those little 12 x 12 works will become treasured family heirlooms and bring decades of joy. At the very least my little paintings will hopefully bring some color and life to yet another bare and sterile wall in this world. 

 

 

How is the Covid-19 influencing your Art? How did you use the quarantine time?

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