The 11 Most Beautiful and Wallpaper-Worthy Pieces of Duskmourn Art Ranked

Last updated on January 18, 2025

Waltz of Rage | Illustrated by Mathias Kollros

Magic’s art, like its story, is more than just a supplemental element to its game pieces. Card art is one of the things that initially attracted me to the game, especially coming off a long span of playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, a game with largely underwhelming art. The consistently high quality of Magic’s art often makes me feel a little less silly shelling money for little cardboard rectangles because I feel like I’m not just getting to play one of my favorite games – I’m also buying tiny prints of cool artwork.

Some of Duskmourn’s art shares qualities with one of the Magic sets that first made me fall in love with Magic’s art, Shadows over Innistrad. Magic seems to have a look that they like for their horror-themed sets, but Duskmourn also manages to distinguish itself by using some mind-bending art that shows just how twisted the plane has become under the influence of Valgavoth.

While I’m a little more lukewarm on the set as a whole than I was about Bloomburrow – blatant Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters references are a little less appealing to me than a bespoke world full of cute animals – I am still excited about a lot of the artwork that has come out of the set.

Here are some of the pieces I enjoy the most from this set; I'll look at them strictly from the point of view of aesthetics, with no regard for which is the better Duskmourn card.

What Is the Art Direction and Story of Duskmourn?

Valgavoth, Terror Eater | Illustration by Antonio José Manzanedo

Like most MTG sets, there’s some variety in Duskmourn’s artwork, though there’s enough consistency to nail down what seems to be the main direction of Duskmourn's theme and story. One thing that’s clear is that there was an emphasis put on slightly more photo-realistic art in cards like Murder or Disturbing Mirth.

This is likely because a more realistic depiction of certain elements helps sell the set’s horror theme.

Contrast this with March of the Machine, where many creatures across Magic’s multiverse were subjected to horrific alterations by the Phyrexians but were depicted in a more cartoony manner. This helped preserve the comic-book-movie feel of that event, instead of relishing in the gory details like Duskmourn appropriately does as a one-off horror set.

That isn’t to say all of Duskmourn’s art is completely photorealistic. Certain cards use other art styles that are typical for the horror genre. The alternate art version of Overlord of the Floodpits, illustrated by Sansyu, leans much closer to the style of horror anime.

The set generally seems to embrace horror conventions more than even our previous visit to Innistrad.

#11. Basic Swamp

Swamp | Illustration by Néstor Ossandón Leal

Basic lands are usually a good way to get a feeling for what a plane looks like and its general vibe. The artwork on Duskmourn’s Swamp, illustrated by Néstor Ossandón Leal, immediately depicts the plane as a twisted labyrinth with danger lurking somewhere in the darkness. The artwork also seems to be a nod to MC Escher’s famous Relativity, though the card retains enough of its own identity not to feel hack or cliché like these references sometimes do.

#10. Grievous Wound

Grievous Wound | Illustration by Fajareka Setiawan

I think Attack on Titan proved that simply scaling the human form up several times can make even an ordinary-looking person into a terrifying sight. The bundle promo version of Grievous Wound illustrated by Fajareka Setiawan proves this again with its large ominous figure looming over a wounded survivor. The light coming from just beyond the nearby doors also gives the impression that the victim depicted here was close to some kind of escape before being subjected to his terrible fate, adding an element of tragedy mixed in with the horrific scene.

#9. Cackling Slasher

Cackling Slasher | Illustration by Johann Bodin

A good friend of mine who I play Magic with has a bad case of coulrophobia, and there have been multiple cards in Duskmourn that I’ve made a mental note not to include in my decks due to the terrifying nature of the clowns depicted in them. Cackling Slasher easily tops that list.

Cackling Slasher, illustrated by Johann Bodin, is over-the-top terrifying in a way you might expect from a high-quality haunted house attraction. From its gory spikes to its terrifying maw of needle-like teeth, this clown is pure nightmare fuel in a way I though Magic had abandoned years ago, and I love it.

#8. Collected Company

Collected Company | Illustration by Borja Pindado

As a fan of Magic’s story, I love getting a good group shot of a set’s main characters like the one seen on Borja Pindado’s illustration for Collected Company. There’s also just something strangely humanizing about seeing Tyvar carrying a tiny flashlight that makes him feel more like a real person than he has in some of his previous depictions. It’s also nice to see Niko back on cards for the first time since their debut back in Kaldheim.

#7. Abhorrent Oculus

Abhorrent Oculus | Illustration by Bryan Sola

Bryan Sola’s artwork on the traditional border version of Abhorrent Oculus scores major points for me. First, the photo-realistic depiction of the eye-like creature gave me strong Shadows over Innistrad vibes, taking me back to one of the earliest sets I played.

The composition of the piece also does a great job showing the scale of the creature, thanks to the relatively tiny humans seen combating it. Add to that the foreground and background elements that give you the sense of the surreal interiors of The House and this blue card also gives you a good feel for the plane of Duskmourn.

#6. Mirror Room // Fractured Realm

Mirror Room // Fractured Realm | Illustration by Helge C. Balzer

The standard art on Mirror Room // Fractured Realm by Helge C. Balzer takes full advantage of the new formatting for room cards in an exciting way. Instead of splitting the art into two distinct rooms, this piece uses the wider frame afforded it by the card’s format to create a wide hallway. While the piece blends, there’s still a clear distinction between the two rooms.

On top of this, the creatively twisted distortions seen on the Fractured Realm side are also some of the set’s best examples of body horror.

#5. Running Is Useless

Running Is Useless | Illustration by Dominik Mayer

Dominik Mayer is one of the most interesting Magic artists. His pieces are rarely straightforward, going for a more modern and stylistic approach. This allows him to create imagery that captures the spirit of a card more than a literal event, something that I think works perfectly for a scheme card like Running Is Useless.

Having a more interpretive style on a card like this allows it to be a bit more universal than something like a story spotlight card that captures a specific moment in Magic’s story. While I like those too, for a scheme that can be played in a variety of contexts with different decks, it’s cool to have some gorgeous artwork that perfectly captures the feelings of the mechanics.

#4. Abandoned Campground

Abandoned Campground | Illustration by Cristi Balanescu

The art for Abandoned Campground is one of the most evocative from this set. Something about the windows eerily surrounding the foggy campground gives a sense of foreboding. I can’t help but wonder what happened to the previous residents.

The thick fog and soaked ground create a damp and chilly atmosphere that’s somehow invigorating but also unsettling.

#3. Waltz of Rage

Waltz of Rage | Illustration by Mathias Kollros

Mathias Kollros’s art for Waltz of Rage immediately captures the otherworldly nature of Duskmourn through its use of a unique color palette. The image itself is also a captivating mixture of crisp and distorted images, capturing the disorienting feeling experienced by denizens of The House. I think there’s a lot to be said for making the kind of Magic art where you can immediately tell what set it’s from just by the style, and this card just screams Duskmourn.

Waltz of Rage's also a bomb in Duskmourn Limited, by the way!

#2. Hauntwoods Shrieker

Hauntwoods Shrieker | Illustration by Sidharth Chaturvedi

The borderless version of Hauntwoods Shrieker illustrated by Siharth Chaturvedi is perfectly composed for a horror set. I love that instead of focusing on the creature itself, the main subject of the art is a person cowering in fear as the beast is glimpsed only in part through the reflection on their knife.

The art style also reminds me of some of my favorite horror media, like the Arkham Horror games and several horror comics.

#1. Under the Skin

Under the Skin | Illustration by Fernando Falcone

I don’t want to take anything away from Fernando Falcone, as his artwork for Under the Skin is beautifully done. That said, this is also probably the most subjective pick on the list.

As a young reader, the works of HP Lovecraft were a huge reason why I originally fell in love with the horror genre. This card seems like a deliberate reference to The Shadow over Innsmouth, one of my favorite Lovecraft stories (even if the ideology behind the story is scarier than the narrative itself). Seeing such a well-done reimagining of that story’s conclusion – whether intentional on Falcone’s part or not – is a big treat and makes this my favorite piece from the set.

How Can I Get Some of This Art?

MTG Arena

MTG Arena uses the artwork from each set to create cosmetics like sleeves and avatars. Currently, the Pack Bundle pre-order includes sleeves featuring art from Kaito, Bane of Nightmares, the Play Bundle includes sleeves with Zimone, All-Questioning’s art, and the art from Winter, Misanthropic Guide comes on sleeves from the Pass Bundle.

Ultra Pro

Though they haven't shown which art they’ll be using from Duskmourn yet, Ultra Pro always partners with Magic to create playmats and accessories using official art from the game. Their Bloomburrow accessories can give you an idea of what to expect from Duskmourn releases.

Magic Artists

One great way to find prints or accessories featuring Magic art is to go directly to the source, the artists. There are a few ways you can buy art from Magic artists in the form of prints, playmats, or other accessories.

Demonic Counsel | Illustration by Bastien Grivet

One option is Original Magic Art, a site that partners with Magic artists to sell their work. Currently, they have Duskmourn art from Demonic Counsel illustrated by Bastien Grivet.

You can also search for prints by specific artists. Just check the byline on the bottom of whatever card you like and see if the artist sells their work online. Dominik Mayer for instance has an ArtStation profile where he sells some of his MTG art.

Wrap Up

Murder | Illustration by Domenico Cava

I’m excited about Duskmourn’s art direction. I’m happy to see Magic being willing to embrace some of the grittier elements of a horror set after being somewhat let down by our most recent visit to New Phyrexia.

When discussing artwork, it’s important to remember that it can’t really be ranked objectively. No two Magic players are going to sit down and come up with the exact same list of their favorite art from a given set. I’d love to hear what your favorite pieces of art from this set are. Let me know in the comments, or on Draftsim’s Twitter. You can also check out our Discord server where we have a variety of ways to chat about Magic.

Thank you for reading and see you next time!

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