With the release of Arthurian Legends, Sorcery welcomed several new artists into its growing circle of traditional artists, among them Sam McKinnon, whose atmospheric storytelling brings a quiet sense of wonder to the Realm.
The Tranquil power of Pond
Like all Sorcery illustrations, the concept for the final card begins with a prompt from Sorcery Founder and Creative Director, Erik Olofsson. For Sam, his first ever prompt was just a single word: “Pond.”
Yet what he delivered was anything but simple. He created a scene that glows with warmth and a quiet sense of peace.
“I immediately knew I wanted to capture a sense of both serenity and rejuvenation,” Sam shares. “I used a warm golden palette to make the scene inviting, and reflected sunlight to center the viewer’s attention on the pond itself.”
A lifelong lover of fantasy art, Sam grew up sketching castles, knights, and enchanted forests alongside his four brothers, all encouraged by his mother. Though he initially pursued a career in business and marketing, he eventually found his way back to the arts through freelance illustration and graphic design. Today, his self-taught style and passion for nature now inform every brushstroke.
“The natural world has always been one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I’ll often go for walks in the forest to help bring a piece to life.”
For Pond, Sam pulled from the ancient temperate rainforests of England, places like Wistman’s Wood, where moss-covered branches twist above the forest floor like protective arms. This influence shows in the trees surrounding the pond, their wiry limbs gently curling inward as if shielding the animals beneath the canopy.
“I wanted the environment to feel like a sanctuary,” he explains. “The trees, the light, even the choice of the stag - it’s all meant to reflect that.”
The inclusion of the stag, a powerful and noble beast rooted in medieval mythology, ties beautifully into the gameplay: Pond allows players to summon beasts at a reduced cost. But more than a mechanical reflection, it’s a symbolic one, an elegant creature standing at the heart of a world that feels both timeless and sacred.
“This was my first commission for Sorcery, and I remember feeling a bit stressed,” Sam admits. “I wanted it to reflect my style, but also deliver something technically strong that resonated with the community. I was really happy when people responded so positively.”
Into the Fog: Vanishment
While Pond introduced the community to Sam’s sensitivity to light and mood, Vanishment showcases how his style can shift to something more mysterious and narrative-driven, all while still holding onto that signature atmosphere.
The prompt this time? “A spell that conceals a group of knights.”
“I had to find a way to visually depict knights being half-concealed by a magical effect,” Sam recalls. “I also knew it was a protective spell, so it had to feel friendly and safe, not ominous.”
His solution was a flowing fog, envisioned as a long, undulating strand that weaves through the verticals lines of trees, spears, and banners, blurring the boundary between nature and magic. A dark foreground suggests danger ahead, while the white mist creates a buffer between threat and the knights pressing forward.
“In my mind, I pictured the knights marching courageously behind enemy lines,” Sam says. “The fog became a way to show protection without removing the tension of the scene.”
As with all of Sam’s work, small details carry meaning. The leading knight wears a helmet crowned with an ornamental tower, a motif repeated on the shields. It’s a visual nod to defense and fortification, and a subtle layer of storytelling.
“The tower symbolizes protection, tying into the card’s mechanic,” Sam explains. “But I also liked it because it resembles a rook from chess. I’m a big fan of the game.”
Vanishment was the last painting Sam created for the Arthurian Legends set, and he saw it as a quiet culmination of his Sorcery journey. If you look closely, you’ll find echoes of his earlier work: the water from Pond, the tall grass from Sherwood Huntress, and the warm glow from Yellow Knight.
“I wanted it to be a kind of farewell to the set - something that brought those moments together in a single scene.”
To see more of Sam’s work, visit sammckinnon.com or follow him on Instagram @sammckinnonart. And the next time you draw Vanishment or Pond, take a moment to pause and feel the hush of the forest and feel the quiet power that flows through the Realm.
You can explore our full roster of Sorcery artists here.
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