Drew Tucker

For more than four decades, Drew Tucker has been one of fantasy gaming’s most distinctive artistic voices. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome Drew to Gen Con, where he’ll be meeting players, signing cards, and debuting a brand-new Gen Con exclusive art print featuring his original Sorcery: Contested Realm illustration, 

Ahead of his Gen Con appearance, Drew shared with us how 

 came to life and what continues to inspire him.

Every Sorcery illustration begins with a prompt from Erik Olofsson, but from there, each artist brings their own process, perspective, and personality to the canvas.

, Erik’s brief pointed Drew toward the historical Persian Immortals, an elite military force that served as the king’s royal guard. From there, the real work began.

“I used tons of references,” Drew explains. “Erik sent me toward the historical Immortals, so I did a lot of armor research… and then bastardized it a little bit, because it’s me!” 

The challenge wasn’t simply recreating history, it was finding the balance between authenticity and fantasy. While many people immediately think of depictions like the warriors from 

, Drew wanted the painting to stand on its own, grounded in history while unmistakably belonging to the realm of Sorcery.

While the armor came from historical research, the emotion behind the painting came from a much more personal place.

“I was in marching band once,” Drew laughs. “I was a trumpet player. All I wanted to do was play jazz, but instead I found myself in marching band. I hated it.”

Standing in formation for long parades, waiting in the sweltering summer heat before anything happened, became an unexpected source of inspiration.

“I’m not a morning person,” he says. “You’re standing there in the heat, putting on your face, waiting. I’d rather be doing almost anything else.”

That feeling of restrained frustration found its way into 

“I wanted that standoff where you’re just waiting. In marching band you’re waiting to march. These guys are waiting to crush somebody.”

Rather than depicting battle itself, the painting captures the quiet tension beforehand, when discipline barely conceals overwhelming power.

The mood of the piece extends beyond its composition, with the armor itself being a key element in setting the tone.

“I wanted the gold armor to feel darker and more intimidating,” Drew says. “Bright gold can feel almost angelic, but that wasn’t what I was going for.”

Instead, the armor is subdued beneath deep shadows, with muted tones giving the warriors a quiet, imposing presence. Heat shimmers through the negative space, softening the distant forms while drawing the eye toward the figures waiting in silence.

“I was trying to articulate the heat, the air, and that energy around them.”

The result is a painting that feels less like a snapshot of combat and more like a breath held just before history changes.

For Drew, every painting is an opportunity to learn something new. “I get excited every time I get to paint. Each painting poses a different problem, and I get to learn so many different things," he shares. That curiosity extends far beyond the canvas.

“I love doing reference work because you get to learn so much about things you didn’t know about. Then when you’re painting, you’re reconstructing your understanding of those things.”

Perhaps Drew describes the process best with a single thought: “When you’re painting and drawing, you’re having a conversation with objects.”

That philosophy feels right at home in Sorcery. Every card begins not as pixels on a screen, but as an artist engaging with history, imagination, and the physical act of putting paint to canvas. 

 is one of those paintings best appreciated in person, and you’ll be able to see the original on display at the Erik’s Curiosa booth during Gen Con.

Throughout Gen Con, Drew Tucker will be at the Erik’s Curiosa booth signing cards, meeting players, and offering his exclusive 

 art print. One hundred percent of every Gen Con exclusive art print sale, whether it’s 

, goes directly to the artist. It’s a wonderful opportunity to take home a beautiful piece of Sorcery while celebrating the artists who bring the realm to life.

Whether you’ve admired Drew’s work for decades or are discovering his art through Sorcery for the first time, Gen Con is a wonderful opportunity to meet the artist behind the brush, hear the stories behind the paintings, and celebrate the human craftsmanship that brings the realm to life.

We look forward to seeing you at Booth #3046.

Meet Drew Tucker at Gen Con 2026

This past weekend, 128 Sorcerers from across Europe and beyond gathered in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, for SorceryFest 2026, the third Grand Contest of the 2026 Organized Play season.

Some travels only a few hours, others crossed countries to be there. Regardless of how far they came, they arrived with the same goals in mind, to compete, to meet artists, to reconnect with old friends, and to spend an entire weekend immersed in Sorcery.

By the time the Grand Contest had concluded, 

 had once again proven why it has become one of the community’s most beloved annual traditions.

Grand Contests celebrate competition, but SorceryFest has always been about something larger. Throughout the weekend, players filled the hall not only for the Grand Contest, but for Alpha Drafts, Gothic Drafts, King of the Hill multiplayer games, artist signings, casual play, and countless conversations between rounds.

While many competitors arrived with months of preparation behind them, others were attending their first major Sorcery event. Veterans sat across from newcomers. Rivals became trading partners. Spectators became friends.

As always, the matches were only part of the story.

While SorceryFest celebrates the entire community, the Grand Contest also represents one of Europe’s premier tests of mastery.

Congratulations to Geoffrey Tejedor, whose Archimago claimed victory after navigating a field of 128 competitors. One of the weekend’s most remarkable storylines came in the finals themselves. Geoffrey and Kirran had already faced one another in the championship match of a London event just one week earlier. Against all odds, they met again with the SorceryFest title on the line.

(updated 7/8 with corrected stats for Archimago)

Every Grand Contest offers another glimpse into an evolving metagame, and SorceryFest continued that trend. With more than 125 competitors, players brought an extraordinary range of strategies to the tables.

Necromancer tied the front of the the field with fourteen pilots, while, Geomancer, and Pathfinder each attracted twelve competitors. Imposter and Sorcerer followed closely behind.

Perhaps most excitingly, more than twenty different Avatars were represented in the the Grand Contest. From Bladedancer to Corruptor, Dragonlord to Avatar of Water, competitors continued to demonstrate the creativity that defines Sorcery deckbuilding. Archimago proved the breakout story of the weekend, claiming four of the Top 8 positions; more than any Avatar has achieved at a Grand Contest so far this season. It gives players around the world another fascinating puzzle to study before Melbourne later this month.

Competitive play may bring players together, but community is what keeps everyone coming back.

Beyond the championship tables, players filled casual drafts and multiplayer events while the Top 8 played out on stream. Rather than ending when players were eliminated, SorceryFest simply transformed into another opportunity to keep playing.

One especially memorable moment came after the finals, when commentator Robert was surprised live on stream with the Community Uncut Sheet in recognition of everything he has done for European Sorcery coverage.

None of this happens without the people working behind the scenes. Our sincere thanks go to Ron Dijkstra, Richard Boonstra, the Trolls of the Realm team, the judges, volunteers, artists, photographers, commentators, and everyone whose countless hours made SorceryFest possible.

Every Grand Contest creates stories that will be retold long after the standings are forgotten.

A Pirate Ship dealing fifteen damage. A Coy Nixie, Lord of Lies and Whirling Blades combination for eighteen damage. A Courtesan Thais stealing an opponent’s turn and using their own Major Explosion to finish the game. When asked about the unforgettable defeat, the defeated player simply smiled and replied, “If you lose like this, you can only smile.”

Those are the moments that define Sorcery.

Whether it was spectacular gameplay, incredible topdecks, unforgettable drafts, or conversations that started over a trade binder and ended in lasting friendships, SorceryFest reminded us once again that the best stories are often the ones nobody could have predicted.

Creativity has always been one of Sorcery’s defining pillars, and at SorceryFest it extended well beyond the tables.

 spent the weekend meeting players, signing cards, sharing stories behind their work, and offering original paintings and prints. For many attendees, these moments became just as memorable as the matches themselves. With players eager to have favorite cards signed, discover new pieces of artwork, and thank the illustrators whose work has helped shape the world of Sorcery, conversations often lasted far longer than the signatures themselves, turning brief encounters into lasting memories.

Three Grand Contests are now in the books, each telling a different story.

Washington DC introduced Organized Play 2026. Las Vegas showed the metagame refusing to settle. SorceryFest demonstrated just how vibrant the European community has become.

 on July 25-26 before the Organized Play season continues at 

, where both Limited and Constructed Grand Contests await. 

The realm keeps growing and we’ll see you at the next table.

 SorceryFest 2026: The Third Grand Contest of the Year

For years, a passionate Sorcery community has been growing in Italy. This September 26-27, Magic Maze in Prato, Italy makes it official, hosting the Grand Contest that the Italian Sorcery community has been working toward since the very beginning.


Players from across Italy and neighboring European countries are invited to come and compete, connect, and celebrate a scene that has earned its moment on the international stage.

Magic Maze has been a driving force behind the Sorcery scene in Italy for years now, building a passionate and welcoming community from the ground up. Now, they open their doors to players from across the region for a Grand Contest that celebrates everything the game has become.

The Grand Contest takes center stage across the weekend, with players competing in a constructed tournament for exclusive Grand Contest prizes, including:

Alt-art Croaking Swamp (all participants)

Foil Silver Bullet for top finisher per 32 players (e.g. top 2 players if 33-64 players)

Uncut Gothic Print sheets for top placement and recognizing an exemplar of fair play or Sorcery spirit

Beyond the main event, the team is planning special guests, artists, and additional attractions to make the weekend feel like more than just a tournament. The Grand Contest will take center stage on September 26, with side events running on September 27 alongside the Top Cut. As Federico puts it, “We want to make the event feel special beyond the tournament itself.”


Prato sits at the heart of Tuscany, minutes from Florence, with easy transport links and extraordinary food and hospitality waiting beyond the venue doors. "Players can expect not only a great tournament, but also fantastic hospitality, great food, and the chance to visit one of the most beautiful areas of Italy," Federico says. "We want everyone who travels here to feel that the trip was absolutely worth it."

Inside the venue, players can expect a friendly and energetic atmosphere from a team that genuinely loves this game. Whether it is your first Sorcery event or your fifteenth, you will be welcomed like you belong there.

For Federico and the Magic Maze team, this event carries weight beyond the competitive side of the game. "Hosting a Grand Contest is a huge honor for our store and our local players," he shares. "It shows that the Italian Sorcery community is growing and deserves a place on the international stage." The hope is that this becomes a recurring meeting point for players from across Italy and nearby countries, and proof that Italy can host high-level Sorcery events that players will want to return to year after year.

More details on registration, side events, and special guests will be announced soon. You can connect with Magic Maze 

Sorcery's Grand Contest Comes to Italy

Event Details:

What to Expect

More Than Just a Destination

Italy Welcomes the Realm

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SorceryFest 2026: The Third Grand Contest of the Year