Randy Gallegos: Art of the Day

Randy Gallegos: Art of the Day

MTG: Giant Mantis (1996)

Pet portrait

Oct 27, 2025
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An Artist Proof card of this image is available for purchase here.

In 1996, I had a pet praying mantis. I don’t think it lasted even the whole year in the little terrarium I made, but I enjoyed having it in the studio. It turns out that I then painted mantids twice in 1996, once by assignment, once by choice though it was related. This was the former.

Giant Mantis appeared in Magic’s Mirage expansion in 1996

I no longer have record of the crude Sharpie fax drawing for this one, but I do have the full-sized pencil drawing I made, which I transferred down to the board to paint.

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