Card Art - Why is it important?

[TimerClock14]

Lately I've been wondering why Card Art is so important in the Card Ideas system. It's so important, in fact, that it is actually a requirement to get into the polls.

But do we all know why? I'm sure we all have our own take on why, but is there any set reason why this is how it is?

Well I'm going to search for it. The purpose of this topic is to gather thoughts from all members of the Forum (who are willing to participate) on why card art is so important. All I request is your input, just a little blurb on why you think it's important.

I'll start off with my own reasoning:
Card Art is like the art for an album (music); it adds flavor, makes it look nice, but most importantly, it gives the album a certain uniqueness that makes it unique enough to be different from another album at a glance. The same applies to Card Art. When people vote in the polls, they would be incredibly discouraged and inconvenienced by a lack of visually stimulating art. This art (card art) keeps the voter interested and more likely to actually cast a vote rather than "tl;dr" the entire topic and move on. It also makes each card unique enough to be differentiated at a glance.

[ZephyrPhantom]

IMO, Card Art allows me to identify a card very quickly without having to remember any long worded effects or names. I also agree with the opinion that Card Art keeps the polls visually interesting and attracts voters if you have better art - it's similar to advertising, in a sense, but you're also improving the quality of your own cards and if you decide to make the art yourself you're also making your own 'art' in a sense.

Keep in mind that "Card Art" isn't just necessarily limited to the center box itself - for Pseudo Element Designing (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,30120.0.html) the art can also extend to custom marks and custom borders as well.

Overall, it's a combination of thinking outside the box and expressing yourself, just like any other art.

[Kamietsu]

Visual Identification. I would say more but you both have already stated the reasoning behind it. But for this, it is also required as a means of completing the whole. Cards, in almosst any card game anywhere have basic almost requirements to them. There is the border, or base of the card, that encompasses what it is entirely. There this is the name of the card, a way to identify the card and give that card some life. Then there is 'other' text, text that says what this card does or what it is about. Then there is the art. Visual identification, and also a means of giving more life to a card. A crd without art feels plain, almost like an empty shell.

[Hyroen]

Subjectively "good" card art is also what puts it in the game for a good amount of the voters.

While a card that is uninteresting won't make it far anyways, in this forum, where the idea for Card Idea submission is to donate a drop of creativity in the well that is Elements the Game, a submission that has card art, and "good" card art moreover, is easier to see in the game, and easier to vote for.

EDIT: 5*

Also, can the title be changed to "Card Art - Why is it important?"
That way it's a little more telling...

[EmeraldTiger]

For me the art is how I usually approach a card idea. I look into the image and try to figure out what it is saying to me. I ask with my inner voice "How would you behave?" I may even ask, "What is your name?" then often without warning the voice in the form of inspiration tells me the name and/or behavior of the image. Many time I am unable to hear the voice of an image, so I ask a friend if the image speaks to them. There have been a few times that I could hear the images voice before it was even completed. There are  those out there that may think "that guy is crazy, he is hearing voices." I am sure that other artist can hear the voices of their art. I don't really know why I attempt to make a card based on a piece of art first. All I know a card is not a finished product until it has art.

[Hyroen]

For me the art is how I usually approach a card idea. [etc]

[offtopic]
Interestingly enough, and though a little off topic, I find inspiration to be the best way to approach card designing. Artistic, mechanistic, etc. these are the most important components for a successful idea. Sometimes if you try too hard to come up with something, you get nothing.
[/offtopic]

[Krava]

/all said

And, if mechanic and art are meshing well together, we get better result, better feeling  than just sum  art+mechanic.

Result is greater then sum of its parts.

[NikaZaslavsky]

When I look through the card ideas, I am much more likely to look at and read cards with art. When I see a card without art, I almost always just skip it and look at others, even if it has an okay mechanic.