.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
In fantasy games, especially tabletop ones, it’s often the art that makes a world feel real and vibrant. The elements you look at translate it into imagination, evoking wonder, danger, beauty, and history even in a single glance. This is also very true for Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game, a new adaptation of the beloved franchise and the universe full of wonderful creatures, heroes and structures. Now—in a completely new form of a physical expandable card game (ECG).
The transition from digital battlefields and miniature boards to hand-held cards demanded a reimagining of familiar designs. But it also opened the door to bold artistic interpretations that seamlessly honor the legacy while allowing space for creativity to flourish. To celebrate such wonder that is art, we spoke with two of the key creative minds shaping the visual identity of Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game.
Table of Contents
- Artist Overview
- Interview with Iana Vengerova and Magdalena Katańska
- Final Thoughts and Hopes for the Future
Artist Overview
Magdalena Katańska
Senior Concept Artist at Absurd Ventures, known for her creature designs and the stunning art created for the Heroes of Might and Magic III vinyl soundtrack release. Her work on the TCG’s faction packs introduces visual storytelling that goes beyond just unit design.
ArtStation: magdalenakatanska
Instagram: magdalenakatanskaart
Iana Vengerova
Artist at Plarium RPG Department and a Lead Artist on Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Board Game. Now one of the lead illustrators for the TCG, Iana brings her deep fandom and artistic precision to every creature card. Her dragons, in particular, have become a visual hallmark of the project.
ArtStation: drowsyfox
Instagram: yanavenge
Together, they reflect on the process of interpreting a rich fantasy IP through modern fantasy art, navigating the balance between fandom and originality, and the joy of bringing static cards to life through dynamic, expressive design.
Interview with Iana Vengerova and Magdalena Katańska
As the 30th anniversary of the Heroes of Might and Magic universe approaches, we’re taking the opportunity to spotlight the incredible artists who have helped shape and expand this fantasy universe full of magic.
Iana, Magdalena, thank you both for your contributions—your talent brings life to the franchise and gives it personality and uniqueness.
IANA VENGEROVA
Q: You were the lead artist for Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Board Game and are a lifelong fan of the franchise. Now, creating the artwork of the creatures for Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game—How does it feel, as an artist, to see this universe expanding into different types of media?
A: I’m genuinely thrilled to return to a universe that has already become a defining theme in my career! I'm sincerely grateful to Archon Studio and Ubisoft for entrusting me with the visual side of the card game adaptation. Personally—and I know many of my board game and card game friends feel the same—I see a lot of value in this new format. A lighter, faster version of the game fits perfectly into situations where you don’t have time or space to set up the full board game.
Q: How do you balance fan expectations with your own creative vision when redesigning iconic characters or creatures?
A: Last time, with the board game, the process was a bit different—it all started from my own redesigns that I created just for fun, as a fan of the series. Some of those early versions were quite free in interpretation, as you can still see in my portfolio. A few of them sparked mixed reactions from the fans of the game—and I absolutely understood that. These characters are deeply loved, and any changes can feel personal to long-time fans. The teams at both Archon and Ubisoft recognized this as well, so once I officially joined the project, I adjusted several of my early redesigns to bring them closer to the originals, and for the rest of the factions, I stayed much more faithful to the classic designs.
With the card game, things are more straightforward—I work from the incredible character concepts provided by Vicky and the Ubisoft team, and I follow those closely in my illustrations. These designs are carefully thought out and deeply rooted in the franchise, so I hope longtime fans will feel that same spark of recognition and excitement when they see them. That said, having clear designs doesn’t limit creativity—quite the opposite! In fact, it opens space to explore storytelling through lighting, composition, effects and atmosphere.
That became my main creative challenge here: to introduce a more dynamic, atmospheric, and realistic style—something that would set this project apart visually as a fresh and reimagined interpretation. And I think here is the perfect timing to say huge thanks to Vicky Malineau and Viviane Souza—their thoughtful direction and kind, steady feedback made the process smooth, focused, and a real joy to be part of.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece of artwork you’ve created for the Might and Magic universe?
A: Would it be a cliché if I said “dragons” again? 😉
Well, dragons, anything with horses, and of course, all the pieces from my favorite faction—Fortress. I honestly don’t know why I love those swampy creatures so much… and between us, I’m currently painting one of them and drawing what feels like the thousandth scale—and still genuinely enjoying it. That said, working on every piece has been and is a real pleasure, even if some of them became personal favorites.
Q: When choosing a dynamic pose for a creature or a hero, what guides your decision most - its abilities, personality, faction, or something else?
A: Oh, that’s such a great question—and yes, it usually starts with the creature’s abilities. Every unit in the Heroes universe has its own unique way of attacking or defending, and since we went for a more dynamic illustration style this time, most of the creatures are shown mid-action—attacking, moving, reacting - so understanding their combat style was key.
Faction also plays a big role. For example, the Elves—as a more graceful and balanced faction—ended up with some of the most serene and harmonious scenes. And of course, as an artist, I always try to imagine what kind of personality a creature might have. That helps make the illustration more expressive - whether it’s a desperate ghost woman rushing around in a haunted forest, or a peaceful unicorn laying in a sunlit glade... or maybe a hydra sniffing out trespassers (a little teaser for an upcoming piece 😉).
And speaking of visual inspiration—my biggest influence for this project was actually the amazing artworks from the game Gwent, which I still play (Monsters faction, hands up anyone else?). I’ve long admired that style, so taking a closer look at the work of Gwent’s incredible artists gave me a lot of insight and inspiration for my illustrations.
Q: What are your final thoughts after working on this franchise? Is there anything you'd personally like to see in its future?
A: Of course! First of all—I wish this project wild success (not entirely selflessly, I’ll admit)! I’m really looking forward to playing the finished game with my friends and family—I have no doubt it’ll be a blast. And of course, I want to thank both the amazing teams at Archon Studio and Ubisoft—everyone who has made this project possible and continues to keep everything running smoothly throughout its development. And finally, thank you to everyone reading this interview for your interest and support. I’m truly grateful for the trust and the opportunity to be a part of it all.
Q: For aspiring fantasy artists: What advice would you give to someone hoping to turn their passion for a franchise into professional opportunities?
A: I have one clear piece of advice—something that’s truly worked in my own experience: just keep creating. Create with passion, with doubts, through stumbles, small wins, and happy little accidents—but keep creating. And then, most importantly—share your work with the world. Don’t wait for it to feel “perfect.” Don’t let thoughts like “this isn’t good enough yet” stop you—trust me, I’ve made that mistake myself. Every creative piece has the right to be shared. That’s the only way people can discover your art—and the only way passion can turn into real opportunities.
You’ve got this!
MAGDALENA KATAŃSKA
Q: Among many things, you designed the faction expansion pack artworks for Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game. Which faction is your absolute favorite? And which one gave you the most creative challenges?
A: I have three factions that I love with a passion. Rampart, Dungeon and Fortress. When I'm playing Heroes, it's always one of those three. I have a huge fascination with mythical creatures and those factions have a range of absolutely incredible units when it comes to their design and story. I admire Rampart for its haunting beauty that reminds me of works of JRR Tolkien; Fortress being an all lizard dwelling which is a great visual concept in itself, and Dungeon for my all-time favorite creature—the black dragon.
When it comes to artistic challenges, the hardest faction to portray for me was Inferno, with the color scheme being more or less the same, it wasn't easy to create a composition that would make me satisfied in the same way as other towns.
Q: How do you balance fan expectations with your own creative vision when redesigning iconic characters or creatures?
A: I don't really cater to fan expectations. The reason I started making Heroes art was the sheer amount of images I already had in my head, that I needed to put out on 'canvas'. You know, to paint them in a way I saw them as a child, but with a touch of realism. I always wanted to paint them evoking the same feelings as HoMM III sprites. The fact that a lot of fans embraced my vision of Heroes creatures is an unexpected bonus, that makes me feel extremely happy and honored. This time my task was to work with creature redesigns provided by Ubisoft. I still wanted to give them my personal touch and interpretation, while not interfering too heavily with the fresh vision from Ubisoft. It was a very fun and interesting artistic challenge.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece of artwork you’ve created for the Might and Magic universe?
A: My favorite HoMM III artwork so far was the Heroes of Might and Magic III Official Soundtrack Vinyl. You know this feeling when you're a kid, and you’re drawing for the sheer fun of drawing? Not to impress anyone, nor for likes on social media, it’s just you and your imagination. This feeling doesn’t happen very often when you’re a professional artist, because you need to follow many guidelines and keep your imagination in a certain frame. With the vinyl project there was none of that and I could let my imagination fly freely. I think of it very fondly.
Q: When choosing a dynamic pose for a creature or a hero, what guides your decision most—its abilities, personality, faction, or something else?
A: I would say all of the above. Also, there are a lot of small rules in art that are important to follow, like ‘ the silhouette has to look readable against the background’ or ‘what emotions do I want it to evoke’ but in my experience the rule for dynamic posing that works the best is—it has to look really cool.
Q: What are your final thoughts after working on this franchise? Is there anything you'd personally like to see in its future?
A: I have a lot of thoughts, mainly nostalgic ones. Never in a million years would I think I would be making artworks for my favorite franchise. It makes me feel very grateful and happy. My wish would be for this franchise to expand further, always in line with the atmosphere and artstyle of the original HoMM III game. It is what made this game special and we should never let it disappear.
Q: For aspiring fantasy artists: What advice would you give to someone hoping to turn their passion for a franchise into professional opportunities.
A: Invest time and hard work in your dreams, and don't get discouraged by the bleak world or people who don't believe in you. Listen to constructive criticism and make peace with the fact that there will always be something new to learn. Never stop creating! Good luck!
Final Thoughts and Hopes for The Future
Through expressive poses, layered color palettes, and clever visual storytelling, the artwork of Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game draws players into a universe that feels versatile, alive, and worth exploring even in different forms than they are used to. Translating the HoMM universe to a tradable card game was certainly a challenge for our artists, but they wonderfully managed to keep it cohesive and alive. Whether reimagining a familiar creature or designing a new interpretation of a faction, their work elevates the game beyond its mechanics, turning each card into a story of its own, a story that players can experience in the comfort of their own homes.
Once more—a big thank you to Iana and Magdalena for participating in this interview and sharing with us a little behind-the-scenes of this world full of wonders!
