Full Art vs. Old Border: Choosing the Right Frame for Your Custom Card

The frame is more than just a container for your card's text and art—it sets the mood. Choosing the right frame is one of the most important artistic decisions you make when designating a custom card.

1. The Classic "Old Border" (Pre-8th Edition)

The Look: Beveled edges, stony textures, and the iconic "brown" artifacts. Best For:

• Nostalgia: Cards that feel like they belong in 1994.
• Simple Mechanics: Old borders look cluttered with too much text. They work best with vanilla creatures or simple enchantments.
• Vintage Cube: If you are proxying Power 9, you must use the old border.

2. The Modern "M15" Border (Current Standard)

The Look: Clean lines, larger art box, machine-readable font (Beleren) in the title, and the "holofoil" stamp oval at the bottom. Best For:

• Legibility: The black text on light backgrounds is the easiest to read.
• Complex Cards: If your card has 3 abilities and flavor text, the M15 frame handles the spacing best.
• "Official" Feel: If you want your card to look like it could be opened in a booster pack today.

3. Full Art / Borderless

The Look: The art extends to the very edges of the card. The text box is often transparent or floating. Best For:

• Commanders: Your General should stand out.
• Lands: Full Art lands are a staple for a reason—they look gorgeous.
• Showcasing Art: If you have an incredible piece of AI art or a commission, don't hide it behind thick borders.

4. Alternate Frames (Showcase)

Wizards has released dozens of creative frames: "Neon Dynasty" glow frames, "Eldraine" storybook frames, etc. Best For:

• Theme Decks: Building a fairy tale deck? Use the Eldraine frame.
• Flavor Over Function: These frames trade some readability for pure style.

Conclusion

Don't be afraid to mix and match! A Commander deck with a mix of Old Border artifacts and Full Art lands has a unique texture that tells a story about its pilot. Experiment with TCGCustom's frame selector to see what makes your card pop.