How to Make Foil MTG Proxies: A DIY Guide

There is something undeniably special about a foil Magic card. The way it catches the light, the premium feel—it makes your favorite commanders and staples shine. But buying real foils for every deck can be prohibitively expensive. Enter the world of DIY foil proxies. In this guide, we'll walk you through the most popular method: "blanking" a real foil card and applying a transparent decal.

What You'll Need

• Bulk Foil Cards: Grab some cheap common foils you don't mind destroying.
• Acetone (100%): Standard nail polish remover often works, but 100% acetone is faster.
• Cotton Pads/Rag: For scrubbing the ink off.
• Inkjet Vinyl or Window Decal Paper: Must be transparent or clear.
• Inkjet Printer: A standard home printer works fine.
• Spray Sealant (Optional): To protect the ink.
• Mask (Safety First): Use acetone in a well-ventilated area.

Step 1: "Blanking" the Foil

This is the process of removing the original ink to reveal the shiny foil layer underneath.

1. Prepare your workspace: Lay down some newspaper or a mat. Open a window.
2. Apply Acetone: Dip your cotton pad in acetone.
3. Scrub: Gently scrub the face of the card. You'll see the ink coming off.
   • Tip: Tape off the borders if you want to keep the original black border! This is harder but looks very professional.
4. Clean: Once the card is silver and shiny, wide it down with a clean paper towel to remove any ink residue.

Note: Newer cards (post-M15) are sometimes harder to blank than older ones. Experiment with a few junk foils first.

Step 2: Preparing Your Design

You need an image that is partially transparent.

1. Design your card: Use a tool like TCGCustom.
2. Adjust for Foil: Remember, white ink does not print on most home printers. Anything "white" in your image will be transparent, showing the foil underneath.
   • This is perfect for text boxes and borders!
   • If you don't want an area to be metallic (like the artwork), you might need to make that part of the image slightly opaque or darker, but generally, the metallic shine coming through the art looks cool.
3. Flip Everything? No! Unlike other transfer methods, with clear vinyl adhesive, you print normally (not mirrored).

Step 3: Printing

1. Load your sticker paper: Make sure you print on the correct side (the sticky side usually has a backing).
2. Printer Settings: Choose "Photo Glossy" or "High Quality" settings.
3. Let it dry: Give the ink at least 10-15 minutes to fully dry. Wet ink will smear instantly.

Step 4: Application

This is the tricky part.

1. Cut roughly: Cut out your printed card, leaving a small margin around the edges.
2. ** peel:** Peel back a small corner of the backing.
3. Align: Line up the sticker with your blanked foil card.
4. Apply: Slowly stick it down, smoothing it out with your finger or a credit card to avoid air bubbles.
5. Trim: Once applied, use scissors or an X-Acto knife to trim the excess sticker flush with the card edge.

Step 5: Finishing Touches

Your card is done! It should look fantastic.

• Sealing: Some inks remain tacky or can smudge with water (sweaty hands). A light coat of clear acrylic spray can lock it in.
• Sleeving: Always play these in sleeves. The added thickness of the sticker is usually negligible in a sleeve (especially double-sleeved), but unsleeved it will be noticeable.

Troubleshooting

• Bubbles? You applied it too fast. Go slower next time.
• Smeared ink? You didn't let it dry long enough, or your printer settings were too heavy on ink.
• Foil not shiny enough? Your transparency film might be too cloudy. Look for "crystal clear" brands.

Making foil proxies is a craft. Your first few might look rough, but with practice, you'll be making cards that rival the real thing—customized exactly to your liking!