Canvas (2021)
Published by: Road To Infamy
Players: 1-5
Age: 14+
Play Time: 30
Overview: You are a painter in an art competition creating three pieces to be judged. As the competition moves along, you collect and create various layered artworks, each with their own style and elements. The competition ends after each artist has created 3 unique paintings. The artist with the most points wins!
Main Mechanics:
Card drafting
Hand management
Set collection
Components Review: The components in Canvas are fantastic. The first thing you notice is the beautiful box. No name or stats on the front, just a beautiful piece of art, which if you're doing it right is hanging on the wall! Though it is a gimmick, this game can be hung on the wall and looks so good that way. The cards are just as great. In the base game you receive 60 translucent plastic cards with unique art screen printed on each. While you can see the various smudges and scratches on each, it is not an issue once they are stacked for gameplay. A canvas play mat is also included with the game. Though not necessary it is definitely welcome, creating an organized play space. It is thin but feels durable. I have the deluxe edition of Canvas which included wooden ribbons for scoring. The pieces have unique shapes and are definitely worth the upgrade. Wooden piece are so much easier to grab and definitely fit better with this beauty. Lastly, the deluxe copy includes little wooden easels to display your art, which seem fragile, but also makes the whole thing come together. Overall, the game and components are just beautiful.
Gameplay Review:
Canvas is played over several rounds. On your turn you may take one of two actions: taking a card, or completing a piece. To take a card, you simply take one of 5 face up cards, going from left to right. However, if you want a card that isn't first in line, you need to pay for it by placing a palette token on each card you skip. You then add the card to you hand. To complete a painting, you simply stack three cards and a background to create a complete piece, placing them in a sleeve to hold it all together. Here is where the game takes place. Each card has icons at the bottom that represent different aspects of your art: Hue, Shape, Texture, and Tone. When drafting cards, and creating art, players must consider what the judges are looking for (each game there are 4 face up scoring cards that say how icons are scored). After all players complete 3 pieces, scoring takes place, and the player with the most points wins.
I really enjoyed Canvas, it is incredibly unique, the theme comes across well, and the gameplay is solid. Staking cards in such a way to maximize your points is a great puzzle. But if you're like me, you also want to create a piece that looks good, which makes the game that much trickier. Canvas is also the type of game I love, one that can kind of be played in the background. Since turns aren't super long or complex, you can talk and hang out while playing, which is something that often brings games back to the table for us.
Final Thoughts:
Canvas is one of the most unique, card drafting games I have ever played. It pairs really well with wine and a laid back evening.
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