Cards by Ryo Ueda: TCG Illustrator Guide

Ryo Ueda (Japanese: 植田亮 Ueda Ryō) is a 3D illustrator for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Following the development of 3D software and the death of the game's original 3D artist Keiji Kinebuchi, Ryo Ueda became one of the TCG's prominent 3D artists. His first cards were EX Ruby & Sapphire, EX Ruby & Sapphire, and EX Ruby & Sapphire from the EX Ruby & Sapphire expansion. He would go on to provide many illustrations for Trainer cards and high-rarity Pokémon such as Pokémon-ex, Pokémon LV.X, and Full Art Pokémon-EX. During the Sun & Moon and Sword & Shield Series, Ueda also contributed various gold etched Secret cards.

Many of the Pokémon he has portrayed are powerful variants within the game, therefore Ueda creates solid renders and plays with lighting and elemental image effects, such as fire or lightning to often give the Pokémon a dominant presence. For non-Pokémon card images, he usually creates the item or location in the foreground and develops an accompanying background or environment to fit the purpose.