# Canvas ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2021 - **BGG Rating**: 7.2 - **BGG Rank**: #595 - **Players**: 1-5 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 30 min - **Weight**: 1.73 / 5 - **Designers**: Andrew Nerger, Jeffrey Chin - **Artists**: Luan Huynh - **Publishers**: Road To Infamy Games (R2i Games), ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Awaken Realms, CoolPlay, Engames, GateOnGames - **Categories**: Card Game, Puzzle - **Mechanics**: Auction: Dutch, Contracts, Hand Management, Increase Value of Unchosen Resources, Layering, Open Drafting ## Verdict If you enjoy a visual and strategic puzzle, Canvas is a work of art that will charm you with its beauty and clever gameplay!Visually stunning experienceInnovative layering mechanicEngaging strategic puzzleEasy to learn rulesHigh replayabilityLimited player interactionCan have some analysis paralysisHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description In Canvas, you step into the shoes of a talented artist, diving headfirst into an art competition to create the most impressive works. The core of the game lies in collecting beautiful, transparent art cards and layering three of them to compose your own unique painting. Each card not only displays a piece of artwork but also a set of icons crucial for scoring. The clever twist is that, depending on how you layer them, some icons might be revealed or hidden, turning each painting into a super interesting and strategic puzzle. Scoring is dynamic, based on scoring cards that change every game, ensuring each playthrough is a fresh experience. The game concludes once all participants have completed and scored three paintings. On your turn, you have two options: take an Art card or create a painting. Art cards are selected from a central row, and each position has an associated 'inspiration' cost. When taking a card, you pay its cost by placing inspiration tokens on the cards to its left. If you don't have enough inspiration, that specific card cannot be yours. But here's a neat trick: if the card you chose already had inspiration tokens on it, they are yours to use in future turns! The leftmost card is always free, a real boon. Once you have at least three Art cards, you can decide to create a painting. Choose three of your art cards, arrange them in any order you wish, and then score them by comparing the visible icons with the conditions on the scoring cards. The painter with the most points at the end claims victory! ## How to Play Game Objective You are a painter competing in a prestigious art festival. Your goal is to collect transparent Art Cards and layer them to create paintings. By choosing specific cards and arranging them in a particular order, you reveal or cover Icons that trigger various scoring conditions. The player who earns the most points by the end of the game wins Best In Show! Setup Place the Canvas Mat in the center of play. Place any 4 Scoring Cards on the Canvas Mat’s colored spaces (or use a Scenario setup). For your first game, it is recommended to use Variety, Repetition, Emphasis, and Composition. Place the Ribbons in 5 piles next to the matching Ribbon icons on the Canvas Mat. Shuffle the Art Cards and place them in the Deck Box on the deck space. Draw 5 Art Cards and place them face-up in the spaces to the left of the Deck Box. Each player takes 3 sleeved Background Cards. Each player takes 4 Inspiration Tokens. Game Flow The player who painted most recently takes the first turn, and play proceeds in clockwise order. On your turn, you must choose one of two possible actions: Take an Art Card or Complete a Painting. There is a hand limit of 5 Art Cards. If you already have 5 cards in hand, you are forced to Complete a Painting as your next action. Actions and How to Play Take an Art Card If you have fewer than 5 Art Cards in hand, you may take one from the mat using these rules: Free Card: You may take the card farthest from the deck for free. Skipping Cards: To take a card farther down the row, you must place one Inspiration Token on every card you skip. Collecting Tokens: If the card you take has Inspiration Tokens on it, you take those tokens along with the card. After taking a card, slide the remaining cards (and any tokens on them) to the left to fill the empty space, then draw a new Art Card from the deck to fill the space next to the deck. Complete a Painting If you have at least 3 Art Cards, you may perform this action: Select exactly 3 Art Cards and sleeve them with 1 of your Background Cards. Layer the Art Cards in any order you choose. Note: Only visible Icons count for scoring; covered Icons are ignored. Show your painting to the other players and read its title. Compare the visible Icons to the Scoring Cards. Each time a condition is met, take a Ribbon from the supply. Silver Bonus Icons: Take a Silver Ribbon for each Element that matches a Silver Bonus Icon on the painting. Important: Some scoring conditions can be met multiple times with one painting. Generally, each Element can only be counted once per scoring condition. You cannot take more Ribbons than those depicted on the Scoring Card. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when all players have completed 3 paintings. Once a player completes their third painting, their remaining turns are skipped. Final Scoring: Calculate your score by adding the points from each set of matching Ribbons. The value of each Ribbon set is determined by comparing the number of Ribbons in that set to the corresponding Scoring Card. Silver Ribbons are worth 2 points each. Winning: The player with the most points wins. In the event of a tie, the player with more Inspiration Tokens wins. If still tied, a neutral person judges the artwork to declare the winner. Tips for Winning Manage your tokens: Use Inspiration Tokens strategically to skip to the specific Art Cards you need to meet complex scoring conditions. Layering is key: Since covered Icons are ignored, the order in which you layer your 3 Art Cards is critical to revealing the Elements required for Ribbons. Maximize Silver: Look for Silver Bonus Icons to earn Silver Ribbons, as they provide a consistent 2 points each. ## FAQ ### Is Canvas a complex game? Is it good for beginners? No, Canvas is quite accessible! With a BGG weight of 1.73, it's considered light. The rules are easy to understand, and the core mechanic of layering cards is super intuitive. It's great for newcomers to the hobby or for those looking for a relaxing game with interesting decisions. ### How many players can participate in a game of Canvas? Canvas can be played by 1 to 5 players. The experience changes slightly with the number of participants, but the core gameplay remains fun in all configurations, including the solo mode! ### What is the average game duration? A game of Canvas usually lasts between 30 and 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for a quick session or to fit between longer games. It's one of those games you can play multiple times in a row! ### Are the components of good quality? What should I expect? Yes, the components are one of Canvas's highlights! The transparent cards are beautiful and of excellent quality, and the cloth board adds a premium touch. It's a game that impresses both visually and tactically. ### Is there much player interaction? Interaction in Canvas is more indirect. You compete for available art cards and scoring conditions, but there are no direct attacks or sabotage. It's more of a personal optimization game, where you focus on creating the best possible painting. ### Is the replayability high? Absolutely! The scoring cards change every game, creating different objectives and encouraging new strategies. Furthermore, the variety of art cards and the endless layering combinations ensure that each game is a unique experience. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 35.04 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3424937&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/38486/canvas?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com