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Art of the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt and White Flare Expansions

Revisit Unova and its Pokémon through the harmonious compositions of beautiful illustrations.

The latest Pokémon Trading Card Game expansions, Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt and Scarlet & Violet—White Flare, released July 18, 2025, featuring two exclusive card pools that include every Pokémon first discovered in Unova. Across both expansions, there are stunning illustrations depicting beloved Trainers and Pokémon for you to uncover—let’s take a look at some that you might find.

Art by rika

Pokémon TCG artist rika creates breathtaking environments for Pokémon using delicate, colorful line art that helps the Pokémon stand out in each piece. Cryogonal appears to be resting on a snowy mountaintop with soft tufts of snow drifting by—take note of the blue hues rika uses to add depth and soften the background. There is a similar use of contrast and color in Oshawott’s illustration, with added motion lines in the water guiding the viewer toward the Sea Otter Pokémon’s adorably smiling face.

The effects of colored line art in rika’s work can also be used to showcase the strength of a Pokémon like Samurott, who in this example is framed with lines that make it stand out against the dramatic swirls of the whirlpool it seems to be kicking up.

A Manor of Relaxation

We often see Pokémon depicted on action-packed adventures in the great outdoors, but what about when those Pokémon are taking a break inside? This illustration of Herdier by Makura Tami may give us a glimpse of what that looks like—the Loyal Dog Pokémon appears to be relaxing in a luxurious home, complete with tufted seating and plenty of books perfect for passing the time between adventures. Purrloin, illustrated by Mugi Hamada, is a colorfully painted peek at the Devious Pokémon between bouts of mischief, resting on what looks to be its Trainer’s bed. The lacy curtains and dappled color on the quilt—not to mention the adorable plush tucked by the window—ties together the coziness of the artwork and almost puts us in the mood for a nap.

As for Kuroimori’s illustration of Chandelure in the dining hall, we’re not sure whether this is what it considers to be relaxing between adventures, but the showmanship of the floating plates and silverware certainly makes us curious to see more of its take on fine dining. Kuroimori’s distinctive storybook-like art style shines here, and the use of warm light and shading beside Chandelure’s contrasting cool purple tones creates a magical scene.

Undersea Blues

Despite their hues, it’s hard to feel blue looking at these three card illustrations. Each has their own splash of contrasting color: Tynamo, illustrated by ryoma uratsuka, for example, uses distinct rounded shapes and varied blues to depict the adorable EleFish Pokémon in a deep-sea cavern. Its small streaks of yellow are among the rare non-blue coloring on the artwork. Tirtouga, illustrated by Akino Fukuji, appears to be approaching some brightly colored undersea flora in its exploration. The dappled light scattered across Tirtouga’s back and ocean floor transport us to the scene, the greenish hues of the ocean hinting that these may be tropical waters.

Shinya Komatsu illustrated another Pokémon on a deep-sea dive of its own—Frillish. Two of the Floating Pokémon drift over ruins, the female Frillish’s pink hues drawing more attention while the male Frillish’s blues blend more into the background. Shinya Komatsu’s thin line work captures each crack and crevice of the ruins and the expressions of both Frillish.

Mass Outbreak Ahead?!

Why settle for just two Pokémon on one artwork when there could be even more? When so many of the same Pokémon are on a card illustration, we can’t help but be reminded of Mass Outbreak events that occur in the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games and in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. The flock of Pidove illustrated by Mori Yuu shows us a top-down perspective of nine snoozing Pidove atop colorful cobblestones, including one that appears to have just awoken—is staring right at the viewer. Our view seems to be slightly zoomed in, suggesting there may be even more Pidove relaxing on this street. Playful flecks of color line their backs that match the light stippled shading on the cobblestones themselves.

Elsewhere, a swarm of Roggenrola march to their own rhythm in this illustration by Yuriko Akase, whose watercolor technique and bright colors create a playful setting for Roggenrola to walk through—though it appears not all of them could keep their footing. Nelnal’s cartoony art style suits these seven Scraggy perfectly, who all appear to be gathering some delicious Oran, Sitrus, and Cheri Berries. The rubbery elasticity of Scraggy’s skin appears to make the perfect pouch for the Scraggy in the foreground, who is making a sneaky escape.

Memories with N

This really brings us back…REND’s artwork of N in front of the famous Rondez-View Ferris Wheel in Nimbasa City strikes a nostalgic chord, from the light and shadow falling over N’s face to the gentle glow of the Ferris wheel behind him. N appears lost in thought—perhaps thinking of a few of his previous Pokémon? HYOGONOSUKE shows us a homely depiction of one Pokémon N has trained—Joltik! The lineless painterly art style and subdued color palette keep Joltik center stage as the Attaching Pokémon appears to have attached itself to a desk lamp. Maybe it will use its power to turn the lights on.

Far away from a city, Zorua appears to be taking a peaceful moonlit walk in this illustration by Naoki Saito. The full moon frames Zorua at the center of the artwork, and the surrounding landscape is awash with blue and green hues depicting trees overhead and a waterfall flowing into a stream below.

These are just a few of the illustrations you can find in the Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt and White Flare expansions. As you open your own booster packs, pay attention to the artwork you discover. You’re bound to find some incredible art!

Source: Pokemon.com and The Pokémon Company International