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Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts

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leangyan

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Hi All,

I'm pleased to share a few draft designs of a fully custom deck. It had a few bumps and it might have gone to Kickstarter even before Ganjifa, but it didn't happen.

This is inspired from Kalamkari & Sanjhi, two of the traditional Indian folk art & crafts. The illustrations are hand-drawn and we interacted with a few Kalmakari & Sanjhi artisans to get their feedback during the design process. 

The early designs were shown on another forum and received some feedback.

Here is a peek at the old designs:





And, please find below the first court card with updated design and coloring. The subject is Lakshmi - a Hindu Goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity and is worshiped by millions the world over.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi



If you've got any feedback and/or suggestions, please feel free to comment.  Appreciate your help.


Regards,
Sunish
 

 

variantventures

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I very much like the updated Lakshmi design in comparison to the older design.  I think the colors/contrasts really make the card visually appealing.  I think all your cards need a similar pop to them, particularly the back of the deck.  I'm okay with one way designs (a lot of people aren't) but you need more contrast to the colors to make them stand out.  Right now the back just sort of fades together.
 

 

leangyan

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I very much like the updated Lakshmi design in comparison to the older design.  I think the colors/contrasts really make the card visually appealing.  I think all your cards need a similar pop to them, particularly the back of the deck.  I'm okay with one way designs (a lot of people aren't) but you need more contrast to the colors to make them stand out.  Right now the back just sort of fades together.

Absolutely. The updated back design will just stand out from other cards. I'll be sharing the update soon.
 

 

Don Boyer

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Black and gold will be a poor choice for the back - gold metallic ink might look bright on a computer screen, but the color is closer to that of brown deli mustard.  It's dark and won't provide good contrast to the black background.  Now metallic gold on a WHITE background really pops nicely!  Not as good as gold foil would, but gold foil on card backs isn't cheap.

The redesign is fantastic!  Very nice work.  Make the thick gold line work just a wee bit thinner, I think - it will allow the colors to show more and stand out better.  Remove the background pattern from behind the indices as well, for better clarity.

I hope you're not repeating the pale pip/dark pip concept for the new design.  It's a bad idea - it makes the cards too easily confused with each other.
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leangyan

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Hi Don,

Yes, the back is going to be completely redesigned with inspiration from Mehndi/Henna designs. The focus is on making the back stand out from the rest of the cards with fans looking way nicer.

There may not be  any metallic gold ink print or gold foil because it sometimes make things a bit complicated and adds to the cost as well. Given the no. of decks being released nowadays, and the usual competition, and more importantly, when people see any new deck coming from a first time creator, I think it is better to price it right and giving people an incentive to back it then and there rather than wait for it to appear on some shopping site.

I've got a few things in mind regarding pricing, but let me share more updates on the deck and will definitely look for guidance on other aspects before launch.

PS: Yes, I may not repeat the pale/dark pip, but still will try how it looks with new background and colors. I got one deck with old designs printed by MPC, and had a few games played with friends and family.  No one did complain of any confusion apart from minor inconvenience of handling the court cards due to indices on one side.

Regards,
Sunish
 

 

leangyan

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Draft of few court cards here. Joker and aces will be next.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2016, 09:48:44 AM by leangyan »
 

 

Cardfool

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I'm in! :D
 

 

Don Boyer

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The art is looking good.  I'd tweak the color palette just a bit, though - the colors are mostly on the darker end of the spectrum and as a result there's not a lot of contrast in the art.  The art will "pop" more if there's more contrast.
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leangyan

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The art is looking good.  I'd tweak the color palette just a bit, though - the colors are mostly on the darker end of the spectrum and as a result there's not a lot of contrast in the art.  The art will "pop" more if there's more contrast.

Thanks Don. This is being looked into.
 

 

NineLives

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I missed the bumps and twists of the earlier version though I do like the look of your new design :) Don has a point about colours (it's always good to do a few test prints, even if you just use a home printer to get an idea of what direction colours will go)... If you are aiming for a subdued, natural and slightly darker colour palette, then I think you should stick with it - though it may be worth playing around with a few options to see if more contrast makes that popping difference. I really like the drawings and look forward to more updates.

*wave*
 

 

leangyan

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Here is another attempt after going through the feedback received.

Please let me know for any further inputs, suggestions, and /or feedback.

A brief on the reasoning behind the given colors is also attached.

Regards,
Sunish
« Last Edit: July 13, 2016, 11:21:01 PM by leangyan »
 

 

Don Boyer

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Here is another attempt after going through the feedback received.

Please let me know for any further inputs, suggestions, and /or feedback.

A brief on the reasoning behind the given colors is also attached.

Regards,
Sunish

Even with the palette given, there's wiggle room to make colors brighter or darker as needed.  Consider creating greater contrast.
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leangyan

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Hi Don,

I'm still in two minds about the pale pip/dark pip concept. One part of me says, it is somewhat new and not seen in custom decks. Also, I didn't face any issue during gameplay with the deck (original) that I'd got printed via MPC. This part makes me believe that anyone can get used to it once this deck is in their hands though at first, it may look different.

Other part of me thinks about your feedback and  asks me to go back to what is usually there on the number cards. Here are a few drafts. I'm also thinking to go ahead with indices on both diagonals.

Appreciate your thoughts.


Regards,
Sunish
 

 

NineLives

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Hi Sunish :) I like the look of the latest number cards; how you have created a pattern within a pattern and a nice sense of depth.

Contrast can work in a similar way to complimentary colours: when placed side-by-side, colours bounce off each other, both appearing brighter and more exciting. Thick line next to thin adds contrast and depth ... dark next to light has a similar effect. By contrast (no pun intended), when there is distance between 'opposites' you can at times end up with gaps - or even holes... The rubber-band has stretched too far to allow the opposites to 'work together' and instead of 'bouncing' there is a sense of something having fallen through the gap.

I think your new palette has a lot going for it - it's both fresh and eye-catching! Though at the moment, your characters seem to disappear into the background. As the illustrations are so lovely in themselves, my ramblings merely suggest - keep looking for the bounce :)
 

 

Don Boyer

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Hi Don,

I'm still in two minds about the pale pip/dark pip concept. One part of me says, it is somewhat new and not seen in custom decks. Also, I didn't face any issue during gameplay with the deck (original) that I'd got printed via MPC. This part makes me believe that anyone can get used to it once this deck is in their hands though at first, it may look different.

Other part of me thinks about your feedback and  asks me to go back to what is usually there on the number cards. Here are a few drafts. I'm also thinking to go ahead with indices on both diagonals.

Appreciate your thoughts.


Regards,
Sunish

There's a popular acronym that's sort of a mantra among designers in all fields.  K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid!  It's meant as a reminder to not overcomplicate something just because you can.

The reason why you don't see those extra pips very often is simple - they can be confusing.  Maybe they aren't to you, but consider the centuries of playtesting that have gone into the standard design we use today.  Some players are so traditional, they don't even like when people rearrange the pips into non-traditional patterns - those and some others are the players who would absolutely reject a design such as this.  They see a number on a card's index, they expect to see exactly that many pips in the card's main artwork - no more, no less.  Even in cases where people are "capable" of understanding the artistic license you're taking, some less-than-scrupulous players might take your design as an opportunity to fudge a play made in a game, pretending to misunderstand what was played or what they were playing - "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought this was a different card - all those extra pips are so confusing..."

There are numerous other ways one can embellish a card's design without resorting to superfluous pips - stick with something simpler and easier to understand that doesn't allow for any interpretive ambivalence.  The idea of adding decorations in a lighter shade is a good start, but consider some design or pattern other than what you have now.  You can keep your unique pip configurations - there are enough people who will find them acceptable, especially in the custom card community - evidence has shown this in the popularity of similarly-unique designs.  But the extra pips do the design more harm than good.

At least that's my perspective on the topic - your mileage may vary!
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leangyan

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Hi Don,

I'm still in two minds about the pale pip/dark pip concept. One part of me says, it is somewhat new and not seen in custom decks. Also, I didn't face any issue during gameplay with the deck (original) that I'd got printed via MPC. This part makes me believe that anyone can get used to it once this deck is in their hands though at first, it may look different.

Other part of me thinks about your feedback and  asks me to go back to what is usually there on the number cards. Here are a few drafts. I'm also thinking to go ahead with indices on both diagonals.

Appreciate your thoughts.


Regards,
Sunish

There's a popular acronym that's sort of a mantra among designers in all fields.  K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid!  It's meant as a reminder to not overcomplicate something just because you can.

The reason why you don't see those extra pips very often is simple - they can be confusing.  Maybe they aren't to you, but consider the centuries of playtesting that have gone into the standard design we use today.  Some players are so traditional, they don't even like when people rearrange the pips into non-traditional patterns - those and some others are the players who would absolutely reject a design such as this.  They see a number on a card's index, they expect to see exactly that many pips in the card's main artwork - no more, no less.  Even in cases where people are "capable" of understanding the artistic license you're taking, some less-than-scrupulous players might take your design as an opportunity to fudge a play made in a game, pretending to misunderstand what was played or what they were playing - "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought this was a different card - all those extra pips are so confusing..."

There are numerous other ways one can embellish a card's design without resorting to superfluous pips - stick with something simpler and easier to understand that doesn't allow for any interpretive ambivalence.  The idea of adding decorations in a lighter shade is a good start, but consider some design or pattern other than what you have now.  You can keep your unique pip configurations - there are enough people who will find them acceptable, especially in the custom card community - evidence has shown this in the popularity of similarly-unique designs.  But the extra pips do the design more harm than good.

At least that's my perspective on the topic - your mileage may vary!

Thanks Don.

I'd already started looking at various decks, and even historical decks (had got IPCS membership) to look at the design patterns. But, the perspective (players taking advantage) you provided above is unique in a way that can only be given by a thorough practitioner in the field. Thanks once again.


Regards,
Sunish


 

 

NineLives

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Hi Don,

I'm still in two minds about the pale pip/dark pip concept. One part of me says, it is somewhat new and not seen in custom decks. Also, I didn't face any issue during gameplay with the deck (original) that I'd got printed via MPC. This part makes me believe that anyone can get used to it once this deck is in their hands though at first, it may look different.

Other part of me thinks about your feedback and  asks me to go back to what is usually there on the number cards. Here are a few drafts. I'm also thinking to go ahead with indices on both diagonals.

Appreciate your thoughts.


Regards,
Sunish

There's a popular acronym that's sort of a mantra among designers in all fields.  K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid!  It's meant as a reminder to not overcomplicate something just because you can.

The reason why you don't see those extra pips very often is simple - they can be confusing.  Maybe they aren't to you, but consider the centuries of playtesting that have gone into the standard design we use today.  Some players are so traditional, they don't even like when people rearrange the pips into non-traditional patterns - those and some others are the players who would absolutely reject a design such as this.  They see a number on a card's index, they expect to see exactly that many pips in the card's main artwork - no more, no less.  Even in cases where people are "capable" of understanding the artistic license you're taking, some less-than-scrupulous players might take your design as an opportunity to fudge a play made in a game, pretending to misunderstand what was played or what they were playing - "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought this was a different card - all those extra pips are so confusing..."

There are numerous other ways one can embellish a card's design without resorting to superfluous pips - stick with something simpler and easier to understand that doesn't allow for any interpretive ambivalence.  The idea of adding decorations in a lighter shade is a good start, but consider some design or pattern other than what you have now.  You can keep your unique pip configurations - there are enough people who will find them acceptable, especially in the custom card community - evidence has shown this in the popularity of similarly-unique designs.  But the extra pips do the design more harm than good.

At least that's my perspective on the topic - your mileage may vary!

And there was me looking at pretty patterns  ???  -  I can see Don's point about possible confusion arising in game play from the light / dark pips and it will be interesting to see what you come up with Sunish :)
*wave*
 

 

leangyan

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Still thinking about the pip configuration, but here is the back design.
 

 

Don Boyer

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Still thinking about the pip configuration, but here is the back design.

It's a lovely design and I like the background color - that's a lovely red-purple shade.  You need to insure two things if you're going to use this.

1) Can your printer print your cards at that level of detail, especially on an embossed cardstock?
2) Go over the design with a fine-toothed comb to insure radial symmetry - I've already spotted some small errors that would make this a one-way design.  While a one-way design isn't necessarily the kiss of death, the market preference tends to be two-way designs, both for collectors and for card players.  Poker players in particular, even casual players, will avoid one-way designs so as to not be accused of cheating.  Magicians like a subtle one-way design, but it's a much smaller market to be catering to, especially for a collectible, art-oriented deck - and they prefer standard faces!

Simply put, the card has to look 100% identical when rotated 180 degrees.  Yours is close, and looks like it's intended to be two-way, but subtle flaws make it one-way.  It appears that the designer made the cards identical when flipped on a vertical axis, but they need to be identical when rotated - these aren't.  The left side is nearly identical to the right side, with the few exceptions being OK because they're radially symmetrical, but the top half and bottom half have many mismatches in the design.  It could be a case of an overly complex design - remember K.I.S.S.!  The design can be made classic and elegant without having quite this much detail to it.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2016, 12:21:26 AM by Don Boyer »
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leangyan

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Still thinking about the pip configuration, but here is the back design.

It's a lovely design and I like the background color - that's a lovely red-purple shade.  You need to insure two things if you're going to use this.

1) Can your printer print your cards at that level of detail, especially on an embossed cardstock?
2) Go over the design with a fine-toothed comb to insure radial symmetry - I've already spotted some small errors that would make this a one-way design.  While a one-way design isn't necessarily the kiss of death, the market preference tends to be two-way designs, both for collectors and for card players.  Poker players in particular, even casual players, will avoid one-way designs so as to not be accused of cheating.  Magicians like a subtle one-way design, but it's a much smaller market to be catering to, especially for a collectible, art-oriented deck - and they prefer standard faces!

Simply put, the card has to look 100% identical when rotated 180 degrees.  Yours is close, and looks like it's intended to be two-way, but subtle flaws make it one-way.  It appears that the designer made the cards identical when flipped on a vertical axis, but they need to be identical when rotated - these aren't.  The left side is nearly identical to the right side, with the few exceptions being OK because they're radially symmetrical, but the top half and bottom half have many mismatches in the design.  It could be a case of an overly complex design - remember K.I.S.S.!  The design can be made classic and elegant without having quite this much detail to it.

Don,

Regarding the printer, I plan to go with Long Pack (lpboardgames.com) for initial funding goal. I worked with them for the prototype decks of Guru Ganjifa, and found the quality, level of engagement etc. pretty good. They cater mostly to Board games market and have done both card games and tarot decks as well. It was a word of mouth from 2 other successful board game creators. The initial funding goal will be for 250-500 decks and if it succeeds, then I would be going ahead with EPCC.

EPCC had advised me personally on a no. of things during Ganjifa campaign like shipping partner, where to promote etc. and they were the one alone from all the leading printers/manufacturers (playing cards and board games) who responded fast and were in touch with me throughout even when I was waiting on the quotation.  So, I don't think I need to look further than these two.

Regards,
Sunish
 

 

NineLives

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Still thinking about the pip configuration, but here is the back design.

Have you checked with your printer that the flowers outside the border are 'safe' - that they will be evenly printed and cut? Maybe I'm being too cautious ???
There is a lot to like about your design :) though I agree with Don that simplifying aspects may work better (especially if you are looking for a two-way back).
*wave*
 

 

leangyan

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Still thinking about the pip configuration, but here is the back design.

Have you checked with your printer that the flowers outside the border are 'safe' - that they will be evenly printed and cut? Maybe I'm being too cautious ???
There is a lot to like about your design :) though I agree with Don that simplifying aspects may work better (especially if you are looking for a two-way back).
*wave*

Yeah...need to have a safe border, so need to update the design. Going to have 2-way back and being looked into.


Regards,
Sunish
 

 

leangyan

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Here is another iteration. Working with the printer to see how close can I push the artwork to the edge.
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #23 on: August 01, 2016, 06:58:26 AM »
 

leangyan

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Ace of Hearts & Joker - Mohini : Female avatar of God Vishnu who is portrayed as an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading to their doom.



 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #24 on: August 04, 2016, 12:43:19 AM »
 

NineLives

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Hi Sunish,

I like where you're going with the Ace of Hearts - picking up the colour from the back is very nice :) Looking forward to see what you do with the other aces!

The idea to use an enchantress as your Joker is fabulous - I am enjoying your descriptions about the characters and the cards :)
Personally, I'd like to see more colour/contrast - make her stand out and give her room to lure and shine :) If you are set on the colour scheme - how would you feel about introducing a coloured background or a 'shape outline' to give more contrast between card and character?

*wave*
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #25 on: August 07, 2016, 04:19:10 AM »
 

leangyan

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Let me know how these compare to the previous one...

 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #26 on: August 07, 2016, 05:32:25 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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I like the rich purple color for the backs, but you might want a somewhat lighter shade for the pips - it will make them easier to distinguish visually from the black pips.  The dark purple shade you have now is really dark - if you go with a lower-budget printer that doesn't do good color reproduction, the tendency in many cases I've seen is for the colors to end up darker than they were intended by the artist.  It's rare that the colors you see on your computer screen are the exact same shades that end up on the printed cards and some companies are better at getting it closer to accurate than others.  At the very least, look at the proofs with a fine-toothed comb and be sure that the purple doesn't reproduce so dark as to appear too close to black.

The artwork/color choices for the courts is nice - how would they look if you gave them thin black linework around the outer edge?  I think it would make the figures look sharper and more attractive while giving the lighter skin-tone areas more definition.
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #27 on: August 09, 2016, 12:21:07 AM »
 

NineLives

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Let me know how these compare to the previous one...

Definitely going in the right direction :) I like the background and it would be great to see defining linework (it doesn't have to be thick) around the centre artwork.
*wave*
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #28 on: August 09, 2016, 12:27:08 AM »
 

leangyan

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Let me know how these compare to the previous one...

Definitely going in the right direction :) I like the background and it would be great to see defining linework (it doesn't have to be thick) around the centre artwork.
*wave*

Yeah..did try the black linework with a variation in thickness. It always looked better without it. I've just placed an order with MPC for a prototype deck, let's see how it looks in print.
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #29 on: August 10, 2016, 11:20:44 AM »
 

leangyan

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Further updates....Court cards without the wavy lines in the background look better after further introspection.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2016, 11:29:02 AM by leangyan »
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #30 on: August 10, 2016, 08:11:15 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Further updates....Court cards without the wavy lines in the background look better after further introspection.

They do look better without it.  I'd recommend two possible options from here:

1) Since you have the space, enlarge the artwork a bit.  Alternately...
2) If you liked the background idea but felt it was too cluttered, perhaps some simpler, less-detailed light background art to act like "framing" around your characters would look good?  It could even be as simple as a few small lotus blossoms or a similarly simple design here and there, just a little something to fill some of the white space.

Either way, insure that you push the indices DEEP into their corners.  The closer they are to the edge of the card, the less wide a player needs to spread a hand of cards to read them, helping to prevent accidentally flashing one's hand to an opposing player.  It's hard to tell what the precise index placement will be without showing the die lines on the artwork.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2016, 08:12:53 PM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #31 on: August 10, 2016, 08:27:56 PM »
 

leangyan

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Hi Don,

Thanks.

Please do note that the latest images have got a bleed as required by MPC for their online card builder. Regarding the indices, I prepared the files as per the guidelines given by EPCC.

MPC expects the files in image format and that too, with a certain bleed required for their online card builder, and that's the reason those images in the last post are looking as if there is a lots of space between the indices and the edge of the card.

Here is how it looks on their card builder.


Regards,
Sunish
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #32 on: August 12, 2016, 04:29:35 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Hi Don,

Thanks.

Please do note that the latest images have got a bleed as required by MPC for their online card builder. Regarding the indices, I prepared the files as per the guidelines given by EPCC.

MPC expects the files in image format and that too, with a certain bleed required for their online card builder, and that's the reason those images in the last post are looking as if there is a lots of space between the indices and the edge of the card.

Here is how it looks on their card builder.


Regards,
Sunish

Now that looks fine.  There's no way to know how close to the real edge the indices and art will be without either showing the images as finished cards or including the die lines.  Without one of those, you're just guessing.
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #33 on: August 13, 2016, 10:06:13 AM »
 

leangyan

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Thanks Don. I'll get this sorted soon.

That said, here is the latest attempt on court cards. Still not satisfied but thought of sharing.


 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #34 on: August 14, 2016, 03:15:06 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thanks Don. I'll get this sorted soon.

That said, here is the latest attempt on court cards. Still not satisfied but thought of sharing.

Try taking the scroll-like frames around the court cards and making them a more pale shade of the same color, more of a background element than a foreground element.  It might look better.

Another possible fix - try replacing that linework with a window-like shape to act as your frame, as if you were seeing the character through a window or a doorway.  Window-like as in what you might see in an ancient temple, not a modern building - unique shapes similar to those of your frame.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2016, 03:17:42 PM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #35 on: August 14, 2016, 07:53:13 PM »
 

leangyan

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Thanks Don. I'll get this sorted soon.

That said, here is the latest attempt on court cards. Still not satisfied but thought of sharing.

Try taking the scroll-like frames around the court cards and making them a more pale shade of the same color, more of a background element than a foreground element.  It might look better.

Another possible fix - try replacing that linework with a window-like shape to act as your frame, as if you were seeing the character through a window or a doorway.  Window-like as in what you might see in an ancient temple, not a modern building - unique shapes similar to those of your frame.

Tried a similar one to that of the first original pass...Somehow it is shrinking the size of the character and I feel it won't look good on a Poker sized card. Still trying though....

The one post where there is no background or frame, the characters are already enlarged and come within the safe area though it is possible to enlarge the artwork  a bit.




 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #36 on: August 14, 2016, 10:10:03 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thanks Don. I'll get this sorted soon.

That said, here is the latest attempt on court cards. Still not satisfied but thought of sharing.

Try taking the scroll-like frames around the court cards and making them a more pale shade of the same color, more of a background element than a foreground element.  It might look better.

Another possible fix - try replacing that linework with a window-like shape to act as your frame, as if you were seeing the character through a window or a doorway.  Window-like as in what you might see in an ancient temple, not a modern building - unique shapes similar to those of your frame.

Tried a similar one to that of the first original pass...Somehow it is shrinking the size of the character and I feel it won't look good on a Poker sized card. Still trying though....

The one post where there is no background or frame, the characters are already enlarged and come within the safe area though it is possible to enlarge the artwork  a bit.

This looks nice if you keep the index area clear of the background elements.  I like it.
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #37 on: August 15, 2016, 12:51:05 AM »
 

leangyan

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Thanks Don. I'll get this sorted soon.

That said, here is the latest attempt on court cards. Still not satisfied but thought of sharing.

Try taking the scroll-like frames around the court cards and making them a more pale shade of the same color, more of a background element than a foreground element.  It might look better.

Another possible fix - try replacing that linework with a window-like shape to act as your frame, as if you were seeing the character through a window or a doorway.  Window-like as in what you might see in an ancient temple, not a modern building - unique shapes similar to those of your frame.

Tried a similar one to that of the first original pass...Somehow it is shrinking the size of the character and I feel it won't look good on a Poker sized card. Still trying though....

The one post where there is no background or frame, the characters are already enlarged and come within the safe area though it is possible to enlarge the artwork  a bit.

This looks nice if you keep the index area clear of the background elements.  I like it.

Yeah...it looks good on screen but I took a print and observed that the shrinkage in character size ruins the details in the artwork.

Still trying a few other variations.
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #38 on: August 16, 2016, 02:25:47 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Yeah...it looks good on screen but I took a print and observed that the shrinkage in character size ruins the details in the artwork.

Still trying a few other variations.

OK, then try the frame concept but with a simpler, more narrow frame and a larger character.  You can even make it appear as if one is peering through a window or a doorway - perhaps a few simple furnishings or something, or if one is peering into a garden, maybe some grass, a tree or a shrub.

I'm just tossing out ideas here - you have to see which ones stick!
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #39 on: August 21, 2016, 02:55:44 AM »
 

leangyan

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Tuckbox rendering....

« Last Edit: August 21, 2016, 08:44:28 PM by leangyan »
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #40 on: September 04, 2016, 01:25:53 PM »
 

leangyan

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Glad to share prototype pics with you all....
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #41 on: September 07, 2016, 08:39:52 AM »
 

leangyan

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Hi All,

Glad to share with you all the preview page on Kickstarter. Please note that  it is still a work in progress and I await details from both vendors (printing & fulfilment partner).

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunishchabba/1310551774?token=c925f142

TMCards will be the manufacturer for this deck, and I've already placed an order to get a sample deck. I've seen another deck by them with similar specs, and it looks great. I do understand that manufacturer can make or break the game, so in case the quality lags or there is some issue then I'd be evaluating my decision. Considering that the deck is heavily influenced by Indian Mythology, so I was advised by a few to see if this deck can be printed in India itself. I've got a few prototypes done by MPC on 310 gsm linen and they look great as well. But, I do have more expectations from the improved card stock on which TMCards will be printing the sample. I did talk to 2 project creators, who did their projects with TMC. There were some concerns shared by one and I've been advised by them that those issues are resolved after the upgrade to the machinery.

Please do note that funding goal can vary as I'm still doing calculations and awaiting a few details from both vendors. It also depends on how the sample looks like. I'm yet to hear from the fulfilment partner @ Hong Kong on a few queries, and it looks likely that uncut sheet's reward tier will go down. Similarly, content is being worked upon and will change.

So, please keep your comments coming. Much appreciated.

Regards,
Sunish
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #42 on: September 09, 2016, 01:02:19 PM »
 

leangyan

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A little birdie tells me that the samples are done by TMCards and they look and feel great. I'm waiting to get the deck here with me now.

 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #43 on: September 13, 2016, 10:55:49 PM »
 

leangyan

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Hi All,

Plan is to go live today evening (AEST). I've updated quite a bit on the page, provided some clarity on direction towards stretch goals, all reward tiers updated with inclusion of digital copy of the booklet etc.

If you guys can verify the reward tiers or any other things that need attention, I'll really appreciate it.

URL here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunishchabba/1310551774?token=c925f142

I believe I'll need to remove the uncut sheet combo for now, as there has been some confusion going around on shipping rates provided by the fulfillment partner. I'll be following up with them after an hour or two, but in case I do not get a satisfactory reply on good rates, I'll be removing the reward tier for the time being. I feel it is better to go with clarity and confirmation on good rates rather than creating confusion and create different reward tier afterwards.

TMCards have shipped the prototype deck, and I hope to receive it within the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for the quality ....


Regards,
Sunish
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #44 on: September 14, 2016, 02:12:43 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Hi All,

Plan is to go live today evening (AEST). I've updated quite a bit on the page, provided some clarity on direction towards stretch goals, all reward tiers updated with inclusion of digital copy of the booklet etc.

If you guys can verify the reward tiers or any other things that need attention, I'll really appreciate it.

URL here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunishchabba/1310551774?token=c925f142

I believe I'll need to remove the uncut sheet combo for now, as there has been some confusion going around on shipping rates provided by the fulfillment partner. I'll be following up with them after an hour or two, but in case I do not get a satisfactory reply on good rates, I'll be removing the reward tier for the time being. I feel it is better to go with clarity and confirmation on good rates rather than creating confusion and create different reward tier afterwards.

TMCards have shipped the prototype deck, and I hope to receive it within the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for the quality ....


Regards,
Sunish

Regarding uncut sheets - they can always be added after launch in a new tier or as an add-on.  A new tier would probably be better, since you're probably only offering a limited number and that would allow you to closely track the number requested by backers as well as limiting the number of requests to only what's available.  For them, you make one or two decks included in the tier and allow add-ons for more.
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Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #45 on: September 14, 2016, 02:17:34 AM »
 

leangyan

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Hi All,

Plan is to go live today evening (AEST). I've updated quite a bit on the page, provided some clarity on direction towards stretch goals, all reward tiers updated with inclusion of digital copy of the booklet etc.

If you guys can verify the reward tiers or any other things that need attention, I'll really appreciate it.

URL here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunishchabba/1310551774?token=c925f142

I believe I'll need to remove the uncut sheet combo for now, as there has been some confusion going around on shipping rates provided by the fulfillment partner. I'll be following up with them after an hour or two, but in case I do not get a satisfactory reply on good rates, I'll be removing the reward tier for the time being. I feel it is better to go with clarity and confirmation on good rates rather than creating confusion and create different reward tier afterwards.

TMCards have shipped the prototype deck, and I hope to receive it within the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for the quality ....


Regards,
Sunish

Regarding uncut sheets - they can always be added after launch in a new tier or as an add-on.  A new tier would probably be better, since you're probably only offering a limited number and that would allow you to closely track the number requested by backers as well as limiting the number of requests to only what's available.  For them, you make one or two decks included in the tier and allow add-ons for more.

Hi Don,

Yes, I agree. I've removed the uncut combo tier for now as the fulfilment company hasn't got required packing material for shipping them. I'll be checking with MPC for uncut sheet fulfillment in the next few days.


Regards,
Sunish
 

Re: Divine Art Playing Cards - Inspired by traditional Indian art & crafts
« Reply #46 on: September 14, 2016, 02:37:59 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Hi All,

Plan is to go live today evening (AEST). I've updated quite a bit on the page, provided some clarity on direction towards stretch goals, all reward tiers updated with inclusion of digital copy of the booklet etc.

If you guys can verify the reward tiers or any other things that need attention, I'll really appreciate it.

URL here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunishchabba/1310551774?token=c925f142

I believe I'll need to remove the uncut sheet combo for now, as there has been some confusion going around on shipping rates provided by the fulfillment partner. I'll be following up with them after an hour or two, but in case I do not get a satisfactory reply on good rates, I'll be removing the reward tier for the time being. I feel it is better to go with clarity and confirmation on good rates rather than creating confusion and create different reward tier afterwards.

TMCards have shipped the prototype deck, and I hope to receive it within the next couple of days. Fingers crossed for the quality ....


Regards,
Sunish

Regarding uncut sheets - they can always be added after launch in a new tier or as an add-on.  A new tier would probably be better, since you're probably only offering a limited number and that would allow you to closely track the number requested by backers as well as limiting the number of requests to only what's available.  For them, you make one or two decks included in the tier and allow add-ons for more.

Hi Don,

Yes, I agree. I've removed the uncut combo tier for now as the fulfilment company hasn't got required packing material for shipping them. I'll be checking with MPC for uncut sheet fulfillment in the next few days.


Regards,
Sunish

Gambler's Warehouse and CollectablePlayingCards.com also do order fulfillment for playing cards - both are worth a look if you have trouble finding someone to handle the uncuts for you.  Alternately, you could fulfill uncuts separately yourself, since you're likely not making terribly many of them in the first place - the number ordered would be small enough that you could manage it personally from home!  Distributing hundreds or thousands of decks is a headache and a backache, but distributing tens or dozens of uncuts sheets should be a breeze by comparison.
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