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From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey

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NineLives

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Hi all,

I've made a start on a new deck of cards, which I'm hoping to share with you as it evolves ... from inspiration, to drawings, to cards :)
At this stage, the deck doesn't have a name or a release date - though as things progress, both will hopefully become clear.

This design is all about faces and colour, where my aim is to create a fully custom, playable and surreally happy deck of cards.

Inspiration ...
I am fascinated by faces and love drawing and painting them in all shapes and forms. From detailed drawings to expressive paintings and colourful designs, faces have appeared in my work for decades ... While working in clay I developed a range of wheelformed pots with whimsical faces - bowls, mugs, jugs and teapots ... 





The ink drawings below are in part inspired by their old three-dimensional friends - and the starting point for new and colourful characters to emerge. Lines translate a multitude of shapes to bring out the essence of each individual face. Once painted, the colourful and segmented artworks bear a slight semblance to wood/lino-cut printing - with a nod to playing card history - as kings, queens and jacks face the same way as the (originally wood-cut) standard Anglo/American faces. Colour plays the role of connecting the 13 cards within each suit; where red is for hearts, yellow for clubs, green for diamonds and blue for spades.



Playing Card Design ... starting with the Courts

I always find that starting with ink on paper gives me freedom to translate the ideas in my head into something real and tangible. Once the drawings are finished and scanned, I continue working on them - making adjustments for symmetrical two-way artwork, painting the colours and adding indices.

The suit of hearts is starting to take form in the world of colour, design and indices. The courts feature a royal banner in the background reflecting the suit colour - where hearts are draped with red:







With the royal hearts on the move it’s time to visit the clubs.  As always, I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy the ride of following this new deck of cards!

Annette :)

« Last Edit: May 06, 2017, 11:38:59 PM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2016, 06:20:45 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Love what I see so far, especially that KoH :D  Definitely looking forward to seeing more! ;D
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2016, 06:30:10 AM »
 

NineLives

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Love what I see so far, especially that KoH :D  Definitely looking forward to seeing more! ;D

Thanks for your kind words and encouragement Cardfool :)
*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2016, 09:36:15 AM »
 

Eddie Hughlett

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I don't know much, but I know what I like and I do like where you're going......
"...almost every ruse in the game is more or less dependent upon another one."

 - S.W. Erdnase
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2016, 11:55:29 AM »
 

NineLives

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I don't know much, but I know what I like and I do like where you're going......

Thank so much Eddie, glad to hear :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2016, 05:50:15 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Annette, I have one word for you...

WOW!

Seriously good stuff.  Slightly reminiscent of the White Knuckle decks because of the three-dimensional nature of the faces, something many designs lack because they hew too closely to the traditional "flat" designs.  Your faces look like they stick right out of the cards.

This one's a keeper!
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2016, 02:33:34 AM »
 

NineLives

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Annette, I have one word for you...

WOW!

Seriously good stuff.  Slightly reminiscent of the White Knuckle decks because of the three-dimensional nature of the faces, something many designs lack because they hew too closely to the traditional "flat" designs.  Your faces look like they stick right out of the cards.

This one's a keeper!

Thanks ever so much Don :) Your support means the world - especially as I'm having so much fun with this deck :)
*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2016, 07:36:43 AM »
 

leangyan

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This is going to be a deck to look out for...Good stuff, indeed.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2016, 02:37:30 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Let me start off stating this is fantastic work. The scale of the faces and use of color is pure eye candy and makes my eyes water in anticipation to see more.  Impressive stuff and I feel I could brag on these until the cows come home.  Now I'd like to give my two cents for some considerations for refinement and, in the end, it all comes down to unity/harmony.  All the face cards have free floating hearts in the design (so this doesn't refer to the hearts used within the portraits).  The Queen and King have 4 while the Jack only has 2.  Why?  The Q & K also have hearts extend beyond the red block background while the J doesn't.  (Personally, I love that those hearts extend beyond the edge of the red background and even wondered if, instead of being the peachy/pinky color, let them be white with a red border where the heart extends into the white. That way they pop like the eyes of the portraits do.)  I love how there are 2 hearts in the K card that kind of define a neck and collar.  Could that be implemented on the other face cards as well instead of random hearts floating in the hair of the Queen and provide an extra needed set of hearts for the Jack?  Those are my suggestions as minor as they are.  Looking forward to seeing this deck in my collection.   
« Last Edit: July 16, 2016, 02:39:38 PM by Helshawk »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2016, 01:53:47 PM »
 

NineLives

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This is going to be a deck to look out for...Good stuff, indeed.

Thank you for your kind words Sunish :)

Let me start off stating this is fantastic work. The scale of the faces and use of color is pure eye candy and makes my eyes water in anticipation to see more.  Impressive stuff and I feel I could brag on these until the cows come home.  Now I'd like to give my two cents for some considerations for refinement and, in the end, it all comes down to unity/harmony.  All the face cards have free floating hearts in the design (so this doesn't refer to the hearts used within the portraits).  The Queen and King have 4 while the Jack only has 2.  Why?  The Q & K also have hearts extend beyond the red block background while the J doesn't.  (Personally, I love that those hearts extend beyond the edge of the red background and even wondered if, instead of being the peachy/pinky color, let them be white with a red border where the heart extends into the white. That way they pop like the eyes of the portraits do.)  I love how there are 2 hearts in the K card that kind of define a neck and collar.  Could that be implemented on the other face cards as well instead of random hearts floating in the hair of the Queen and provide an extra needed set of hearts for the Jack?  Those are my suggestions as minor as they are.  Looking forward to seeing this deck in my collection.   

Thank you Helshawk for your kind words and great feedback. I like your suggestions and I agree that the floating hearts need attention, they've been playing on my mind for a few days - Updates to follow :)

These past few days I've been busy painting clubs, which has given me a clearer picture, even though I'm merely 'half-way' in terms of colour schemes (and just at the beginning of the road in terms of the deck) I find that as a project or body of work progresses - individual works start to dictate the direction and adjustments needed to bring them together as a whole. It is one of the things I really enjoy about creating a deck of cards - alongside fresh eyes and feedback from great people in the card community :)

First: Ink drawings of the royal clubs:



Painted Jack and Queen:





Still working on the King :)

*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2016, 01:41:02 AM »
 

Helshawk

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Now look what yo made me do!  I've drooled all over my keyboards.  (but keep them coming, I can clean this mess up!) ;-)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2016, 12:09:52 AM »
 

NineLives

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Glad you're enjoying the updates Helshawk :)

Here's another one ...

King of Clubs



He watches and listens, while mentally preparing his next move. Will he join his Queen and Jack on a quest for the Royal Flush? Or, will he seek to join forces with the other Kings while exercising his diplomatic powers?

Thanks for looking
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2016, 12:55:46 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Looking awesome!  Keep em coming!  :D

One thing I did notice going back to look at the other courts though, the color of the JoH's nose is inconsistent with the K & Q (while the Clubs are consistent) and kinda sticks out and unfortunately, now I can't unsee it :-\   Not that it will change my mind about the deck as I definitely want a bunch, just thought I would point it out.

BTW, I noticed a little aboriginal art influence in this deck or am I just imagining things?
« Last Edit: July 20, 2016, 12:58:44 AM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2016, 03:25:45 AM »
 

NineLives

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Looking awesome!  Keep em coming!  :D

One thing I did notice going back to look at the other courts though, the color of the JoH's nose is inconsistent with the K & Q (while the Clubs are consistent) and kinda sticks out and unfortunately, now I can't unsee it :-\   Not that it will change my mind about the deck as I definitely want a bunch, just thought I would point it out.

BTW, I noticed a little aboriginal art influence in this deck or am I just imagining things?

Thanks so much Cardfool :)
Ahhh the green nose ;) - I do see your point. Thinking maybe different is ok given that Jack is in profile (light falling differently on his nose?) - though I'll definitely have a play with it :)

There's no intended Aboriginal influence - (I'm assuming you mean Australian Aboriginal?)

*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2016, 06:05:55 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Hey Nine Lives,

Yeah, I mean Australian Aboriginal Art...I guess it was the patterns and especially the white dots on the faces of the courts that made me think of it...and the fact that you are from Australia ::)

Let us know what you decide on the JoH, either way, I am all in!

Look forward to seeing more!  :bosswalk:

Cheers!
« Last Edit: July 20, 2016, 06:06:14 AM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #15 on: July 20, 2016, 10:46:06 AM »
 

ecNate

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I really like the art, it's different and fun, but still has good artistic merit!  The only thing holding it back is it feels like it's great art thrown onto a card instead of a great art playing card.

  • The first is the layout used where the image is a framed artwork with the colored background instead of faces directly on the card.  In the case of the KoC it seems like you could easily remove the yellow background and push the faces right/left and resize to allow for the entire crown to be shown.  However, in the case of other images that's not really possible.  Making the image and background to take up the entire card and removing the white border entirely obviously has playability concerns, but if it's art deck who cares.  Still, I think it's better to continue on your current track and keep a white border for playability and retain your general layout and consider ways to minimize the downsides of this layout.
  • You have a lot of white space on the edges, check with your planned printer and see how close you can push the indices to the edge and then also see how much closer you can pull the central artwork towards the indices and still make it flow.
  • Additionally, or alternatively, you could utilize that white space on the edges to add related decorative elements.  Perhaps something as simple as a long wavy line of the same color as the background on the left and right sides under the indicies to make it feel like the borders are part of the artwork instead of a thick white border.

I've had to greatly reduce my purchases lately due to lack of space and have become very selective, but this will mostly likely be the exception that I'll buy, especially if further changes are made to address the concerns mentioned.  Nice work!
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #16 on: July 21, 2016, 02:15:43 PM »
 

NineLives

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I really like the art, it's different and fun, but still has good artistic merit!  The only thing holding it back is it feels like it's great art thrown onto a card instead of a great art playing card.

  • The first is the layout used where the image is a framed artwork with the colored background instead of faces directly on the card.  In the case of the KoC it seems like you could easily remove the yellow background and push the faces right/left and resize to allow for the entire crown to be shown.  However, in the case of other images that's not really possible.  Making the image and background to take up the entire card and removing the white border entirely obviously has playability concerns, but if it's art deck who cares.  Still, I think it's better to continue on your current track and keep a white border for playability and retain your general layout and consider ways to minimize the downsides of this layout.
  • You have a lot of white space on the edges, check with your planned printer and see how close you can push the indices to the edge and then also see how much closer you can pull the central artwork towards the indices and still make it flow.
  • Additionally, or alternatively, you could utilize that white space on the edges to add related decorative elements.  Perhaps something as simple as a long wavy line of the same color as the background on the left and right sides under the indicies to make it feel like the borders are part of the artwork instead of a thick white border.

I've had to greatly reduce my purchases lately due to lack of space and have become very selective, but this will mostly likely be the exception that I'll buy, especially if further changes are made to address the concerns mentioned.  Nice work!

Firstly, Thank you so much ecNate for your feedback, I really appreciate it :) Pointing out things that will make this deck more playable and exciting to use is exactly what I want...

I can definitely see your point about the white ... In wanting to emphasize details flowing beyond the background, I was worried I'd lose that effect if the background extended the full width of the artwork... You made me see that I had room to extend both background and artwork.





Your comments were really clear and hopefully these updated and revised Kings are on track to solve some of the issues?

As far as printing goes, EPCC and Legends are at the top of my wish list, though I haven't really looked into the printing/launching side of things yet ... *as soon as I stop procrastinating and panicking with 'first Kickstarter campaign syndrome' - I'll get the ball rolling*

Hey Nine Lives,

Yeah, I mean Australian Aboriginal Art...I guess it was the patterns and especially the white dots on the faces of the courts that made me think of it...and the fact that you are from Australia ::)

Let us know what you decide on the JoH, either way, I am all in!

Look forward to seeing more!  :bosswalk:

Cheers!

Great associations Cardfool :) Traditionally, the only Aboriginal people allowed to do the intricate dot-painting are the desert people. Here on the East coast the artwork is different, with more carvings and bark paintings, though galleries show and sell Indigenous art from all over the country. For Aboriginal people, the clan or people they belong to - dictates the type of art they can do (and the stories or dreaming they paint)... Sorry that was a bit of a side-track - for me, I just like dots :)

I'm still thinking about JoH's nose, having revised the palette slightly with this update, there will be changes to both Jack and Queen - coming soon :)

Thanks again for all the great feedback guys! :)
*wave*
« Last Edit: July 21, 2016, 02:25:41 PM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #17 on: July 21, 2016, 06:09:20 PM »
 

ecNate

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That looks MUCH better.  I would still work with your final printer and their specific templates to see how much further out you could push it though.  Please keep sharing updates and especially launch date.   8)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #18 on: July 21, 2016, 09:49:31 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Yeah, that's what I'm liking!  Love those free floating hearts and clubs now (although one is not turned the correct way on the JoC, which you may have overlooked and I know is an easy fix.)  Making the black is much better than the old color.  The extended background really looks good, too.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2016, 03:01:04 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Overall, I'm liking the direction the art for this deck is taking.  It reminds me of some kind of carnival face painting - there's a certain realism to their look, rather than a cartoon-like appearance or the flat look of standard playing card designs.  Yes, diminishing the white space around the cards and making the art larger and more full is an improvement.

I actually like the idea of the Kings and Queens having four pips in the artwork background while the Jacks have only two - it's sort of signifying the Jack's lower rank.  If you look at old card designs going from the Medieval era right up to Antebellum 19th-century America, before the advent of the index, the crowns worn by the jacks in the whole-body art designs were really little more than flat hats, while the king's crowns were slightly more elaborate, allowing players to visually distinguish between them and know which were the higher-ranked kings and which were the lower-ranked "knaves/jacks/princes/knights/etc."  The queens, being women, were much easier to distinguish!  This pip arrangement is simply a different kind of visual cue to someone looking at the art, allowing them to know right away which is the higher- or lower-ranked card.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #20 on: July 23, 2016, 10:49:22 AM »
 

NineLives

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That looks MUCH better.  I would still work with your final printer and their specific templates to see how much further out you could push it though.  Please keep sharing updates and especially launch date.   8)

Thanks heaps ecNate :)
I know players really value having a super narrow edge.Currently, its 3.5mm  (top / side of indice & small pip)I - so I may have a little wriggle room ... At the same time, I'm thinking the current white edge may be a good balance for the colourful artwork - though I'll keep it in mind for sure :)

Yeah, that's what I'm liking!  Love those free floating hearts and clubs now (although one is not turned the correct way on the JoC, which you may have overlooked and I know is an easy fix.)  Making the black is much better than the old color.  The extended background really looks good, too.

Thanks Helshawk - glad you like the latest updates :)

Overall, I'm liking the direction the art for this deck is taking.  It reminds me of some kind of carnival face painting - there's a certain realism to their look, rather than a cartoon-like appearance or the flat look of standard playing card designs.  Yes, diminishing the white space around the cards and making the art larger and more full is an improvement.

I actually like the idea of the Kings and Queens having four pips in the artwork background while the Jacks have only two - it's sort of signifying the Jack's lower rank.  If you look at old card designs going from the Medieval era right up to Antebellum 19th-century America, before the advent of the index, the crowns worn by the jacks in the whole-body art designs were really little more than flat hats, while the king's crowns were slightly more elaborate, allowing players to visually distinguish between them and know which were the higher-ranked kings and which were the lower-ranked "knaves/jacks/princes/knights/etc."  The queens, being women, were much easier to distinguish!  This pip arrangement is simply a different kind of visual cue to someone looking at the art, allowing them to know right away which is the higher- or lower-ranked card.

Thanks Don :)
Interesting read! The idea of using subtle visual clues to signify rank really appeals to me - 2 pips for the Jacks and 4 for Queens and Kings it is :)

Here's the revised Jack and Queen of Hearts - extended background and artwork, along with the updated palette:





*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #21 on: July 23, 2016, 08:02:33 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Oh my, you are KILLING it!  Bring on the spades and diamonds!!!!!  And I can't wait to see the back design.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #22 on: July 25, 2016, 01:17:34 PM »
 

NineLives

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Oh my, you are KILLING it!  Bring on the spades and diamonds!!!!!  And I can't wait to see the back design.

Thank you Helshawk :) Your encouragement is fabulous!
Back, Aces and number cards are all taking shape in my head - and I have to say I'm having a ball with this deck :)

I wanted to bring the royal Hearts and Clubs in line with the direction the design is going, before moving on ..
Jack of Clubs grew his hair a little and is now sporting a 'casual' ponytail, which he likes to tie back with a silk ribbon



Next up is the Queen of Clubs - and then it's time to visit the realm of Diamonds ...

Thanks for looking!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #23 on: August 04, 2016, 01:17:11 AM »
 

NineLives

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Here is the updated and revised Queen of Clubs ...



And I've made a start on the Royal Diamonds - where the courts are defined by a green background:

Jack of Diamonds


Queen of Diamonds


Thanks for looking!
*wave*
Annette
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #24 on: August 04, 2016, 10:24:56 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Another beautiful set of court cards!  ;D. Thanks for listening to everyone's suggestions, this deck is turning out fantastic...so colorful and lively...it definitely stands out amongst a lot of the other decks out there.  Really looking forward to the launch of this deck!   :D
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #25 on: August 04, 2016, 09:20:15 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Just food for thought on the backgrounds.  Red for hearts is a no-brainer.  What if green were the background for the more organic, flora-like form of the clubs and yellow for the diamonds, since the most commonly found diamond is a yellow diamond.  Wrap that up with a black background for spades.  just some subtleties to mull over.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #26 on: August 04, 2016, 11:17:20 PM »
 

NineLives

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Another beautiful set of court cards!  ;D. Thanks for listening to everyone's suggestions, this deck is turning out fantastic...so colorful and lively...it definitely stands out amongst a lot of the other decks out there.  Really looking forward to the launch of this deck!   :D

Thank you so much Cardfool - glad to hear, your encouragement and feedback here on the forum means the world to me :)
I'll definitely be looking to your thoughts on the number cards when I get to them... and the naming of the deck :D

Just food for thought on the backgrounds.  Red for hearts is a no-brainer.  What if green were the background for the more organic, flora-like form of the clubs and yellow for the diamonds, since the most commonly found diamond is a yellow diamond.  Wrap that up with a black background for spades.  just some subtleties to mull over.

Thanks Helshawk - good points :)
My colour choices are adapted from the mineral elements associated with tarot suits. Over the years, this has become the way I see suit colours in both playing cards and tarot, though I'm happy to hear your thoughts on the following - especially as I don't want to break any rules that make this deck less playable :)

Hearts - absolutely right, RED - the element is water, yet symbolic of blood and emotion (which defines the colour)
Clubs - Yellow - the element is Fire - symbolising creativity, energy and spirituality
Diamonds - Green - the element is Earth - symbolising material wealth, growth, putting down roots and tending the earth
Spades - Indigo (dark blue) - the element is Air - symbolising clarity of mind, intelligence and intuition

I have seen the yellow diamonds and green clubs you describe - and also other variations where Copag use blue diamonds (and green clubs), and others using green diamonds, blue clubs and even blue hearts ... While four colour decks were developed with easy visibility in mind, I am curious if there is a standard that goes across the board? :)

Thanks again and *wave*
Annette :)


« Last Edit: August 04, 2016, 11:21:32 PM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2016, 07:44:37 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Very, very cool.  Glad to know the background was deliberate in their choices of color.  And, if there is that reference to tarot, perhaps you can strengthen it by incorporating the elemental symbols.  It seems it would be quite easy to do in the crowns,
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #28 on: August 07, 2016, 05:24:15 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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I have seen the yellow diamonds and green clubs you describe - and also other variations where Copag use blue diamonds (and green clubs), and others using green diamonds, blue clubs and even blue hearts ... While four colour decks were developed with easy visibility in mind, I am curious if there is a standard that goes across the board? :)

Thanks again and *wave*
Annette :)

There's no firm standard regarding the chosen colors used in four-color decks.  The general rule is that people tend to keep it simple, sticking to primaries for the most part.

There's some people who thoroughly advocate for using four-color decks, often because of visibility issues in older people.  They're sometimes called "no-revoke" decks because they help prevent mistakes called revokes in bridge - the playing of a card out-of-suit when you possess cards of the correct suit in your hand.

However, the majority of card players tend to prefer the use of only two colors.  Many people play solitaire games that rely on having only two colors - the additional colors makes playing with no-revoke decks a major headache.  Some just think it's confusing, preferring to use just the suit shapes alone to distinguish between suits and leaving the colors alone in their traditional two-color pattern.

One compromise I've seen and occasionally recommended in people I've consulted for is to choose colors that are different but similar or complementary for suits that are traditionally the same color.  For example, one might use two dark colors (like black, navy blue and/or forest green) for the black suits and two light colors (like white, yellow and pink) for the red suits, or perhaps one would use colors that are shades of each other, like pink and red for red suits, blue and sky blue (or black and gray) for black suits.  The right combination can make the deck easily usable for two-color solitaire games while still making each suit a different color.

Another possible option might be using four colors, but with filled-in pips for the black suits and outline pips for the red suits.  The colors chosen for such an option have to be just right and the thickness of the outlines need to be thick enough to easily identify the colors but thin enough to indicate it's a "light"/red suit at a glance.  In such a case, darker colors tend to be good for the solid pips, but you can't overlook the importance of making those outline pips dark - with the right choice of colors, solid pips in light colors and outline pips in dark colors could work - you'd have to experiment with your choices to see how functional they are.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #29 on: August 09, 2016, 12:48:47 AM »
 

NineLives

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Very, very cool.  Glad to know the background was deliberate in their choices of color.  And, if there is that reference to tarot, perhaps you can strengthen it by incorporating the elemental symbols.  It seems it would be quite easy to do in the crowns,

Thanks Helshawk - great to hear :)


There's no firm standard regarding the chosen colors used in four-color decks.  The general rule is that people tend to keep it simple, sticking to primaries for the most part.

There's some people who thoroughly advocate for using four-color decks, often because of visibility issues in older people.  They're sometimes called "no-revoke" decks because they help prevent mistakes called revokes in bridge - the playing of a card out-of-suit when you possess cards of the correct suit in your hand.

However, the majority of card players tend to prefer the use of only two colors.  Many people play solitaire games that rely on having only two colors - the additional colors makes playing with no-revoke decks a major headache.  Some just think it's confusing, preferring to use just the suit shapes alone to distinguish between suits and leaving the colors alone in their traditional two-color pattern.

One compromise I've seen and occasionally recommended in people I've consulted for is to choose colors that are different but similar or complementary for suits that are traditionally the same color.  For example, one might use two dark colors (like black, navy blue and/or forest green) for the black suits and two light colors (like white, yellow and pink) for the red suits, or perhaps one would use colors that are shades of each other, like pink and red for red suits, blue and sky blue (or black and gray) for black suits.  The right combination can make the deck easily usable for two-color solitaire games while still making each suit a different color.

Another possible option might be using four colors, but with filled-in pips for the black suits and outline pips for the red suits.  The colors chosen for such an option have to be just right and the thickness of the outlines need to be thick enough to easily identify the colors but thin enough to indicate it's a "light"/red suit at a glance.  In such a case, darker colors tend to be good for the solid pips, but you can't overlook the importance of making those outline pips dark - with the right choice of colors, solid pips in light colors and outline pips in dark colors could work - you'd have to experiment with your choices to see how functional they are.

Thanks Don  :)
My hope was that the chosen palettes wouldn't throw any confusion in the mix. While I'm not aiming for a 'four colour deck',  I still don't want to be breaking rules - and your detailed helpful information is a relief :)

For now, I'll keep going with the current colours (may tweak somewhat as things progress) regardless of artwork, indices will be traditional black/red throughout...

In the previous update I forgot to add the pen & ink drawings for the Royal Diamonds:



Introducing the King of Diamonds:



Comparing to the drawing, this King's long hair has been fashionably rolled to suit his two-way appearance.

Coming soon: the Royal Spades ...

Thanks for looking!
Annette :)


 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #30 on: August 09, 2016, 10:50:23 AM »
 

Fess

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I don't think I've commented here and I really should because so far... I love this. These are great. I don't have any issue with eye feel at all here. My eyes naturally move to their eyes as a focus, exception being QoS which is nose then eyes and it works just fine. The colors are delightful and play well within the shapes. Even with the quirky font (I have yet to see the numbers) I can't complain about  the indices. One caveat, I'd love to see a slightly more obtuse diamond for the Pip itself. I'd love to see the diamond stretched out a little to resemble the shape on the QoD and JoD. The pip feels a little like a Box on it's edge. Spacing from the art is pretty much spot on, easy to identify without encouraging a negative eye feel from too much negative space. I'll say it again, I'm loving this.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #31 on: August 10, 2016, 11:16:32 PM »
 

NineLives

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I don't think I've commented here and I really should because so far... I love this. These are great. I don't have any issue with eye feel at all here. My eyes naturally move to their eyes as a focus, exception being QoS which is nose then eyes and it works just fine. The colors are delightful and play well within the shapes. Even with the quirky font (I have yet to see the numbers) I can't complain about  the indices. One caveat, I'd love to see a slightly more obtuse diamond for the Pip itself. I'd love to see the diamond stretched out a little to resemble the shape on the QoD and JoD. The pip feels a little like a Box on it's edge. Spacing from the art is pretty much spot on, easy to identify without encouraging a negative eye feel from too much negative space. I'll say it again, I'm loving this.

Thank you so much Fess for your kind words and feedback - truly glad to hear! :)
Good point you make about the diamond - don't want tilted boxes... Can I ask if you mean just the (floating) diamonds in the artwork - or the pips in the indices as well? I'm happy to play around with an elongated (stretched) diamond, though changing indices will affect the other 3 pips, to keep them all the same height (which may be a good change, I just want to make sure :))

Here is the King of Diamonds with elongated pips in the artwork:


and ... same shape diamonds, though here I've used the darkest colour in the palette (apart from black), similar to how the artwork pips appear in the suit of Hearts. I kind of feel this works and may give more distinction between artwork pips and indices - though always happy to hear your thoughts :) If this works, I'd probably change the artwork pips in the clubs as well ...



Thanks again for looking!
Annette :)



 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #32 on: August 12, 2016, 12:29:32 AM »
 

Fess

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I think this change to the pip works out well. The indices are alright now, in fact there is actually a bit of charm with them as they play against the pips on the court. Nice moves, I like it.  :D

Really it's your opinion that matters haha. I think you're designing a wonderful deck.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2016, 12:30:39 AM by Fess »
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #33 on: August 13, 2016, 06:45:37 AM »
 

NineLives

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I think this change to the pip works out well. The indices are alright now, in fact there is actually a bit of charm with them as they play against the pips on the court. Nice moves, I like it.  :D

Really it's your opinion that matters haha. I think you're designing a wonderful deck.

Thank you Fess :) I am really enjoying working on this deck and have to say that you guys are providing fabulous feedback and pointers along the way, so keep those thoughts coming :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #34 on: August 24, 2016, 02:51:13 AM »
 

NineLives

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Starting on the Spades ...


I’ve played around with two colour versions for the ‘floating spades’ within the artwork: dark vs light. Still not sure which one I’ll end up going with. My concern is that black spades on dark blue may ‘disappear’ too much in printing, but if the black/blue combination is printable I think it is my preferred one – what do you think?

Jack of Spades

In this one the floating spades are light blue:


... and here, they're black:


Queen of Spades

Same variations - first light blue spades:


... and black:


Thanks for looking!
Annette :)
« Last Edit: August 24, 2016, 02:54:14 AM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #35 on: August 24, 2016, 06:03:52 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Love the colors!  I think the light blue pips stand out better as opposed to the black pips, which kinda get lost in everything.

Keep up the great work! :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #36 on: August 24, 2016, 07:00:54 AM »
 

Fess

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I agree the blue pips look great. I'm enjoying how this deck is evolving really good stuff.  :)
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #37 on: August 24, 2016, 08:23:23 AM »
 

Anthony

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I've been sitting quietly, but I gotta say, just beautiful work, love the bold colors :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #38 on: August 24, 2016, 09:56:38 AM »
 

Eddie Hughlett

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Blue or black? I can't decide which I like best. So glad my decision will not be what color but how many decks to get! I can help that way.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #39 on: August 25, 2016, 03:11:53 AM »
 

NineLives

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Love the colors!  I think the light blue pips stand out better as opposed to the black pips, which kinda get lost in everything.

Keep up the great work! :)

Thank you Cardfool - great feedback and you're right - contrast is better than lost pips  :)

I agree the blue pips look great. I'm enjoying how this deck is evolving really good stuff.  :)

Thanks Fess :) - light blue it is!

I've been sitting quietly, but I gotta say, just beautiful work, love the bold colors :)

Thank you Anthony - glad and humbled to hear :)

Blue or black? I can't decide which I like best. So glad my decision will not be what color but how many decks to get! I can help that way.

Aw thanks Eddie :) - truly appreciate the support!

I felt the Queen needed some work to give more contrast between the lighter pips and her hair - so before the King, here's the updated QoS:



*wave*
Annette :)
« Last Edit: August 25, 2016, 03:13:28 AM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #40 on: August 27, 2016, 01:44:56 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Try this as an experiment on that Queen - swap the dark blue color on the background with the light blue color of the in-art spade pips.  I think it might set off both the pips and the hair much better.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #41 on: August 28, 2016, 10:39:19 AM »
 

NineLives

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Try this as an experiment on that Queen - swap the dark blue color on the background with the light blue color of the in-art spade pips.  I think it might set off both the pips and the hair much better.

Thanks Don :) I tried the lighter background at the early stage of working out the spade palette, but it didn't really grab me  ::) I prefer a darker blue background, though I am definitely open to feedback, as finding a good balance between colours in a darker palette, while not compromising too much on contrast is an interesting challenge :)

Dark vs Light background comparisons for Jack and Queen:





And ... a quick test with a mid-blue background and black in-art spades:



Thanks for looking!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #42 on: September 07, 2016, 12:36:16 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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The light blue background is a good choice, but the mid-blue might be the best.  It looks very good, providing the best way to show off the light and dark elements of the artwork.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #43 on: September 18, 2016, 12:24:27 PM »
 

NineLives

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The light blue background is a good choice, but the mid-blue might be the best.  It looks very good, providing the best way to show off the light and dark elements of the artwork.

Thanks Don for your feedback and so sorry it's taken forever to reply :)

It's been a while since I posted any updates ... I've been tweaking all the courts to bring them together and instead of boring you with a multitude of little changes I wanted to wait until I had a more complete look of the courts to share.

A change to the background and Floating Pips.

I settled on a very light blue for the artwork pips in the royal Spades - a contrast to the dark blue background ... yet, as most pips sit partly outside the background this light blue had way too little contrast against the white edge... To solve the contrast predicament I extended the background around all floating pips, which also feels like it brings everything together a bit more. The background is a royal tapestry with embroidered (or painted) suit symbols - with the focus  being on the royal faces in the foreground...

Introducing the King of Spades


 
Updating the Royal Cards









There will likely be a few more tweaks along the way - but at this stage I feel ready to move on to the Aces :)

Thanks for looking!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #44 on: September 19, 2016, 06:31:45 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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It's definitely a unique and striking look - you could be onto a winner with this one!  Surrounding the pips looks a little strange at first, but there's no denying that it does make them stand out better.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #45 on: September 19, 2016, 10:05:09 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Overall, I agree with Don, you have a winner  :bosswalk:

I love this deck more and more...there is just one thing I would like to throw out there for consideration.  As you have decided to go the use a different color scheme for each suit, in line with no revoke decks, would you consider following traditional no revoke deck colouring scheme?  In other words, switch the clubs and diamonds so that the clubs are green and diamonds are yellow (or golden)?  Either way, I am definitely on board to support this deck...and not just one! 8)
« Last Edit: September 19, 2016, 10:05:37 AM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #46 on: September 19, 2016, 12:30:59 PM »
 

NineLives

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It's definitely a unique and striking look - you could be onto a winner with this one!  Surrounding the pips looks a little strange at first, but there's no denying that it does make them stand out better.

Thanks so much Don :) I think I need to find a name for this baby soon or I'll be in trouble ...
The artwork pips have definitely been on a journey and if they stand out better without taking over too much, then I'm happy :)

Overall, I agree with Don, you have a winner  :bosswalk:

I love this deck more and more...there is just one thing I would like to throw out there for consideration.  As you have decided to go the use a different color scheme for each suit, in line with no revoke decks, would you consider following traditional no revoke deck colouring scheme?  In other words, switch the clubs and diamonds so that the clubs are green and diamonds are yellow (or golden)?  Either way, I am definitely on board to support this deck...and not just one! 8)


Thank you Cardfool :) I'll keep your suggestion in mind and might have a play with the colours. Rather than the traditional no revoke (or four colour) decks, I chose the colour scheme loosely based on the tarot - where Diaomonds/Pentacles have more green being connected to the Earth element - and Clubs/Rods have more yellow, being connected to the Fire element... That said, if tweaking the colour scheme would make more sense to playing card aficionados - I'm open to giving it a go :)

Have to say I really appreciate all your feedback and comments!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #47 on: September 20, 2016, 03:11:12 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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It's definitely a unique and striking look - you could be onto a winner with this one!  Surrounding the pips looks a little strange at first, but there's no denying that it does make them stand out better.

Thanks so much Don :) I think I need to find a name for this baby soon or I'll be in trouble ...
The artwork pips have definitely been on a journey and if they stand out better without taking over too much, then I'm happy :)

Overall, I agree with Don, you have a winner  :bosswalk:

I love this deck more and more...there is just one thing I would like to throw out there for consideration.  As you have decided to go the use a different color scheme for each suit, in line with no revoke decks, would you consider following traditional no revoke deck colouring scheme?  In other words, switch the clubs and diamonds so that the clubs are green and diamonds are yellow (or golden)?  Either way, I am definitely on board to support this deck...and not just one! 8)


Thank you Cardfool :) I'll keep your suggestion in mind and might have a play with the colours. Rather than the traditional no revoke (or four colour) decks, I chose the colour scheme loosely based on the tarot - where Diaomonds/Pentacles have more green being connected to the Earth element - and Clubs/Rods have more yellow, being connected to the Fire element... That said, if tweaking the colour scheme would make more sense to playing card aficionados - I'm open to giving it a go :)

Have to say I really appreciate all your feedback and comments!
Annette :)

As far as a name, I think you're already there - Whimsy!

As far as fiddling the color scheme - don't sweat that too hard.  There are numerous different color patterns used to create no-revoke style decks and no official standard of any kind for what pips should be what colors.  Not to mention that you're only planning to use four different color schemes on the court cards, not the spot cards, so it's not a true no-revoke deck at all.  (Unless there's something I missed somewhere in the discussions about your deck?)

If you really wanted to make a deck that's both two-color AND at least in part a no-revoke deck, look at some of the work done by Brett Jones, a fellow Aussie, when he created his Whiteknuckle Cards (2010) and Jones Playing Cards (2016) decks.  The pips in his cards are over the top - every card has a unique pip design, done with the use of Celtic knot-style artwork drawn inside of them that varies from card to card.  While the pips still have their overall traditional colors of red and black, he added subtle additional colors like purple, blue, green, etc., using a different color pattern for each pip shape, thus making a deck that's both two-color and no-revoke after a fashion.  While you don't have to follow his cue (he drew every single pip, index, face, etc. all by hand!), there are ways you can add some detail to the traditional pip shapes and colors to make the red pips more distinct from each other as well as as the black pips.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #48 on: September 20, 2016, 12:53:47 PM »
 

NineLives

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Thanks Don :)

and ... for the name suggestion too :) I have a few that have been jumping around in my head for a while - and somewhere it's about finding the one that sticks...

At the moment, my favourite name is 'Harlequin' - I don't know if it's possible though given that a deck with that name came out in the early 1900s... I even thought about running a poll here - but my jumbled ideas may be more confusing than helpful  ???

There will be colour and detail in both aces and pips (or spot cards) - I'm drawing aces at the moment (nothing scanned as yet..) - update to follow soon :)
Indices will be traditional black and red and while I'm not aiming for a 'no revoke' deck, I want to be sure that there won't be any confusion for players.

Brett Jones work is lovely and the detail, while subtle, is really something :)




 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #49 on: September 21, 2016, 07:01:43 PM »
 

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this is turning out great.  It started as wonderful and has moved into full-blown magnificence. I like the suggestion put forth by Don calling this deck "Whimsy."  But, I'd love to hear what other ideas you might have besides Harlequin. 
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #50 on: September 22, 2016, 10:24:36 AM »
 

leangyan

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Just one word: Wow...I like 'Harlequin' btw.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #51 on: September 24, 2016, 03:46:51 PM »
 

Connor X

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Oh my gosh...

I'll take 2.  ;)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #52 on: September 27, 2016, 02:05:47 PM »
 

NineLives

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Firstly, I'm so sorry for my delay in replying ... Time has a way of running away from me when I'm drawing...  ???

this is turning out great.  It started as wonderful and has moved into full-blown magnificence. I like the suggestion put forth by Don calling this deck "Whimsy."  But, I'd love to hear what other ideas you might have besides Harlequin. 

Thanks Helshawk - your support and feedback truly means a lot :)

Just one word: Wow...I like 'Harlequin' btw.

Thanks so much Sunish - let's see if you're swayed by the naming rambles below :)


Oh my gosh...

I'll take 2.  ;)

Thank you Connor X - glad to hear :)

----

Names and titles are often elusive to me until the work is complete ... And so, following Helshawk's prompt, here are some of the ideas bouncing around, with a little background on where they come from - to see if any stands out as 'the name' ... :)


IRIDIUM - is a rare metal in the platinum family. Named after the Greek goddess Iris (derived from the Latin word meaning rainbow), for the striking and diverse colours of its salts.

[Ramble Alert] Many colours have fascinating and almost magical names (Vanadium, Aquamarine, Cerulean, Tangarine, Vermillion ... ahhh!), yet choosing one colour to represent many didn't seem quite fair in this case ... As colours are often derived from metal oxides, I searched the periodic table for an element which could represent all colours - and found Iridium. Small amounts of this metal oxide can produce colours and enhance the effect of ceramic glazes, and, because of its impressive resistance to corrosion and high melting point (above 2000 degrees Celcius), it's also used in ceramic refractories. During my years working in clay and teaching glaze technology (the chemistry of ceramic glazes), I developed many glazes where the addition of different metal oxides produced specific effects in the fired result. Fascinating, especially for someone like myself who found high-school chemistry a drag, that practical use and the ability to test and observe tangible results - made all the difference :) While the drawing/painting style comes from my love of drawing faces loosely inspired by cross-contour drawing ... my teapots with faces involved the use of metal oxides, glazes and high-temperature firings, which in a way brings a 'rainbow metal name' into focus...

Following the journey into the world of chemistry I looked for more descriptive names ... Harlequin draped in colours and fun has sat at the top of that list, with Mosaiko coming in close behind (until I discovered the no-bake cake). Honestly, going over the names I find I'm leaning more towards Iridium again (going around in circles) :)

HARLEQUIN - a reference to the fanciful, multicoloured and jester like nature of the courts
HARLEQUINA - same as above but with a feminine touch

MOSAIKO - inspired by stained glass, mosaic and colour, although just did a search online and discovered it's also a no-bake cake  ::)

VIZAGO - Esperanto word meaning face

SEJA - Latvian word meaning face (this one comes from my Latvian background...)



Moving on to Aces and Number cards ...

The theme of faces continues throughout the deck and the Ace of Hearts has two faces framed within. The colour scheme follows that of the royal hearts, with the emphasis being on red. There may still be some tweaks before I'm happy, but here's version 1:



10 of Hearts

Initial idea is to maintain the detail from the Ace in each of the number pips, though I've done a few versions with slightly less detail to see if it makes a difference.

1. Identical to the Ace - though smaller in size ...



2. Scaled back amount of detail in faces



3. Contrast variation - more within the red spectrum



Thanks for looking!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #53 on: September 27, 2016, 02:50:09 PM »
 

Fess

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Vizago strikes me as a great name for a deck for two reasons, a V and a Z in the name. Those provide some great design opportunities for the tuck box. The I and the G are always fun but really with Vizago a they're just a bonus. Really great name and it fits the deck so well.

About the heart pips. It isn't the design or the color choice, the designs look good and it works on the ace. With so many faces built upon shapes and color, locked within familiar shapes outlined in color these are really busy to the eye. I'm having a terrible time focusing in general on the number cards. Not to be mean but they make me want to look away, and quickly! I feel like less is more in situations like these. If you're in love with the idea of faced pips throughout the deck maybe consider seeing how it looks with only 2 pips per number card using the designed faces while the remaining pips are solid. I'd go with the two pips nearest the indices over the two in the center. That could provide some form of balance that is completely missing at the moment.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #54 on: September 27, 2016, 03:21:18 PM »
 

Anthony

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Love how the deck is coming along Annette :)

As for names, I agree with Fess on this one VIZAGO! I think he also brought up a good point regarding the pips, I like his two pip suggestion. Coming together nicely :)
« Last Edit: September 27, 2016, 03:21:38 PM by Anthony »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #55 on: September 27, 2016, 06:20:30 PM »
 

ecNate

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And the Aces have faces!   ;)  And the number cards!  All in, love the custom details.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #56 on: September 29, 2016, 04:29:16 AM »
 

NineLives

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Vizago strikes me as a great name for a deck for two reasons, a V and a Z in the name. Those provide some great design opportunities for the tuck box. The I and the G are always fun but really with Vizago a they're just a bonus. Really great name and it fits the deck so well.

About the heart pips. It isn't the design or the color choice, the designs look good and it works on the ace. With so many faces built upon shapes and color, locked within familiar shapes outlined in color these are really busy to the eye. I'm having a terrible time focusing in general on the number cards. Not to be mean but they make me want to look away, and quickly! I feel like less is more in situations like these. If you're in love with the idea of faced pips throughout the deck maybe consider seeing how it looks with only 2 pips per number card using the designed faces while the remaining pips are solid. I'd go with the two pips nearest the indices over the two in the center. That could provide some form of balance that is completely missing at the moment.

Thanks Fess for your awesome feedback - I really appreciate it :)
I agree with you about the V and Z in VIZAGO and I am warming to this one a lot. What threw me in the beginning was a search for 'how to pronounce' ... and the computerised voice made it sound strange, but then I tried a known word (frangipani) and the result was hilariously terrible... I think first audio impression can be discarded - and probably visual is more important anyway?

With the number cards, you're right that they are on the busy side at the moment - partly, the left/right mirroring may be responsible for some of the eye-jumping, though more needs to be done - I don't want to make you have to look away ;)

To be honest, I would like to maintain custom pips throughout (related to the aces, even if they're less detailed), though I promise I won't bang my head against the brick wall to make the impossible work :)

Love how the deck is coming along Annette :)

As for names, I agree with Fess on this one VIZAGO! I think he also brought up a good point regarding the pips, I like his two pip suggestion. Coming together nicely :)

Thanks so much Anthony, and for the 2nd vote for VIZAGO :) - still work in progress on aces and number cards, though I'm having a lot of fun and enjoying the process of bringing this deck closer to reality.

And the Aces have faces!   ;)  And the number cards!  All in, love the custom details.

Thank you ecNate - delighted to hear :)

10 of Hearts - continued Work In Progress

In these versions I have omitted mirroring the hearts left to right and stuck to just rotating (top - bottom for the two-way view).

First - a look at Fess' suggestion to have 2 detailed pips and the rest solid:


Second - taking out more detail and bringing the colours even more into red:


Third - introducing black accents and emphasising the area around the eyes:



The Ace does need a bit more work before I'm happy with it, so there's bound to be a few more changes along the way ...

Thanks for looking - and for your awesome support and feedback!
Annette :)

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #57 on: September 29, 2016, 06:13:46 AM »
 

Fess

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Not everyone does this but most people do, we try to pronounce words based upon other words we know. It's part of being human and how we associate things to make sense for us in our minds. So, I simplify things by going with the vowel structure I know. Example of Vizago, it's meaning is close to the word I do know how to pronounce Visage. I'm sure there is some correlation between the two words through history at some point, coming from vulgar Latin and evolving into the romance languages Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, etc. Example Brazil in american and Brasil in Spanish, Portuguese etc. Sure they aren't exactly the same in pronunciation but they're close enough for most people. While English is a Germanic language the English vocabulary is heavily influenced by the romance langues so without over pronouncing the vowels I think it's alright to say that Vizago and Visage can sound fairly similar and it'll be okay. Some people don't use sound association when they're trying to pronounce a new word and will make that sucka sound as alien as possible, this tends to happen a whole lot less but it's fun as hell when you hear people doing it! I'd consider that a bonus myself. :))

On the pips, just a little something something, it may be good to use the dominant color of the artistic pips in the solid pips. It allows for the eye to flow over the solid pips easier and draws attention to the artistic pips at the same time. An interesting thing that could happen if you're thinking about having the faces smooch on all the aces/pips would be to use a color from the male as a dominant color on two suits and a color from the female as the dominant color on two suits.

A lot of fun going on and I'm interested to see the direction you go in. I think this deck is going to be brilliant both in color and in design.
« Last Edit: September 29, 2016, 06:14:09 AM by Fess »
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #58 on: September 30, 2016, 01:24:22 AM »
 

NineLives

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I love the idea of making new words sound as alien as possible :D
Just listened to Adele's 'Hello' performed in Esperanto - sounds  quite beautiful. With the actual pronunciation, I think you're right about the similarity to visage - having seen the 'g' both with and without the roof-like accent [Vizago / Vizaĝo] - the correct spelling is probably with the accent, which would make it a soft g.

Thanks again for your fascinating input :) I'm going to do some more work on the aces and update soon - only hearts [lovers] have the smooching couple - the others will have different faces :)
« Last Edit: September 30, 2016, 01:26:55 AM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #59 on: October 02, 2016, 04:53:55 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Vizago is a good name - it has a "g" sound as in the word go, a short "i" as in image and a short "a" as in ah.

Try this with the two-faced hearts - reduce the level of detail (except for the ace, of course!), make one face a distinct shade of red and the other face a different shade, notably lighter or darker in its entirety.  That might be the happy compromise you're seeking, where you have unique pips with faces in them but they're not too busy or distracting.  Alternately, you could try something akin to a semi-transformation or transformation deck, where you use the pips to make an image in each card - it entails a lot more work, but will make for an absolutely gorgeous design overall.  Transformation would use the pips in situ without altering their positions from standard, while semi-transformation would allow you to play with the placements a little and tweak the pips themselves.  Emmanuel Jose's decks are a fine example of good semi-transformation decks.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #60 on: October 02, 2016, 08:36:56 AM »
 

NineLives

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Vizago is a good name - it has a "g" sound as in the word go, a short "i" as in image and a short "a" as in ah.

Try this with the two-faced hearts - reduce the level of detail (except for the ace, of course!), make one face a distinct shade of red and the other face a different shade, notably lighter or darker in its entirety.  That might be the happy compromise you're seeking, where you have unique pips with faces in them but they're not too busy or distracting.  Alternately, you could try something akin to a semi-transformation or transformation deck, where you use the pips to make an image in each card - it entails a lot more work, but will make for an absolutely gorgeous design overall.  Transformation would use the pips in situ without altering their positions from standard, while semi-transformation would allow you to play with the placements a little and tweak the pips themselves.  Emmanuel Jose's decks are a fine example of good semi-transformation decks.

Thanks Don :)
My bad with the spelling - VIZAĜO with circumflex over g - and the only thing that's different from your excellent pronunciation guide is 'g' like in gem ... The Esperanto word meaning 'face' continues to grow on me and I'm almost ready to say this baby has a name... :)

Thanks too for your suggestions on the pips - doing some more work on Ace of Hearts at the moment, which will flow through to the number cards (I think). I had thought to go with transformation (like you say - custom pips in traditional placement), though I'll keep an open mind to semi-transformation, especially if the pips decide that's the way they need to go ...

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #61 on: October 04, 2016, 03:56:59 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Vizago is a good name - it has a "g" sound as in the word go, a short "i" as in image and a short "a" as in ah.

Try this with the two-faced hearts - reduce the level of detail (except for the ace, of course!), make one face a distinct shade of red and the other face a different shade, notably lighter or darker in its entirety.  That might be the happy compromise you're seeking, where you have unique pips with faces in them but they're not too busy or distracting.  Alternately, you could try something akin to a semi-transformation or transformation deck, where you use the pips to make an image in each card - it entails a lot more work, but will make for an absolutely gorgeous design overall.  Transformation would use the pips in situ without altering their positions from standard, while semi-transformation would allow you to play with the placements a little and tweak the pips themselves.  Emmanuel Jose's decks are a fine example of good semi-transformation decks.

Thanks Don :)
My bad with the spelling - VIZAĜO with circumflex over g - and the only thing that's different from your excellent pronunciation guide is 'g' like in gem ... The Esperanto word meaning 'face' continues to grow on me and I'm almost ready to say this baby has a name... :)

Thanks too for your suggestions on the pips - doing some more work on Ace of Hearts at the moment, which will flow through to the number cards (I think). I had thought to go with transformation (like you say - custom pips in traditional placement), though I'll keep an open mind to semi-transformation, especially if the pips decide that's the way they need to go ...

Annette :)

If the pronunciation is more like "vih-zah-jo," almost no one is going to pronounce it right, at least not in countries like the US where the circumflex is non-standard.  Putting a small-print pronunciation guide under the title might help, if it matters to you personally.

I think you misunderstood my definition of transformation deck - it's standard placement of STANDARD pips, incorporating the pips into a unique piece of art.  Semi-transformation also uses standard pips, but with unique placements that are tweaked to suit the artwork.  Because each and every card is a unique piece of art, it involves a lot more work to make either type of deck, but the end result is well worth it.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #62 on: October 04, 2016, 11:00:56 PM »
 

Helshawk

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As soon as I saw the word "Iridium" come up, I immediately fell in love with it, knowing somewhat about glazes and the connection to tea pots here.  I was set to declare this the best name ever until............I saw Vizago.  I have earthly love for "Iridium" but I have heavenly love for "Vizago."  LOVE the Ace of Hearts, BTW!
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #63 on: October 06, 2016, 10:10:47 AM »
 

NineLives

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If the pronunciation is more like "vih-zah-jo," almost no one is going to pronounce it right, at least not in countries like the US where the circumflex is non-standard.  Putting a small-print pronunciation guide under the title might help, if it matters to you personally.

Thanks Don :)
I had thought to include a pronunciation guide (and probably the meaning of the name too) - and I like your idea of it being small print. Though I don't mind if pronunciation varies - the visual look and the meaning are more important :)

I think you misunderstood my definition of transformation deck - it's standard placement of STANDARD pips, incorporating the pips into a unique piece of art.  Semi-transformation also uses standard pips, but with unique placements that are tweaked to suit the artwork.  Because each and every card is a unique piece of art, it involves a lot more work to make either type of deck, but the end result is well worth it.

Sorry for muddling things up Don - you made me think of one of my favourite cartoons :) :


When my head stops spinning with definitions I'll see if I've got it right ... Would the 10 of hearts (versions above) be custom pips (neither transformation or semi-transformation)?

As soon as I saw the word "Iridium" come up, I immediately fell in love with it, knowing somewhat about glazes and the connection to tea pots here.  I was set to declare this the best name ever until............I saw Vizago.  I have earthly love for "Iridium" but I have heavenly love for "Vizago."  LOVE the Ace of Hearts, BTW!

Thanks so much Helshawk :) Curious that you know about glazes ... such a fascinating world of fire and magic! Like you, I felt Iridium made the connection to both colour and earth - but with Vizaĝo, the meaning of the deck seemed to 'fall into place' and I'm truly glad you like it :) Glad you like Ace of Hearts, still a little more work to do before I'm happy ... :)

Ace of Clubs - Draft
Made a start on the second Ace - like a triple mirror, it reflects three slightly different aspects of the same face ...still thinking about size and placement - at the moment it feels a bit squat...



Thanks for looking!
Annette :)


 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #64 on: October 06, 2016, 10:47:18 AM »
 

Cardfool

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Love the AoCs!  You are on a roll with the Aces!  I really can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve for us!  :D
« Last Edit: October 06, 2016, 10:47:44 AM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #65 on: October 08, 2016, 04:43:13 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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If the pronunciation is more like "vih-zah-jo," almost no one is going to pronounce it right, at least not in countries like the US where the circumflex is non-standard.  Putting a small-print pronunciation guide under the title might help, if it matters to you personally.

Thanks Don :)
I had thought to include a pronunciation guide (and probably the meaning of the name too) - and I like your idea of it being small print. Though I don't mind if pronunciation varies - the visual look and the meaning are more important :)

I think you misunderstood my definition of transformation deck - it's standard placement of STANDARD pips, incorporating the pips into a unique piece of art.  Semi-transformation also uses standard pips, but with unique placements that are tweaked to suit the artwork.  Because each and every card is a unique piece of art, it involves a lot more work to make either type of deck, but the end result is well worth it.

Sorry for muddling things up Don - you made me think of one of my favourite cartoons :) :


When my head stops spinning with definitions I'll see if I've got it right ... Would the 10 of hearts (versions above) be custom pips (neither transformation or semi-transformation)?

Ace of Clubs - Draft
Made a start on the second Ace - like a triple mirror, it reflects three slightly different aspects of the same face ...still thinking about size and placement - at the moment it feels a bit squat...



Thanks for looking!
Annette :)

For me, pronunciation is important.  My last name is French and I pronounce it as such, which means the final consonant sound is silent.  I don't use the Anglicized pronunciation of it, so whenever I tell someone what my name is, especially when talking over the phone with someone who's looking my name up in their computer database, I tell them my name as it's properly pronounced in French, then spell it - in extreme cases where they can't hear me, I'll use the "military alphabet" and say "Bravo, Oscar, Yankee, Echo, Romeo..."

I'm a big fan of Calvin and Hobbes - I have the entire run of comics in a giant boxed set of books; every single strip, black-and-white and color, all in one collection!

Your pips are custom - but your cards are NOT in any way transformation cards.  It is possible to combine the concepts, but it requires a light touch to do it well.  For example, in the semi-transformation decks made by Emmanuel Jose, most of his pips are indeed standard, but occasionally he does rework a few or even all of his pips on a given card into a custom design to make it suit his concept for the card's art - a pip might be made to look like a bird, a fish, a baloon, a tree, etc. and in the process be made as a custom pip design, as opposed to taking an completely ordinary pip and drawing new lines on it or around it or both to make the transformation art.

A genuine full-transformation art deck is easy to envision when you think of it this way - if you bought an ordinary, standard pack of cards and drew, painted or sketched your art onto the spot cards, with the pips on those cards not being moved or reshaped in any way, that's a handmade version of a proper transformation deck.  Of course, the courts are a different ballgame altogether, but you can't really to a lot to them after they've been printed because there's so little white space left in the typical standard court card design.

A decision to make a full or semi-transformation deck isn't something to take lightly - you're making a unique piece of art for each of the cards, all 52 at the least, and usually the jokers as well.  I suppose one could make some cards as transformation cards while leaving others alone, but the effect isn't the same as transforming all of the cards and leads to having a deck that looks like two different decks cobbled together from spare parts.  It's why transformation decks in general aren't very common these days.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #66 on: October 09, 2016, 10:53:22 AM »
 

NineLives

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Oh that is fabulous - a Calvin & Hobbes fan!
Don, I dug this one out for you :)



Back in art school I made a couple of Calvin & Hobbes 'fan mugs' for friends - Hobbes (not visible here) is chasing Calvin around the mug and his tail forms the handle. It's not the best photo, but it was a fun tribute thing to do - and I do envy your collection! 

Love the AoCs!  You are on a roll with the Aces!  I really can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve for us!  :D

Thank you so much Cardfool, I really appreciate your support :)
There will be some adjustments to the aces as I go - For me, things tend to come together more when I see the cards working together... this is also why I leave the back and the box to the very end...

Ace of Diamons - draft



A single face looking through the diamond shape.

Thanks for looking
Annette :)

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #67 on: October 09, 2016, 09:12:25 PM »
 

Fess

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And there is the AoD. My favorite suit and so far my favorite card!
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #68 on: October 09, 2016, 11:25:45 PM »
 

Claire G

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Oh wow these cards are absolutely lovely. Loving the colour scheme!
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #69 on: October 14, 2016, 08:27:05 AM »
 

NineLives

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And there is the AoD. My favorite suit and so far my favorite card!

Thanks so much Fess - glad you like this Ace, it feels like the direction is set for bringing the four together, along with some tweaks to the heart and club ... and then (after Ace of Spades) it's time for  'round two' of number cards  :)

Oh wow these cards are absolutely lovely. Loving the colour scheme!

Thank you Claire, nice to see you pop in here - and glad you like the colours! :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #70 on: November 01, 2016, 11:44:35 PM »
 

NineLives

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Sorry for the delay folks, unexpected events have kept me preoccupied recently, which unfortunately has meant less time for creative work ... :( Though as things settle, I'm looking forward to be back on track with this truly exciting project. Just wanted to let you know, I'm still here :)

From other design/development posts I gather that there is little point in seeking quotes from printers, until both back and box design are complete? (my top favourites would be EPCC or Legends for this deck)...  The tricky part is that with the way I work, the back and box become the last to complete ... and I suppose I'm wondering if I actually need to wait until they're done before approaching printers; given that quotes can take some time ..?

Thanks for visiting *wave*
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #71 on: November 02, 2016, 01:30:13 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Sorry for the delay folks, unexpected events have kept me preoccupied recently, which unfortunately has meant less time for creative work ... :( Though as things settle, I'm looking forward to be back on track with this truly exciting project. Just wanted to let you know, I'm still here :)

From other design/development posts I gather that there is little point in seeking quotes from printers, until both back and box design are complete? (my top favourites would be EPCC or Legends for this deck)...  The tricky part is that with the way I work, the back and box become the last to complete ... and I suppose I'm wondering if I actually need to wait until they're done before approaching printers; given that quotes can take some time ..?

Thanks for visiting *wave*
Annette :)

You kinda sorta have to complete the whole design first.  You might end up wanting certain bells and whistles for your backs or tuck boxes that will alter your price quote - metallic inks, foil stamping, embossing, side-loading tucks, interior printing, custom seals, UV inks, etc.  If you know you're going to go plain vanilla for certain, using only CMYK-blended colors and no fancy add-ons, then it practically doesn't matter; yes, you can approach them for a quote - but they might want to see the finished design before they can give you that quote.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #72 on: November 02, 2016, 09:38:36 PM »
 

NineLives

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You kinda sorta have to complete the whole design first.  You might end up wanting certain bells and whistles for your backs or tuck boxes that will alter your price quote - metallic inks, foil stamping, embossing, side-loading tucks, interior printing, custom seals, UV inks, etc.  If you know you're going to go plain vanilla for certain, using only CMYK-blended colors and no fancy add-ons, then it practically doesn't matter; yes, you can approach them for a quote - but they might want to see the finished design before they can give you that quote.

Thanks Don :)
I do like 'kinda sorta' - and yes I can relate to that it's best to have all details locked in before providing a quote. I'll need to think about the bells and whistles - at this point the 3 that seem cool to me are: embossing (on box), interior printing and custom seals ... I don't think metallic inks or foils would be the go on this one ...

My focus is more on the design and I fear I'm less enlightened as to what collectors like, so if anyone has a wishlist I'm all ears! :)

*wave* Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #73 on: November 06, 2016, 06:42:55 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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You kinda sorta have to complete the whole design first.  You might end up wanting certain bells and whistles for your backs or tuck boxes that will alter your price quote - metallic inks, foil stamping, embossing, side-loading tucks, interior printing, custom seals, UV inks, etc.  If you know you're going to go plain vanilla for certain, using only CMYK-blended colors and no fancy add-ons, then it practically doesn't matter; yes, you can approach them for a quote - but they might want to see the finished design before they can give you that quote.

Thanks Don :)
I do like 'kinda sorta' - and yes I can relate to that it's best to have all details locked in before providing a quote. I'll need to think about the bells and whistles - at this point the 3 that seem cool to me are: embossing (on box), interior printing and custom seals ... I don't think metallic inks or foils would be the go on this one ...

My focus is more on the design and I fear I'm less enlightened as to what collectors like, so if anyone has a wishlist I'm all ears! :)

*wave* Annette :)

Actually, an interior of metallic foil might be nice - it lends the box a rather royal look, especially depending on the color chosen.  Red's a good option, though if purple's available, go for it!

Metallic inks have become less popular since foil stamping on the cards has become a revived art.  But it's VERY expensive.  Cheaper to get foil on the box - collectors like shiny things.  Ironic, considering that matte finishes on tucks are also very popular rather than glossy finishes.

If you're going for a limited edition of a specific size, a serially-numbered custom deck seal is another popular option.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #74 on: November 06, 2016, 10:27:33 AM »
 

Fess

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Just tossing this out there, I love the synthetic paper tucks they've come up with. The stuff is fantastic. I usually carry my deck in a little case but it's pretty thick and can be annoying. The synthetic paper tucks slip in my pocket and I don't have to worry about the tuck being mangled like paper ones so no case, pack jacket or clip required. It's a beautiful thing.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #75 on: November 07, 2016, 03:16:49 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Just tossing this out there, I love the synthetic paper tucks they've come up with. The stuff is fantastic. I usually carry my deck in a little case but it's pretty thick and can be annoying. The synthetic paper tucks slip in my pocket and I don't have to worry about the tuck being mangled like paper ones so no case, pack jacket or clip required. It's a beautiful thing.

Clips are really more for flattening the cards than for protecting the box - most clips actually do more harm than good to the boxes!  The rare exception I've seen were the old Eco Clips that are no longer on the market.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #76 on: November 07, 2016, 05:20:57 AM »
 

Fess

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Just tossing this out there, I love the synthetic paper tucks they've come up with. The stuff is fantastic. I usually carry my deck in a little case but it's pretty thick and can be annoying. The synthetic paper tucks slip in my pocket and I don't have to worry about the tuck being mangled like paper ones so no case, pack jacket or clip required. It's a beautiful thing.

Clips are really more for flattening the cards than for protecting the box - most clips actually do more harm than good to the boxes!  The rare exception I've seen were the old Eco Clips that are no longer on the market.

I don't use card clips in my pocket, I have but I don't because like you said they're pretty vicious. The stainless steel clips, that are somewhat more flimsy than what we usually think of when we think card clip, would work for protecting a deck in your pocket though they're likely to scratch your tuck up pretty well. They're not really great for putting the squeeze on your cards after a few hours of playing though. Aluminium Porper card clips are the way to go there for sure can't say how many times my card clips have saved a deck after hard use. I have an old tally-ho red circle back that lives in a card clip since it's tuck died a long long time ago. The deck has been cleaned easily a dozen times, of course it's still filthy, it's been on it's last legs for three or four years now. It's my original practice deck and I'll never throw it away or stop using it.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #77 on: November 08, 2016, 04:42:12 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Just tossing this out there, I love the synthetic paper tucks they've come up with. The stuff is fantastic. I usually carry my deck in a little case but it's pretty thick and can be annoying. The synthetic paper tucks slip in my pocket and I don't have to worry about the tuck being mangled like paper ones so no case, pack jacket or clip required. It's a beautiful thing.

Clips are really more for flattening the cards than for protecting the box - most clips actually do more harm than good to the boxes!  The rare exception I've seen were the old Eco Clips that are no longer on the market.

I don't use card clips in my pocket, I have but I don't because like you said they're pretty vicious. The stainless steel clips, that are somewhat more flimsy than what we usually think of when we think card clip, would work for protecting a deck in your pocket though they're likely to scratch your tuck up pretty well. They're not really great for putting the squeeze on your cards after a few hours of playing though. Aluminium Porper card clips are the way to go there for sure can't say how many times my card clips have saved a deck after hard use. I have an old tally-ho red circle back that lives in a card clip since it's tuck died a long long time ago. The deck has been cleaned easily a dozen times, of course it's still filthy, it's been on it's last legs for three or four years now. It's my original practice deck and I'll never throw it away or stop using it.

The secret to using the stainless steel clips with the flat backs is that you need to sand down the edges before using them on your decks.  They don't provide much by way of tension, though, so they're fairly useless for flattening a deck after heavy use, and while a sanded edge won't scratch the box much, the clips are usually sized so the edges of the box are still exposed and can take some damage with handling.

We've diverted this topic enough - we should probably get back on track or take this to a new topic!

BTW: I'm in total agreement on the new synthetic tucks - they're fantastically durable and have a nice texture to them.  However, they don't take embossing well at all - Expert PCC won't offer embossing with synthetic tucks.  They'll give you foil stamping, they'll give you die cut windows in the box if you want them, they might even be able to use metallic inks, but no embossing.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #78 on: November 09, 2016, 10:27:30 AM »
 

NineLives

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Actually, an interior of metallic foil might be nice - it lends the box a rather royal look, especially depending on the color chosen.  Red's a good option, though if purple's available, go for it!

Metallic inks have become less popular since foil stamping on the cards has become a revived art.  But it's VERY expensive.  Cheaper to get foil on the box - collectors like shiny things.  Ironic, considering that matte finishes on tucks are also very popular rather than glossy finishes.

If you're going for a limited edition of a specific size, a serially-numbered custom deck seal is another popular option.

Interesting - and definitely food for thought :)

Just tossing this out there, I love the synthetic paper tucks they've come up with. The stuff is fantastic. I usually carry my deck in a little case but it's pretty thick and can be annoying. The synthetic paper tucks slip in my pocket and I don't have to worry about the tuck being mangled like paper ones so no case, pack jacket or clip required. It's a beautiful thing.

We've diverted this topic enough - we should probably get back on track or take this to a new topic!

BTW: I'm in total agreement on the new synthetic tucks - they're fantastically durable and have a nice texture to them.  However, they don't take embossing well at all - Expert PCC won't offer embossing with synthetic tucks.  They'll give you foil stamping, they'll give you die cut windows in the box if you want them, they might even be able to use metallic inks, but no embossing.

Thanks Fess and Don - (and the diversions were interesting too) Synthetic paper tuckbox - I like the sound of this one!  :) I haven't come across these before, so curious if full colour printing is possible - or would the design need to be more sparse? While I'd need to look into it more, it sounds like the tuck is more than enough 'bells & whistles' to need any embossing on top :)

Moving along with the designs ... :)

After settling on the name, I dived into the lettering:



Ace of Spades



Two faces look in opposite direction within the Ace of Spades - one upright and one up-side-down - symbolising that clarity of mind comes with the ability to see things from more than one perspective...

Another look at the number cards ...

This idea for number cards is about bringing the classic pip (or suit symbol) together with a face in profile, to create a symmetrical flow – where the detail in the faces is balanced against the solid colour of the pip shape (in this case, the spade):



Still tweaking to do, though I'm always happy to hear your thoughts - and thanks for looking!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #79 on: November 09, 2016, 12:25:43 PM »
 

Fess

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Thanks Fess and Don - (and the diversions were interesting too) Synthetic paper tuckbox - I like the sound of this one!  :) I haven't come across these before, so curious if full colour printing is possible - or would the design need to be more sparse? While I'd need to look into it more, it sounds like the tuck is more than enough 'bells & whistles' to need any embossing on top :)

The last issue of Card Culture #23, page 15, Jetsetter Premier Edition features a synthetic paper tuck. It may help to see one that way but nothing is as cool as having it in your hands. Off the top of my head Synthetic paper is also used in 52+Joker Pack Jackets available at the club site as well as the 52+Joker Gold deck, Liars and Thieves, Chameleons available from Conjuring Arts. There are more of course just not coming to mind right now.

I like the little diamond feature on the 0 of the 10 and in the O on Vizago. Finding a way to stick my favorite suit on the other three is pretty great in my book.

The AoS feels a little odd to my eye. The human eye is naturally drawn to the lightest areas, something out of how we fear the dark and all that from way back when, in AoS there are two eyes but not on an even level. This causes my eyes to have to shift back and forth and this aspect is something that is okay we do it every day. Even so between the shift I have to refocus on what I'm looking at to actually see what's there. It's like it's missing a way for my eye to flow from point to point if that makes sense. It may be because of the orientation of one image under the other or the way the colors are represented. When it comes to eye feel allowing the eye to flow over an image will usually generate more like, an image that requires a refocus will usually generate more dislike. The initial reaction, most often a subconscious one, on a major card like AoS can be a pretty big determining factor to back or not, buy or not. Thought I would bring it up.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #80 on: November 09, 2016, 03:06:21 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thanks Fess and Don - (and the diversions were interesting too) Synthetic paper tuckbox - I like the sound of this one!  :) I haven't come across these before, so curious if full colour printing is possible - or would the design need to be more sparse? While I'd need to look into it more, it sounds like the tuck is more than enough 'bells & whistles' to need any embossing on top :)

The tuck can be printed in full CMYK color and can take foil - the Chameleons deck was Expert's first to use this material and it has holographic foil stamped on the special edition green deck.  (I think - I'm going off the top of my head!)  But CMYK is a certainty.

It looks like paperboard, lasts like plastic and has a nice tactile feel to it, in my opinion.  It will last considerably longer than typical paper tuck boxes.  One thing I've noticed with vintage decks - the first thing to fall apart is usually the box, not the cards, under normal wear and tear.  Synthetic tucks would be the opposite - they'd outlast the paper cards.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #81 on: November 10, 2016, 11:01:55 AM »
 

NineLives

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The tuck can be printed in full CMYK color and can take foil - the Chameleons deck was Expert's first to use this material and it has holographic foil stamped on the special edition green deck.  (I think - I'm going off the top of my head!)  But CMYK is a certainty.

It looks like paperboard, lasts like plastic and has a nice tactile feel to it, in my opinion.  It will last considerably longer than typical paper tuck boxes.  One thing I've noticed with vintage decks - the first thing to fall apart is usually the box, not the cards, under normal wear and tear.  Synthetic tucks would be the opposite - they'd outlast the paper cards.

Thanks for that information Don, glad to hear that full CMYK is available - I'll be finding a deck with a synthetic tuck as soon as I can, to get a feel of the real thing :) When I read your post, my eyes jumped through the sentence to make it: "Looks like paperboard, tastes like plastic ..." and I thank you for the unintentional laugh :)


The last issue of Card Culture #23, page 15, Jetsetter Premier Edition features a synthetic paper tuck. It may help to see one that way but nothing is as cool as having it in your hands. Off the top of my head Synthetic paper is also used in 52+Joker Pack Jackets available at the club site as well as the 52+Joker Gold deck, Liars and Thieves, Chameleons available from Conjuring Arts. There are more of course just not coming to mind right now.

I like the little diamond feature on the 0 of the 10 and in the O on Vizago. Finding a way to stick my favorite suit on the other three is pretty great in my book.

The AoS feels a little odd to my eye. The human eye is naturally drawn to the lightest areas, something out of how we fear the dark and all that from way back when, in AoS there are two eyes but not on an even level. This causes my eyes to have to shift back and forth and this aspect is something that is okay we do it every day. Even so between the shift I have to refocus on what I'm looking at to actually see what's there. It's like it's missing a way for my eye to flow from point to point if that makes sense. It may be because of the orientation of one image under the other or the way the colors are represented. When it comes to eye feel allowing the eye to flow over an image will usually generate more like, an image that requires a refocus will usually generate more dislike. The initial reaction, most often a subconscious one, on a major card like AoS can be a pretty big determining factor to back or not, buy or not. Thought I would bring it up.

Thanks Fess for your list of decks with synthetic tucks - now I definitely have a selection to go shopping ...

Also, I truly appreciate your feedback on AoS - I think maybe because I'm so used to inverting, flipping and working on curved 3D surfaces, my eyes will see a face whether it is upright or up-side-down - and... with a visual idea on hand, I plough ahead with little regard for those confusing visual aspects ;)  You do make a good point and I'm glad for feedback that makes me think and see things in a different light, thank you :)

I went back and had another look and thought that well, the idea can still work if the faces are symmetrical - as looking in opposite direction is about seeing things from different perspectives - and can also be about looking into a mirror ...

Ace of Spades - #2



Thanks for looking
Annette :)


 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #82 on: November 19, 2016, 01:55:46 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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You're welcome for the laughs, Annette!  I do like the second version of the Ace of Spades much better.

Some of the decks Fess mentioned are made with synthetic tucks - and some aren't.  The first deck to use it was Asi Wind's Chameleons and the 2014 52 Plus Joker gold deck predates that, as do the club's Pack Jackets (unless there's been an updated version since, which is possible - I don't know, personally, but Lee Asher and Bill Kalush would).  I know the Jetsetters in Altitude Blue have a synthetic tuck box and I don't have a L&T deck so I couldn't say one way or another.

Chameleons are still available from the Conjuring Arts Research Center - red and blue are US$10 a pack, the green is a premium deck at US$20 a pack and there are discounts for buying three-packs and one-dozen bricks.  How much longer they'll be around, I couldn't say - they are a limited edition, as are all the decks Fess mentioned.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #83 on: November 19, 2016, 04:26:24 AM »
 

Fess

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You're welcome for the laughs, Annette!  I do like the second version of the Ace of Spades much better.

Some of the decks Fess mentioned are made with synthetic tucks - and some aren't.  The first deck to use it was Asi Wind's Chameleons and the 2014 52 Plus Joker gold deck predates that, as do the club's Pack Jackets (unless there's been an updated version since, which is possible - I don't know, personally, but Lee Asher and Bill Kalush would).  I know the Jetsetters in Altitude Blue have a synthetic tuck box and I don't have a L&T deck so I couldn't say one way or another.

Chameleons are still available from the Conjuring Arts Research Center - red and blue are US$10 a pack, the green is a premium deck at US$20 a pack and there are discounts for buying three-packs and one-dozen bricks.  How much longer they'll be around, I couldn't say - they are a limited edition, as are all the decks Fess mentioned.

Correct about the pack jackets, I don't know why I thought they were synthetic paper. Likely due to my not abusing decks or throwing them around in pack jackets, there is no real wear to any of them minus one black Expert pack jacket. That one took a beating but it's not a 52+ anyway pardon my mistake on the accessories. They are thick card stock and a minute with the thickness shoes that pretty clearly. Synthetic paper isn't as thick, you'll notice that about it right away. It has a pretty nice feel to it.

The decks I mentioned do all have synthetic paper tucks and Chams were not the first. Photos can be supplied if there is more dispute however it would be easier if you just popped over to CARC and investigated further. I'm pretty sure they say if a deck has synthetic paper. After just checking, yes they do say so. I'm sure there are more Decks that feature synthetic tucks, if I turned my brain on I would probably think of a couple. That selection is pretty good though a lot to enjoy there. Don is correct, each and every deck featuring synthetic tucks is Limited Edition. I can't imagine a non-LE deck showcasing a synthetic paper tuck. That's kind of mind blowing to consider really haha.

Back on topic about Vizago though, I think adding the black shade to the faces really helped out a lot. My eyes instantly see the eyes on each face and even though it's negative space the black allows the eye to follow the contour of the faces and flow. Mirroring the faces is a nice touch, it's smoother and has a nice effect. The eye feel is much nicer now. I like it and it looks good. Things are shaping up to be very interesting and I'd like to see where you're headed with the others. It's an enjoyable ride you're taking us on.

I also think a skewed solo face would work well in the Ace pips too, kind of a long the lines of the QoH image, how it's slightly bend, curving. May be dramatic and something to consider if you aren't quite happy with the AoS as is. if you did go with a solo face I think it would be a benefit to lose the outer ring along the pip on the Ace in favor of a bit of a fade technique. Hints can work very well and our eyes like that play a lot. While not quite the same same a fade effect still touches on that point of how our human brains want  to see faces in random things of nature like smoke, leaves, stones, etc which is instantly engaging if you can already clearly see the face. Lots of fun.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2016, 04:40:00 AM by Fess »
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #84 on: December 30, 2016, 12:08:50 PM »
 

NineLives

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Firstly, I am so sorry for the long delay in replying and posting updates here :(

A few months ago my husband became ill unexpectedly - Despite the upheaval and worry; some events seem to shine a light on what matters in life; love, family, friendships – and we’re lucky to be surrounded by wonderful people. Being positive about him recovering – and taking things day by day really, truly helps …

I do feel terrible about not popping in for so long, but want you guys to know that your involvement and awesome feedback along the way has been so inspiring, so thank you - and (in advance) thank you for your patience ;)

In between things I have found time to keep working on the cards and am definitely feeling that the deck is starting to take real shape, which is exciting.

The 4 Aces

First versions (especially clubs and hearts) have been reworked, scaling back some of the detail and refining the artwork, which continues the main theme of this deck; the Face:



The Number Cards

The original idea for the number cards was to repeat a smaller size pip identical to the one on the ace … However, the amount of detail made them quite busy, and following some great feedback :) I went back to the drawing board ... After playing around with different ideas I came up with the half-half pip … These ‘divided’ pips show a face in profile with a solid field of colour completing the symbol shape ... using colours to match the courts and aces in each suit.

Spades:


Diamonds:


Clubs:


Hearts:


And a look at Ace, court and number card together from each suit:









Next up will be the Jokers and the card back ...

Thanks so much for looking and I hope you've all had a great Christmas and that 2017 will be splendid!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #85 on: December 30, 2016, 08:46:38 PM »
 

Cardfool

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Sorry to hear of your husband's poor health and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Love all the changes you have made, especially the half face pips, and am really excited for this deck! 

Wishing you and your loved ones the best in 2017!  May it be filled with Joy and Happiness!
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #86 on: January 02, 2017, 12:42:28 AM »
 

ecNate

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I'll be shocked if I buy more than a handful of decks in 2017, but this will be one of them.  Well done.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #87 on: January 02, 2017, 02:05:15 AM »
 

NineLives

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Sorry to hear of your husband's poor health and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Love all the changes you have made, especially the half face pips, and am really excited for this deck! 

Wishing you and your loved ones the best in 2017!  May it be filled with Joy and Happiness!

Thank you so much Cardfool - your kind words and positive support mean the world :)
Hoping that you and yours will have all the best for this new and exciting year! :)

I'll be shocked if I buy more than a handful of decks in 2017, but this will be one of them.  Well done.

Thank you ever so much for your humbling and overwhelming endorsement ecNate :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #88 on: January 03, 2017, 04:25:10 PM »
 

leangyan

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Hi Annette,

Glad to see you back. The direction this deck has taken is simply awesome and looking forward to the jokers now :)


Regards,
Sunish
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #89 on: January 10, 2017, 11:38:04 AM »
 

NineLives

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Hi Annette,

Glad to see you back. The direction this deck has taken is simply awesome and looking forward to the jokers now :)


Regards,
Sunish

Thanks so much Sunish - glad to hear :)

Here's a look at the two Jokers... two-way designs with happy and colourful faces:


The 'red' Joker has its name in red - and incorporates colours from hearts and diamonds


The 'black' Joker incorporates colours from clubs and spades



Thanks for looking - *wave*
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #90 on: January 15, 2017, 01:20:09 PM »
 

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Fabulous job on the whole deck.   It looks fantastic.  If i may make a wee critique of the jokers, here is my take.  I love that you have incorporated the black cards and red cards into the two jokers along with the angular aspect for the red and the curvy aspect for the black.  I like the pips at the end of the jester cap on the black but not on the red.  It seems haphazard.  Maybe using one as an earring and the other to top the jester cap perhaps.  Just my two cents and it may not even be worth that much as it is so minor.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #91 on: January 15, 2017, 03:37:23 PM »
 

skinny

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This deck is great all the way. I'll agree with the basically insignificant critique from Helshawk. When seen side by side, the hearts and diamonds look a little off on the joker. I think that's partly because the red suits are "attached" to the jester's hat in a different spot than the black suits are. The hat (curling up vs. down) emphasizes it. Seen apart from each other, I don't notice it.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #92 on: January 18, 2017, 11:14:44 AM »
 

NineLives

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Fabulous job on the whole deck.   It looks fantastic.  If i may make a wee critique of the jokers, here is my take.  I love that you have incorporated the black cards and red cards into the two jokers along with the angular aspect for the red and the curvy aspect for the black.  I like the pips at the end of the jester cap on the black but not on the red.  It seems haphazard.  Maybe using one as an earring and the other to top the jester cap perhaps.  Just my two cents and it may not even be worth that much as it is so minor.

This deck is great all the way. I'll agree with the basically insignificant critique from Helshawk. When seen side by side, the hearts and diamonds look a little off on the joker. I think that's partly because the red suits are "attached" to the jester's hat in a different spot than the black suits are. The hat (curling up vs. down) emphasizes it. Seen apart from each other, I don't notice it.

Thank you Helshawk and skinny :) So glad you pointed out the hearts and diamonds on the Joker hat - something was bugging me, but I was a little too lost in the detail to see. I'll definitely have a play around and post an update very soon. I like the earring/hat idea, thank you :)

This is going to sound ridiculous but I managed to break my finger last weekend (on a bushwalk - clambering up a rock, which wasn't a particularly clever thing to do...)! Luckily it's a clean break and will heal fine - I just have to be patient, which isn't the easiest  ???  ::) Drawing for the card back is underway and while I'm 'strapped' I will keep working on the ideas in my head. :)

I put some drawing images up on my art blog if you want to revisit the pre-painted stage of the artwork:
http://www.abolinaart.com.au/blog/looking-back-at-the-illustration-process/

Thanks for stopping by
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #93 on: January 31, 2017, 01:52:45 AM »
 

intlgrrl

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Sorry to hear about you finger breaking! I hope you have a speedy recovery. I love what you've done with the deck (I've been lurking for a while on this particular thread).
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #94 on: February 01, 2017, 11:15:42 PM »
 

ecNate

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Looking great, hope you recover soon!

When and where can we expect to see this available for (pre) sale?  Will this be a KickStarter or other pre-sale method, are your printing direct and then selling from stock?
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #95 on: February 11, 2017, 09:38:43 PM »
 

NineLives

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Sorry to hear about you finger breaking! I hope you have a speedy recovery. I love what you've done with the deck (I've been lurking for a while on this particular thread).

Thanks so much intlgrrl :) I'm glad you like and I'm truly excited about finishing this deck - the support and feedback here has been both amazing and super inspiring :) I'm sad and sorry about the delay, especially as my finger is taking a little longer to heal than originally expected, though as soon as it's bendable I'll be right on track to complete the back and box :) There's this saying that 'everything happens for a reason' - somehow the universe wants me to slow down at the moment and while it is hard to... perhaps it is a good thing :)

Looking great, hope you recover soon!

When and where can we expect to see this available for (pre) sale?  Will this be a KickStarter or other pre-sale method, are your printing direct and then selling from stock?

Hi ecNate and thanks for stopping by :) At this stage I'm planning to launch the deck as my first KickStarter campaign - as soon as I have the back and box designs I will be seeking quotes from EPCC and Legends and start building the campaign... 

There's a lot for me to learn, so any advice is absolutely more than welcome :) :)  I'm currently thinking that as the artwork is bold and colourful throughout the deck, the first printing goal wouldn't need additional 'bells & whistles' (possibly a custom seal) - stretch goal could include synthetic tuck case and/or printing on the inside of the tuck ... and maybe a booklet or coins (though I need to look into those kind of extras :)) I also need to work out which option is best in terms of fulfilment, and if using a fulfilment company is preferable to sending decks from Australia.

Anyways... I am (again) really, really sorry about this unfortunate delay - hoping you're all well and enjoying life. *wave* from our ongoing record heatwave in the land downunder :)

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #96 on: February 13, 2017, 06:36:53 PM »
 

ecNate

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Since you mentioned color... One thing a few first time designers have had problems with is faithful color reproduction on the final print.  I'm not sure if it's due to not properly reviewing the sample, making changes after, relaying on different monitors/pictures or making the mistake of designing in RGB vs CMYK, etc.  You sound like a professional so probably not an issue, but something to double check - better to be late than wrong.  Which brings up another point, build in buffer time into your schedule - better to ship early than disappoint and be late.

You may also want to talk with Ben Jones from Elephant Playing Cards or Harris Soetikno of Cardazine (don't think active anymore though) since they did recent decks and were based in Australia.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #97 on: March 19, 2017, 10:27:34 AM »
 

NineLives

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Thanks for your advice ecNate and for popping in - much appreciated  :)

It's been a while, but finally dexterity is coming back and I'm delighted to to pick this project up again :)

Thanks for the feedback on the Jokers - it's great to have fresh eyes and pointers :)
Helshawk, I liked your suggestion to rearrange the 'hanging off hat' pips - and the red Joker now has a diamond on the hat and a heart earring :) To make it fair, the blue Joker also received a few small tweaks to make those hanging pips more part of the hat:



VIZAĜO - the card back design

I wanted the back of the cards to be part of the face theme, with lots of colour and detail. The drawing process has been so much fun and I do hope you enjoy end result :)


Cleaned up line drawings for the back design

Fire Red


Underwater Blue


And the two colour versions side by side ...


Thanks for looking and take care!
Annette :)

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #98 on: March 19, 2017, 06:33:03 PM »
 

Cardfool

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Great to have you back, Annette! :D

Awesome back!  STUNNING  ;D  Let's get this deck printed already!  :bosswalk:
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 06:33:25 PM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #99 on: March 20, 2017, 09:27:46 AM »
 

NineLives

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Thank you so much Cardfool - I can't tell you how much your positive and enthusiastic feedback means. :)

I'd love to release this with both the Fire Red and Underwater Blue back (with matching tuckboxes) - either both together - or if more practical, one could be a stretch goal. I'm starting on the box(es) now, with updates to follow soon :)

*wave*
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #100 on: March 20, 2017, 10:31:43 AM »
 

Eddie Hughlett

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Oh Heck yes!!!! Stunning is a good word. Bold and gently intense. Can't wait to shuffle these.

-eh
"...almost every ruse in the game is more or less dependent upon another one."

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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #101 on: March 21, 2017, 02:14:41 AM »
 

NineLives

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Oh Heck yes!!!! Stunning is a good word. Bold and gently intense. Can't wait to shuffle these.

-eh

Thank you Eddie :) Bold and gently intense - I really like that!
*wave*
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #102 on: March 31, 2017, 11:30:22 AM »
 

NineLives

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Hello all :)

I've been working on the box design (for the Fire Red deck) and am hoping for some feedback on the two design drafts below (I'm stuck on which one to finalise:))





Any thoughts you have are most welcome!

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #103 on: March 31, 2017, 02:19:27 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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I think you're making some fine design choices with this deck - I'm eagerly awaiting the release date!
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #104 on: April 02, 2017, 02:00:11 AM »
 

skinny

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I've been working on the box design (for the Fire Red deck) and am hoping for some feedback on the two design drafts below (I'm stuck on which one to finalise:))

Any thoughts you have are most welcome!

Both of these look really, really nice. I personally prefer the lower of the 2 images. (Maybe it's the weight of the white circle that slightly disconnects me on the first box. Dunno. Still like both a bunch!)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #105 on: April 02, 2017, 03:59:27 PM »
 

Helshawk

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These are so lovely, it brings tears to my eyes!  As for the tuck box, I prefer Draft #2.  (But even if they came in a blank tuck box, I'm still gonna find a way to get these in my hands!)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #106 on: April 04, 2017, 03:13:58 PM »
 

publius

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What a beautiful deck. I am working on my own custom deck, and you have inspired me deeply. Your talent is exceptional.
Graphic Designer; Playing Card Addict; soon to mix the two...
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #107 on: April 04, 2017, 03:28:53 PM »
 

Great Lakes Playing Card Co.

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Just had a chance to look through this thread and its AMAZING.  Such great use of color.  Be sure to go with a quality printer so that your vision really does come through on the final product.  I would hope that this level of quality artwork and attention to detail would open this deck up to a wide audience.  Good luck with each step of the process.  Hope to hold the deck in my hands one day.
Just getting started in collecting playing cards.  Any help is appreciated.  TY.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to Playing Cards - The Beginning
« Reply #108 on: April 10, 2017, 12:59:43 AM »
 

NineLives

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I think you're making some fine design choices with this deck - I'm eagerly awaiting the release date!

Thank you so much Don :) truly glad to hear, coming from you.

I'm ever so excited to announce that the ball is now rolling - I have approached Legends and Expert for quotes and once I have figures, I will set up the campaign launch on KS. My plan is to share the page with you guys here, so if anything is amiss - you can hopefully point me in the right direction :)

Both of these look really, really nice. I personally prefer the lower of the 2 images. (Maybe it's the weight of the white circle that slightly disconnects me on the first box. Dunno. Still like both a bunch!)

Thank you skinny :) I agree with you, the full front tuck box is working better for me too, though I've reworked the designs slightly (see below) to be absolutely sure :)

These are so lovely, it brings tears to my eyes!  As for the tuck box, I prefer Draft #2.  (But even if they came in a blank tuck box, I'm still gonna find a way to get these in my hands!)

Oh Helshawk - you are ever so kind! thank you :) - again, if you have a preference on the second drafts, I'm all ears!

What a beautiful deck. I am working on my own custom deck, and you have inspired me deeply. Your talent is exceptional.

Thank you so much publius - glad to hear :) Designing a deck is an amazing journey of discovery, looking forward to see your deck taking shape :)

Just had a chance to look through this thread and its AMAZING.  Such great use of color.  Be sure to go with a quality printer so that your vision really does come through on the final product.  I would hope that this level of quality artwork and attention to detail would open this deck up to a wide audience.  Good luck with each step of the process.  Hope to hold the deck in my hands one day.

Thank you Great Lakes - glad to have you pop in, your kind words mean a lot :) I have had Legends or Expert (printing co.) in mind from the start of designing this deck and am hoping that all comes together with a successful campaign.

Tuck Box Designs

VIZAĜO - red deck (Lumina):




VIZAĜO - blue deck (Lumino):




... and the aces (mainly clubs and hearts) have received a little reworking to bring them in line with the rest of the deck:



Thanks again for all your amazing feedback and support!
Annette :)
« Last Edit: April 10, 2017, 09:05:21 AM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #109 on: May 07, 2017, 12:00:43 AM »
 

NineLives

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I've been talking to Expert and Legends for past month about printing and we're looking at LPCC to print the deck, which I'm really excited about. I absolutely love the work both these printers do (Nine Lives poker size playing cards were printed by EPCC and I couldn't be happier with the result!

VIZAĜO - KS Preview:
I'm currently setting up my campaign to launch VIZAĜO on KS and I'd really, really like some feedback from you awesome people!
Preview link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932537931/1283753267?token=64ab81fa

Please note:
a bunch of things aren't quite finished yet, I'm still waiting on final figures (which will help set the funding goal and final pricing) and there are more rewards to add. and...

My questions to you (apart from anything else you want to comment on or give me advice on) are:
  • Shipping - I've looked at Gambler's Warehouse - and also LPCC fulfilling via Taiwan Post, any advice most welcome!
  • Should I keep the second colour version as a stretch goal - or aim to print both in main funding goal?
  • The hidden stretch goals (planned) - are: interior printing on tuck box, and:
  • Synthetic tuck box (if reached, this will be on all decks)
  • finish - see below :)

A few days ago I received sample decks from Legends (LUXX Palme, Knowledge, Legends Egyptian and Porcelain) to compare the different finishes they use.
My instant favourite was LUXX Palme (on elite finish) - with Knowledge (on classic) coming in second...

I really like the texture and feel of elite finish, but after testing the different decks out on friends and family last night (and getting mixed reviews), I would like to hear your thoughts on finish (and how much it impacts on whether you like a deck or not). I stumbled on this thread: http://www.playingcardforum.com/index.php?topic=9246.0 which talks about EPCC Damask (same as LPCC Elite) :)

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're looking forward to the next stage of this colourful journey!
Annette :)



 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #110 on: May 07, 2017, 02:58:58 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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I've been talking to Expert and Legends for past month about printing and we're looking at LPCC to print the deck, which I'm really excited about. I absolutely love the work both these printers do (Nine Lives poker size playing cards were printed by EPCC and I couldn't be happier with the result!

VIZAĜO - KS Preview:
I'm currently setting up my campaign to launch VIZAĜO on KS and I'd really, really like some feedback from you awesome people!
Preview link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932537931/1283753267?token=64ab81fa

Please note:
a bunch of things aren't quite finished yet, I'm still waiting on final figures (which will help set the funding goal and final pricing) and there are more rewards to add. and...

My questions to you (apart from anything else you want to comment on or give me advice on) are:
  • Shipping - I've looked at Gambler's Warehouse - and also LPCC fulfilling via Taiwan Post, any advice most welcome!
  • Should I keep the second colour version as a stretch goal - or aim to print both in main funding goal?
  • The hidden stretch goals (planned) - are: interior printing on tuck box, and:
  • Synthetic tuck box (if reached, this will be on all decks)
  • finish - see below :)

A few days ago I received sample decks from Legends (LUXX Palme, Knowledge, Legends Egyptian and Porcelain) to compare the different finishes they use.
My instant favourite was LUXX Palme (on elite finish) - with Knowledge (on classic) coming in second...

I really like the texture and feel of elite finish, but after testing the different decks out on friends and family last night (and getting mixed reviews), I would like to hear your thoughts on finish (and how much it impacts on whether you like a deck or not). I stumbled on this thread: http://www.playingcardforum.com/index.php?topic=9246.0 which talks about EPCC Damask (same as LPCC Elite) :)

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're looking forward to the next stage of this colourful journey!
Annette :)

My advice:

Shipping: split the difference - let Gambler's fulfill your US orders and Legends fulfill your international orders, unless there's a price disadvantage to doing this.  If that's the case, just go with whoever's cheaper.
The second color SHOULD be a stretch goal.  No reason to let the project tank because the goal is too big.  Consider even making a THIRD color as an even further stretch goal.  Perhaps purple/pink or purple/magenta...
Why hide stretch goals at all?  Give people something to salivate over!
Synthetic tucks should be STANDARD - they're totally worth it!
Damask/Elite is a great choice for this deck in terms of stock.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2017, 02:59:47 AM by Don Boyer »
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #111 on: May 07, 2017, 03:46:56 AM »
 

NineLives

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My advice:

Shipping: split the difference - let Gambler's fulfill your US orders and Legends fulfill your international orders, unless there's a price disadvantage to doing this.  If that's the case, just go with whoever's cheaper.
The second color SHOULD be a stretch goal.  No reason to let the project tank because the goal is too big.  Consider even making a THIRD color as an even further stretch goal.  Perhaps purple/pink or purple/magenta...
Why hide stretch goals at all?  Give people something to salivate over!
Synthetic tucks should be STANDARD - they're totally worth it!
Damask/Elite is a great choice for this deck in terms of stock.

Thanks Don - great advice all round :)

Trying to work out the cost of shipping isn't easy,  but I hope to get my head around it.
Thanks for the advice on stretch goals, most helpful  - Oh and I'm not planning to keep them hidden, it's just that I hadn't got to adding those two to the page :)
Depending on feedback, the final finish will likely be either Elite or Classic - I like both, but want to get it right.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #112 on: May 07, 2017, 01:25:37 PM »
 

Mark

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LUXX palme is definitely very soft and smooth. Not sure if it has anything to do with the finish or happens on other elite decks, but on the LUXX, the embossing is somewhat uneven. There are grid lines in boxes about 4 dimples wide. Other finishes have the usual dimples. The Cultura deck says it has elite finish. I have not opened my deck but the tuck back and front also display this grid texture. I would be concerned with the uneven look, especially on a deck with such fine art.

Project page looks great. Will you be adding other tiers (4, 6, 12 decks)? Early birds at the 4 or 6 level would be much appreciated.
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #113 on: May 08, 2017, 05:01:20 AM »
 

EndersGame

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This is an absolutely STUNNING deck Annette!  These cards have so much charm and character, and have a immediately striking visual impact. 

You are very talented, and have done some great work work in creating these!  Major kudos for all the hard work you have put into this.  I can't wait to see the final result!

Wishing you the very best for your Kickstarter campaign, and I hope it proves very successful.
BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGame =>  Playing Card Reviews <=>  Magic Reviews <=> Board Game Reviews <=

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #114 on: May 18, 2017, 12:25:00 PM »
 

NineLives

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LUXX palme is definitely very soft and smooth. Not sure if it has anything to do with the finish or happens on other elite decks, but on the LUXX, the embossing is somewhat uneven. There are grid lines in boxes about 4 dimples wide. Other finishes have the usual dimples. The Cultura deck says it has elite finish. I have not opened my deck but the tuck back and front also display this grid texture. I would be concerned with the uneven look, especially on a deck with such fine art.

Project page looks great. Will you be adding other tiers (4, 6, 12 decks)? Early birds at the 4 or 6 level would be much appreciated.

Thanks so much Mark for your feedback on the Elite finish!

I do love the texture of elite, however, after considering all aspects, I have decided to go with the classic finish (and am confident that it is just right for VIZAĜO).
Given that the artwork has a lot going on... a pronounced card texture could easily mean that the two (artwork vs finish) detract from one another. Also, seeing more varied responses to elite compared to both classic and diamond, makes me feel it is the right decision :)

As to rewards, yes - I have added quite a few rewards (up to brick + 1 uncut) - early birds include 1, 2 and 6. Please check out the updates and let me know of anything you feel needs attention or fixing.

This is an absolutely STUNNING deck Annette!  These cards have so much charm and character, and have a immediately striking visual impact. 

You are very talented, and have done some great work work in creating these!  Major kudos for all the hard work you have put into this.  I can't wait to see the final result!

Wishing you the very best for your Kickstarter campaign, and I hope it proves very successful.

Thank you EndersGame, your words are very kind indeed! :) I have enjoyed every minute of creating the artwork for this deck, and a big part of that has been the amazing feedback here on PCF. I am really looking forward to seeing how VIZAĜO meets the world on KS

With final quotes due any moment, I am eager to set the launch date (and time), which I'm planning for next week... Having the final figures will also allow me to update you on stretch goals and what will be part of the standard deck.

Graduating from Design and Dev to Playing Card Plethora will be a milestone in itself :)



Thanks for looking - and for your patience! It's time to get excited :)

 
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #115 on: May 20, 2017, 10:32:22 AM »
 

leangyan

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Pledge tiers are looking good. You may also want to add an additional limited reward tier for wholesalers to the tune of ~ AUD $1000 - $1500 giving them a good deal to back it on Kickstarter itself. I've observed on a few projects that 1 or 2 pledges are made at least for the wholesale tier, and this project  might see a great boost if pledges on this tier happens.

Good luck, it is looking great.

When is it going live, have you zeroed-in on the date yet?
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #116 on: May 23, 2017, 11:10:31 PM »
 

NineLives

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Thanks Sunish - I'll keep your suggestion in mind :)

Practically almost, nearly, just about ready to launch ... :)

However, because I want to get this absolutely right in terms of being able to deliver a stunning deck, the final details are taking a little longer to iron out. I have bombarded the printer with questions and, understandably, they need time to provide costing based on different options. I know that there are brave creators out there who launch while still tinkering with quotes and artwork, yet, being my first KS I tend to feel 'knowledge is my friend'. :)

Some of the finer details to iron out include:

  • Spot UV on the tuckbox (on the name VIZAĜO) - likely a standard
  • Synthetic tuck box - possibly a standard
  • Interior tuck box 'enhancement' - Stretch goal
    • Option 1: Metallic foil (red on Lumina / blue on Lumino)... However, I have been advised that foil can rub off on the cards (ouch!) - and so, (especially if foil actually sticks to cards):
    • Option 2: Metallic PMS ink (red on Lumina / blue on Lumino) - or .... alternatively (if none of the above are suitable):
    • Option 3: Interior printing - a subtle design on inside of tuck box


Your expert thoughts and enthusiastic opinions are most welcome!

Annette :)

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #117 on: May 24, 2017, 12:23:54 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thanks Sunish - I'll keep your suggestion in mind :)

Practically almost, nearly, just about ready to launch ... :)

However, because I want to get this absolutely right in terms of being able to deliver a stunning deck, the final details are taking a little longer to iron out. I have bombarded the printer with questions and, understandably, they need time to provide costing based on different options. I know that there are brave creators out there who launch while still tinkering with quotes and artwork, yet, being my first KS I tend to feel 'knowledge is my friend'. :)

Some of the finer details to iron out include:

  • Spot UV on the tuckbox (on the name VIZAĜO) - likely a standard
  • Synthetic tuck box - possibly a standard
  • Interior tuck box 'enhancement' - Stretch goal
    • Option 1: Metallic foil (red on Lumina / blue on Lumino)... However, I have been advised that foil can rub off on the cards (ouch!) - and so, (especially if foil actually sticks to cards):
    • Option 2: Metallic PMS ink (red on Lumina / blue on Lumino) - or .... alternatively (if none of the above are suitable):
    • Option 3: Interior printing - a subtle design on inside of tuck box


Your expert thoughts and enthusiastic opinions are most welcome!

Annette :)

I was unaware that there was any risk of transfer with foil interiors.  I've heard of it with ink - for this reason, USPC stopped printing box interiors for the NOC deck, forcing Blue Crown to switch to Expert PCC as their printer, which didn't have any issues with inked box interiors.

Any of the three options you've presented should be just fine, really.  People go a little crazy with the interior embellishments, in my opinion - sure, they're nice, but we're taking about the INSIDE of a box, the majority of which most people will never even see! Whatever you decide should be just fine.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #118 on: May 25, 2017, 12:26:12 AM »
 

NineLives

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I was unaware that there was any risk of transfer with foil interiors.  I've heard of it with ink - for this reason, USPC stopped printing box interiors for the NOC deck, forcing Blue Crown to switch to Expert PCC as their printer, which didn't have any issues with inked box interiors.

Any of the three options you've presented should be just fine, really.  People go a little crazy with the interior embellishments, in my opinion - sure, they're nice, but we're taking about the INSIDE of a box, the majority of which most people will never even see! Whatever you decide should be just fine.

Thanks Don :) When I think about how much I've learnt from advice from people like your good self, I feel pretty lucky :) Every step of the way there are choices and decisions to be made, and as my thinking/designing process tends to go the scenic route; testing things out, deliberating and asking questions in order to work things out - all your feedback and support here has been absolutely invaluable :)

I've now learnt that there are different methods of applying foil, hot-stamping and lamination, where the latter removes any risk of the foil coming off.

However, believing that there could be an issue with foil, I've decided to go with a printed design on the inside (as a stretch goal) - and having printed a (very) rough prototype of the tuck box, gathering opinions from the local tribe, everyone seems to favour the idea of the printed design above foil on the inside. Given that there's no metallic foil on the outside of the box, it probably flows better sticking to the same visual language. :)

Finalising a few small things and I will be back with a launch date and time :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - Soon Live on KS
« Reply #119 on: May 25, 2017, 12:09:30 PM »
 

NineLives

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Launch date is set :)

VIZAĜO will go live on Tuesday May 30 at 21:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time (GMT +10)



Looking forward to seeing you at the launch party!

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #120 on: May 26, 2017, 08:48:23 PM »
 

Cardfool

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Sweet! :D  I know what I will be doing Tuesday night at 8PM (Beijing Time) ;D

Annette, did you think of offering your Artwork from the deck as a special reward?  I am sure that people would be interested and it would boost revenue...just want to make sure that we get that blue deck funded :bosswalk:
« Last Edit: May 26, 2017, 09:00:07 PM by Cardfool »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #121 on: May 27, 2017, 10:14:00 AM »
 

NineLives

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Sweet! :D  I know what I will be doing Tuesday night at 8PM (Beijing Time) ;D

Annette, did you think of offering your Artwork from the deck as a special reward?  I am sure that people would be interested and it would boost revenue...just want to make sure that we get that blue deck funded :bosswalk:

That's awesome news Cardfool, thank you  :D

I really like your suggestion to offer the artwork as a special reward, though being my first campaign, I have been hesitant to venture into add-ons that require a different process to the deck itself. Fingers crossed we'll get to the blue deck, I'd love to see both printed :)

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #122 on: June 02, 2017, 02:43:59 AM »
 

EndersGame

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Consider even making a THIRD color as an even further stretch goal.  Perhaps purple/pink or purple/magenta...

Annette, I know that you are reluctant to complicate things since this is your first Kickstarter project.  But if you find that funding stalls somewhat mid-way through the campaign, and you become concerned that the project won't fund, you might want to consider offering a third deck with a different colour - but not as a stretch goal, but as a limited and numbered edition, and obviously at a higher price. 

That's what was done with the recent campaign for GAIA Playing Cards about 10 days in, and it made a massive difference to the overall funding.  See the announcement and follow-up posts here:
https://www.unitedcardists.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10001#p117920
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/forgearts/gaia-playing-cards

In your case, as Don suggests, you could possibly make it a purple back (to match the Clubs), or a green back (to match the Diamonds).  Naturally it would also have a revised tuck box in that colour as well.  To make a limited edition even more unique and attractive, you could have the limited/numbered edition produced on black cards, where the white borders and white faces of your current decks are replaced with black (obviously you'd have to do something with the spades/club pips, either by giving them white borders or making them an alternate colour like brown).  The link below is an example of a project that did exactly that.  The Limited/numbered version of the deck was black instead of white, and in a higher price-bracket, but it meant that collectors add extra decks to their pledge, and it can increase your funding significantly as a result. 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thirdwayind/omnia-the-golden-age-poker-playing-cards

So it would require some extra work on your part (major changes to the artwork wouldn't be necessary though), but maybe it's worth consulting with your printer to see if this is worth exploring now already, for later in your campaign if you need it?  Others who have more experience in this area than me might want to comment about whether this is a feasible idea, the appeal it might have, and the impact on overall funding.

Wishing you the very best for the rest of the VIZAGO campaign, Annette!
« Last Edit: June 02, 2017, 02:44:26 AM by EndersGame »
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #123 on: June 02, 2017, 01:10:51 PM »
 

NineLives

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Thank you for your suggestion EndersGame. I'm curious what others think. You're right in that I'm hesitant to complicate things in this first campaign ... ;)

On a side-note, I had a request to offer Nine Lives playing cards as an add-on - and even though these do need to be shipped from Australia, I can work my way around it. Does offering a completely different deck seem strange in a campaign?

Grateful for any thoughts or advice!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #124 on: June 08, 2017, 01:16:38 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thank you for your suggestion EndersGame. I'm curious what others think. You're right in that I'm hesitant to complicate things in this first campaign ... ;)

On a side-note, I had a request to offer Nine Lives playing cards as an add-on - and even though these do need to be shipped from Australia, I can work my way around it. Does offering a completely different deck seem strange in a campaign?

Grateful for any thoughts or advice!
Annette :)

Just be careful about running afoul of Kickstarter regulations about what can be offered for rewards.  I've seen other campaigns do it, but I'm not 100% sure if it's permissible.  The general rule is that the campaign is supposed to be raising money for a product or concept that isn't already made - but there are details and fine print, naturally.
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #125 on: June 08, 2017, 03:10:26 AM »
 

NineLives

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Good point Don,
I have seen quite a few projects offer similar rewards as add-ons, which may mean it falls within the KS frame, but then again - regulations cover such a wide scope and can sometimes be hard to apply to individual projects. You can't accept donations for a cause (without an end product), yet there are campaigns who can't offer the 'end-product' (because of it's complexity or format) and instead offer tiered certificates of appreciation... KS aren't a store, yet many projects do offer add-ons with earlier models, decks, releases.

This article (while not super current) says it's not technically against the rules and delves into the pros and cons (mainly cons) of including existing products in KS campaign: https://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter-lesson-142-selling-existing-inventory/

I ended up making a small number of Nine Lives decks available as add-ons - These decks won't help with the overall printing cost, but it's nice to be able to include something when backers show interest. I'll keep my ears open though as I definitely don't want to be breaking rules in my first campaign :)

Onwards and upwards

I'm really excited to be more than half way and overwhelmed by the support which has been seriously amazing! Looking towards the goal, I don't want to throw the kitchen sink at backers (or complicate the campaign), though it would be awesome to see VIZAĜO reach funding and beyond :)

I have a few more ideas in the pipeline and I'd love to hear your thoughts:

- offering Art prints of courts and aces (only). These would be printed on archival photographic paper ~ A3 size - and each print would be signed
- postcard pack (20 cards) with the 12 courts, 4 aces, 2 jokers and... the two (both red and blue) backs

Thanks again
Annette :)

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #126 on: June 08, 2017, 06:19:07 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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I have a few more ideas in the pipeline and I'd love to hear your thoughts:

- offering Art prints of courts and aces (only). These would be printed on archival photographic paper ~ A3 size - and each print would be signed
- postcard pack (20 cards) with the 12 courts, 4 aces, 2 jokers and... the two (both red and blue) backs

Thanks again
Annette :)

An interesting idea I've seen in some campaigns - and one that's exceptionally inexpensive to offer - is giving away high-res graphic files.  The point is that they can be used for a variety of applications, all of which are up to the end user, and are a zero-dollar shipment to both the backer and the creator.  Picture your images being used on computer desktops, mousepads, coffee mugs, T-shirts, messenger bags, etc. - whatever the end user wants.  You give them an inexpensive file, they pay the cost of the printing (or non-printing, if they prefer enjoying them digitally) and they pay no shipping costs, plus the national Customs Service doesn't get in the way of the transaction.  And no damaged shipments to replace!
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #127 on: June 09, 2017, 09:25:59 AM »
 

NineLives

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Thanks for your suggestion Don,
I'll keep it in mind - similar but different, an idea I had earlier was to make selected artwork available in a downloadable PDF as a 'colouring-in' companion to the deck.

I just posted a campaign update which includes brand new add-ons - focussing on the artwork:

Artwork Prints
Available in courts and aces - these will be printed on archival quality photographic paper (12 x 18") and individually signed by me.





Add-on price includes world-wide shipping (with tracking) from Australia - 1 Art print = $99 AU (~75 US)  2 Art prints = $170 AU (~128 US)

Postcard Pack - 20 premium cards - 5 x 7"



Add-on price includes world-wide shipping from Australia - $46 AU (~35 US)

Thank you for all your feedback and suggestions, I'm excited to see how these go.
Annette :)
« Last Edit: June 09, 2017, 09:26:49 AM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #128 on: June 28, 2017, 07:16:05 AM »
 

EndersGame

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Unfortunately the original project didn't get funded, but the VIZAGO Playing Cards project (see my review here) has just been relaunched in an improved form, with a much smaller target for funding.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932537931/vizago-playing-cards-relaunch

There's a terrific early bird price of US$11 per deck, including US shipping.

Best wishes for success this time around Annette!
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Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #129 on: June 28, 2017, 07:21:40 AM »
 

NineLives

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Unfortunately the original project didn't get funded, but the VIZAGO Playing Cards project (see my review here) has just been relaunched in an improved form, with a much smaller target for funding.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932537931/vizago-playing-cards-relaunch

There's a terrific early bird price of US$11 per deck, including US shipping.

Best wishes for success this time around Annette!

Thank you so much EnderGame :)
I just posted in the playing card plethora section - glad to be up and running again!

Relaunch link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1932537931/vizago-playing-cards-relaunch

and... sorry, couldn't help myself :D :



Thanks all and - welcome back!
Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #130 on: July 07, 2017, 02:48:41 AM »
 

NineLives

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8 Days in and 60% funded.

My own 'manual' kicktraq showing progress (and that we're more than a 1/3 of the way to unlocking the blue deck):


Kickstarter is a roller-coaster of anticipation, nerves and wonders - with a good dose of positive hope that we'll get across the line this time :)

Annette :)
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #131 on: July 22, 2017, 01:59:15 PM »
 

Helshawk

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Yayyy!   :D :D :D  The red deck is funded. Congrats! Now if we can get the blue deck unlocked! 
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #132 on: July 23, 2017, 03:30:15 AM »
 

NineLives

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Yayyy!   :D :D :D  The red deck is funded. Congrats! Now if we can get the blue deck unlocked!

Thank you Helsawk :) - I love your three cheers!
It's been a whirlwind of an experience taking this deck to Kickstarter and learning on my feet. I honestly couldn't have done it without the amazing support from people like yourself :) Because backer 'names' on KS often differ from usernames on forums - I haven't been able to reach out to all of you who have been such a big part of this deck from the beginning, though I do hope you know how much you mean - and how grateful I am for your support! : :D

 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #133 on: July 25, 2017, 01:21:02 PM »
 

NineLives

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And...more exciting news! There's been so much amazing support and I really feel it's time to celebrate :)

With just under 3 days remaining:
Blue deck is now unlocked (early)

2 new early bird rewards added: (single BLUE deck - and Mixed Pairs (2 of each colour)

Thanks so much all!
« Last Edit: July 25, 2017, 01:22:16 PM by NineLives »
 

Re: From Whimsical Teapots to VIZAĜO Playing Cards - The Journey
« Reply #134 on: July 30, 2017, 03:36:49 AM »
 

NineLives

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 I can't say how thrilled I am to end the campaign in such a positive way!


I want to thank you all for being part of the journey, offering feedback and support and making this a dream come true  :)  :D :D



Truly looking forward to the next phase, where these colourful decks will be printed and delivered in many of your most deserving hands!

I've sent through the final (final) artwork to Legends - which now also includes interior tuck box printing (Yay!) - and it won't be long before print proofing begins.



All the best,
Annette :)


« Last Edit: July 30, 2017, 03:38:24 AM by NineLives »