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"Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea

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"Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« on: February 24, 2016, 08:44:59 AM »
 

William Klok

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Good day,

I've had this idea for a while, but just didn't have (or didn't make) the time to put something on paper.

The idea was some fully custom deck that is colorful yet elegant. As for this week I made a few sketches as well as the custom pips (whom I think will stay the way they are).

I only did the Ace's and the back design. And was wondering what anyones thoughts were about this. Also, I'd like to know if anyone ever done something (quite) like this one.
Because I don't think I'm quite good enough to make decks for selling it to others (due to this being made almost purely on paper, and therefor having flaws) I can make them how I like. The reason I wonder if there's a deck quite like this one, is because I'm having a hard time coming up with a good design for the royalties that fit the theme.

If this all made a bit sense, and you understand that I'll probably make a few 'private' copies, I can now show the first sketches!

Aces:



The back design:



Thanks for your time!  ;)
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2016, 05:07:21 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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The colored linework is interesting, but it's a bit much - perhaps if you limited the number of colors on a given suit's cards to a primary, a complementary and a contrasting color it might look cleaner and easier on the eyes.

While I understand the desire to do something unique and original, go a little easier on those pips!  They're practically alien compared to the International Standard.  I might vary it up a little, but not to such an extreme.

It's entirely possible to make a deck of cards by hand.  Check out this page: http://whiteknucklecards.com/expose.html  An Australian designer spent two years making this deck, completely hand drawn - and it damn near cost him his sanity!  He stuck to a simple color scheme for the pips in each suit, giving them a primary color in the background and secondary colors in the Celtic-esque linework in the pips.  But here's where the crazy comes in - every single card in any given suit has a unique linework pattern from the rest of the cards in that suit, adding up to FIFTY-TWO UNIQUE PIP DESIGNS.  He put an INSANE amount of work into it and it's still one of my favorite decks - a collector's item these days, long sold out.  Three versions were released: a red-backed version with a "primitive-style" title typeface, a second release of the red with a more modern-looking title typeface and a blue-backed deck to match release 2.

Get a hold of one if you can.  I think you'll find it inspiring and it will send your work in new directions.  You don't have to go to the same level of extreme that this designer did, but you can make something by hand, an improvement over what you have at present.

Best of luck!
« Last Edit: February 27, 2016, 05:07:57 AM by Don Boyer »
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Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2016, 12:19:36 PM »
 

Tayranno

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Personally I love the dramatic pips!  I agree with Don about limiting the colors for each suit (I would say more than two though), and I'm not crazy about the back design.  The star looks a bit out of place when compared to the unique pips and busy lines.  I would recommend making the heart larger to match the diamond and spade sizes, as well.  Just my opinion, though; I really like this concept so far.  The aces are very appealing.  I hope you do pursue it.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2016, 12:23:38 PM by Tayranno »
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2016, 11:39:30 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Personally I love the dramatic pips!  I agree with Don about limiting the colors for each suit (I would say more than two though), and I'm not crazy about the back design.  The star looks a bit out of place when compared to the unique pips and busy lines.  I would recommend making the heart larger to match the diamond and spade sizes, as well.  Just my opinion, though; I really like this concept so far.  The aces are very appealing.  I hope you do pursue it.

A popular compromise to make more unique pips while still retaining good playability is to use a more standard pip shape in the indices while "going wild" with the pips in the card art.  It gives you the balance of being more creative with the pips while keeping the cards easy to use.
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Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2016, 07:13:09 PM »
 

William Klok

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Thanks for the feedback both of you.
I think I will keep the pips, except for the club one. That one is too "alien" ;)

The back design is pretty hard to do since I want it to be mirrored. But the star does look kinda 'off'. So that's something i should just redo completely. just gotta think of a way to do so.

I hope I'll get the time and motivation to continue on it, since as for now its beneath a pile of work.

Once again thanks for the feedback. It really is appreciated!
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2016, 12:48:23 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Thanks for the feedback both of you.
I think I will keep the pips, except for the club one. That one is too "alien" ;)

The back design is pretty hard to do since I want it to be mirrored. But the star does look kinda 'off'. So that's something i should just redo completely. just gotta think of a way to do so.

I hope I'll get the time and motivation to continue on it, since as for now its beneath a pile of work.

Once again thanks for the feedback. It really is appreciated!

Some more food for thought.

Consider using a different font for the indices.  It looks like something you'd find in the default settings of Microsoft Word.  It doesn't have to be the font used in International Standard indices, but it should be a little more original.

A standard index has a few features to it - the indices are all the same width and height from card to card, and the suit pip is below the value and approximately half the height.  You need not slavishly stick perfectly to the standard, but at the least you should use the first feature I listed - all indices at the same height and width from card to card.  Additionally, they're usually in the margin and pushed as close to the corner as is feasible for the printer - this allows players to squeeze the cards closer together when holding a hand of cards, preventing "flashing" your cards to a neighboring player.
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Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2016, 05:07:46 PM »
 

Tayranno

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I think I will keep the pips, except for the club one. That one is too "alien" ;)

The club in combination with the other unique pips is probably my favorite part of your design.  I think it's a strong point of the deck and it'd be a bummer to see it go.  But I'm just one person.  Whatever you decide, I say go with your gut. :)

Classic case of traditional vs. neo, Don. ;)  Go Team Alien Club!
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2016, 01:28:45 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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Classic case of traditional vs. neo, Don. ;)  Go Team Alien Club!

If every deck was traditional, card collecting would be rather boring...  :))
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Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2016, 03:00:41 PM »
 

Tayranno

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If every deck was traditional, card collecting would be rather boring...  :))

Point. ;)  I whole-heartedly agree.
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2016, 02:28:24 PM »
 

variantventures

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I like this.  My suggestions:
-Solid colors for the index pips.  This will make them pop.
-Change the design of the diamond to make the lower two sides curve inward (like the top sides do).
-Change the design of the spade to make the lower two lobes more circular, the stem straighter, and make the top lobe curve in more gently so it presents more of an upside down tear drop shape.
-The star on your card backs needs to echo the motif of your art pips.  Fill it with the design work rather than making it a solid color.  And the line weight of the circle needs to be the same line weight as the outlines of your pips.
 

Re: "Spectrum lines" - Deck concept idea
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2016, 06:00:17 PM »
 

William Klok

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I've let go of this design, and am now using this lines-theme pretty much only on the back design of a simple deck I'm making. Since it's still somehow related, I'll just leave this here:

Was quite the pickle to get this thing mirrored hehe...
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 06:01:37 PM by William Klok »