Where to start?

[Assassino13]

Hey guys!
I wanna design my own deck to put on kickstarter and hopefully push through. The theme is going to be ancient Egyptian sculptures and mythology. I wan the whole deck to be custom, but I have no idea how to do any graphic design! Any suggestions on where to learn, what programs to use (preferably cheap/free ones)? Etc.

[Curt]

There have been a few discussions in this board already about what programs to use when trying to create a deck, so use the search function and you may find some of your answers there. If you happen to be artistically gifted and can sketch well, that is a good way to start out, that is what the Seasons decks are created by. As for computer programs, the common consensus is that the best tools for the job are Photoshop, Illustrator ect... A free alternative would be a program called GIMP. Tutorials for all these programs are online in written form as well as videos on youtube. What ever program you use, you will need to spend a fair amount of time getting comfortable with the different aspects of the applications and how to fully utilize the program. Hope that helps.

[Don Boyer]

First, welcome to the board, Assassino13.

Consider joining forces with someone who's got the artistic talent to turn your ideas into reality.

Don't focus on Kickstarter - focus on your deck first, then worry about how to fund it and where to get it made.  Too many people are rushing to market with half-baked deck ideas that are languishing on Kickstarter and destined for failure.  I write a weekly report on them here: http://aethercards.com/discourse/index.php?topic=870.0

[Assassino13]

Thanks Don, do you know of anyone with said artistic talent who could help me? All my friends are terrible at graphic design

[max]

Hi Assassino13,

I would begin getting a template on any of the mentioned above programs of a playing cards set. Not sure if it's widely available or not, but there are many people in this forum that can make you suggestions.

I would show to the community your first motivation and sketches just to see if it could be interesting.

Finally, I would work on it before trying to launch it on KS. I have backed projects potentially interesting but very disappointing after all.

By the way, I am in the same ship... Good luck!

Max

[Don Boyer]

Thanks Don, do you know of anyone with said artistic talent who could help me? All my friends are terrible at graphic design

Create a new topic (or retitle the first post in this one) and put out a call for people with graphic design skills.  It's the best I can do for you.  Either that, or find a firm and HIRE them to do the work, either cash up front or a commission on each deck sold, if they're willing to take it.


Try contacting Rajas Paranjpe here on this board.  He's the owner of Archduke Playing Cards in India, and their international arm, Brahma Playing Cards.  He's a publisher of cards and on the lookout for good designs for the international market.  Perhaps he'll help you get your deck off the ground.

[Assassino13]

Once again, Thank you Mr. Boyer for the advice!

[NathanCanadas]

Welcome to the forums, Assassino 13. What may be helpful is looking at successful and unsuccessful decks and analysing what makes them so.
Good luck!

[RandyButterfield]

Hey guys!
I wanna design my own deck to put on kickstarter and hopefully push through. The theme is going to be ancient Egyptian sculptures and mythology. I wan the whole deck to be custom, but I have no idea how to do any graphic design! Any suggestions on where to learn, what programs to use (preferably cheap/free ones)? Etc.

I'm only guessing that you're over 18 since that's a Kickstarter requirement, but what about going to college or taking courses for Graphic Design? Design isn't something to take lightly and get into without knowing the ins and outs of the software, color theory, design theory and
history.

thanks, Randy

[xela]

Other than going to college for design, be sure to learn as much as you can from people that do it for a living, as well as countless online resources. Join design forums and discuss techniques and read tutorials.

Colleges are fantastic for learning design theory. The classes I took helped me understand tons about what works well and what doesn't and there are still many classes I'd like to take, finances permitting. However, they WILL teach you wrong technique and they do not explore functions properly, at least not in the beginner levels.

If you want to throw a deck on KS, I can give you some things that I did wrong that I would change if I could do them again:

1. Do not rush anything. Jump into KS with a completed design that is at least 95% the way you want it to be.
2. Finalize pricing with the USPCC.
3. Be ready to have an insane work schedule. You'll be working 8-15 hours a day, seven days a week, for several months. Then you'll have a period of time where you have NOTHING to do for an entire month or two. If you're actually making bank, that's not that bad at all. Although I am a bad example of turning a profit on my work, and that's where tip #2 comes into play.
4. You will have haters. The most vocal people about your projects will be the haters. Maybe not to the public, and maybe not even for you, but for me the negative critique resonates the most. Take constructive negative critique and use it. You will be unstoppable. Take unconstuctive critique, or misinformed critique, and ignore it. These two forms of critique come from the bowels of the Internet. Now your work may actually be terrible, the absolute most amazing thing to ever happen to art, or (more likely) average/good/very good. However, even if you pump out a design that a third grader could create, unconstructive criticism is still useless. You will never be short on constructive critique though, especially on these forums.
5. You will need at least $20,000 to print with USPCC right now. Even more since they recently sky-rocketed their prices. Create your pledge levels accordingly.

[Don Boyer]

Other than going to college for design, be sure to learn as much as you can from people that do it for a living, as well as countless online resources. Join design forums and discuss techniques and read tutorials.

Colleges are fantastic for learning design theory. The classes I took helped me understand tons about what works well and what doesn't and there are still many classes I'd like to take, finances permitting. However, they WILL teach you wrong technique and they do not explore functions properly, at least not in the beginner levels.

If you want to throw a deck on KS, I can give you some things that I did wrong that I would change if I could do them again:

1. Do not rush anything. Jump into KS with a completed design that is at least 95% the way you want it to be.
2. Finalize pricing with the USPCC.
3. Be ready to have an insane work schedule. You'll be working 8-15 hours a day, seven days a week, for several months. Then you'll have a period of time where you have NOTHING to do for an entire month or two. If you're actually making bank, that's not that bad at all. Although I am a bad example of turning a profit on my work, and that's where tip #2 comes into play.
4. You will have haters. The most vocal people about your projects will be the haters. Maybe not to the public, and maybe not even for you, but for me the negative critique resonates the most. Take constructive negative critique and use it. You will be unstoppable. Take unconstuctive critique, or misinformed critique, and ignore it. These two forms of critique come from the bowels of the Internet. Now your work may actually be terrible, the absolute most amazing thing to ever happen to art, or (more likely) average/good/very good. However, even if you pump out a design that a third grader could create, unconstructive criticism is still useless. You will never be short on constructive critique though, especially on these forums.
5. You will need at least $20,000 to print with USPCC right now. Even more since they recently sky-rocketed their prices. Create your pledge levels accordingly.

...and let's not forget about those wondrous Kickstarter and Amazon fees, plus the IRS knocking at your door when your project reaches that dollar amount.  And that's when everything goes RIGHT.  When it goes WRONG...yeesh.

[Assassino13]

Lovely, high prices. yay. Anyways, thanks for the advice guys!

[Don Boyer]

Lovely, high prices. yay. Anyways, thanks for the advice guys!

It can sound horrible, sure - but I think that if you're doing it for a love of playing cards, it'll be worth it.  And regarding Brahma Playing Cards?  I've just been named U.S. Project Manager of the company!  You can create a playing card project with us for roughly half what it would cost through the USPC without having to sacrifice quality.

[authorXD]

This sounds similar to the Sentinel deck released by Theory 11. If you want to go through with this, lean more towards mythology and it will be thoroughly original.