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Playing Card Chat ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ => Playing Card Plethora => Topic started by: Card Player on April 17, 2014, 08:34:42 PM
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Zen Pure - Conjuring Arts (CARC), Expert Playing Card Co. (EPCC)
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Stop teasing! LOL >:( :( :o :D :)
More info! Please! :)
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those will have been printed alongside Exquisites and Zenith, so I imagine they will be quite nice handlers. I like the wraparound face on the tuck, that's a detail I find brings a little life to the box (like I did with Aurum's medallion and embossing)
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This design style is actually quite nice depending on the logo/symbol used. However, I am seeing more people use this style. I suppose it is a proven success as we have seen Ace Fulton do it, Madison/E do it, Whispering Imps has something coming soon like this and now this. There are probably more modern decks that do this but this is what came to mind as I saw this.
Also, I do not know the name of this one but it is coming soon on Kickstarter. Paying homage to the Buck twins it seems.
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Scott, I agree with you. The plain back with two small logos/designs/whatever on it never impressed me, and it's getting ridden into the ground in a hurry.
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I would take a plain, twin-image deck like this over a LOT of the other designs that have wandered onto Kickstarter.
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My sentiment towards this design is pretty much in line with what BiggerDee has said.
I liked the Wynn decks which pretty much started off this trend (although the Wynns did have much thicker borders), and I also didn't mind the Madison Rounders... but now after various Rounders re-colours, and a bunch of these appearing every few months, I'm not really impressed. Unless the deck has something different about it in terms of handling, I'll always be passing on this sort of design.
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I understand the layout of the back design has been used, but as long as the price is right, I'd gladly add this to my collection, especially since I like the color and I know the handling will be there.
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Not sure how I feel about this one. The image on the back design seems kind of blah to me, kind of plain.
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My sentiment towards this design is pretty much in line with what BiggerDee has said.
I liked the Wynn decks which pretty much started off this trend (although the Wynns did have much thicker borders), and I also didn't mind the Madison Rounders... but now after various Rounders re-colours, and a bunch of these appearing every few months, I'm not really impressed. Unless the deck has something different about it in terms of handling, I'll always be passing on this sort of design.
Since it's coming from Expert PCC, I'd say it's safe to assume they will handle better than the USPC decks with a similar design.
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Too bad that doesn't help the fact that it looks just a little bit too much like an imitation Imps V2, which also looks much better than this.
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Too bad that doesn't help the fact that it looks just a little bit too much like an imitation Imps V2, which also looks much better than this.
Y'know what, Victor - I'm laying down the gauntlet. I'd really like to see you do better! You talk a great game about playing cards, but what do you REALLY know about them? Enough to design a deck? How about enough to design a deck that could win a design competition?!?
Well, here's your competition - put up or shut up!
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/the-1st-discourse-deck-design-contest!/
The contest is sponsored by EPCC. Winner gets their deck published and receives thirty-six bricks, free of charge!
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I'm no designer, I just call it the way I see it. You can't seriously say you don't agree the new Imps isn't better and that this isn't very similar to it.
At least the Imps logo has something to it, this is just a plain face, it's ok but there's better out there.
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I'm no designer, I just call it the way I see it. You can't seriously say you don't agree the new Imps isn't better and that this isn't very similar to it.
At least the Imps logo has something to it, this is just a plain face, it's ok but there's better out there.
There are a LOT of similar designs, Victor. One of the earlier ones upon which most of these are at least loosely based is the brown Wynn deck T11 was selling - and they didn't even design it or print it, it was a legit casino deck from a style and color that were discontinued!
BTW: you don't need to be a designer to enter the contest, as long as you can find an artist and have an original idea you want to make.
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I was wrong, the Imps is a bit different.
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Wait untill you guys see the Zen deck - Not Zen pure... Just Zen :)
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I need to see more than just the backs to decide if a deck is at all interesting. (That, or certain names of certain deck designers or production houses, like Uusi or JR or Chris O. or the like.) I like Legends and Exquisites, too, but I need to see more than "EPCC" to get me excited.
What else does this deck have going on other than these backs?
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I should probably apologize but we have been unable to resist the temptation to post some images of a short series we are releasing in the near future.
There will be 2 decks in it initially, Zen and Zen Pure.
The Zen deck is our redrawn version of an amazing old design by Samuel Murray of National Playing Card Co. from about 125 years ago. It's an art nouveau style back with our Exquisite faces. We used our sideways tuck made of solid red premium stock with black foil, foil over embossing and blind embossing.
We dubbed it Zen (Mr. Murray didn't) in an homage to one of our favorite books, Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel. This great book explains the thought process behind world-class archery and this same technique can be transferred to high level sleight of hand.
We really love this design and how the cards perform. On the Zen we used the same stock and coating as Exquisite and Zenith.
Zen Pure could have been called Zen V2 but we though that wasn't an interesting name.
Zen Pure is the exact back design of Zen with all the extra details removed except the two outer lines and the faces. We used the same PMS color so that magicians might have some fun doing color changes where just some of the design disappears.
Believe it or not the whole design was spawned by just fooling around with Zen and only after it was finalized and printing did we realize how similar it was to other solid color with pendant back designs that already exist. It wasnt intentially derived from Wynn or Madisons or IMPS (which we hadn't seen when this was done) or any other deck. It was just a "pure" version of the Zen we had.
We will release the Zen first in the next couple of weeks and then later in the summer we will release the Zen Pure. I'm sorry that means that some customers will double up on postage but we don't think it wise to relase them at the same time. We printed a good supply and will not call them limited so if some collectors want to wait to order both they are probably safe in that. We can't guarantee that Zen won't sell out right away, but, per our custom, we will reserve some for future variety boxes. That way the colletor who want's everything will have at least two bites at the apple.
I hope this explains things for everyone but if not I'll be happy to clarify anything fuzzy. For more images etc. we will post them form time to time and in various places. Probably our Instagram account ExpertPCC is the first place we will release images of our upcoming decks.
bk
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it's a nice lookin deck, you already have my money
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I went ahead and edited the topic title to better reflect your new information, Bill - thanks for clearing that up for us.
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Had a opportunity to see some early prototypes of the Zen and Zen Pure decks when I was in NY mid-April...I cannot wait to pick up some of the Zen decks. The design of the cards are amazing...but it's the Tuck that really got me excited about this deck. Going to be one of the finest decks EPCC has put out for sure! Love Exquisites and Zenith...Zen and Zen Pure will fit right in!
In regards to you brief discussion about Imps v2 (they do have a name...v2 is a placeholder)...they are designed for the card player and/or gambler....and of course inspired by the Wynn & Rounder decks. The back design is simple, designed for less distracting card play while the faces will serve completely functional for the player. The box designed is the opposite, complex. Imps "v2" will be printed with EPCC.
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Now I have two more things to look forward to!
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Had a opportunity to see some early prototypes of the Zen and Zen Pure decks when I was in NY mid-April...I cannot wait to pick up some of the Zen decks. The design of the cards are amazing...but it's the Tuck that really got me excited about this deck. Going to be one of the finest decks EPCC has put out for sure! Love Exquisites and Zenith...Zen and Zen Pure will fit right in!
In regards to you brief discussion about Imps v2 (they do have a name...v2 is a placeholder)...they are designed for the card player and/or gambler....and of course inspired by the Wynn & Rounder decks. The back design is simple, designed for less distracting card play while the faces will serve completely functional for the player. The box designed is the opposite, complex. Imps "v2" will be printed with EPCC.
I cant give Rounders credit for inspiration. Although that's not up to me to decide. What inspires someone is up to the individual and its creator. Casino's in general should be the inspiration. Rounders and its Wynn branding gave this style an identity.
I'm looking forward the these. I'm actually looking forward to everything that's been coming from EPCC. It's refreshing!
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Will CARC be releasing any addition Zen Pure Private Reserve decks in the future, besides the 150 already sold out?
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Will CARC be releasing any addition Zen Pure Private Reserve decks in the future, besides the 150 already sold out?
I don't know - did you ask them?
It's possible they will sell them - but it's also likely, depending on how many actually remain, that they will become premiums for future sales or be added into a future Variety Box/Mixed Brick offering.
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Too bad that doesn't help the fact that it looks just a little bit too much like an imitation Imps V2, which also looks much better than this.
Y'know what, Victor - I'm laying down the gauntlet. I'd really like to see you do better! You talk a great game about playing cards, but what do you REALLY know about them? Enough to design a deck? How about enough to design a deck that could win a design
Well, here's your competition - put up or shut up!
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/the-1st-discourse-deck-design-contest!/
The contest is sponsored by EPCC. Winner gets their deck published and receives thirty-six bricks, free of charge!
When is the next contest ?
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Too bad that doesn't help the fact that it looks just a little bit too much like an imitation Imps V2, which also looks much better than this.
Y'know what, Victor - I'm laying down the gauntlet. I'd really like to see you do better! You talk a great game about playing cards, but what do you REALLY know about them? Enough to design a deck? How about enough to design a deck that could win a design
Well, here's your competition - put up or shut up!
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/the-1st-discourse-deck-design-contest!/
The contest is sponsored by EPCC. Winner gets their deck published and receives thirty-six bricks, free of charge!
When is the next contest ?
It's not known whether there will be a next contest or not. We had very few entries for the last one and voting was light as a result. Artists were balking at the idea of getting three gross of their deck for free while handing printing rights to EPCC, not considering what the retail value of three gross of their own deck is in real terms. That, plus they retain image rights and regain printing rights one year after the last printing of the deck (or sooner, by mutual agreement). If we do have a third contest, it remains to be seen whether EPCC will be willing to sponsor it - it's not a cheap undertaking.