Playing Cards Redesign

PLAYING CARDS: DESIGN BRIEF CHALLENGE

key words

product uses

redesign the packaging and six main cards from the set of a deck of bicycle playing cards. i decided to give them the dark theme of “memento mori� (remember that you will die).

dark

card games

creepy

magic tricks

interesting

house of cards

artistic

memory

unique

background info Bicycle started in 1867 as a printing partnership in Cincinnati, Ohio. Started by printing theatrical and circus posters.

In 1880 they started producing playing cards. Eventually the company grew so big that the playing card printing became its own separate entity. The Joker card is American invention and originally showed a man on a high-wheeled bike, then later a normal 2-wheeled bike. Then followed a series of kings riding bikes. The Ace of Spades has a rich history involving psychological warfare.

PLAYING CARDS: INSPIRATION

PLAYING CARDS: INITIAL SKETCHES

i started sketching with the idea of making all the face cards dead people. i kept in mind the concept that even the rich people die. i thought that was interesting in this context, considering lots of people use cards to play games with money and betting involved. i experimented with different forms of skulls.

PLAYING CARDS: REDESIGN selection: packaging for the packaging of the deck of playing cards, i wanted to enhance the experience by putting the memento mori-themed cards in a container that resembles or references a coffin. this furthers the concept of death and is much more interesting than a regular box made of cardstock. i planned on painting the outside black and probably designing some type or image for the front.

PLAYING CARDS: DIGITAL SKETCH/TEMPLATE product

3.5 in

i created this rough digital sketch to give me an idea of the layout of each face card. it was important that the imagery and type is legible from both directions (right side up and upside down) for practical use. i would use this template to trace in pencil and then transfer to a stamp i would carve from linoleum. i hoped the analog methods of formmaking would give the cards an earthier, rougher appearance in texture. this connects to the idea of the package being a coffin that would be buried in the ground.

2.5 in

since i wouldn’t be redesigning all 52 cards, i decided the ones below were most interesting and diverse so i included them: king of diamonds queen of hearts jack of clubs joker ace of spades two of hearts

PLAYING CARDS: PROGRESS i then designed all six of the cards to be printed, along with the simple design that would go on the outside of the box (coffin). the forms in black would be carved out of linoleum, then printed like a stamp.

card designs

once i stamped the cards, the analog texture would add a lot to the design. i wanted to keep the forms simple so there wasn’t much to distract from what number and suit it is.

joker

jack of clubs

2 of hearts

queen of hearts

king of diamonds

ace of spades

PLAYING CARDS: PROGRESS analog process

i had a lot of fun getting off the computer and carving the linoleum by hand. it was a timeconsuming process but something i had never tried before.

after carving, i stamped the designs using ink. after that i scanned them in digitally and resized everything to be consistent.

PLAYING CARDS: final product

left: front right: back

PLAYING CARDS: final product

PLAYING CARDS: final product