An elegant but different card design

[James Johnson]

Another update... trying my best to get these done ASAP. Hope your liking so far

[James Johnson]

Been a few days, but working on the cards every day now... thought I would give you a update on the Queen of Hearts.

Hope your liking the progression so far.

[James Johnson]

Started on the other side and adding more detail to what I’ve done so far.

[sms69x]

I was becoming a bit nervous as for some time didn't saw any update on these, now I'm very much relieved!!

Its coming together rather great! Can wait for the opportunity to get this one!

[justplaycards]

There looking amazing James. I have lost track a little about how far into the project you have got though. Any update on that?

[James Johnson]

I was becoming a bit nervous as for some time didn't saw any update on these, now I'm very much relieved!!

Its coming together rather great! Can wait for the opportunity to get this one!

Thank you so much, grinding away at it every day now. Getting quite a bit done and once I design the logo, I’ll officially be announcing what the deck name is, took me forever to come up with what I was looking for and think I nailed it

[James Johnson]

There looking amazing James. I have lost track a little about how far into the project you have got though. Any update on that?

Thank you! Well, putting in work on only this project for the time being to help get it done faster...it’s been 2 years already, really don’t want to make it three Right now I would say I’m about 60 percent done, but most of the hardest part is behind me now. Finally came up with the name for the deck, balanced out what I want in each card because this is based on a book I plan on writing afterwards, each project, the cards and story kept bouncing ideas back and forth and now with how complete the story outline is, I just have to make sure the art fits.

[James Johnson]

As I am able to spend more time exclusively on this project for the next couple weeks ( will have to switch back soon to finally launch the broken unicycle deck...a couple more of uncontrollable issues popped up that kept delaying launching it, most of all the Covid lockdown affected a outside suppliers I need for extras for that I wanted to have in the campaign), I am really hoping to post a lot of updates on the designs, AND I FINALLY came up with the name for the cards! Really happy with the name, now have to trademark it and create the logo and I’ll post it here for you all to give me feedback

As I tend to do, for my sanity as well as make sure the art stays balanced, I hop around on what to work on, so here is an update on the King of Spades/ Scissors king card.

Did I mention trying to create with color pencils metal reflections on a face really really sucks?

[James Johnson]

Another update...

[James Johnson]

20,000+ !!! Absolutely honored by everyone’s interest in this project, really really REALLY working hard to make this something extra special. More than 2 years so far, one of 3 of the longest projects I’ve ever worked on, just extremely grateful for everyone’s support and letting me know this isn’t a “wasting your time” endeavor.

Soooo, a little update on the Queen, I’ve been working each day on a different card so I don’t get mentally burned out AND it helps with a technique I stumbled upon years and years ago...if you let the prismacolor pencil lead set for a couple of days on the drawing paper, it hardens up a bit more to be able to layer another color than to keep working on the same area over and over and the friction of drawing keeps the lead a bit creamier. Helpful tip from yours truly

Tomorrow I jump back on the Jack of Clubs and start the work on the other side, will post an update of that piece soon.

[James Johnson]

Just finished, more or less, the Ace of Clubs for the poker deck side of the cards. Been juggling 3 different cards and I’m sure once I finish up a few more, I’ll come back to this design to tweak it a bit more.

[James Johnson]

Thought I would post an update of the cards from the last group shot so you can see some of the progress I made. There is more than this done (wrapping up the number cards for the clubs, hearts and spades hopefully in the next week or so). More to come soon.

[Malthus1]

Brilliant as always - I just love how you structured that Ace.

[sms69x]

Another fantastic update!! Glad to see this coming to life! Hope that it is not faraway from becoming a reality!

A small nitpicking: the branding on the AoC doesn't quite fit the overall look of the deck.. Maybe, instead of using that as watermark, you could try to make it look like engraved...

[James Johnson]

Brilliant as always - I just love how you structured that Ace.

Thank you so much! Been so in a mental tunnel just working on the cards I haven’t been taking much breaks to look at the art subjectively. Trying to get the Clubs cards done and man is it feeling like swimming in quicksand.

[James Johnson]

Another fantastic update!! Glad to see this coming to life! Hope that it is not faraway from becoming a reality!

A small nitpicking: the branding on the AoC doesn't quite fit the overall look of the deck.. Maybe, instead of using that as watermark, you could try to make it look like engraved...

Thanks for the suggestion! I actually am almost done with the official logo for the deck and soon I’ll be using that as the watermark. Had to throw something together for the post because I found out from a friend someone was trying to claim my artwork, so slapped the watermark from my other project on it.

Will have to make sure to post lower res images just in case on Facebook, Reddit and Instagram I guess

[James Johnson]

Been working every day like a madman trying to get the Club cards done, but boy oh boy, the more time I put into everything, the more like I feel I’m working in slow motion.

Thinking each card should take about 3 days to finish, hope I’m over estimating.

Well, here is the Clubs from Ace to 10 so far. Heading to bed at 4:30 am and back at it when I wake up

[James Johnson]

Another update on the Clubs, Jack that is.

[Entaro]

What's the overall progress at by now?

[James Johnson]

What's the overall progress at by now?

I am probably at 65% at the moment, more or less... I have started the number hearts cards, sketched out the ideas for the spades and diamonds number cards, sketched out the Queen of Clubs and Really quickly sketched out the joker cards.

Have more done on the number Club cards, but will wait to post any of that until I have that complete set done, but it’s looking really nice so far.

For the poker deck side of things, the only cards I need to create that hasn’t been touched yet is the Jack of Hearts and Queen of Spades. Will flesh those out idea wise next week, I hope.

For the card game I created, basically 60% done, all the cards are roughly done, but 6 of the 15 designs are at an early state.


While I am at it, another update

[James Johnson]

Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve posted updates. I’ve been working on a marker drawing for the 2021 Copic Awards, and thought I would use the time to not only create what I want one of the card designs to look like but see how different it would have been if I used copic markers instead of Prismacolor pencils.

It definitely looks different, lol. Had to take an angled photo to show the gold off a bit better than straight on.

I have already planned on remaking the card a second time in color pencils so it matches the look and feel of the rest of the cards, but in the meantime, I’m about 80% done with this version.

Thinking that I may do a golden ticket thing where once I can kickstart the cards, possibly one lucky person would win this as a thank you if the deck gets funded... Or I may just sell it, who knows. But that will be later to figure out. In the meantime, just started adding good metal to the design, have a ways to go but have been working hard.

Soon I’ll post updates on some of the other cards also, I did make a bit of progress, but it’s scattered over a few cards, want to show a more substantial update to everyone ASAP.

[sms69x]

Man.. you need to stop it!! Just make it already!!

That's an amazing AoH...

[James Johnson]

I’m trying, lol, honestly! Should have an update to a card or two in a day or two

[James Johnson]

Just in case anyone wants to see it, this is the finished marker version of the Ace of Hearts for the Copic marker awards contest. Will redo it in pencil to match the rest of the cards art style wise, but probably will do that more towards the end, I have soooo many other cards to work on first.

[sms69x]

We want to see this one being produced!

[James Johnson]

Me too!

[James Johnson]

Unfortunately I’ve had to take a few months break from the Endavail cards trying to find a new job, and with that not panning out, create something I could finish quickly to get some income coming in. (I live in a kind of rural area so work options aren’t that good unfortunately for an artist).

Well, fingers crossed, I hope to get back at it at the end of the year. I’m going thru a steep learning curve trying to get ready for doing a Kickstarter, getting manufacturing quotes, shipping quotes, etc... all of that which will help tremendously when I get to launching the Endavail deck(s).

It’s off topic from what I’m working on, but seeing it’s a card based game, I thought I would show what I’ve been working hard on (and show I’m still alive, lol).

Wish me luck if you will, I’ve been dying to get back on Endavail... have some great ideas for a few of the remaining cards I’m creating, think everyone will enjoy it!

[Eric Lee]

Unfortunately I’ve had to take a few months break from the Endavail cards trying to find a new job, and with that not panning out, create something I could finish quickly to get some income coming in. (I live in a kind of rural area so work options aren’t that good unfortunately for an artist).

Well, fingers crossed, I hope to get back at it at the end of the year. I’m going thru a steep learning curve trying to get ready for doing a Kickstarter, getting manufacturing quotes, shipping quotes, etc... all of that which will help tremendously when I get to launching the Endavail deck(s).

It’s off topic from what I’m working on, but seeing it’s a card based game, I thought I would show what I’ve been working hard on (and show I’m still alive, lol).

Wish me luck if you will, I’ve been dying to get back on Endavail... have some great ideas for a few of the remaining cards I’m creating, think everyone will enjoy it!

Glad to see you back here and that the Endavail project is still alive . The game looks fun. I love games as well and always nice to have fun card games that even my 7 year old can play.

[PiazzaDelivery]

Any news on this? Haven't heard anything in quite a while. Eagerly waiting, still one of the most beautiful and original designs I've ever seen.

[James Johnson]

Hi everyone!

It's been sooo long, but I'm still alive and kicking (barely lol).

A quick update...as many know, I had lost my job once Covid hit and have been TRYING to make a living just doing my art (currently working on a childrens book and making NFT art). It's been a struggle to say the least but I'm still at it.

I have talked 2 times to Delano about publishing costs on my card game, and because of printing and general costs of manufacturing, I have held off doing anything... can't imagine how anyone can afford to get their card decks published and out there...crazy.

Because I have been especially busy trying to make a living with making art, I've had to put Endavail on the sidelines because of how time consuming it is. I'm hoping that soon (if I can make a little nest egg from my other work), it will buy me time to just concentrate on Endavail and get it all finished up.

I do hope sometime in December I can put a bit of time into the King, and possibly Queen of Broken Hearts and get them finished to show you all.

I hope everyone is doing well, haven't forgot about you all nor my project and hope to be more active soon on the forum! <3