Face Up Anthology Feedback & A Query About Comms

[Happyakrz]

Happy December, UC community!

It’s been a month now since I launched the first volume of my playing card anthology, Face Up, and I thought it might be a good time to throw a couple of questions out to the community to gain some insights about the maiden digital publication, and how I might be able to “soup things up” for the next release in May 2025.

First, let me say that I realize that the anthology may not be everyone’s cup of tea – I get it, we all have different ways that we enjoy our cards and collections, and this style might just not intrigue you. But for those who took the time to download the PDF and wander through the 160 or so Deck Sheets that are in the first volume, I’m very curious to know what you liked, what you didn’t care for so much, or what you wish had been present but was missing. This project is only partially for my personal OCD satisfaction – the rest is all about bringing the art of this unique format to those who might otherwise never know what beauty lies within the tucks of so many decks.

Secondly, I’m interested in hearing any thoughts you all might have regarding communications with the creators/designers/producers of the cards in all of our collections. A couple of months before the launch of Face Up, I reached out via email, social media, and personal/studio websites to all of the people who I believed to be responsible for the decks that I owned at the time (decks that I sincerely wanted to showcase in the first volume of the anthology). About two dozen of them responded quite quickly – I was shocked by some as they are at the pinnacle of the industry today (so many thanks to Lorenzo, Giovanni, Dan & Dave, Randy, Jamie, etc.). But there were still about fifty designers from whom I never heard any response – and many of them developed some of my favorite decks.

I know that everyone is busy these days, and in many cases, email and DMs through social media can be an absolute nightmare to get through. I have no interest in being a pest – especially if the creator/designer simply isn’t interested in participating with the anthology. But without any kind of communication, I’m left with the void of not knowing whether they even KNOW about the project. In most cases, this wouldn’t be a big issue, but I have over FIVE HUNDRED Deck Sheets by this group of people that I would LOVE to showcase in the May 2025 (volume 2) release.

So I’m curious if you all think that it would be appropriate to do a shoutout here – kind of a roll call – to all of the amazing artists who are represented in my collection – just to see if the United Cardist site is a venue through which communication can be made? I know that a lot of creators/designers are on this forum, and it might be the way that conversations can get started.

If you aren’t familiar with the project, please take a moment to check it out at:

https://lonelyjokers.com/face_up

Thanks in advance for any input you feel like sharing – I always love constructive comments and opinions.

Todd
Lonely Jokers Playing Cards

[Honeybee]

Hi Todd, sometimes I ignore warnings like the following but I don't know you

EDIT - I now see in your/kevork's other thread that he has done a virus check (I am too old to be tech savvy)

viewtopic.php?t=23885

[Happyakrz]

Hi Honeybee,

Yeah, I agree -- I'm always wary of files that can potentially carry digital parasites, but I can assure you, this file is clean (and as small as I could make it! If you can believe it, my copy of the full anthology (all 568 Deck Sheets) is 1.32 GB in size ... so getting this first volume out in a smaller package was a real trick. I may need to package it as multiple download PDFs -- kind of like volumes in an encyclopedia -- in the future. We'll see.

Thanks for the note!

Todd

Hi Todd, sometimes I ignore warnings like the following but I don't know you

EDIT - I now see in your/kevork's other thread that he has done a virus check (I am too old to be tech savvy)

viewtopic.php?t=23885

[Honeybee]

Todd, I have just enjoyed looking through your Face Up Anthology
It is certainly an easy way to view a lot of decks

It reinforced for me that a deck needs a VERY good back to justify purchase if it only has standard courts or slightly modified courts

I am wondering whether some cards might be 'overexposed' as my favourite certainly is - 17th Kingdom Experimental faces are nowhere near that white

You have the wrong tuck for Lucky Draw

How bad are those courts for Vertigo

Keep up the good work

[Happyakrz]

Thanks for the feedback, Honeybee!

I try to keep the lighting balance even on all of the decks so that they are presented within a common level, but sometimes I may go a little too far -- I'll look at the 17th Kingdom Experimental again to make sure it isn't too bright.

I've corrected the tuck for Lucky Draw for the second volume -- thanks so much for pointing out the error.

I agree about the Vertigo deck -- not exactly sure how this concept got funded, but it does present a unique style, that's for sure!

And I completely agree in regards to those decks that employ a standard set of courts and pips -- if the back isn't designed with a great deal of creativity or ingenuity, I simply don't understand the collectibility.

Thanks again!

Todd

Todd, I have just enjoyed looking through your Face Up Anthology
It is certainly an easy way to view a lot of decks

It reinforced for me that a deck needs a VERY good back to justify purchase if it only has standard courts or slightly modified courts

I am wondering whether some cards might be 'overexposed' as my favourite certainly is - 17th Kingdom Experimental faces are nowhere near that white

You have the wrong tuck for Lucky Draw

How bad are those courts for Vertigo

Keep up the good work