Uusi's 5th deck: "Hotcakes": Funded $46,000 on Kickstarter!

[uusikissa]

Ah now im liking it more than before, honestly it was making my brain hurt in the computer render lol. Uusi are you looking to do gilded edges for these ?

on a slightly separate note, could you post pictures of the gilded pagan decks once they are done ? I would love to see the results !

Good to hear!

Well, not gilded on Hotcakes but what you're seeing there on the lighter back deck is a hot colored edge that we will be offering in a limited quantity on the KS project.

Yes - we will for sure post pics of the Pagan gilded decks once the first ones are done. Also hoping we can post a short video of the gilding process as it happens here at the studio.

A video would be awesome ! I love to see processes like this.

What exactly would be a hot coloured edge ? Printing on the edge ?

We will be hand applying the colored edge here at the studio. It is a super high quality, shellac based ink with hand mixed pigments that comes from a company in Germany. The test we have run came out great, the ink embeds itself in the the paper card edge permanently.

[volantangel]

Very interesting ! Does it affect the handling of the cards ?

[sinjin7]

Sounds like a fancier way to Sharpie the edge. I have to believe that this edge treatment must affect the handling in some way. I was extremely careful with the Sharpie on my black decks, and went one card at a time, but fanning was still slightly affected. Let's be realistic here, though, no one is going to be using an Uusi limited edition deck as a performance deck. I think going with a bright color as opposed to gold gilt is a great choice for this deck given its color scheme.

While I still prefer the original, more symmetrical back design, I understand that the new back design better fits the burlesque theme of the deck by evoking fishnet and lace. There's a reason why most full-bleed back designs utilize a small-scale symmetrical diamond or grid pattern (eg.: Bee & Steamboat decks, and ironically Pagan as well), and that's to prevent cheating at cards. The Texans deck from the USPCC is one of the rare full-bleed decks that has a more organic, free flowing back pattern, and there's a book written about just that deck (I can't remember the title at the moment) that shows all the ways you can use the irregular pattern on the full bleed edge to "mark" cards or sequences when dealing cards. This may be a secret, unintended bonus feature for the Hotcakes deck!

[RSLancastr]

Am I the only one seeing suggestions of the female form in the new back?

Of course, I see that everywhere, so maybe it's just me...

[bamabenz]

Now I'm seeing it too!

[Eoghann]

Looking good UUSI! Looking goooooood!

[RSLancastr]

Now I'm seeing it too!

Oh, good!

Don't even ASK me what I see in your avatar...

I think that the dark background here on UC contributed to the "popping" of the back colors on the jpeg. The white background of the photo Uusikissa just posted helps to mitigate that quite a bit, I think.

[Mike Ratledge]

We'll all be more informed on Saturday when the project goes live. I'm sure they have been building their Kickstarter page for the campaign for the launch! Any chance of a preview, Linnea?

I see a new post this morning here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/12 ... sts/818868

[ivan]

We'll all be more informed on Saturday when the project goes live. I'm sure they have been building their Kickstarter page for the campaign for the launch! Any chance of a preview, Linnea?

Might do one better Mike! We are honoured to have a guest post from Linnea of UUSI for our 'Designers' series. Sneak peak of their upcoming KS video.

http://www.kardify.com/2014/04/designer ... ocess.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wwpierce]

The video is insane!! Who starts with ink??? I would have been there with a stupid pencil and eraser for about a day and still had a stick figure..Then Linnea steps to color it up... I guess my 64 count Crayola crayons box with the built in crayon sharpener just won't cut it... ...Amazing work guys!!

Wayne

[bamabenz]

As Linnea wrote, there's a light pencil sketch that Peter is inking on top of. But I agree that the video is insane! I feel whoosy after watching it.

[RSLancastr]

For some reason, I was under the impression that the original art for playing cards was much larger than what Peter and Linnea are drawing and coloring in that video.

Perhaps the size of the original art depends on the medium being used, and the amount of detail desired/needed?

[Maddest Hammer]

Robert, you may be thinking of a previous project of theirs. I seem to recall Linnea hand painting a sheet, maybe for Bohemia? I also like that they made their own shade of blue and scanned it in the computer to make the color for BlueBlood Redux. It's things like that that make me wish they wouldn't stop at six decks.

[montecarlojoe]

Have the fishnets gone??

[volantangel]

Ooo, I think I like it without fishnets !

[Mike Ratledge]

We'll all be more informed on Saturday when the project goes live. I'm sure they have been building their Kickstarter page for the campaign for the launch! Any chance of a preview, Linnea?

Might do one better Mike! We are honoured to have a guest post from Linnea of UUSI for our 'Designers' series. Sneak peak of their upcoming KS video.

http://www.kardify.com/2014/04/designer ... ocess.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yep, buddy. I happened to be on your site the moment you posted it, I am betting right before you checked out of the chat with Tony & myself. I was probably the first person to view it. When I got there it wasn't in the index, but when I went back to the home page it was the first thing listed. Super job!

[montecarlojoe]

Ooo, I think I like it without fishnets !

Me too!

[MagikFingerz]

Ooo, I think I like it without fishnets !

Me too!

Me three

[RSLancastr]

Robert, you may be thinking of a previous project of theirs.

I was thinking this - that the originals are much larger (poster-sized or so) than the actual cards - about playing cards in general, not of a specific Uusi deck, nor of just Uusi decks in general. Not sure where I got that impression, though.

I also like that they made their own shade of blue and scanned it in the computer to make the color for BlueBlood Redux. It's things like that that make me wish they wouldn't stop at six decks.

Seconded!

Linnea and Peter have left a beautiful, indelible mark on the history of playing card design, and it would be a shame for them to stop after only six (or at all!), but I can certainly understand if they want to move on to other projects. For us to want them to continue the series is, I suppose, pretty selfish, if understandable. (sniff! sniff!)

[RSLancastr]

Ooo, I think I like it without fishnets !

Me too!

Me three

We're still talking about the "Hotcakes" back design, aren't we?

[volantangel]

Ooo, I think I like it without fishnets !

Me too!

Me three

We're still talking about the "Hotcakes" back design, aren't we?

Yup and that was what I was saying from day one, that the fishnets made it look too busy, maybe I should go into consulting lol

[bamabenz]

Linnea and Peter have left a beautiful, indelible mark on the history of playing card design, and it would be a shame for them to stop after only six (or at all!), but I can certainly understand if they want to move on to other projects. For us to want them to continue the series is, I suppose, pretty selfish, if understandable. (sniff! sniff!)

I prefer to interpret what they wrote as this years projects being the end to one series of playing cards -- a half-brick.
I can understand if they are looking at this goal to keep them sane as they deal with running KS projects.

But I gotta believe that there will be new concepts that will eventually entice them to the genre.

/bama

[DukeBoy]

The video is insane!! Who starts with ink??? I would have been there with a stupid pencil and eraser for about a day and still had a stick figure..Then Linnea steps to color it up... I guess my 64 count Crayola crayons box with the built in crayon sharpener just won't cut it... ...Amazing work guys!!

Wayne

Tell me about it. I know of this one guy would have a no 2 pencil, drawing on the carpet with a preprinted version of it under the paper.

[volantangel]

The video is insane!! Who starts with ink??? I would have been there with a stupid pencil and eraser for about a day and still had a stick figure..Then Linnea steps to color it up... I guess my 64 count Crayola crayons box with the built in crayon sharpener just won't cut it... ...Amazing work guys!!

Wayne

Tell me about it. I know of this one guy would have a no 2 pencil, drawing on the carpet with a preprinted version of it under the paper.

HAHAHAHA and I there are people who are fans of this man

[uusikissa]

Just saw all this! We wanted to get back to some of the comments here with the first being the change in the "Hotcakes" back: We did tweak them, and you guys were the reason Peter and I took a good long look at them after Volantangel, MagicFingerz and MontecarloJoe made some very strong points about the intensity of both the color and pattern.

Originally, we had taken Peter's hand-drawn design into Photoshop and amped up the color intensity until it nearly obliterated the look of the artwork. I think at the time we thought it looked "HOT," but yeah...it was overkill. When we returned to the much calmer, more playful original artwork for the back it immediately fell in line with the artwork on the cards and looked perfect. Thank you!

As for the video, Peter is drawing on top of my sketch. The process starts out with my drawing the character in pencil, then we scan that drawing in to the computer and print out a very light version of it so Peter has about 3 or 4 of the same sketch he can work on incase he makes a mistake with one. Peter used a traditional pen nib you dip in ink for the line work and you get one shot to make it right. Same with the markers and tempera paints – these mediums can look very spontaneous and playful but they require a lot of steady hand control. So glad you enjoyed the video – it was fun to make and you can't beat the armchair enjoyment of watching a lot of work happen in about 2 minutes

Linnea

[volantangel]

Just saw all this! We wanted to get back to some of the comments here with the first being the change in the "Hotcakes" back: We did tweak them, and you guys were the reason Peter and I took a good long look at them after Volantangel, MagicFingerz and MontecarloJoe made some very strong points about the intensity of both the color and pattern.

Originally, we had taken Peter's hand-drawn design into Photoshop and amped up the color intensity until it nearly obliterated the look of the artwork. I think at the time we thought it looked "HOT," but yeah...it was overkill. When we returned to the much calmer, more playful original artwork for the back it immediately fell in line with the artwork on the cards and looked perfect. Thank you!

As for the video, Peter is drawing on top of my sketch. The process starts out with my drawing the character in pencil, then we scan that drawing in to the computer and print out a very light version of it so Peter has about 3 or 4 of the same sketch he can work on incase he makes a mistake with one. Peter used a traditional pen nib you dip in ink for the line work and you get one shot to make it right. Same with the markers and tempera paints – these mediums can look very spontaneous and playful but they require a lot of steady hand control. So glad you enjoyed the video – it was fun to make and you can't beat the armchair enjoyment of watching a lot of work happen in about 2 minutes

Linnea

Brilliant ! We love it when designers hear us out, take a couple of steps back and relook their design, as opposed to "this is my style, you guys are wrong, there are people out there who like it this way." Now we demand extra swag with our packages

Btw really awesome video =)

[uusikissa]

Just saw all this! We wanted to get back to some of the comments here with the first being the change in the "Hotcakes" back: We did tweak them, and you guys were the reason Peter and I took a good long look at them after Volantangel, MagicFingerz and MontecarloJoe made some very strong points about the intensity of both the color and pattern.

Originally, we had taken Peter's hand-drawn design into Photoshop and amped up the color intensity until it nearly obliterated the look of the artwork. I think at the time we thought it looked "HOT," but yeah...it was overkill. When we returned to the much calmer, more playful original artwork for the back it immediately fell in line with the artwork on the cards and looked perfect. Thank you!

As for the video, Peter is drawing on top of my sketch. The process starts out with my drawing the character in pencil, then we scan that drawing in to the computer and print out a very light version of it so Peter has about 3 or 4 of the same sketch he can work on incase he makes a mistake with one. Peter used a traditional pen nib you dip in ink for the line work and you get one shot to make it right. Same with the markers and tempera paints – these mediums can look very spontaneous and playful but they require a lot of steady hand control. So glad you enjoyed the video – it was fun to make and you can't beat the armchair enjoyment of watching a lot of work happen in about 2 minutes

Linnea

Brilliant ! We love it when designers hear us out, take a couple of steps back and relook their design, as opposed to "this is my style, you guys are wrong, there are people out there who like it this way." Now we demand extra swag with our packages

Btw really awesome video =)

We agree! You would have to be an egotistical fool not to listen to a strong, respectful critique from an educated group that make up the market you are designing for. We are lucky to have access to you and hear your feedback as the ultimate goal is a shared one – to have the work be the best it can be. Always a win-win

[volantangel]

This my dear friends is why Uusi is always at the top few of the pack !

[Sher]

Countdown to launch: http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/ge ... ease&csz=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

P.S. I put in Philadelphia time. I know Uusi is in Chicago, but release date was 10AM EDT. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Maddest Hammer]

Countdown to launch: http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/ge ... ease&csz=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

P.S. I put in Philadelphia time. I know Uusi is in Chicago, but release date was 10AM EDT. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

No, you're correct. I know because it will be 4 here, as I had to figure where I would be as I have class that day. So, I'll have to ignore the professor for a bit and hope the computers don't block me from kickstarter...