Flat Design Bicycle Cards (KS)

[badpete69]

Here's another overseas project

[Widdee]

Too flat looking.

[badpete69]

Come on Widdee Look at those magnificent jokers. Pure Flat art

[Sher]

I'm tired of flat Jony Ive has already been changing up the apple UI to make everything look flat and I'm not very fond of it...

[Widdee]

Come on Widdee Look at those magnificent jokers. Pure Flat art

Those jokers are appropriately named.

Was thinking about coming out with a Dull Deck but there's too much competition out there already.

[snsdmonkey]

Looks like an hour of work.

[th4mo]

totally "meh".

Is "flat design" actually a thing? I'd google it, but... can't be bothered.

[rjtomlinson1977]

I do believe it's a style. Just not a good one in my opinion.

[ryzellon]

Is "flat design" actually a thing? I'd google it, but... can't be bothered.

I googled it, curious to know if it was a thing, and whether someone was going to come after this deck with an intellectual property claim. Yes, it is a thing. This image is a good summary.

Gizmodo explains:

[F]lat advocates (flatvocates?) argue that GUIs—graphical user interfaces—should eschew style for functionality. That means getting rid of beveled edges, gradients, shadows, and reflections, as well as creating a user experience that plays to the strengths of digital interfaces, rather than [trying to make digital things look like their analog counterparts].

It's a design style I actually really like, but I don't care for these cards. I don't precisely hate them, though. I like them more than most of the minimalist decks that have paraded through recently. But flat design is a paradigm of user interface design, not card design. In the context of card design, it's just another variant of "minimalist." And in the context of card design, the full bleed faces + use of 4 colors means that the suits are probably identifiable from the edges. The back is busy as hell and it really goes against the "simplify" philosophy that seems to dominate flat design. If you've gotta keep those colors (and I don't see how anyone other than a design wonk would recognize the significance of those colors), do it in a less rainbow-vomit-y manner. And the Bicycle logo is kind of the epitome of what flat design is against. If USPCC still allowed logo modification, they'd absolutely need to flatten that logo. But since that's not an option, I think the most honest route is to ditch the logo.

[snsdmonkey]

totally "meh".

Is "flat design" actually a thing? I'd google it, but... can't be bothered.

Flat design is a term generally used in web design. It involves simple block colours, usually pastel, to create a website which is simple but effective. A lot of companies such as Apple and Google have been embracing flat design in their products. Here is an example of a flat design website: http://www.gimko.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope that helps!

[Mirror]

I'm tired of flat Jony Ive has already been changing up the apple UI to make everything look flat and I'm not very fond of it...

I love the iOS7 design, not gonna lie. On this deck however... meh. They could make it a bit better by putting white borders on the faces but I'm still going to pass.

[vasta41]

I prefer 3D decks myself..

[th4mo]

Hey Y'all, thanks for the explanations!

Yes, it is a thing. This image is a good summary.

^This^ was particularly helpful. I understand the philosophy behind this now. BUT i gotta say, in that image at least, i much prefer the "realism". When it comes to identifying the figures, my eyes feel like they are working harder on the "flat" side. Maybe something about the lack of contrast? i dunno, i'm no artist or designer by any stretch of the imagination.

And as far as this deck goes, it still just leaves me "flat" as well...

Edit: And btw, isn't there some shading on some of the court crowns that gives them some depth? This, too, would appear to contradict their own theme...

[Widdee]

So "flat" is an inside joke, shop talk among designers and techno geeks? Didn't know their lives were that boring. This thing does absolutely nothing for me.

[vasta41]

So "flat" is an inside joke, shop talk among designers and techno geeks? Didn't know their lives were that boring. This thing does absolutely nothing for me.

You know designers, programers and computer geeks are very clean. Afterall, there's no number 2's in binary..

[Widdee]

You know designers, programers and computer geeks are very clean. Afterall, there's no number 2's in binary..

I guess they don't like having their senses assaulted. I can see that, working in front of a flat screen all day.

[supcomtabz]

I like the fronts, but not the backs. :/