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Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for viewing my post. We wanted to do something different and share with you our new deck while we create it, so this way you can help create this with us too as ultimately we want to make them as good as we can so we can all enjoy them.

So the idea was to make a realistic artwork version of the classic cards while keeping them with their postures and body style.

We are very pleased to show for the first time our classic, yet realistic deck, We haven't decided on a name yet, perhaps you can help us with this too! As a thank you if we use the name you suggested for this deck we will send you a brick of them and that is of course if they they become funded.

We have been lucky enough to enter a world of design with a rich history and tradition, and while we have been building a new story with each of our decks we have always been mindful of the story behind the original design choices and all of their evolving theories.

Our favorite and probably most challenged of these is of course the infamous 'suicide king' of hearts. While we have stuck with this particular theme.

This time we fully return to the source material to give it the 'Ace Collectable' treatment and have lovingly recreated the classic deck of cards with a realism twist. It's important to remember where you came from, and we certainly would not be doing what we do without that first deck reaching Europe in 1360 from China!

We hope you enjoy this homage to the eternally classic game.

Please See one of the classic cards we have inspired off and then our realistic version.

Again thank you everyone for spending time. Really looking forward to your replies and comments.

We would love inspiration for the tuck box, back of card and the name for the deck!

Lets make a great deck together.

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

For starters, I would go with some kind of different border or frame around the courts. For all the realism of them, that thin black line border just doesn't really fit.

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Hi STLBluesNut,

Thank you so much, very good point, perhaps a more decorative blue border frame? ! I will have a look at some ideas on what I could do to enhance this.

Thanks again.

Justin

I don't find the king of hearts to be as realistic as the queen of hearts, the drawing style of the two seems a bit different. To me it looks like the king was drawn up completely from scratch while the queen was modeled after a real person(perhaps someone in porn ).

The courts themselves look good but I don't like the way they are inside a border frame like standard courts are. I'd say loose the border frame and maybe scale the courts up a bit so that there is less white space. If not that, then go with much more decorative frame, background etc.

You are on the right track but not on the right train yet.

*as I sit here like an idiot with my hand on my face, fingers spread like a xenomorphic facehugger*

Guys, is it just me or is the Queen's hand, wrist & partial forearm lookin' a bit disproportionately large compared to that of her face & neck...??

Now that you mention it, I see that, too. It's not a *huge* difference, but it is there. (Could be an optical illusion, too. Not sure.)

PipChick wrote:*as I sit here like an idiot with my hand on my face, fingers spread like a xenomorphic facehugger*

Guys, is it just me or is the Queen's hand, wrist & partial forearm lookin' a bit disproportionately large compared to that of her face & neck...??

I'd say that is true for the King's hand as well. I agree with everyone else's comments so far. As a deck idea, I really like this, but it needs a lot of work. The translation of the queens garments are fantastic, but the king's clothes don't seem to mimic as well. If you can nail down a consistent style and approach, this could be a real winner.

Please see the rest of the court cards.














Thank you STLBluesNut, Räpylätassu I will lose the blue border and make the images bigger to see how they will look. Will post an example soon.

Thanks PipChick,rousselle, wingedpotato, will have a good look at the hands on them.

Thank you so much wingedpotato , will redo the clothes area on the King of hearts, as you are right I do need to mimic the clothes better. Thank you.

I also think perhaps for the King of clubs, Jack of spades and Queen of spades I will need to re-do the mid section so they transition a lot better.

Really appreciate all your input everyone. That is amazing of you! I wish to do good for everyone.

Also if anyone can help pick a name for this deck and if it becomes selected you will receive a brick of these

Thoughts on King of Diamonds hand?

Again thank you for your help and input.

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

Those Queens look a little young to be married to those kings.

Thank you so much Wingedpotato, I have improved the King of Hearts to mimic the clothes better and it is much more matching. I wouldn't have noticed if you didn't say. This has made me very happy. When I do put my project online would it be okay to put your name on the project page with a sincere thank you as you and lots at UnitedCardists have helped me improve the deck much more

Below the old version King of Hearts and Now the New improved King of Hearts


Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

Further improvements to the deck, smoother transition mid area:





Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

JuFiN wrote:Those Queens look a little young to be married to those kings.

Hi Jufin, Thank you so much I didn't realise that the queen of clubs came out looking young. I have made her look older. Please let me know.

Here is an updated version:



Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

Räpylätassu wrote:The courts themselves look good but I don't like the way they are inside a border frame like standard courts are. I'd say loose the border frame and maybe scale the courts up a bit so that there is less white space. If not that, then go with much more decorative frame, background etc.

You are on the right track but not on the right train yet.

Thank you so much Räpylätassu. Briliant Idea. I have made different versions:

1: The Original Version
2: Version 1: No Border, Larger Scale
3: Version 2: Border, Larger Scale
4: Version 3: No Border, Much Larger Scale, Larger Heart Pips Removed For Space.

Please see image:



If you click on them it will open another window and you can click on them to zoom in.

Unless of course you prefer the original version. If there is anything you would like me to try. Please let me know.

Thanks so much everyone, I look forward to your feedback

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

Choosing between the 4 formats here, I would say my preference would be V1.

I cannot say or express properly what I would add around or behind the queen, but that realistic style just cut out and dropped on a plain, bright white background looks out of place to me.

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I would recommend against V3. Having the courts go to the edge would make them less desirable for gameplay as it would be easier to know when someone has been dealt a court card vs. non-court card.

Have you tried a slightly graduated tone instead of a hard-line border? Kinda like this:

Joeker wrote:Have you tried a slightly graduated tone instead of a hard-line border? Kinda like this:

queen-retouch.jpg

I agree that some kind of background behind the queen would be better. Not sure if it needs some scroll work or pattern or just this simple shading but it definitely needs something I think.

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Of the choices presented, I favor v1.

I'm impressed at how this is coming along.

for some weird reason, this picture comes into my head...



Of course, when I do a quick google search for the image, I also find this...

I like v1 and v2, but lean toward v2 to keep in line with the conceit that this is a realistic version of a classic deck of cards. Still feel a border could be thicker or something to make the design feel more cohesive. Not sure what would work...

v2 for me. The Q is same font + size as "original" Queen.

RichK wrote:v2 for me. The Q is same font + size as "original" Queen.

+1

MagikFingerz wrote:

RichK wrote:v2 for me. The Q is same font + size as "original" Queen.

+1

This one seems to be the most popular version so far. I love the ideas with the shaded background etc. If anyone wants me to play around with any other ideas please let me know.

So far I also feel Version 2 is more fitting to match the Classic cards.



I must say I am really enjoying all the comments and messages. Really Thank you!

I would love some inspiration for the back of the card, The Ace of spades and the tuck box if you have any.

Thanks everyone for making them more enjoyable and improved.

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

I'm really impressed you decided to take this path in your playing card design. Really enjoying what you came up with so far. I'm actually surprised no one has tried to do something like this recently as a playing card theme.

1) You still have the bad habit of squeezing your wonderful art into small spaces! I like Joeker's recommendation to have a graduated background that can serve as a border. It goes well the feel you're trying to have with the playing card theme. Give it a try to see how it looks compared to a blue border. Considering you've made the courts 'real' the border should also look more 'real' compared to the usual borders on the courts.

2) For the KoD, keep the fingers closed. He looks like he's been surprised or in shock with the open fingers.

3) As for a title, considering your theme and the idea behind it, how about "Old World" playing cards? Another possibility: Royal portraits.

4) For the backs, I suggest you make a Realistic riderbacks, where you design a realistic cherub and bicycle with a coloured landscape. Make the borders and patterns into coloured 3d frames where it looks like they belong in a palace or to royalty. If rider backs are going to get you sued or pay a pretty penny for it, then try the realistic maiden backs.

5) For the aces, might as well keep with the theme where you have a realistic lady liberty behind a 3d graduated Ace. So it makes it look like these were the original painted versions of a deck of Bicycle Maiden back cards. If that's too expensive maybe an older back design?

6) Don't forget the pips, graduated 3d feel of the pips to make them look like they were real/photorealistic. That will make your realisitic deck of "Old World" playing cards look like the original model for USPCC's decks!

Adding some realistic texture to the pips might be really cool. Satin fabric to the heart, black metal to the spade, gleam on the diamond and ebony wood on the club?

Eric Lee wrote:I'm really impressed you decided to take this path in your playing card design. Really enjoying what you came up with so far. I'm actually surprised no one has tried to do something like this recently as a playing card theme.

1) You still have the bad habit of squeezing your wonderful art into small spaces! I like Joeker's recommendation to have a graduated background that can serve as a border. It goes well the feel you're trying to have with the playing card theme. Give it a try to see how it looks compared to a blue border. Considering you've made the courts 'real' the border should also look more 'real' compared to the usual borders on the courts.

2) For the KoD, keep the fingers closed. He looks like he's been surprised or in shock with the open fingers.

3) As for a title, considering your theme and the idea behind it, how about "Old World" playing cards? Another possibility: Royal portraits.

4) For the backs, I suggest you make a Realistic riderbacks, where you design a realistic cherub and bicycle with a coloured landscape. Make the borders and patterns into coloured 3d frames where it looks like they belong in a palace or to royalty. If rider backs are going to get you sued or pay a pretty penny for it, then try the realistic maiden backs.

5) For the aces, might as well keep with the theme where you have a realistic lady liberty behind a 3d graduated Ace. So it makes it look like these were the original painted versions of a deck of Bicycle Maiden back cards. If that's too expensive maybe an older back design?

6) Don't forget the pips, graduated 3d feel of the pips to make them look like they were real/photorealistic. That will make your realisitic deck of "Old World" playing cards look like the original model for USPCC's decks!

Thank you so much Eric Lee! That meant so much to me I'm so glad you are happy that I am taking this path. I just wanted to somehow keep improving them so we will enjoy them a lot more.

Also a MASSIVE THANK YOU as I will be going with Royal Portraits as its title. So I will be sending you a brick of these

I have been playing around with all of the art and taking everything into account from everyone. I will post shortly the updated cards.

TheGentlemanWake wrote:Adding some realistic texture to the pips might be really cool. Satin fabric to the heart, black metal to the spade, gleam on the diamond and ebony wood on the club?

@ TheGentlemanWake, Hi TheGentlemanWake, That is an absolutely great idea! I have changed the pips and gave them a more realistic texture, really appreciate your input.

Hi everyone, I have updated the cards.

I have added new decorative borders for each suit and also gave the pips a realistic texture.

Please see below the new updated cards:









Looking forward to hearing from you.

I am working on the tuck box.

The decks name is Royal Portraits.

Thank you everyone for all your help and feedback.

Sincerely,

Justin & Ace team

Like the borders but the pips seem off. I can see the 3D depth edge on Club and Diamond easier. Not sure they look realistic.

RichK wrote:Like the borders but the pips seem off. I can see the 3D depth edge on Club and Diamond easier. Not sure they look realistic.

I think the pips inside the borders appear to have some sort of realistic texture or surface, but the index pips do not match.

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