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EDIT: Live now on Kickstarter and funded in 3 hours!



As we're getting closer to actually launching this deck I wanted to create a proper thread for it here in the New & Custom Decks board (you can see the progress over the past 6 months on the draft thread here: http://unitedcardists.com/viewtopic.php ... a4636a7871)...

Stories is the latest project in the Vanda Artists Series and explores the inherent duality that any tale possesses. In addition to battling elements of good and evil, this deck features court cards that illustrate opposing sides to a number of stories, both visually and in text. We are still finalizing some details but we plan to release 4 versions of the deck that showcase the same base artwork in different printing approaches. The 4 decks will create a "bookshelf" collection that will include outer packaging with a comparable amount of thoughtfulness and detail demonstrated on The Planets series.

Official launch date is still TBD but almost all the artwork is now completed and we'll be getting proofs made shortly.

I hope you guys are as excited about this one as I am...

-David

Looks nice. After what was done with the Planets series, I'll be paying attention.

You have my attention as well. At first glance I didn't like the courts and thought they were too busy. But they're growing on me. I think it's a unique spin on traditional court layouts.

I'm really enjoying the courts now that they have that sprinkle of colour.

Agreed, I like the color and style of the courts. Looking forward to these.

Wow, I think these look very nice. I will definitely be backing them.

I really like those courts as well. Count me in.

Like the colored courts very much. Still need to fix the JoC "Only you know the effort" crossbow since he shot the bolt the bow shouldn't be back but rather a straight line.

Very interested.

The layout reminds my of your take on Blackout Brothers designs. im in!

I'm working on the details for the Kickstarter campaign and still lots of info/images to add. Please take a look here and let me know what you think...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/go ... n=85f26678

So just to make sure about the differences:

Red: Monotone courts
Blue: Full color courts
Green: Colored metallic courts
Black: Colored foil courts

?

Decknowledgy wrote:So just to make sure about the differences:

Red: Monotone courts
Blue: Full color courts
Green: Colored metallic courts
Black: Colored foil courts

?

Correct...I'm not sure about the Black deck just yet though...we can only do foil on either backs or faces as both would be cost-prohibitive. I was planning to put foil on the back design rather than the front but curious what you guys think about the alternate...

Still waiting on the reveal of the back, aces, numbers to decide.

Decknowledgy wrote:Still waiting on the reveal of the back, aces, numbers to decide.

oh, well here ya go...

This looks like a great campaign, Dave. Have you set a solid date for the KS yet?

Quietly hoping it's not any time soon. Between this year's UC Deck, Gio launching a new one in a couple of hours and Alex Chin launching a new collection next week, it's gonna be mid November before my wallet recovers.

I really like the banners? that are on the side of the card faces.

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

working on details for the back design of the black deck (printed by cartamundi and using gold foil on the cards)...curious what you guys think of these 2 options...?

Really love the white accents. And love how you designed the filigree, I have been banging my head against some filigree design lately and really appreciate seeing how other people are doing it. Very excited to see more of these decks.

Looks amazing!

I keep being told that text on the backs of cards is a big No in playing cards. I think I preferred the first version. I like the open book design, but a little less sure about the cherubs.

I agree with Brad - cherubs are a step too far.

Bradius wrote:I keep being told that text on the backs of cards is a big No in playing cards. I think I preferred the first version. I like the open book design, but a little less sure about the cherubs.

As a designer of these decks I have to say a thing or two.

So much about this deck is unusual and unconventional for the playing cards.
In the card index, suit symbols are above the ranks and not below;
Court cards have whole figures and not just half of the body ( and this is very hard to achieve );
Court cards have two different sides;
There is text in court cards and back of the cards;
Jokers have two faces ( you'll see );
etc...

Plus, whole design is resembling an old book. So, some of the details are maybe a bit over the top, but I think it goes well with the aesthetic of an old book.

I wanted to do something really different, to be creative with cards. I took forever to complete the whole artwork, a lot of time and effort was spent on it and I couldn't be more happier with the result.
I understand that some of you won't like it, that's fine. But don't be surprised if something is unusual with these decks, I wanted it to be like that.

SrdjanVidakovic wrote:

Bradius wrote:I keep being told that text on the backs of cards is a big No in playing cards. I think I preferred the first version. I like the open book design, but a little less sure about the cherubs.

As a designer of these decks I have to say a thing or two.

So much about this deck is unusual and unconventional for the playing cards.
In the card index, suit symbols are above the ranks and not below;
Court cards have whole figures and not just half of the body ( and this is very hard to achieve );
Court cards have two different sides;
There is text in court cards and back of the cards;
Jokers have two faces ( you'll see );
etc...

Plus, whole design is resembling an old book. So, some of the details are maybe a bit over the top, but I think it goes well with the aesthetic of an old book.

I wanted to do something really different, to be creative with cards. I took forever to complete the whole artwork, a lot of time and effort was spent on it and I couldn't be more happier with the result.
I understand that some of you won't like it, that's fine. But don't be surprised if something is unusual with these decks, I wanted it to be like that.

Hear hear to breaking convention.

I like that you're trying something different with these. I think I'm in.

If the faces will be white, I think I'd prefer the white border on the backs as well.

Thanks Srdjan for taking the time to respond to my comments. I appreciate it. Part of the problem in posting an incomplete deck is that we can only comment on what we see, rather than the artist’s complete vision. Breaking conventions is fine, and sometimes great, but is risky.

I am reminded of criticism of High Victorian for not having actual characters for the courts and even Alex Chen with is latest 2019 NPCCD deck using pip’s for court cards. Both are successful decks, but it does come with some level of controversy. So, just understand breaking or even bending some conventions will generate criticism. Although I don’t think putting text on the backs is necessarily a deck design requirement, just an asthetic criticism I hear often. I mean no one said anything to Jackson about that for his 20/20 deck, but then again, his text was essential to the design.

I tend to like one way courts that are well done as it gives the artist a larger “canvas” on which to work. I didn’t know this until I started collecting cards, but the reason playing card manufacturers went to two-way designs for courts was to protect game play as people would watch their opponents flip their cards and note they had court cards.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing more of the deck design in the future.

White border for me as well. Thanks for sharing the insights behind the designs Srdjan. Always cool to see different stuff.

I think I also prefer the whit border. It gives nice contrast the the black and if you use the gold foil on the backs.

I think the text is fine. It's not really a focal point and lends itself as a detail to the design.

I also like the cherubs and especially that they are white.

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

I've added many more images and some additional info to the Kickstarter—preview it here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/go ... n=dc1edced

I'm hoping to finish updates this week and launch will likely be in early November.

Just curious, on the rewards.. when you say "no outer box" you're not referring to the tuck box, right? The decks do come in the tucks, correct?