The Satanic Playing Cards

[StuartPalm]

Hey everyone. Just dropping a note to let you know the Kickstarter for “The Satanic Playing Cards” will drop on Black Friday. You can join the mailing here: http://www.thesatanicplayingcards.com

Join us in rocking this to the goal by the first day!

This is a deck concept from my friend Reverend Adam Cardone and the first deck officially sanctioned by The Church of Satan. As Cardone is a reverend in the TCOS he has directed my on imbuing the correct tone, symbols and imagery to make the best “devils picture book” possible.

Each card front and back will be fully customised for this deck. They will also have a lot of secrets built in for the more conniving of you.

I’m really looking forward to sharing this with the community.

[Harvonsgard]

Not a fan of the back design at all.

[StuartPalm]

Note on the back design. The “ultraviolet pink” sulphur symbols are planned to be cold foil. The pink colours on the box will be foil as well but probably foil stamped, the text on the box will also be silver foil with the sulphur pattern blind embossed.

The design plan is that the more dramatic imagery will be on the card faces and the box and back are purposefully more simple. The design set is inspired by The Satanic Bible and reflects the design requests of TCOS.

Outwardly they are reserved, austere, secretive, and inwardly majestic.

[Fes]

Maybe there's more to the card back and I just can't see it. Hoping to see a blown up card back on the campaign for those of us who are visually challenged.

[StuartPalm]

Here you go. Interesting that folks here are reacting negatively to the back. The people who I designed it for love it. There was a very detailed version at one point as that’s more my usual style but they wanted it as simple as possible with just a pattern of the sulphur symbol. Personally I quite like it. But I’m open to tweaking it also.

There’s obviously a lot more of my energy being put into the face card designs right now, but also that’s easier for me as it’s in line with the way I already draw and design.

[brownsl]

I think the face cards look good but I agree in that I am not a fan of the backs at all. Does not seem to connect with the fronts.

[Fes]

There is that void in the center of the card back that kind of creates an oddity, the pattern doesn't do much there at all. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe it isn't. I just think it's there. An up the river down the river pattern with the silver Sulphur could possibly address that. There really is a lot that can be done with the card back though, so if it's changed I hope there's some fun in the process. The courts that are showing look great.

[Harvonsgard]

There is that void in the center of the card back that kind of creates an oddity, the pattern doesn't do much there at all.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[StuartPalm]

Thanks Fes, I did consider that “void” situation. Through living with it a bit I ended up deciding it was fine. The reason for its existence is to create radial symmetry. As otherwise it becomes a one way back. (Which I’m not actually opposed to). But I’ll have a think on that as I see how it can feel off. Thanks for the constructive response.

I have a suggestion for people who want to comment on designs which my help them be more constructive. Go read a book on art criticism or take an art or design course. There’s an over a thousand year old process on talking about art to artists that is very effective. Looking at someone’s work and simply saying “I don’t like ___ at all,” is a comical response. In essence it means nothing, makes the speaker look like a jerk, and has a negative effect either to make the artist feel defensive or bad about their work, or to dismiss anything the speaker says from that point on.

If you look at someone’s work and you don’t like it, that’s fine, but ask yourself why you don’t like it. Try and make a constructive comment if you’re capable. “To me it feels like there is a void in the centre etc...” addresses what he doesn’t like in the image and then goes to suggest some alternatives that might make a better design.

Generally speaking the formula for critique is to first point out and address what seems to be the aim or goal of the piece, then to point out what you think is working in the piece toward that goal, and then to address what you see that could be changed to make the parts you don’t feel are working work better toward the goal of the piece. The word “like” speaks to taste. Taste is subjective and individual, and to quote Marcel Douchamp “taste is the enemy of art.”

For an in on the process: My original back for this was full of dramatic figures swirling around each other based on the gates of hell. But that’s not what they wanted. Then I presented a few versions of simplified backs like the one here. This is the one they chose and loved. I’m truly not married to it myself so we might change it a little. I know the pink sulphur symbols will stay and probably the boarder. But the pattern can be tweaked.

[GandalfTheWhite]

Go read a book on art criticism or take an art or design course.

Nope, sorry.

[Fes]

There are two Sulphur sizes, who's to say you can't have three sizes if you want? Lots of fun ways to get maintain your two way card back if you want to. One way isn't bad either really. It tends to work for most folks it's us collectors who are sticks in the mud about the two way designs usually.

For an in on the process: My original back for this was full of dramatic figures swirling around each other based on the gates of hell.

Is there room on for this on an ad card or a joker? We do love drama!

[StuartPalm]

It has a plan. There’s a special card that will have the names of 100 featured backers on it. I’ll probably use the first card back design concept as the boarder for this. If not it’ll be part of a poster.

[StuartPalm]

Here’s an in process sneak peek at the Queen of Diamonds (Kali)

Kali (Queen of Diamonds)

[james001a]

Card faces-excellent job by Stuart, he is really very talented and creative as evidenced by the emotion conveyed on the very interesting characters. Tuck and card backs, as much. They lack the grandeur that is present on the cards faces. They look to me to be more like lines of code, and do not really convey to me the theme, except for the placement of the symbols. Would love to see some of Stuart's art on the tuck as a background for the pentagram. It is too good to hide inside the box. I think with some tweaks, this can be a winner.

[GandalfTheWhite]

Wow Ma Kali the goddess! nice artwork there.

[StuartPalm]

Kickstarter is live and funded in the first two hours!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sa ... ying-cards

[macstrat]

I have looked over the page a few times, and there is some data that seems to be missing:

Who is printing the cards/tuck?
Is it a LE run, or is this a setup for unlimited?
What do the number cards look like?

As much as I love the art, I am very hesitant to back for $24 on a $2500 goal without some of those points.

[Harvonsgard]

$24 a deck? Seems like the Church of Satan follows the footsteps of their big brother and opened the sale of indulgences...

[macstrat]

$24 a deck? Seems like the Church of Satan follows the footsteps of their big brother and opened the sale of indulgences...

$19+5 S&H

[StuartPalm]

I have looked over the page a few times, and there is some data that seems to be missing:

Who is printing the cards/tuck?
Is it a LE run, or is this a setup for unlimited?
What do the number cards look like?

As much as I love the art, I am very hesitant to back for $24 on a $2500 goal without some of those points.

Thanks, good points. I’ll have Cardone add this info.

Deck will be printed by Legends Playing Card Co.
Currently we have not limited the deck run, but it will be limited to the interest it gains. If we meet the second stretch goal the plan is that the red back deck would be limited to a thousand.
(Just a note though that small run decks like this are pretty much always going to be a limited run)

Number cards will be close to standard however the font will be in the title font which is on the box.

Also they will have many secret things built in that one would use for magic effects both in the back design and face. These secrets will be shared in the special secret session option, as well as special routines from Cardone and I.

[StuartPalm]

Here’s the newest version of the card back. Today we launched a cyber Monday 24hour only deal for a five deck set. Enjoy!

SP

[laitostarr777]

While I was browsing in Legends’ shop, I stumble upon this. Curious, I quickly looked through the deck’s campaign for a brief look about this deck. It does have PNKMagic’s vibe of demon stuffs like that. But then, I kinda have that religious morals that I won’t get anything that is associated with satanic worshipping.

So, when time Space Suits finally listed in the shop, I have deck to go along with my orders of Meadowlark’s latest decks. Why in the world I get the deck which already twice the price from original price from Kickstarter. Well, I guess I am curious

The design is alright, and it is probably a deck that has a lot of extra cards. And, I didn’t expect Seth to be within the courts for the deck: I don’t recall Seth being a demon (although he is still evil). Also, Kali Ma reminds me of Indiana Jones Temple of Doom