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From the minds of Jesus Solis and Emmanuel Valtierra, we present "MUERTOS Playing Cards" based in the well known Mexican day of the dead. Both artists are known for their Mexican folklore illustrations so it was just a matter of time for them to work in a project together.


This theme was chosen because it was one of the few Mexican topic Emmanuel hadn't touched as often as he would've liked and Jesus happened to be great at drawing the "muertos". They also thought that it would be a great idea to do a project like this during this time of the year. It fits right into Hispanic heritage month, Halloween, and dia de muertos.


Day of the Dead (or Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated primarily on November 1st and 2nd, blending indigenous Mesoamerican traditions with Catholic practices brought by Spanish colonizers. It is a vibrant and colorful celebration where families honor and remember their deceased loved ones.


The artists worked together to pick who they wanted to portraited on the cards and they came up with a sweet list of Mexican individuals that people can easily recognize. Some of them are Porfirio Diaz, Moctezuma, Hernan Cortes, Frida Kahlo, Coatlicue, La Catrina, Luchadores, Revolutionaries, and many more. We don't want to give you the whole list yet. We want you to have a few surprises when you get the deck.


We havent decided where we will be printing the cards. At the moment we are looking towards LPPC or WJPC but depending on the money funded we will pick. We will have a few stretched goals for a sticker and embossing on the tuck box. We hope we can reach them to bring you a better product.


STRETCHED GOALS


EARLY BIRD

Make sure to pledge the first weekend of the campaign. The early bird pledge has a better price plus a free sticker. There will be 5 different designs you could get. The early bird will end on Sunday at midnight.


ARTISTS


Emmanuel Valtierra is a contemporary artist known for creating Aztec-inspired art, particularly codices. He blends traditional Mesoamerican themes with modern elements, often producing works that resemble ancient Aztec codices but with a unique, modern twist. His art is characterized by vibrant colors and detailed illustrations, which reflect the iconography, mythology, and cultural practices of pre-Columbian civilizations, especially the Aztecs.


Valtierra has gained recognition for his efforts to revive and reinterpret indigenous Mexican art forms. He often incorporates historical symbols and imagery from ancient manuscripts into his work, making them accessible to contemporary audiences while preserving their cultural significance. Some of his creations include his own versions of codices, collectible card games, and illustrations that educate and entertain about pre-Hispanic cultures.

He is also known for engaging with the public through social media, where he showcases his art and shares insights into Mesoamerican history.


Jesús Ramos Solís, also known as "El Capitán Copete", is a Mexican artist and illustrator known for his work that celebrates Mexican popular culture, folklore, and indigenous heritage. He creates illustrations that are deeply rooted in Mexican traditions and often depict vibrant, colorful scenes with a mix of humor and social commentary.

Ramos Solís has developed a distinctive style that reflects his passion for Mexican identity and history. Through his artwork, he aims to highlight the richness of Mexican cultural narratives, often incorporating pre-Hispanic elements and influences into his modern pieces. His pseudonym, "El Capitán Copete," reflects his playful and creative approach to art, using it as a signature for his dynamic, expressive illustrations.


Thank you for supporting our project!



ADD-ON SECTION

After your pledge, remember to add any of the extra decks offered in the campaign. The options are "Loteria Azteca" which is the classic Mexican bingo and perfect to play with the family. "Kahlo Playing Cards" based on the work and life of Frida Kahlo. And the last one, one of Emmanuel's oldest decks "El dorado Maya" with references to the old Prehispanic culture.



NEW ART

I like Muertos themed decks but the Court faces of this one are too simple for me

I think these look quite good and I always back Emmanuel Valtierra decks. I am curious how the court faces are too simple? They do not look simple to me at all.

I kind of like the faces. The style is like a colorful, playful and somewhat cartoony take on the muertos theme. The back design is nice but I would prefer it done with more color. I'll head over and have a look at the KS options.

brownsl wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 3:13 pm I think these look quite good and I always back Emmanuel Valtierra decks. I am curious how the court faces are too simple? They do not look simple to me at all.

I could definitely do a good copy of those faces and I even think my 7yo granddaughter could have a good crack at them - that is what I mean by simple

Honeybee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 2:56 pm I like Muertos themed decks but the Court faces of this one are too simple for me

We really wanted to do something different form the Muertos decks that already exist and the simplicity really works with the theme and with my (and Jesus) art style. We are really happy that even with 10 muertos decks out there, non of them look even close to ours.

Honeybee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 10:18 pm

brownsl wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 3:13 pm I think these look quite good and I always back Emmanuel Valtierra decks. I am curious how the court faces are too simple? They do not look simple to me at all.

I could definitely do a good copy of those faces and I even think my 7yo granddaughter could have a good crack at them - that is what I mean by simple

Personally I think that's going a bit too far, to equate the artist's ability with that of a 7 year old. I think it's fine to say what you like or don't like about a deck, but to call their artistic ability into question doesn't feel needed. Just my thinking.

Personally the deck doesn't resonate with me, I feel like there have already been some good DOTD decks done previously, and in particular I find the background on the courts makes it hard to distinguish the details, especially the blue ones.

I've had a few seven year olds, none of which could have come up with these.

Honeybee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 10:18 pm

brownsl wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 3:13 pm I think these look quite good and I always back Emmanuel Valtierra decks. I am curious how the court faces are too simple? They do not look simple to me at all.

I could definitely do a good copy of those faces and I even think my 7yo granddaughter could have a good crack at them - that is what I mean by simple

This kind of insult makes my fun level go down. Haha not really, have at er.

Strag wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2024 9:13 am

Personally I think that's going a bit too far, to equate the artist's ability with that of a 7 year old. I think it's fine to say what you like or don't like about a deck, but to call their artistic ability into question doesn't feel needed. Just my thinking.

I DID simply say what I thought of the deck but brownsl questioned my opinion/asked me to elaborate. I did not know how to explain simple 'simply'
I NEVER equated the artist's ability with that of a 7yo! I just said that I know a 7yo that could copy some of those court faces
Once again for mulrich - I never said a 7yo "could have come up with these"

Apologies to labalaenlabiblia - I will try to be more careful when answering questions

@Honeybee, that's a fantastic clarification and makes sense.

wingedpotato wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2024 5:13 pm @Honeybee, that's a fantastic clarification and makes sense.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I'm not mad at honeybee or anything. I actually like that I don't follow to any of the rules of the other card creators and all my decks look different, unless they belong to the same family (like the mystery collection). I rather sell little and be unique than sell a lot and be thirdway industries selling the same deck over and over again

As someone who's on his 2nd failed Kickstarter, I can tell you it's good to sell SOME. LOL

labalaenlabiblia wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2024 9:05 am

Honeybee wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 2:56 pm I like Muertos themed decks but the Court faces of this one are too simple for me

We really wanted to do something different form the Muertos decks that already exist and the simplicity really works with the theme and with my (and Jesus) art style. We are really happy that even with 10 muertos decks out there, non of them look even close to ours.

While I gave this post a 'Like' - I should have replied that it really makes sense to me now

I've backed most of Emmanuel Valtierra's previous projects. They are always fun, and executed with a light and friendly touch. He occasionally throws in extras like dice or the like, but even if that's not your thing, it still lends the overall project a pleasant vibe.

I own most of those "10 muertos decks" out there -- only the very good ones, and it's surprising how many of those there are -- and this one definitely has it's own personality, but it definitely clears the bar. I like it.

Gio catching strays, why lol? Saying all his decks look the same is akin to an elder saying the last generation’s music all sounds the same.

PiazzaDelivery wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 9:32 am Gio catching strays, why lol? Saying all his decks look the same is akin to an elder saying the last generation’s music all sounds the same.

same deck over again may refer to the many variants but that is not unique to twi.

rousselle wrote: ↑Thu Oct 17, 2024 5:14 am I've backed most of Emmanuel Valtierra's previous projects. They are always fun, and executed with a light and friendly touch. He occasionally throws in extras like dice or the like, but even if that's not your thing, it still lends the overall project a pleasant vibe.

I own most of those "10 muertos decks" out there -- only the very good ones, and it's surprising how many of those there are -- and this one definitely has it's own personality, but it definitely clears the bar. I like it.

Thank you Rouselle <3

New art to see

What's that they said about a good flag? So simple even a child can draw it? I didn't think we were talking about flags.

But yes, quite timely that we're looking at this DOTD deck (between the F1 and now, there has been a lot of Mexican flavour recently).

The style I think works well, and hey, different strokes for different folks. If cards had to follow certain style guidelines, has to be this level of sophisticated to be considered legitimate, then it would get boring very quickly. The idea is to combine the art of playing cards with a certain sense of style and flair and create something fantastic. The playful nature of this, it just works. It's fun, and you can tell have been enjoying making the deck, glittered with little references here and there.

I'm a little mixed on the three fingered hands, but I think it lends itself nicely to the style it's going for here.

The aces themselves did start to grow on me. The courts do have that extra bit of detail going on in there that becomes clearer the more you look at them, but it does take a little more with the Aces.

It's a fun take, and the inspirations have come to the fore, I like it.

just backed