UnitedCardists.com - The forum for Cardistry, Magic, Custom Decks and All Things Playing Cards.

From the latest JP Playing Cards newsletter. The next two LUXX decks will be Mandala by Alvin Cheung and Greille by Rick Davidson.

Mandala: (at Paul's request, the Mandala topic was moved to a separate thread here: http://unitedcardists.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9089


Grielle:

I love that Mandala! I also like the tuck on Grielle but I'm not really feeling the back. I mean, it's not bad, I just think that a designer as talented as Rick could do so much better. I think it's those boxes, 2+2 on every level gives it a bit odd look. Could you make them a bit thinner and give the boxes a 3+2 layout? I think that it would give the back some more harmony.

I really love the LUXX brand. I should buy Elliptica already...

The Mandala definitely has the Zenith/Occults vibe to it, backs like that should be full bleed. I appears the Grielle deck will be available in 3 colors, I can't wait to see what Rick's court cards are going to look like. The Luxx series continues to pump out winners.

Räpylätassu wrote:I love that Mandala! I also like the tuck on Grielle but I'm not really feeling the back. I mean, it's not bad, I just think that a designer as talented as Rick could do so much better. I think it's those boxes, 2+2 on every level gives it a bit odd look. Could you make them a bit thinner and give the boxes a 3+2 layout? I think that it would give the back some more harmony.

I really love the LUXX brand. I should buy Elliptica already...

Can you clarify what you mean by 2+2 please?

sinjin7 wrote:The Mandala definitely has the Zenith/Occults vibe to it, backs like that should be full bleed. I appears the Grielle deck will be available in 3 colors, I can't wait to see what Rick's court cards are going to look like. The Luxx series continues to pump out winners.

Thanks for the kind words!

Yup, can't really avoid th occults/zenith comparison- spot on with that. I was expecting someone to say something like that at some point. I think overal the deck will stand on its own as different to decks like those though, whilst still remaining true to the "functional but beautiful" LUXX mantra.

Love what I'm seeing. I think I'd prefer a full bleed on the Grielles, although I realize that a straightforward grid pattern like this would make any hitch in the registration much more noticeable, so I can see that posing a challenge.

Still, I like what I'm seeing so far!

Paul Middleton wrote:

Räpylätassu wrote:I love that Mandala! I also like the tuck on Grielle but I'm not really feeling the back. I mean, it's not bad, I just think that a designer as talented as Rick could do so much better. I think it's those boxes, 2+2 on every level gives it a bit odd look. Could you make them a bit thinner and give the boxes a 3+2 layout? I think that it would give the back some more harmony.

I really love the LUXX brand. I should buy Elliptica already...

Can you clarify what you mean by 2+2 please?

I mean that there are two types of boxes on the back, lets call them box type 1 (the ones with the lines making a cross) and box type 2 (the boxes with small boxes inside it). They are on the back that each line/level, starts with box types 1, then comes box type 2, then 1 and again 2 as you can see. That is what I mean by 2+2. I think that it would look better if instead of four boxes on each level, there would be five and they would go like: box type 1, box types 2, box type 1, box type 2, box type 1. And under that, on the next level it would be reversed. Box type 2, box type 1, box type 2, box type 1, box type 2. And then again as it was in the first time: box 1, box 2, box 1, box 2, box 1. Next line in the reversed order. And then the last line in the same order as the first and third line. That way you have a back that has more harmony by having a center to it. There would be two boxes on the left, two on the right, one in the center of each level. Let me clarify more:

Right now the formation is:
1-2-1-2
2-1-2-1
1-2-1-2
2-1-2-1
1-2-1-2
2-1-2-1

When it would look better in this formation (most likely)
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1

I just think that it would look more harmonic.

FYI, this is Murphy's Mandalas deck:

Mandala and Mandalas will be the difference. The grid backs are ok, maybe too many lines. I think it'll look better with no lines, the tile pattern good enough. I do understand Rap's example above.

Love the Mandala backs.

Simply stunning! Can't wait for these to be released!

More gorgeous Luxx decks. How many colors for the Mandala, just the one? I'm not sure the Grielle needs and orange and a brown back, perhaps just one?

They both look really nice. Will the court cards be custom/original or are they going to be the same as previous LUXX decks?

Palme was custom, but with a traditional feel - expect the same from Mandala.

Grielle will be custom also, but less traditional.

Both will still be very playable and easy to read, as is the plan with LUXX.

Paul Middleton wrote:Palme was custom, but with a traditional feel - expect the same from Mandala.

Grielle will be custom also, but less traditional.

Both will still be very playable and easy to read, as is the plan with LUXX.

The better the price, the more I'll buy. That was what I was what I wanted to hear!

Mandala will be similar to Palme, around £8.49-£8.99 mark with a discount for pre orders. Grielle pricing we hope will be similar to Elliptica but it's possible it may be a little higher due to currency fluctuations.we will see how things pan out for both as they go to print.

When it would look better in this formation (most likely)
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1

So kinda like this? (only I'm apparently too tired/lazy to make it precise)

I think the back would need to retain the regular squares - but I have to say I like the layout on the tuck more than the cards (i.e. 3x5 rather than 4x5)

The mandala design is just delicious though!

Cant wait to see more of both!

Yup, valid feedback - thanks folks. We'll look at 3 across and 5 across and see what gives the best balance. As always, appreciate the constructive criticism.

So here's the dilemma, 3 across suits the tuck perfect but needs to be stretched on the backs, 5 across needs to be squeezed - neither look great on the back.

However, we can work the same size and style as the tuck into the backs by going with a Lion's Den style two vertical border either side. It's not done very often, and I would assume that's because it's a love/hate situation with those types of backs. Myself and Rick both love it, but i'm interested in some opinions.

I also know there may be some caution attached to the printing in terms of registration, but this is just a quick idea put together and we will look at that also

I kinda like it! That 3×5 with only side border is the best one yet IMO.

Wow! 3x5 Definately! It seems super awesome!

JazzVox wrote:

When it would look better in this formation (most likely)
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1
2-1-2-1-2
1-2-1-2-1

So kinda like this? (only I'm apparently too tired/lazy to make it precise)

Thanks! I meant just that. It is geomatrically more pleasing, but I think that in the end this one does not work, it becomes too bland and too boring, like looking at calm sea; pleasing but not interesting. Thanks for the work and proving me wrong

I'll say this: I don't hate it.

Can someone do a mock design without no lines to see how it'll look?

I like the 3x5 back *a lot*, and I'd like to suggest an additional tweak. Instead of the white borders on the long sides, why not do borders the same color as the main (i.e., non-black) color of the pattern? Ie, that orange-ish and blue-ish color on those respective decks? Same idea, same advantages as far as printing registration goes, but with a non-white color for the border, it'll call even less attention to any flaws in the registration, and call less attention to the borders.

@ Paul - Aesthetically, there's nothing wrong with only having side borders with no top/bottom borders (ala Lion's Den), but there would be some technical issues for magicians and card mechanics with some of the moves they rely on. Granted, you probably don't care about that as much because they aren't really your core target demographic. Personally, I think you can solve your issues by making the Grielle decks with full-bleed backs. I'm assuming you're sticking with the Taiwanese printer for these decks, so registration for full bleed backs shouldn't be an issue.

rousselle wrote:I like the 3x5 back *a lot*, and I'd like to suggest an additional tweak. Instead of the white borders on the long sides, why not do borders the same color as the main (i.e., non-black) color of the pattern? Ie, that orange-ish and blue-ish color on those respective decks? Same idea, same advantages as far as printing registration goes, but with a non-white color for the border, it'll call even less attention to any flaws in the registration, and call less attention to the borders.

Agreed - would love to see mock up with black and/or orangey color instead of white for sides.

2 Colours for Mandala

Not digging the side borders. Like the original design better.