playing cards

For this project, a board game company wanted a 52 card deck designed and produced, with unique distinguishable packaging and joker card included. The package design pattern must include repetition as well as the playing side of card needs to be double headed, and look exactly the same when viewed upside down. The audience and creative direction had been left open so there was full creative freedom to designing concepts for the deck of cards.

To inspire my concept for a deck of cards titled "Wild Cards," I explored various 2D aesthetic applications, including printmaking, traditional tattoo illustrations, and gradient artwork. This research informed my creative direction, leading to a design featuring four apex predators - Lion, Bear, Eagle and Wolf, representing each suit, alongside a Joker card depicting a Hyena. The visuals draw heavily from traditional tattoo styles and vibrant gradient techniques.

Each suit in Wild Cards embodies its own distinct personality, reflected through traditional symbols such as hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs. These symbols are enhanced by a colour palette and typeface inspired by traditional tattoo art, creating a cohesive visual language. Additionally, each card features a complementary pattern on both the front and back, enriching the overall design. The intended aesthetic balances a vintage, collectible feel with a modern twist, achieved through the use of digital techniques rather than manual applications. This approach allows for intricate details and vibrant colours that resonate with contemporary audiences while honoring classic tattoo artistry.