Creating & Designing Playing Cards

Nov 12, 2016
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58
So I was recently interested in designing and making my own custom playing cards. This question has three sections.
Designing
First of all what program do I use to create the design, whether it be the back design or custom faces. Photoshop, Illustrator? I have the whole adobe suite and am experienced in using these programs, so whatever is necessary.
Any links to a template for playing cards? (Dimensions, Standard Faces etc.)
Any tips on creating custom courts & jokers?
Exporting designs to a format which can be printed into the final product.

Printing / Stock, Cut & Finish
What sort of stock, cut & finish do I want (Should feel something like standard bikes or higher quality)
Names of companies that will print custom playing cards in small batches or single units (Needs to be quality though)
Regarding the last point I have heard about makeplayingcards.com. Has anyone used this company before? What is the quality like? Would you recommend them?

Advertising & Distribution
If I decide to make these cards avaliable to the public then what are good ways to get them 'out' there other than kickstarter and social media.
If the kickstarter is sucessfull where do I go from there? Sell them through a company like ellusionist etc.

Best regards,
Tom
 
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Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
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1,101
Utah
Anyone can make a pretty deck, focus your design on function.

Check this out for the marketing:


Crowd funding is crazy difficult to pull off. You start advertising before the Kickstarter, not after.
 
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Nov 12, 2016
77
58
Anyone can make a pretty deck, focus your design on function.

Check this out for the marketing:


Crowd funding is crazy difficult to pull off. You start advertising before the Kickstarter, not after.
I understand what you are saying but I still need to know how to make the cards
 
Yo Tom I remember you from Luke Dancy's Hangouts! Best of luck in creating your deck! I met a few companies at a magic convention based in Ohio that specialize in creating custom decks that people want to create. Try to look them up.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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1,338
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Virginia
Well, I've never designed my own cards, but I've done some research on it. I believe people use makeplayingcards.com to make prototypes. They can make the designs themselves using photoshop, gimp, or some other 2-d editing/designing software, or you can draw them yourselves (or hire a cheap artist) and scan them in. You can then make prototypes of cards. As for mass printing, check out bicycle's page, because they have several different options for 1 - over 1000 decks (I think they use a different branch if your making 1 - 100 decks).. http://www.bicyclecards.com/custom-printing/
You can also check out the EPCC, as they also make a ton of decks.
 
Sep 20, 2016
30
8
If you like the feel/finish of Legends playing cards, they now do custom orders, and I believe that it is cheaper than USPCC.
 
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