Playing Cards - Top Things to Look for in a Deck

[Drocsid]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the community (and also pretty new to magic) but I have a question for you all!

As a graphic designer who just recently got into magic, I think it would be really cool to develop my own deck of playing cards. While I would mostly just be doing this for fun, I do want to make this the best it can possibly be. Therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to ask you more experienced card magicians out there what some of the most significant things you look for in a deck of cards as far as design is concerned. What really makes a design good for magic? Conversely, what makes a design flawed?

If anyone could help me out with their opinions, I would greatly appreciate it!

-Drocsid

 

[Maaz Hasan]

Well, if we are talking about a deck we would actually perform with...

At first glance, It's gotta be simple enough that the spectators don't think it's a "trick deck".
But it could also have an intricate design that isn't too much.
If possible, it could be marked (there are a lot of things you can do with a marked deck)
The faces have to either be standard, re-colored, or at least have minimal changes, so they don't look too weird.

If you have seen the Mint deck by 52kards, that is pretty much perfect for performers. Simple design that is actually quite intricate, pleasant to look at, marked, custom, yet simple faces.

 

[DisasterTheory]

This is a good question. I've been designing decks for quite a while and what it boils down to is style. It's easy to go overboard when designing cards, but even the "overboard" depends on what style you're going for and whether or not the design is aimed at a specific effect, etc. I'll include some examples of my more recent work and explain them a little.

The Raven deck was created for my daughter essentially. I kept it basic but intricate and included her favorite colors while using a concept that outlined a Raven so that it was very personal.

The Reaper was created for an effect called The Reaper. So the deck was created dark yet stylish and includes both modern and vintage references to the grim reaper.

Designing cards can be a task. The design will be based off of who your audience is and what they prefer. Personally, I always use Bikes and variations of bikes. The design is simple, easy to mark, recognizable, seen as a common brand and design. There are also very basic designs such as Bee and Aviator. They are appealing for different reasons. One of many is the simple designs they use. Personally when I design however, I like to be intricate and make it a unique thing.

 

[Starius]

DisasterTheory, those decks look beautiful. (Are they available anywhere?)

My interest in cards as a collector may have some overlap with the performer in that I love decks that clearly have their own artistic style and use that style to create a particular sense of ambiance, whether that be dark and mysterious to colorful and joyful, etc.

I actually quite like decks where the court/royal cards are bold in their originality, but I could see where this would be a negative distraction to magic.

Also, and this is just my personal preference here, but I also favor significant artwork on all the Aces, and not just the Ace of Spades as is the more common custom.

 

[Maaz Hasan]

It also comes down to what you are designing it for. People make decks for art, and for collections, and other decks are for performances.

If your asking what a magician wants, it's simplicity but still nice looking. But overall, function over form, if they can't get form and function.

A cardist would want something that looks good in motion, with lots of different colors to make beautiful Cardistry.

A collector would want an intriquit and unique deck.

A mentalist..... probably wouldn't need one. They will fit into one of the other categories

 

[DisasterTheory]

Neither of these are available just yet. Obviously I personally have both decks but The Reaper won't be available until the effect itself is available. The Raven deck will be available a bit sooner than that (probably a week or two).

 

[Drocsid]

These tips are all great! I love those decks from DisasterTheory. I also think the mostly-standard card face (minus a few key cards) is very smart thinking, thank you for that advice. Another question I'd ask is would you recommend including any gaff cards, etc. into your designs? And if so, what types of cards might you use?

Thanks everyone for the great responses so far!

 

[Maaz Hasan]

These tips are all great! I love those decks from DisasterTheory. I also think the mostly-standard card face (minus a few key cards) is very smart thinking, thank you for that advice. Another question I'd ask is would you recommend including any gaff cards, etc. into your designs? And if so, what types of cards might you use?

Thanks everyone for the great responses so far!

Well it depends. If you are making a collector's deck, you might want to add in a cool looking card, like something David Blaine did with his "holographic lion". If it's for performances, a Double backer, A double facer, or even a blank card will be great! Maybe even a custom Gaff with a funny little thing we can use for performances, or a different colored back. Anything you think we can use. And if it's for cardistry, you probably want to add a card that does something. For example, the virts added 4 that make a giant back design when you put them together, and th eCardistry Touch cards came with a card you can use as a phone stand.

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

Since Drocsid asked what makes a design good for magic, I would chime in that having a white border would be a good thing, as it helps camouflage a reversed card in the deck when the deck is spread, and also makes a double lift or double turnover less detectible in the event it is not perfect.

And yes, I would agree that the Raven and Reaper decks posted by Disaster Theory are very nice.

 

[DisasterTheory]

Another question I'd ask is would you recommend including any gaff cards, etc. into your designs? And if so, what types of cards might you use?

As Maaz said, it depends on what and who the deck is designed for. For magicians, generally a double backer is nice and included in a lot of designed decks (not all). You can also gaff the Joker for example, or throw in a gaff version of one of the standard value/court cards. It's really open to your interpretation as an artist.

Since Drocsid asked what makes a design good for magic, I would chime in that having a white border would be a good thing, as it helps camouflage a reversed card in the deck when the deck is spread, and also makes a double lift or double turnover less detectible in the event it is not perfect.

Totally agree. However, this again depends on target audience. Borders are good for magicians depending on what it will be used for. For example, double lifts, etc are great examples of when borders are a benefit. Second and bottom deals are examples for when a border will hurt ya.

Sometimes the best thing to do is run with an idea that you have first and then get feedback on that idea from your target audience. That way they can tell you what they would change and what would make it more or less useful for them.