Quote from: adelsan on March 16, 2014, 09:19:22 AM

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I suppose it would, if anyone could tell me what the hell "superball" is...    (just kidding, I get your point - but seriously, what is "superball"?  As an American, I've been exposed to many ball games, like baseball, basketball, American football, soccer [what everyone ELSE calls "football!], whiffleball and so on, but never heard of that one.)

I suppose superball is the final game of american football (?)

Yeah, that threw me off - it's "Super Bowl", the championship game of the National Football League (NFL).  It's not actually the last game of the season, though - there's a game that comes a short while after that which is the final game, the All-Star Game.  The NFL is divided into two leagues, American and National.  The Superbowl is always held against a National League team and an American League team.  The All-Star Game, however, is played by the best players of all the National League teams versus the best players of all the American League teams.  Frequently, the team that loses the Super Bowl will be on the league that wins the All-Star Game - you could look at it like a sort of karmic balance...    Some stockbrokers are actually rather superstitious about it - they noticed some correlation between overall market performance in the coming year and whether the Super Bowl winning team's league wins or loses the All-Star Game...  I forget the details about it, but back when I was a cold caller for a large brokerage (that no longer exists, thanks to its own hubris), they watched with great intensity to see which way the market's fortunes would go.

It's odd, the timing of it.  Baseball also has an All-Star Game that's played the same way, but it occurs in the middle of the season rather than after the championship.  It tends to get a lot more attention because of that - by the time the football All-Star Game is played, everyone is played out over football due to the Super Bowl being such a big-deal game to the fans.  At that point, the All-Star Game is like an afterthought.

There are many Bowl games in football, especially in college football - they're called Bowls because of the general shape of the stadiums in which they're played.  Most look like a giant bowl from a bird's-eye (or satellite's-camera) view.

Now that I've talked this tangent to death, let's get back on topic and talk about the Olympians deck!

Thank god I'm not doing any sports cards

I suppose it would, if anyone could tell me what the hell "superball" is...    (just kidding, I get your point - but seriously, what is "superball"?  As an American, I've been exposed to many ball games, like baseball, basketball, American football, soccer [what everyone ELSE calls "football!], whiffleball and so on, but never heard of that one.)

I suppose superball is the final game of american football (?)

Quote from: Lukeout on March 14, 2014, 09:22:40 AM

I like how this deck is coming along. Do you have a card back in the works yet? I know the 5-circles is a modern Olympic thing, but I just want to throw out that you should avoid it at all costs as there are some very odd laws associated with it (including a special dispensation from congress). Keep up the work, it's coming along great!

You're absolutely right.  The collectible card game "The Legend of the Five Rings" had to alter their card back design because it had five rings linked together, despite the fact that the rings formed a circle rather than an Olympic symbol.  It's primarily five LINKING rings that will get you in hot water.  Concentric rings or separate rings are fair game - though Target might have something to say about concentric rings... 

So - what are some of the designs under consideration for the back?

Hey all. I haven't made the back yet, but i am far far away from the idea of the Olympic games. In my project Olympic games are purely irrelevant. My approach is to realise the ancient Greek way of making art in a contemporary form and respect. The Olympic games logo symbolises the 5 continents and their unity and "peace" during this gathering for sports (and no it's not ancient it's modern as a symbol/logo). It doesn't have anything to do with the Greek gods, history, mythology and art. Yes, the Olympic games is/was a Greek thing, but it was a small fraction of its vast civilisation. For me, as a Greek it's like saying that American superball defines all of the American culture something that we already know that isn't true. I hope this example illustrated my point.

So, no Olympic circles on the back, but!
As you see in the attached picture, this ornament -which i am in love with- was once on the tip on the Parthenon called "Acroceramo Parthenona" (Now in the Acropolis museum of Athens).
It's majestic, elegant, and pure. The way the artist intended to make it was to really show the light, energy and bliss of the Athenian realm, overseeing the land on the back and the see on the front. The Greeks used those structure to protect and keep in check all the evil spirits of the days. They used smaller tips on the other four corners of the Parthenon. So yes, id like this ornament to protect the back of the cards, and for you guys all the pleasure of gaming knowing that you're protect by the Acroceramo of the Parthenon

I will get inspired by this ornament, I already visited this ornament 2 times to see and feel the actual size (about 3.5 meters/ 10 feet tall) and when I'll finish all the fronts I'll grab my sketch book and go there to have the experience of drawing it.

And yes it's going to be a two way back side form suited for a pleasurable game!

I'll tweak the spades pip and come up with a different version and I'll let you have a look at it.
This kind of feedback is useful, i don't feel criticised in any way!
Thanks a lot! 

Hello again,
I fixed the pips and made some other designs.
Let me know what you think.

Cheers!

Now, does your deck need to conform to such standards?  Not really, no.  It's a breakable rule, but if you're going to break it, have a good reason for why.  If it's the size and shape that it is just because you didn't know what else to do with it, that's not a great reason.  A great reason might be like what Randy Butterfield did with his Ornate decks - that's a deck that's truly ornate, as the name states, and the indices are no less so than the rest of the deck, but in that case, it fits the theme.  In your case, there's no great reason at all for breaking the rule.  Now, perhaps if you were using a typeface that had an "ancient Greek" look to it, that would be a reason, and a good one.

In my research i found that the greeks didn't use big fonts in the pottery and they just needed to write down the names in much smaller display. They used pictures more than letters (in contrary to the egyptians). Also I didn't want to pickup a shitty "ancient like" greek font. This is why i came across a clean and effective san serif font 'cause greeks didn't use serif anyways. The Font is almost the same size as the pips, and if i pushed them up as you suggested the result will be less opening in a hand with cards.

I leave you with an ancient pottery to see how they used the fonts and with zeus grabbing the "thunder" on his hands. 

Thank you so much for your input! I do realize the value of this forum!

I'll post new stuff whenever i have them ready!

Cheers

I think if you want some opinions you should probably include more images and description. Images of tuck box, back design or any custom cards you have designed. The border seems pretty thick to my (personal) liking. Is there a reason for this?

I haven't got eny other designes yet, But I'll present them here when they're ready.

As for the border, I think i haven't give it a well thought. I'll take your note in the future designes.

Thanks!

Hello people, my name is Adel Sanoussi i am 33 years old, coming from Greece, I am a Filmmaker, Theatrical Director and Motion Designer.
This is my video reel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk2CueS1xDI) if anyone is intrested on my work.

I've went to the last blackpool convention and I just got inlove with playing cards.

Being a designer I've got to say that this forum gave me a lot usefull information about what a card should be.

Have a good one!

Adel

I'm working on it for a limited run.
i still don't know much of this forum (sorry) I'll go introduce my self as you proposed.

Thanks!