Designing a deck: Atomic deck

[blastercast]

Hi there Aethercards
I have been a bit inactive lately because I have been designing this!
Well this is just the back design and I have some cards done but I'm looking for some constructive criticism.
I have the orange and the black and I'd like opinions on both, they are both up for consideration :')
The idea:
Basically I have a sort of love/hate relationship with physics, whereas my best friend Alex is amazing at physics, he had a formula that is at time of writing still working to accurately calculate the size of the universe to 1000 lightyears :') I wanted to design a deck and slowly was intrigued by the idea of a deck based on atoms, the back showing atomic structure and the faces taking inspiration from famous chemistry and physics related images, below is also a mock up of the ace of hearts.
I would like to know what you think of these designs,
Thank you!
-Benny

[Don Boyer]

This is awesomesauce.  Are you going with a border on the back or printing into the bleed?

[blastercast]

This will have a border, I have the bordered ones on the USPC printing templates
Thanks for the response Don, do you prefer orange or black?
-Benny

[Don Boyer]

This will have a border, I have the bordered ones on the USPC printing templates
Thanks for the response Don, do you prefer orange or black?
-Benny

Make both!  Makes for a good poker set.

[blastercast]

Make both!  Makes for a good poker set.

I will do then, I don't know whether to budget USPC or Brahma, or do 5000 of one colour and 1000 of another?
I am doing the tuck case right now though, I'm going minimalist on it :')
Also whether to use "bicycle" brand or not?
Thank you
-Benny

[blastercast]

Here's a preliminary design for the ace of spades
I hope you like it!
Thank you
-Benny

[Don Boyer]

Make both!  Makes for a good poker set.

I will do then, I don't know whether to budget USPC or Brahma, or do 5000 of one colour and 1000 of another?
I am doing the tuck case right now though, I'm going minimalist on it :')
Also whether to use "bicycle" brand or not?
Thank you
-Benny

Bicycle branding will help sell the deck - but that does mean not using Brahma!

If you want to sell poker sets, even amounts of each deck would be in order.

Minimalist is fine for the box.  When the Black Crown deck came out, people LOVED the simple design - all black with a silver foil crown in one corner on the front.

Here's a preliminary design for the ace of spades
I hope you like it!
Thank you
-Benny

It's fine for a start, but looks too computer-generated.  And I never see the Ace of Spades labeled with its own name.

BTW: rather than double-posting, if you have something new a short while after you've posted and no one else has posted since, just add that to the first post.

[blastercast]

Bicycle branding will help sell the deck - but that does mean not using Brahma

I think I would probably get a better deal off Brahma and it would be easier to get a sample, but USPC have magic finish :')

BTW: rather than double-posting, if you have something new a short while after you've posted and no one else has posted since, just add that to the first post.

Thank you! I'd forgotten about this

It's fine for a start, but looks too computer-generated

Thank you, the text was just a test of the typography for the deck, and it's just a start, I plan on redesigning it tonight and start on the face cards. I might do famous physiscists for the kings?

Thank you very much for the help Don!
-Benny

[DrianAbara]

Here's a preliminary design for the ace of spades
I hope you like it!
Thank you
-Benny

i think that the font used on the pips and the 'Ace of Spades' look a bit childish, and you could probably find a bit more of an attractive font that looks more professional

[blastercast]

i think that the font used on the pips and the 'Ace of Spades' look a bit childish, and you could probably find a bit more of an attractive font that looks more professional

Thank you :')
It is preliminary, I don't plan to use this font :')
Also the Text on the ace of spades has been removed and I'm improving it as I type :')
-Benny

[MrMollusk]

That ace looks pretty neat.
I personally like the orange back, but Don's right. Both would make for a nice set. And do you have an idea  for the feel of the courts? Because I think a minimalist court design would look really nice with the theme and feel of the deck, coupled with the physics theme.
Don's right. Again. The ace does look a bit too computer generated, and the Ace of Spades label is kind of odd. But I think the general concept of the ace is really cool. Just might want to put something in the ace's center.

[blastercast]

That ace looks pretty neat.
I personally like the orange back, but Don's right. Both would make for a nice set. And do you have an idea  for the feel of the courts? Because I think a minimalist court design would look really nice with the theme and feel of the deck, coupled with the physics theme

Thank you for your feedback!
The courts are going to be minimalist but have historical physicians faces Einstein, Eddison ect
 The ace has been altered a lot now so I will hopefully post it again soon. The label was because at the time I was prototyping and that seemed like the best one at tthe time, currently I have 12 ace of spades to pick from
Thank you once again
-Benny

[Lara Krystle "Lane"]

Heya Benny,

Just wanted to comment on how I like the whole "Less is more" look of this deck!
Looking forward to the other previews.
Quick question. Are your boarders going to be solid borders or is it going to be those fading ones like the ones they used on the Tendrils?

OH and i like the orange one.
The grey one looks a bit washed out as if there is fog on my glasses kind of thing.

[blastercast]

Heya Benny,

Just wanted to comment on how I like the whole "Less is more" look of this deck!

Thanks for the comment Lara!
I think it will have thin borders but no fading, I've tossed a few ideas around in my head and trying to get the rays to blend in doesn't work very well and looks somewhat strange :')
Yes, the grey is my personal favourite but I need to work on it a bit more so it doesn't just look a bit discoloured, I'd like the grey to have a bit more colour and look more "carbon" styled (to do with the element)
Thank you for your kind comments
-Benny

[blastercast]

Here's an update:
I have done pip cards for hearts and spades, here are two of them :')
I shall try and sort the other pips till 2AM then sleep :')
tomorrow I start kings, queens and Jacks!
Thank you guys for the help I've made changes to everything you've commented on
These cards are just the faces, have no rounded corners :')
-Benny

[Don Boyer]

Looking good, looking good...  Are you going to try tying the spot cards into the "atomic" theme?  You could take one suit and in a single pip of that suit's spot cards, you can put a symbol in one of the pips, much like what the FCJ and Ace Fulton decks look like.  For example, an atom inside one of the spades, a radiation symbol inside one of the hearts, etc.

[blastercast]

Looking good, looking good...  Are you going to try tying the spot cards into the "atomic" theme?  You could take one suit and in a single pip of that suit's spot cards, you can put a symbol in one of the pips, much like what the FCJ and Ace Fulton decks look like.  For example, an atom inside one of the spades, a radiation symbol inside one of the hearts, etc.

Thank you for the response Don!
That is a fabulous idea, I toyed with it for a while but decided against it because my favourite dekc is the fultons casino and that idea would be copying it, but if I were to put my own spin on it, say have an electron orbiting one pip on each card?
Thank you
-Benny

[Don Boyer]

Thank you for the response Don!
That is a fabulous idea, I toyed with it for a while but decided against it because my favourite dekc is the fultons casino and that idea would be copying it, but if I were to put my own spin on it, say have an electron orbiting one pip on each card?
Thank you
-Benny

Sounds like a nice touch.

[Lara Krystle "Lane"]

if I were to put my own spin on it, say have an electron orbiting one pip on each card?
Thank you
-Benny

I agree with Don, it does sound like a good way to spin your design.

Oh i just realized that the image fades out when my mouse is not hovering it. I guess that is why it looked whitewashed.
So when i hovered my mouse to the images I saw the real colours. ((silly me)).

keep up the good work

[blastercast]

Hi Guys!
I have an update, I have finished the basic pip cards without any features ( the electron the the top right pip) so will start work on that!
But my main announcement is I have my first tuck case mockup done, it is just a mockup and there is more to be done, plus my printer is pretty bad :')
I hope you like it though!
-Benny

[DrianAbara]

Hi Guys!
I have an update, I have finished the basic pip cards without any features ( the electron the the top right pip) so will start work on that!
But my main announcement is I have my first tuck case mockup done, it is just a mockup and there is more to be done, plus my printer is pretty bad :')
I hope you like it though!
-Benny

Although I do understand it is just from your personal printer, the colour seems a bit dull, and the back a bit plain - however, perhaps it will look better on a proper print!

[MrMollusk]

Nice! We need more matte boxes with glossy embossings!

[blastercast]

Hello once again people!
I would like to offer an update on this deck and where it is going
The USPCC seems to have stopped emailing a while ago and they won't respond after the initial 3 emails so I cannot get a quote so unfortunately cannot get this campaign ready to go
HOPC aren't interested in the deck much to my dismay so I am trying to get the USPCC to respond, it's been 2 months :')

As for the designs, I am currently on the hunt for someone to help with the courts, I have recently discovered my designing skills lacked when it came to courts but all the number cards are done and the backs are done.
The deck will have a double backer, a half split card (much alike the ornate deck style for colour changes) and 2 jokers one with a reveal.
I aim to hopefully get this done, I put a good 60 hours into the full design of this over a few months and now I'm happy with it I'd hate to see it go to waste :')

I plan on going indieGoGo because they seem to be better for the fees, I have enough people who have a lot of influence to help me advertise this but I'm just worried I will never get a quote

Thank you for reading

-Benny