X-ray deck

[Leif]

Hi! This is a design I've been working on. I'd got stuck on another project I was working on, and wanted to do something totally different for a while. I knew I wanted to use the standard Bicycle design. I wanted to try some other colour than white for the stock, but I knew that I wanted to avoid black. But then I noticed that Bicycle decks has been produced in every color I can imagine, so I wanted the color I'd choose to have a reason, If I chose red, why did I chose that?  Then I remembered an old x-ray image I had found in an dustbin when I worked as a cleaner at the local hospital, in my youth. I remember thinking that those doctors where mighty good, figuring out what was wrong from that green blurry picture. (It was probably because I didn't have that lightbox they used to have back then.) So, there you have it. And here it is.

The x-ray effect is only on the faces of the cards, so it is usable as a standard deck.

Questions:
What do you think?
Do you see a usage for it in your magic?
Does it really look like x-ray images?

[The Quadfather]

I really like them! The colour is great!

An idea to make them true to life X-ray looking would be to have the skull and bones of the court cards showing, instead of the faces. That's just me being pedantic though, I'd still buy them as they are!

[MrMollusk]

Hmm...
Definitely an interesting deck. The background colors are a bit too blue for an x-ray deck, imo. I totally understand the stylized aspect of that, though. As far as magical application goes, I wouldn't want you to try to accommodate magicians with this deck. The X-ray theme could be applicable in a trick, but I personally would only employ it with a standard rider back and a single gaffed card. I wouldn't use a deck which was, in a sense, entirely gaffed due to the design.
Looks nice, though!

[Don Boyer]

Hmm...
Definitely an interesting deck. The background colors are a bit too blue for an x-ray deck, imo. I totally understand the stylized aspect of that, though. As far as magical application goes, I wouldn't want you to try to accommodate magicians with this deck. The X-ray theme could be applicable in a trick, but I personally would only employ it with a standard rider back and a single gaffed card. I wouldn't use a deck which was, in a sense, entirely gaffed due to the design.
Looks nice, though!

Actually, it would be VERY interesting if the deck had standard Rider Backs - it would make a great deck of gaffs for doing color changes.  And I like the suggestion of showing the bones under the courts!

If you make only one gaff card, an x-ray card with a standard red Rider Back on it would be awesome.

[Leif]

I really like them! The colour is great!

An idea to make them true to life X-ray looking would be to have the skull and bones of the court cards showing, instead of the faces. That's just me being pedantic though, I'd still buy them as they are!

Thank you for your kind words. I admit that I've thought about adding skull and bones, and let them show through, however I didn't find any good, free x-rays of skulls, particularly in the half-profile position, most x-ray skulls are front or profile. Furthermore, I felt that the courts got a little too busy when I tried to add a skull and some bones, so I opted out of that.

However, maybe another version of this deck might have only skeletons, and maybe only a tiny hint of clothes.

Hmm...
Definitely an interesting deck. The background colors are a bit too blue for an x-ray deck, imo. I totally understand the stylized aspect of that, though. As far as magical application goes, I wouldn't want you to try to accommodate magicians with this deck. The X-ray theme could be applicable in a trick, but I personally would only employ it with a standard rider back and a single gaffed card. I wouldn't use a deck which was, in a sense, entirely gaffed due to the design.
Looks nice, though!

Thank you! When looking at x-ray images on the internet I see that they have a totally black background. But my memories from that x-ray I saw was that, holding it up to the light, it seemed bluish/greenish in the background, so I went with that memory.

I asked about magic because I had this idea:
Disclaimer: I'm not an magician. so I might have gotten this wrong, it might not even be possible.

What if you perform to a group of about three people. You perform a ”Is THIS your card?” routine. Then you ask them if they want to know the secret. They, of course, say yes... You tell them that you have x-ray vision! They say no, you don't.

You say: Sure I do, you want to try? I imagine they would like to try, what do you think?

You pick up a small vial of water, labelled ”X-ray vision” or something.

You dab some on their eyelids or ask them to do it themselves.

Ask them if they see anything differently.

They don't, because you haven't swapped the decks yet.

Tell them to rub their eyes, and while they do, swap to the x-ray deck. Do some flourishes, a fan, that darn spring I have so much difficulty with, or something else, do it face up so that both sides show.
Tell them that the effect will wear off soon.

Haven't really figured out this part yet...

But you could mention that girl that just passed by and when they look at her, you could swap the decks back. Ask them if they saw through her clothes. No? How about the deck? No? Awww, too bad.

Do some other trick.

Hmm...
Definitely an interesting deck. The background colors are a bit too blue for an x-ray deck, imo. I totally understand the stylized aspect of that, though. As far as magical application goes, I wouldn't want you to try to accommodate magicians with this deck. The X-ray theme could be applicable in a trick, but I personally would only employ it with a standard rider back and a single gaffed card. I wouldn't use a deck which was, in a sense, entirely gaffed due to the design.
Looks nice, though!

Actually, it would be VERY interesting if the deck had standard Rider Backs - it would make a great deck of gaffs for doing color changes.  And I like the suggestion of showing the bones under the courts!

If you make only one gaff card, an x-ray card with a standard red Rider Back on it would be awesome.

Thank you, Don! There are usually 56 cards in a custom deck, right? Maybe one of the jokers could have a red back? Or does it have to be one of the normal cards?

I did actually do a gaff card. I thought it could be used to reveal a borrowed ring somehow. Here it is.

[mirciusx]

I didn't read the topic and I have began to search this deck 

Look very nice. I love green and this a plus for me I will wait to see the Ace's too

If the Q of the paper will be a good one, this deck will a nice one!

Good luck!

[Don Boyer]

Thank you! When looking at x-ray images on the internet I see that they have a totally black background. But my memories from that x-ray I saw was that, holding it up to the light, it seemed bluish/greenish in the background, so I went with that memory.

I asked about magic because I had this idea:
Disclaimer: I'm not an magician. so I might have gotten this wrong, it might not even be possible.

What if you perform to a group of about three people. You perform a ”Is THIS your card?” routine. Then you ask them if they want to know the secret. They, of course, say yes... You tell them that you have x-ray vision! They say no, you don't.

You say: Sure I do, you want to try? I imagine they would like to try, what do you think?

You pick up a small vial of water, labelled ”X-ray vision” or something.

You dab some on their eyelids or ask them to do it themselves.

Ask them if they see anything differently.

They don't, because you haven't swapped the decks yet.

Tell them to rub their eyes, and while they do, swap to the x-ray deck. Do some flourishes, a fan, that darn spring I have so much difficulty with, or something else, do it face up so that both sides show.
Tell them that the effect will wear off soon.

Haven't really figured out this part yet...

But you could mention that girl that just passed by and when they look at her, you could swap the decks back. Ask them if they saw through her clothes. No? How about the deck? No? Awww, too bad.

Do some other trick.

Hmm...
Definitely an interesting deck. The background colors are a bit too blue for an x-ray deck, imo. I totally understand the stylized aspect of that, though. As far as magical application goes, I wouldn't want you to try to accommodate magicians with this deck. The X-ray theme could be applicable in a trick, but I personally would only employ it with a standard rider back and a single gaffed card. I wouldn't use a deck which was, in a sense, entirely gaffed due to the design.
Looks nice, though!

Actually, it would be VERY interesting if the deck had standard Rider Backs - it would make a great deck of gaffs for doing color changes.  And I like the suggestion of showing the bones under the courts!

If you make only one gaff card, an x-ray card with a standard red Rider Back on it would be awesome.

Thank you, Don! There are usually 56 cards in a custom deck, right? Maybe one of the jokers could have a red back? Or does it have to be one of the normal cards?

I did actually do a gaff card. I thought it could be used to reveal a borrowed ring somehow. Here it is.

Old-school X-rays did have a bluish-green shade to them.  But you might consider using what people will be more familiar with today - black and white.  It's not so important if you want to use the deck just for play, more important if you want to use the deck for magic.

There are other, more "magical" ways to change a card or even an entire deck than making your spectator close their eyes!  And I for one wouldn't be keen on daubing anything handed to me from a stranger on my eyes!    But the basic idea of the trick is very sound.  This could be done very easily with a single card from your X-ray deck combined with a deck of Rider Back design in any color.

A standard USPC deck is indeed 56 cards.  52 playing cards in four suits, two jokers, and two EXTRA cards.  The extras are typically either advertisements, blanks or magician gaff cards.  Some decks made by magic companies even forgo having any jokers, instead using all four extra cards as gaffs.

Your ring gaff is interesting, right down to the bones in the X-ray, but the problem is that the ring as shown doesn't look realistic - it's too thin and at the wrong angle.  (Unless those are metacarpal bones from the palm and not finger bones!)  It would be simple to present a simple band across a ring finger, with little detail.  The missing detail can be explained as being lost in the glow, and you can size it to be approximately the right size for a wedding band, among the most common rings you'll run into as a magician.  It would even be appropriate to provide a faint outline around the bones, since flesh doesn't entirely vanish on a real X-ray.

Here's a modern X-ray - a toe I dislocated in my dojo back in 2006.  Notice you can see the fleshy parts of the foot and toes...

[The Quadfather]

Ouch!! I wonder if you could ask for profile X-rays to be taken if you can pay for them....

I had a chest X-ray done about 6months ago, and I was wearing a superman logo tshirt. You could actually see the logo on the X-ray! Just goes to show how far the technology has advanced! It turned me into a superhero!

[DrianAbara]

I really like the concept of this, it looks pretty damn badass - well done Leif! There are so many ideas for gaff cards for this deck, they're limitless!

I'd like to see some more colour differentiation between the blacks and reds - if that's possible.

Overall great work, I look forward to how this deck turns out

[Don Boyer]

Ouch!! I wonder if you could ask for profile X-rays to be taken if you can pay for them....

I had a chest X-ray done about 6months ago, and I was wearing a superman logo tshirt. You could actually see the logo on the X-ray! Just goes to show how far the technology has advanced! It turned me into a superhero!

Generally speaking, it's not advisable to expose yourself to any MORE lethal radiation than is absolutely necessary... 

[The Quadfather]

Ouch!! I wonder if you could ask for profile X-rays to be taken if you can pay for them....

I had a chest X-ray done about 6months ago, and I was wearing a superman logo tshirt. You could actually see the logo on the X-ray! Just goes to show how far the technology has advanced! It turned me into a superhero!

Generally speaking, it's not advisable to expose yourself to any MORE lethal radiation than is absolutely necessary... 

I thought they were fairly harmless. I've had possibly thousands in the last ten years and I turned out mostly fine.

[John B.]

Maybe for a gaff have an xray of the arm.

[Don Boyer]

Ouch!! I wonder if you could ask for profile X-rays to be taken if you can pay for them....

I had a chest X-ray done about 6months ago, and I was wearing a superman logo tshirt. You could actually see the logo on the X-ray! Just goes to show how far the technology has advanced! It turned me into a superhero!

Generally speaking, it's not advisable to expose yourself to any MORE lethal radiation than is absolutely necessary... 

I thought they were fairly harmless. I've had possibly thousands in the last ten years and I turned out mostly fine.

It's radiation.  Read this - especially the part about how the World Health Organization classifies X-ray radiation as a carcinogen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray#Adverse_effects

A single chest X-ray doesn't quite add up to adding 1/1,000,000th to your chances of developing cancer.  However, if you've had thousands, they do add up.  CT scans are worse, dental X-rays not as bad.

I've had some security training from NYPD officers that liaise with Homeland Security about various potential terrorist attack methods.  Radioactive material from X-ray machines would be among the possible components used in creating a "dirty bomb" requiring an evacuation and decontamination of the area affected.  Dirty bombs aren't nuclear bombs, but are conventional explosives with radioactive material that gets dispersed into the environment, creating a radioactive hot zone considered not safely inhabitable until decontamination is complete.  The victims of such an attack could suffer from the effects of radiation sickness and have an increased risk of radiation-induced cancers, though not to the same extent of a nuclear bomb survivor.

OK, enough about all that pleasantness...    We are talking about playing cards, right?

[Leif]

I didn't read the topic and I have began to search this deck 

Look very nice. I love green and this a plus for me I will wait to see the Ace's too

If the Q of the paper will be a good one, this deck will a nice one!

Good luck!

Thank you for the kind words. The aces will look exactly like standard ones, except in this greenish color, or maybe I'll try altering the color to more match the modern x-ray colors

Old-school X-rays did have a bluish-green shade to them.  But you might consider using what people will be more familiar with today - black and white.  It's not so important if you want to use the deck just for play, more important if you want to use the deck for magic.

There are other, more "magical" ways to change a card or even an entire deck than making your spectator close their eyes!  And I for one wouldn't be keen on daubing anything handed to me from a stranger on my eyes!    But the basic idea of the trick is very sound.  This could be done very easily with a single card from your X-ray deck combined with a deck of Rider Back design in any color.

A standard USPC deck is indeed 56 cards.  52 playing cards in four suits, two jokers, and two EXTRA cards.  The extras are typically either advertisements, blanks or magician gaff cards.  Some decks made by magic companies even forgo having any jokers, instead using all four extra cards as gaffs.

Your ring gaff is interesting, right down to the bones in the X-ray, but the problem is that the ring as shown doesn't look realistic - it's too thin and at the wrong angle.  (Unless those are metacarpal bones from the palm and not finger bones!)  It would be simple to present a simple band across a ring finger, with little detail.  The missing detail can be explained as being lost in the glow, and you can size it to be approximately the right size for a wedding band, among the most common rings you'll run into as a magician.  It would even be appropriate to provide a faint outline around the bones, since flesh doesn't entirely vanish on a real X-ray.

Here's a modern X-ray - a toe I dislocated in my dojo back in 2006.  Notice you can see the fleshy parts of the foot and toes...

Hmm, I see the flaws in that trick now when you pointed them out, Perhaps I actually need to learn some tricks before I try to create them, so that I know what can be done...

The bones there are indeed the palm bones, and the ring is laying flat in your palm. I thought you could  use it when you vanished someones ring. Maybe let them pick a normal card, lay it on your palm, you do something magical above it, and then the card has changed to an x-ray image and when they pick it up, the ring is in your hand... Uhh, well, not IN your hand, it would be rather messy to get it out, a good trick, but messy, maybe something for that shock-magic guy? In the palm of your hand, rather.

And, ouch, that toe must have hurt.

Ouch!! I wonder if you could ask for profile X-rays to be taken if you can pay for them....

I had a chest X-ray done about 6months ago, and I was wearing a superman logo tshirt. You could actually see the logo on the X-ray! Just goes to show how far the technology has advanced! It turned me into a superhero!

I live in a country with free or very cheap medcare, the x-rays I've had done so far in my life haven't cost me anything, and I've stayed for five days in the hospital with a particularly nasty back pain issue, for about $10/day, with free hospital food and rather good looking nurses asking me how I felt, and if they could get me anything... The upside to that is that it is, well, cheap, the downside is that they are rather restrictive about who they give the x-rays or other treatments, because they still have to pay for the x-rays and stuff, even if I, the patient, don't have to. Another downside is that I can't pay extra to get examined before anyone else, or to get something that I don't really NEED. For example, I have been on the verge of developing metabolic syndrome, they saw that in my 40-year exam, with blood panel tests and stuff. So I changed my food and started working out, and then, after 6 months I wanted to have another blood panel to see if my changes were effective. They refused, stating that I really didn't NEED it. I offered to pay for the actual cost. They refused. I had to fake being terrified about some newspaper egg scare (I eat low carb now, lots of eggs), to get them to give me a simple blood panel.

And I agree with Don about unnecessary x-rays, dangerous stuff.

I really like the concept of this, it looks pretty damn badass - well done Leif! There are so many ideas for gaff cards for this deck, they're limitless!

I'd like to see some more colour differentiation between the blacks and reds - if that's possible.

Overall great work, I look forward to how this deck turns out

Thank you very much, I'll try tweaking the red and black a little, but I can't promise anything.

Maybe for a gaff have an xray of the arm.

I'm not quite sure how to incorporate that into a meaningful trick, I'm rather new at magic, you see. If you could tell me the actual trick you had in mind, please do.

It's radiation.  Read this - especially the part about how the World Health Organization classifies X-ray radiation as a carcinogen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray#Adverse_effects

A single chest X-ray doesn't quite add up to adding 1/1,000,000th to your chances of developing cancer.  However, if you've had thousands, they do add up.  CT scans are worse, dental X-rays not as bad.

I've had some security training from NYPD officers that liaise with Homeland Security about various potential terrorist attack methods.  Radioactive material from X-ray machines would be among the possible components used in creating a "dirty bomb" requiring an evacuation and decontamination of the area affected.  Dirty bombs aren't nuclear bombs, but are conventional explosives with radioactive material that gets dispersed into the environment, creating a radioactive hot zone considered not safely inhabitable until decontamination is complete.  The victims of such an attack could suffer from the effects of radiation sickness and have an increased risk of radiation-induced cancers, though not to the same extent of a nuclear bomb survivor.

OK, enough about all that pleasantness...    We are talking about playing cards, right?

Agreed. And I always get an uneasy feeling at the dentist when they put on those silvery clothes and clear the area, as in leave the entire frikkin room, and that red blinking light comes on, and I know it is all because something that is about to turn on, less than a foot from my brain.

And to think that they used radiation as late as the 70s to see if the shoe fit.

[John B.]

Maybe for a gaff have an xray of the arm.

I'm not quite sure how to incorporate that into a meaningful trick, I'm rather new at magic, you see. If you could tell me the actual trick you had in mind, please do.

I take a blank card so it to them, say how the card is still needed to be printed, and that I can take a pic with it of some things hard to see. Wave it over my arm or wrist and they can then see a pic of the xray of it.

[Leif]

Maybe for a gaff have an xray of the arm.

I'm not quite sure how to incorporate that into a meaningful trick, I'm rather new at magic, you see. If you could tell me the actual trick you had in mind, please do.

I take a blank card so it to them, say how the card is still needed to be printed, and that I can take a pic with it of some things hard to see. Wave it over my arm or wrist and they can then see a pic of the xray of it.

Aah, OK I understand, great thinking! Hmm, something like this? They pick a card, say 8 of hearts.
You tell them that they are transferable, rub it against your arm, and show them the now blank card. They immediately see that you don't have the 8 of hearts on your arm. Nah it is on the inside, you say, press the blank card against your arm, use pure smoke for added effect, and then show them the x-ray card with your arm bones, and the 8 of hearts on it. Perhaps with the standard red bicycle back still red?

[John B.]

nah, I take a card that I have that has no ink on the face, saying I can print a picture of my choice on it. Wave it on my arm and the xray is there.