Top 5 designers

[Nurul]

So, come on guys (and girls), who are your top 5 designers. I've been mulling it over, and it was hard to decide but I've got my top 5:-
1. Uusi
2. Jackson Robinson
3. Shane Tyree
4. Mark Stutzman
5. Lee McKenzie

[volantangel]

1. Uusi
2. Jackson Robinson
3. Lee McKenzie
4. Paul Carpenter
5. Randy Butterfield
6. Lotrek

whoops i broke the rules

edit: after some consideration, i think i prefer lotreks work to 4pm designs, but its close, really close..

[Don Boyer]

In no particular order:

Uusi
Mark Stutzman
Jackson Robinson
Lotrek / Half Moon Playing Cards
Lee McKenzie
Special Mention: Sam Hayle / DOSE Productions - Big Blind Media

It's interesting to note that few people have (or will likely) choose a designer of a deck that's largely unaltered/not full custom.  We think of designers, we think of the ones with blow-you-away custom decks, though that doesn't mean the guy who developed, say, the Propaganda deck or the Centurions is somehow a lesser designer.  They just wouldn't be the first to pop into one's head.

[John B.]

Personally I am not a fan of Uusis work

For me - 1. Paul carpenter. I love his stuff
2. Jackson Robinson
3. Russel kercheval - even though quicksilver went to hell I enjoy his artwork
4. I dont know any other designers that well...

[Sher143]

1. Paul Carpenter (Encarded)
2. Jackson Robinson
3. Lee McKenzie
4. Shane Tyree
5. Peter & Linnea (Uusi)

[Rob Wright]

Personally I am not a fan of Uusis work

I wasn't a huge fan to start. I hadn't started on KS until after Blue Blood and Bohemia. Royal Optik was the first deck I saw- I just didn't get it. It was so different then standard cards. I didn't see it, for what it was.
Then came BlueBlood Redux and Pagan. I got it, and love, love, love these cards. I'm now pissed at myself for not backing Royal Optik.



As far as naming 5 top designers- All listed are phenomenal. How do you leave any of these designers of a top 5?
Most of these guys have some of my money, and some have a lot of my money!

[Fanofyankees13]

A few of my favorites are Jackson Robinson, Lance T. Miller, Paul Carpenter, Shane Tyree and Uusi.

[ivan]

Mine would be:

1. Uusi
2. Lee McKenzie
3. Jackson Robinson
4. Lotrek
5. Paul Carpenter

[JacksonRobinson]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

[Rob Wright]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

You forgot somebody. There's this guy on KS that's pretty good. I think his name is Jackson Robinson.     

[Don Boyer]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

You forgot somebody. There's this guy on KS that's pretty good. I think his name is Jackson Robinson.     

He doesn't need to beat his own drum.  That's what the percussion section is for! 

[john]

In no particular order.

Uusi
Mark Stutzman
Randy Butterfield
Lee McKenzie
Paul Carpenter

Honorable Mention: Jackson, no doubt his work on Fed52 and Sherlock Holmes is fantastic, just neither of those decks really enticed me, hope that changes soon though

[HandSkillz]

1. Jackson
2. Stutzman
3. Carpenter
4. McKenzie

On the fence about Uusi, though I like the Bohemia design a lot.

[Justin O.]

Hard to choose a specific top Five, and I'm seeing a lot of the same names, Uusi, Robinson, McKenzie, all of the ones you guys have listed are amazing!
One I'm surprised I haven't seen and a personal favorite of mine is Chris Ovdiyenko, I'm a huge fan of his style and themes.

[MagikFingerz]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

[Nurul]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

http://youtu.be/82-3c7QFNHI

[JacksonRobinson]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

He is an Ukrainian illustrator that has (to my knowledge) created two of the most beautifully illustrated decks ever. I have been personally trying to seek him out but his contact info has proven to be non existant via the English Google. I want to reprint his decks under the Kings Wild label.

if you do a quick google search of his name + playing cards you will easily find images. I have been lucky enough to pick up both of his decks on ebay for around $70 each. Money very well spent.

[HandSkillz]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

He is an Ukrainian illustrator that has (to my knowledge) created two of the most beautifully illustrated decks ever. I have been personally trying to seek him out but his contact info has proven to be non existant via the English Google. I want to reprint his decks under the Kings Wild label.

if you do a quick google search of his name + playing cards you will easily find images. I have been lucky enough to pick up both of his decks on ebay for around $70 each. Money very well spent.

Can you post pics of the decks?

[JacksonRobinson]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

He is an Ukrainian illustrator that has (to my knowledge) created two of the most beautifully illustrated decks ever. I have been personally trying to seek him out but his contact info has proven to be non existant via the English Google. I want to reprint his decks under the Kings Wild label.

if you do a quick google search of his name + playing cards you will easily find images. I have been lucky enough to pick up both of his decks on ebay for around $70 each. Money very well spent.

Can you post pics of the decks?

Great Google Image Search of his decks. Apologies for being extremely lazy.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vladislav+Erko+playing+cards&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Mka2Us7dHsfT2wWZkIHgCw&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1219&bih=948

[Don Boyer]

I think I actually own one of his decks.  I bought a deck for my wife from eBay, an advertisement deck for a restaurant in the Ukraine.  Some of the art listed looks like it came from that deck.

[PurpleIce]

UUSI
Mark Stutzman
Alex Chin
Paul
Vladislav Erko

If I may ask: Who is that last chap?

He is an Ukrainian illustrator that has (to my knowledge) created two of the most beautifully illustrated decks ever. I have been personally trying to seek him out but his contact info has proven to be non existant via the English Google. I want to reprint his decks under the Kings Wild label.

if you do a quick google search of his name + playing cards you will easily find images. I have been lucky enough to pick up both of his decks on ebay for around $70 each. Money very well spent.

Can you post pics of the decks?

Great Google Image Search of his decks. Apologies for being extremely lazy.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vladislav+Erko+playing+cards&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Mka2Us7dHsfT2wWZkIHgCw&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1219&bih=948

I noticed the court cards put "B" "A" & "K" instead of the usual J Q K. Is there a reason for this or is it like Ukranian alphabet or something?

[Don Boyer]

I noticed the court cards put "B" "A" & "K" instead of the usual J Q K. Is there a reason for this or is it like Ukranian alphabet or something?

It's the Cyrillic script used in the Russian language.

В has a pronunciation more like a V does in English, as in VOICE.  The Russian "b" sound is actually this letter, Б.

What you identified as an A is actually a Д, which is pronounced like a D in English, as in DAY.

The Russian К looks a lot like the English K - it's a good thing they're pronounced much the same, like K in KEY.

The jack, queen and king of a Russian-language deck are валет (valet), дама (dama) and король (korol'), which are derived from the valet, dame and roi of Parisian decks.

[Paul Carpenter]

First, sincere thanks for including me in some of your lists. I am honored.

It's a tough one, picking a list like this. I have a top three for sure, as I've been lucky enough to have good conversations with these fellows and got insight into their passion and design outlook. I'll buy anything they ever make, no questions asked.

Jackson
Alex Chin
Emmanuel Jose

For the other two, that's quite tricky. So many people put out such amazing work. I think I would include Lee McKenzie on there. While it was rather "in-your-face" I loved the boldness of the Empire deck and some of his previous designs have reached iconic state. For my last pick, I think I would include Uusi. While I normally do not like illustrative work, they have crafted some great decks with excellent design.

[Lotrek]

I would include (in no particular order)

Chris Ovidyenko, Jackson, Sam Hayles, Paul Carpenter, Randy Butterfield.

[Josh Blackmon]

I came across Vladislav Erko's work a while back and immediately fell in love. I haven't gotten a deck yet but Gorgeous!