"Cocktail Hour" Playing Cards

[Sarah F]

Hi everyone!

I'm an illustrator who's been working on a set of custom playing cards the past several months. My family plays a version of Rummy when we all get together, so the seed was planted ages ago about tackling my own deck!

As I was developing the design, I stumbled upon this forum. I can't say enough what an incredibly valuable resource this is for designers! I started working with Don Boyer here, to help wrangle this design into a good form and get a crash course to playing card design. Thank you Don!

And now, I wanted to share this project with you all. I'm very open to hearing feedback from you in order to make this deck as successful as can be.

The deck has a playful cocktail theme that brings my visual approach to the cards. Before this project, I was illustrating a series of cocktails for fun, which is how it led me to this theme. I looked to both traditional and historical decks with their graphic and folksy art as inspiration. It's important for me that the deck have a handmade feel, too. So there's a lot of brushwork and textures brought to the cards.

All the cards fronts and backs (it is a 2-way design) will be printed full color and I'm exploring having a foil on the tuck box. (Thanks Don for pushing me to bling it up!)

And finally, my plan is to launch the deck on Kickstarter in early 2016, and eventually be produced with one of the major quality printers, TBD.

Thanks for looking! And can't wait to hear your thoughts.

[Sarah F]

Here are a few numbers, too.

The pips have a hand painted texture to them, and I'm exploring bringing in some tiny design details to these, that part is not ready to share yet.

[Don Boyer]

Well, you know my thoughts on these - the design rocks and you've done very well with it.  It doesn't hurt at all that you picked a popular and topical theme that hasn't received a lot of coverage recently.  Cocktail culture is back in a way it hasn't been since the 1960s but this is the first deck I've seen in the recent wave of custom decks that covers it as a theme.

[Sarah F]

I was surprised, too, that Cocktails weren't more heavily treaded in playing cards. Or at least the ones I've found have been pretty diverse in their approach to the subject! :)  thinking recipe decks, to that prohibition series. And then there's the ones you shared with me, that Tuxedo deck, that dip their toes over here. Also, I was planning on another name before this one and someone snagged it with a purely recipe set of cards they created and released last month!  Glad I saw that before printing anything!

[Don Boyer]

I was surprised, too, that Cocktails weren't more heavily treaded in playing cards. Or at least the ones I've found have been pretty diverse in their approach to the subject!   thinking recipe decks, to that prohibition series. And then there's the ones you shared with me, that Tuxedo deck, that dip their toes over here. Also, I was planning on another name before this one and someone snagged it with a purely recipe set of cards they created and released last month!  Glad I saw that before printing anything!

Recipe cards are nothing new - what would make or break a deck like that would be the recipes themselves.  Retreads of old classics wouldn't be enough to make them interesting; you'd want something new and exciting, but done with the classic methods and ingredients.  Visually, though, unless you're creating something comparable to illuminated texts, printing recipes on the cards doesn't have the same impact as beautiful artwork - it's why we hang our paintings on the walls but put our books on shelves, closed!

[Sarah F]

Just in case, I should state for the record that there won't be any recipes on these.

[Don Boyer]

Just in case, I should state for the record that there won't be any recipes on these.

Well, if you opted for a print run with USPC, you'd have two extra cards beyond the jokers - you could put recipes on those if you wanted.  But it's hardly a requirement!  EPCC and LPCC will allow for extra cards beyond the base 54 on a single uncut sheet, but you have to pay extra for them.

[Fess]

I love the design here. It fits into the Epic Win category for me. Your resized pips on the number cards are great. I'm really digging the retro theme. This looks like a lot of fun. Glad there are no recipes on the cards too.

[Sarah F]

Thanks Fes! That's pretty awesome to hear I'm hoping to have another update to share in a few weeks and ideally a release/launch in 2016. Cheers!

[Sarah F]

I have some updates!

I gave the tuck box a huge overhaul – now, with a bolder design, plus a plan for foil and emboss that will be stretch goals in my KS campaign (end of March / early April...?). I finally feel like I'm approaching the finish line.

The new back design is attached here, as well. It's simple, but it feels right to me. I wanted to stay true to the more graphic treatment of the court cards with bold shapes and brushwork and abstracted forms. This may be simple for some, but I think it works great as a whole.

And please let me know your thoughts!

[Don Boyer]

I have some updates!

I gave the tuck box a huge overhaul – now, with a bolder design, plus a plan for foil and emboss that will be stretch goals in my KS campaign (end of March / early April...?). I finally feel like I'm approaching the finish line.

The new back design is attached here, as well. It's simple, but it feels right to me. I wanted to stay true to the more graphic treatment of the court cards with bold shapes and brushwork and abstracted forms. This may be simple for some, but I think it works great as a whole.

And please let me know your thoughts!

I like the new design.  The back design is simpler, but simple is good for a deck of cards, especially one where the faces are custom and artistic.

[Sarah F]

Thanks Don! So true. Plus, I was making myself crazy coming up with different back designs. When really keeping things simple can be the right path. It does share the subtle hand painted textures from the rest of the cards, so that treatment also adds something.

Just placed an order for a prototype and can't wait to see how it turns out.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks Don! So true. Plus, I was making myself crazy coming up with different back designs. When really keeping things simple can be the right path. It does share the subtle hand painted textures from the rest of the cards, so that treatment also adds something.

Just placed an order for a prototype and can't wait to see how it turns out.

Looking forward to seeing it.  I'm told that MPC has gotten better with color reproduction - in some cases better than USPC.

[intlgrrl]

These cards are fantastic... puts me in the mind of the "Mad Men" deck.

[Sarah F]

These cards are fantastic... puts me in the mind of the "Mad Men" deck.

That's so great to hear @intlgrrl, thank you :)

A quick update - I've been exploring a different funding avenue for these cards which has put the project on hold as I wait for an answer. (though Kickstarter is looking like the realistic option at this point.) Will share news asap.

[Sarah F]

Hey everyone! After a long wait, I finally have the green light to move forward with these cards and will be launching a Kickstarter in the near-ish future (definitely after April 15 to avoid tax day here in the US).

So here is the new tuck box and back design that I've finally settled on, especially as I approach the finish line in completing the art for these cards. The previous designs I've presented never quite felt like "the one," and I think it was because I really wanted something more organic that complemented my brushwork/style in the court cards. Now, I feel like I'm closing in on my target.

I would love to hear your feedback on this new design.

[Don Boyer]

Hey everyone! After a long wait, I finally have the green light to move forward with these cards and will be launching a Kickstarter in the near-ish future (definitely after April 15 to avoid tax day here in the US).

So here is the new tuck box and back design that I've finally settled on, especially as I approach the finish line in completing the art for these cards. The previous designs I've presented never quite felt like "the one," and I think it was because I really wanted something more organic that complemented my brushwork/style in the court cards. Now, I feel like I'm closing in on my target.

I would love to hear your feedback on this new design.

I've always been a sucker for black in all its shades.  It really looks good.

[Sarah F]

Thanks Don!

[intlgrrl]

Cocktail Hour cards just arrived!!! They are gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sarah F]

Cocktail Hour cards just arrived!!! They are gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!

So happy to hear that @intlgrrl! Thank you!

[Don Boyer]

Cocktail Hour cards just arrived!!! They are gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!

So happy to hear that @intlgrrl! Thank you!

It's past due time that I check my mailbox...  Been a little busy recently!