Court cards, shifting focus

[52friends_and_me]

So I had this idea the other day and I just had to try it out. Instead of the focus of the court cards being the kings queens and Jacks themselves, what if I shifted the focus to their weapons and accessories? I wanted a more realistic feel than the original artwork. I don't have a back design yet, or really anything else. I went ahead and completed a draft of the four kings. I wanted opinions and advice before pursuing this idea more completely. What do we think?

[HankMan]

Maybe it's just me, but I am not used to seeing just the weapon on the court cards.. Something is missing

[52friends_and_me]

Maybe it's just me, but I am not used to seeing just the weapon on the court cards.. Something is missing

What do you mean? The whole point of the idea was to focus solely on the things in the hands of the court cards. I'd love to hear your concern but I'm not sure if I understand.

[Don Boyer]

The idea itself is an interesting one, but it doesn't make for a terribly attractive deck of cards.

If you want more realistic, then go for more realistic - make new court images that look more like real people holding real weapons.  The weapons alone would appeal mostly just to weapon enthusiasts.  They're not visually interesting enough by themselves, being barely more than having an overly-detailed pip in place of the court character.  When I think "King," I think of the man, I think of the crown, I think of the robes - the sword or axe he's carrying isn't in the forefront of my mind.

Some of my favorite decks of all time have court characters that look REAL, and don't look geriatric - like what one would imagine a modern royal family member would look like.  Try that as a concept instead.

[52friends_and_me]

The idea itself is an interesting one, but it doesn't make for a terribly attractive deck of cards.

If you want more realistic, then go for more realistic - make new court images that look more like real people holding real weapons.  The weapons alone would appeal mostly just to weapon enthusiasts.  They're not visually interesting enough by themselves, being barely more than having an overly-detailed pip in place of the court character.  When I think "King," I think of the man, I think of the crown, I think of the robes - the sword or axe he's carrying isn't in the forefront of my mind.

Some of my favorite decks of all time have court characters that look REAL, and don't look geriatric - like what one would imagine a modern royal family member would look like.  Try that as a concept instead.

Thank you for your thoughts Don! I am very attached to this idea so if you have any advice on the artwork or design that I already have laid out I would love to hear it! The point is for the items to represent the character's and their social classes. Thank you!

[Don Boyer]

Thank you for your thoughts Don! I am very attached to this idea so if you have any advice on the artwork or design that I already have laid out I would love to hear it! The point is for the items to represent the character's and their social classes. Thank you!

Well if you're absolutely wedded to the ideal until death do you part, try this then - make it more visually interesting.

When you look at a King in a standard pack of cards, you're drawn not just to the weapon he's holding but to the clothes he's wearing, the intricate and bizarre patterns, the way that after all these years you can no longer even distinguish the original shape of the garments once the two-headed design was introduced.

Your King is the weapon, so show us the weapon.  Give us DETAIL - make it intricate, elaborate, ornate.  Give a close-up of the handle, the guard, the blade's base, show us scrollwork, engravings, even nicks and scratches, perhaps the hand of the person wielding it and the reflection of his face in the steel.  Make it beautiful and eye-catching - because if you don't, no one will be interested.  And do take the effort to match the weapon/accessory to those on the original court cards in a standard deck.

The key to a fully-custom set of courts is that they have to be beautiful and artistic in some way, be it minimalist, baroque, cubist or what have you.  If it isn't, there is no compelling reason to spend the extra cash to buy it when a pack of Bicycles from the corner store looks more visually interesting and costs much less.  Make the kind of artwork that might hang in a gallery and you'll have takers in droves - it's got to be many levels above what you've shown us thus far to cross that threshold.  I'll grant these are rough drawings, not your final products, but hopefully you get what I'm saying - in essence, "go big or go home," big being the measure of how attractive the artwork needs to be in the eyes of your consumers.

And get rid of those terrible blobs in the background.  They look like the cartographer's been hitting the port too heavily.

Have fun with it, and I wish you luck.

[NineLives]

Shifting focus can be about moving your eyes from one thing to another - where the 'other' is still there, though not in focus. If I get your idea right, you want the focus to be on the weapons and accessories of the courts, not the characters themselves? At the moment, the background feels like it is drawing attention away from weapons/accessories (competing). How about looking at negative space? The king that was in focus, is not, but the shape of him can still be there to emphasize the owner of the accessories? Just a thought ...

[Don Boyer]

This is actually an intriguing idea.  If I'm catching what you're throwing, you're saying, "Fine, focus on the weapons, but leave them in their native environment - in the hands of those who wield them."  Show the king's sword, but show it in the king's hand, with the king's garb in the background, as if he's prepared to fight.  Could be very interesting.

[Helshawk]

I think soft/out-of focus court figures, along with interesting deep shadow and pattern play, in order to highlight the individual's weapon could be a fascinating way to approach this concept.

[NineLives]

This is actually an intriguing idea.  If I'm catching what you're throwing, you're saying, "Fine, focus on the weapons, but leave them in their native environment - in the hands of those who wield them."  Show the king's sword, but show it in the king's hand, with the king's garb in the background, as if he's prepared to fight.  Could be very interesting.

True The feint shape of the king, his garb and hand (you could be ever so subtle) would, from where I'm imagining, lend more to the weapons and accessories.
*wave*

[Don Boyer]

I only hope the designer's paying attention.  Aside from this fresh wave, there hasn't been a post on this topic since January!

[NineLives]

I only hope the designer's paying attention.  Aside from this fresh wave, there hasn't been a post on this topic since January!

I think I have jumped in on dormant threads before
Hopefully, there is creativity brewing on this deck and an update soon on where it's going

[Don Boyer]

I only hope the designer's paying attention.  Aside from this fresh wave, there hasn't been a post on this topic since January!

I think I have jumped in on dormant threads before
Hopefully, there is creativity brewing on this deck and an update soon on where it's going

I never object to reviving a dormant thread with relevant information.  It's why they're called "dormant" rather than "dead!"