How To Make Playing Cards #2: Elements About Designing Playing Cards

After you have decided on your theme, style, story, and voice for your deck, you need to design the individual card elements, such as the faces, backs, pips, and indices.

 

These are the basic components that make up a standard deck of 52 playing cards, and they need to be designed with care and attention to detail.

 

In this part, we will offer you some practical advice on design elements about How To Make Playing Cards.

 

1. Design Elements About Designing Playing Cards

 

 

 

1. Card Faces

 

The card faces are the front side of the cards, where you display your images, symbols, and words. They are the most visible and expressive part of your deck, and they need to be designed with clarity, consistency, and creativity. Here are some tips on how to design your card faces:

 

1) Use a grid system: A grid system is a way of organizing your card face layout into rows and columns, which helps you align your elements and create a balanced and harmonious composition.

 

You can use a simple grid system of four rows and four columns, or a more complex one of six rows and six columns, depending on your preference and needs. A grid system will help you create a clear hierarchy and structure for your card face elements, and make them easier to read and understand.

 

2) Use contrast and harmony: Contrast and harmony are two principles of design that help you create visual interest and unity for your card faces.

 

Contrast is the difference between two or more elements, such as color, shape, size, or texture, which helps you highlight and emphasize certain elements and create focal points.

 

Harmony is the similarity or agreement between two or more elements, such as color, shape, size, or texture, which helps you create a sense of order and cohesion.

 

You can use contrast and harmony to create a dynamic and pleasing card face design, by using complementary colors, contrasting shapes, varying sizes, and matching textures.

 

 

 

3) Use custom court cards: Custom court cards are the face cards that represent the royal figures of the four suits, such as the king, queen, and jack. They are the most distinctive and creative part of your deck, and they give you the opportunity to showcase your theme, style, story, and voice.

 

You can use custom court cards to create unique and memorable characters for your deck, by using images, symbols, and words that relate to your theme and style.

 

For instance, Cyberpunk: Origin represents a mythical and epic style of playing cards that seamlessly blends magic and science fiction elements. Each court and its leading cards showcase meticulously designed images, featuring characters like Hela, the goddess of death, Rocky, Thor, and more.

 

 

 

2. Card Backs

 

The card backs are the reverse side of the cards, where you display your logo, name, or pattern. They are the most consistent and repetitive part of your deck, and they need to be designed with simplicity, elegance, and identity. Here are some tips on how to design your card backs:

 

1) Use a symmetrical design: A symmetrical design is a design that is identical on both sides of a central line, which creates a sense of balance and harmony.

 

A symmetrical design is ideal for card backs, as it ensures that the cards look the same regardless of their orientation, and it also creates a pleasing aesthetic.

 

Take the 15th Anniversary WJPC Playing Cards as an illustration, where colors embrace a binary scheme, featuring a combination of dark blue and aqua blue. Additionally, a captivating triangle of color adorns the central section of the cards' long edge, enhancing the visual appeal during fans and spreads.

 

This deck is designed as a two-way deck for card magic, ensuring optimal aesthetics in fans and spreads when all cards are oriented in the same direction.

 

 

 

2) Use a border: A border is a line or a shape that surrounds the edge of your card backs, which creates a sense of separation and definition. A border is useful for card backs, as it helps to frame your design and make it stand out, and it also adds a touch of elegance and professionalism.

 

For example, if you are making a deck based on the theme of skulls, you might use a border of bones, spikes, or chains for your card backs, using colors and shapes that match your theme and style.

 

3) Use a simple and clear design: A simple and clear design is preferable for card backs, as it helps to convey your message and personality, and it also avoids confusion and distraction.

 

For example, if you are making a deck based on the theme of your company, you might use a simple and clear design of logo, name, or symbol for your card backs, using colors and shapes that match your theme and style.

 

3. Pips and Indices

 

The pips and indices are the symbols and numbers that indicate the suit and rank of the cards, such as the hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, and the ace, two, three, and so on.

 

They are the most functional and informative part of your deck, and they need to be designed with legibility, consistency, and creativity. Here are some tips on how to design your pips and indices:

 

1) Use a standard size and position: A standard size and position is a size and position that follows the conventions and expectations of playing cards, which creates a sense of familiarity and usability.

 

A standard size and position is advisable for pips and indices, as it helps to make your cards easy to read and play, and it also maintains a professional and traditional look.

 

For example, you might use a standard size and position of 1/4 of the card width and height for your pips, and 1/8 of the card width and height for your indices, and place them on the corners and center of your card faces, following the grid system.

 

 

 

2) Use a custom shape and color: A custom shape and spot color is a shape and color that differs from the standard ones, which creates a sense of uniqueness and originality.

 

A custom shape and color is optional for pips and indices, as it helps to add some flair and personality to your cards, and it also showcases your theme and style.

 

For example, if you are making a deck based on the theme of animals, you might use a custom shape and color of animal heads, paws, or tails for your pips, and animal names, letters, or sounds for your indices, using spot colors and shapes that match your theme and style.

 

PS. The current online designer does not support spot color design, please upload documents and contact our customer service.

 

3) Use a consistent and creative design: A consistent and creative design is a design that follows a pattern and a logic, which creates a sense of order and cohesion.

 

A consistent and creative design is desirable for pips and indices, as it helps to create a visual flow and a narrative for your cards, and it also demonstrates your skill and imagination.

 

For example, if you are making a deck based on the theme of horror, you might use a consistent and creative design of blood splatters, stitches, or scars for your pips, and horror movie titles, characters, or quotes for your indices, using colors and shapes that match your theme and style.

 

Pause. This concludes part two. In the upcoming section, we will talk about the process of transforming pixels into tangible objects: Printing Specifications for Playing Cards.