#unitx2016

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Number Cards

Rin and I each decided to do a few number cards if we had a few more weeks we could create a whole set. I decided to do the numbers 2, 4 and 5

Number 2: I decided to use one of my early bird characters because adding two diamonds at the centre would make it look too simple and plain. Also, the number two symbolises contracts, meetings and partnerships. The character could be an individual looking for her better half or soul mate. 

Number 4: The heart symbol has the circle square pattern and so do the border line connecting to the numbers. The number 4 symbolises luck, but at the same time, it can symbolise laziness and boredom. I really like this card because it came out quite cute and feminine. 

Number 5: The number 5 symbolises change, fluctuations, travel and variety. I was not really sure how to bring out the meaning of this card therefore, I made it similar to the number 4 card, but I changed the colours to make it look a little more masculine.

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Main Cards

Both Rin and I designed our own separate main cards, the main cards being the king, queen, jack, joker, and ace.

Queen: I used a night owl character for the queen, I believe that women that work at night are quite strong no matter what type of job they do. 

King: I used the traffic cop early bird for this character if I drew a police early bird character or doctor early bird character I would have used them instead. Since the jobs they do are quite important. Also, the heart symbol has a repeat pattern of a circle and square to represent the circle square site. 

Jack: for this card I used about 3 textures, the character I chose did not have any colour apart from its head. I decided to make the rest of the card as colourful as possible to make up for the character. 

Ace: I used the jogger early bird character for this card, the character is strong and healthy. 

Joker: For this card I used the DJ night owl, I think it suits the joker card because DJs are creative and versatile which is similar to the traditional Jocker. Also, they bring others joy by working hard to make them happy, another Joker quality.

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Combined Back Cards

These cards are rather different as compared to the rest, since in the prototype pitch several of the comments made were the characters should not be separated. I decided to combine both the early bird back card design with the night owl back cards. 

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Cards Night Owl (Back)

These cards are pretty similar to the ones before, the only difference is the colour and the symbols. I used different moon symbols and this time I used a variety of textures to make the cards looks more unique.

Card Back 1: The symbols are the moon cycle, but I never added any detail to them because I wanted them to look like shadows. I used a starlight texture at the back to make the moon seem like it is in space and surrounded by stars. 

Card Back 2: I think I went a bit too overboard with this design, I used neon colours and a very simple pattern. The colours resemble the strobe lights in clubs and raves, and I think that relates to the night owl characters.

Card Back 3: This card is similar to the first one, however, this moon cycle is slightly different. And instead of making them look like shadows, they resemble the surface of planets. I gave it a galaxy texture to make it, even more, space-like. 

Card back 4: This card took a lot more time than the rest, first I drew the symbol on AI since photoshop isn’t that good with curves. Also, I didn’ t use a space theme texture for this card, instead, I used a fabric texture so that only the moon symbol stands out.

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Cards Early Bird (Back)

For these cards, I first drew out the original design on my sketchbook. I tried to draw simple patterns that relate to Early, like the sun and sun rays. I then scanned and redraw them on photoshop, I used bright colours that relate to the sun and warmth. Such as Yellow, Orange, Light Green and Red. These cards have less detail as compared to the night owl cards, this is because most playing cards have a very simple back design. Usually, a repeat pattern that seems to have a lot of detail, also most back of cards use about two colours so as not to take all the attention from the front of the card.

Card Back 1: For this card, I designed one of the suns then duplicated it, however, i made the rays different because symmetrical drawings look boring and not very unique, the asymmetry makes it look more interesting and less like a repeat pattern. I added a texture at the back to make it look like it is in the sky and a white border. The sun is meant to represent circle and the border and the general shape of the card is meant to represent the square. 

Card Back 2: I used lots of orange in this card, I tried to make the sun look more realistic and used an Iris texture to make the rays look like they are exploding from the centre of the sun. I used a black double border, so as to contrast with the orange. 

Card Back 3: After studying some more card designs, I realised that the card outside of the border should be left white. Instead, I got a flower texture, similar to the repeat flower patterns on traditional cards and placed it on top of the gradient background colour. Out of all of the early birds back of the cards, this one has to be my favourite. I used more colours as compared to the last two and it can also be used as a tarot card or for divination using normal playing cards.

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Card History (Research)

The first example of cards can be traced back to India, Persia, and Egypt. However, some experts believe that playing cards originated in China, besides games such as Mahjong and Dominos. China  invented printing and paper, with cards from 800 years ago similar to today's cards and decks.
 Other historians and experts believe that cards originally came from Persia, where they then advanced to India and China. They also spread west to Egypt, and finally into Europe.

Above: Mamluk playing cards from the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt which ended in 1517.

The designs found on European deck cards seem to have been influenced from Egyptian cards from the 14th century, this was a result of the trade between the two. A few of the similarities are:

The old deck had 4 suits

Swords evolved into the Clubs of today
Sticks became Clubs

Suits of Cups and coins can still be found on decks made in Italy and Spain 


Several different countries were intent to put their own designs and cultures into their decks, i.e Suits of Acorns, Hawk Bells, Hearts and Leaves found on German decks.

Above: cards from a satirical pack designed by Peter Flöttner of Nuremberg, c.1545. The backs of the cards contain the vocal scores for German songs. Cards from the facsimile edition published by Ferd Piatnik & Söhne, Vienna, 1993

Meanings of Playing Cards

Spades correspond to the element fire and were once known as the sword, they symbolise willpower, courage, strength and other masculine qualities.

Hearts were once known as cups, it corresponds to the element water that stands for love, emotions, imagination and the subconscious. These can be said to be feminine qualities.

Clubs, also known as wands, correspond to the element air. Air represents the mind, speech and words. These are neutral qualities.

Diamonds, formerly known as pentacles correspond the element Earth. Earth stands for wealth and matter.

Number Meanings.

One or Ace - Beginning, new ideas

Two - Duality and love

Three - Fate, Karma, and the planet Saturn

Four - Completion, the material world, wisdom and Jupiter

Five - Man

Six - Divine and the Sun

Seven - Love and Venus

Eight - Intellect, positive and negative qualities of the four elements

Nine - Soul and the Moon

Ten - Whole world and Earth