by NOTTENE
52 weeks was the perfect number to draw a deck of cards, so each week last year I drew a new card & now we’re ready to print them all!
I started designing this deck as a way to draw new things regularly. In 2013 one of my goals was to draw more every day, but it was hard to stay motivated. I was always looking for new things to draw, so when a friend mentioned she was going to learn a new card game each week for all 52 weeks of the year I realized it was the perfect number of weeks to produce a deck of cards in a way that wasn’t completely overwhelming! I have always wanted to design a deck of cards, but it felt like too big of a project. Suddenly it seemed manageable….
As I started to work on each card I found myself interested in the stories and meaning behind the cards.
I am really inspired by a Maira Kalman quote that a painting is truer than a photograph and that idea has always inspired me to tell stories through my drawings. The cards tell all kinds of stories, some through their history and their past, but also with the imagery I have added and you can play with.
4 of Hearts
We think of hearts as a suit of love, but the number 4 is considered service related card so we have a nice set of practical clothes hangers.
5 of Clubs
Word is number five symbolizes change. Clubs are also said to represent summer and youth. An acorn to an oak is a pretty big change!
Ace of Diamonds
Traditionally, the ace of each suit has a single instance of the suit in the center of the card, but the suit of diamonds is hard as nails so an enamel tooth seemed fitting. The suit of diamonds are the total opposite of the young, free clubs. They are the responsible adults of the deck; strong, secure, and rooted in the earth. Diamonds are hard, and not just in density. The suit is often associated with adulthood, responsibility, security, and career. They are serious.
Jack of Spades
Spades tend to stand for winter, wisdom, old age, transformation, and water… Health and Acceptance are considered attributes of spades. Spades are often written about as cards of wisdom and acceptance.
King of Clubs
The King of Clubs is rumored to be creative, but careless. Our King of Clubs rules youth, irresponsibility, musings, and the mind (rather than the body). As with our other Club cards the lightness of Air and the freedom of Summer are themes here.
REWARDS:
We are offering lots of great prints in addition to the actual decks of cards! All prints are digitally printed in our studio in Philadelphia. They’ll be carefully packed and shipped quickly with lots of love and surprises….
….STRETCH GOALS….
IF we get to $5000 we can upgrade to a fine linen finish on the cards.
IF we get to $6000 we can add a foil finish to the tuck boxes!
IF we get to $7500 we can print 700 decks!!
There are few risks with this project. The design and art are all complete. Naturally there can occasionally be delays with printers and production, but we’re printing with an excellent playing card manufacturer, with a 30 year record in business. The cards are finished and ready to go into production as soon as possible.