Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

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Magic_Orthodoxy
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Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by Magic_Orthodoxy »

So of course you need a graphic designer with some know how - but where do you get the Bicycle court card images? How do you get the specs and the submission files the way Bike wants?

I'm curious because I think it would be a fun project. I've always had great ideas for deck designs that I've never seen done.

Thanks in advance,
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by CBJ »

Magic_Orthodoxy wrote:So of course you need a graphic designer with some know how - but where do you get the Bicycle court card images? How do you get the specs and the submission files the way Bike wants?

I'm curious because I think it would be a fun project. I've always had great ideas for deck designs that I've never seen done.

Thanks in advance,

Use this...

http://www.bicyclecards.com/catalogs/us ... plates.zip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can also be found here...
http://www.bicyclecards.com/custom-playing-cards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Near the bottom click on "playing card template pack"

CBJ
CBJ



Are you a Bicycle collector? Come join the Facebook group: www.BicycleCardCollectors.com
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by Magic_Orthodoxy »

but where do you get the Bicycle court card images?
Thanks, but that's the card back and the tuck box... not the court cards
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by LiquidSleight »

I have all of the templates direct from USPCC (I emailed them; they are extremely nice). I received the templates for Ace through King in Bicycle AND Aarco faces. In Bicycle however, the court cards are slightly incomplete; I assume this is so you can customize them if you wish.

Here is their email: Customdivision@usplayingcard.com

Hope that helps!

-Eric
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by SeanWhelan »

I've seen this post on a few websites with no real answer to the question. I'm sure your just interested in the process itself and how it comes to the final stage.

First: The Idea
You need an idea and you need to stick with it. This can be a theme or a certain look that you want to strive for.
For this I'm going to use my Galvanic deck as an example. All of those characters, storyline, name etc etc was supposed to be a short film when I was in college but didn't want to just trash the idea. So I did the next best thing which was to put them towards my next passion: Playing cards.

Second: Designing
Everyone has their way of working and everyone is different. For me I always start with the back design to give the overall theme and appearance.
I use both Photoshop and Autodesk Maya with a 3D modeling/animation program. I designed each element in Maya first, rendered it then imported them into photoshop for the final look.
The process took me 8 months on and off to complete everything. It takes time and is not something that can be done in a few days.

Third: Templates
You can actually just contact USPCC for these and they give them out almost to anyone. This will give you the exact dimensions for the final stage of production.
For my designs, i actually went through and designed them on a 10" x 14" canvas rather than the actual size of a playing cards. I was able to zoom in and crunch as much detail as possible this way.
At the end all I simply did was import those Photoshop files into the templates and they fit perfectly to dimensions.

Fourth: Money
Printing playing cards are very very expensive. For the Galvanics, it was a 2500 deck run with 8 printing plates came to just over $9,200.
How you get that money is your call. I used Kickstarter to help me out with the funds. All they ask is a 10% cut of the final goal you reach.

Fifth: Contact and Contract
You will need to contact USPCC and come to an agreement about the deck and how many you would like to produce. You fill out a form: Deck name, what paper stock, finish, sticker etc etc
Once you submit that they will send you a contract that you will need to sign and send back to them. Basically just like any other contract saying if they mess up they will fix it for 30 days, that it is stil your artwork and not their property, the final designs you submit is what is printed, not their fault if it comes out wrong due to your part etc etc

Sixth: Submit the designs
They give you a url to submit all the final designs and a graphic designer on their end will go through and produce whats called a digital proof. This looks exactly like an uncut sheet. Just go through and verify that everything is there, in the correct order, color etc etc.

Seventh: Printing time!
Once you give the go ahead you need to pay half upfront before they start printing. You can do this with a simple wire transfer at your bank for a small fee.
After that its pretty much a waiting game. It might take a few weeks up to a few months to get your decks printed depending on how busy they are.
They will send you pictures along the way to show their process and where they are at in production.

Eighth: Arrival
Since you paying alot for these decks, uspcc actually ships them to your location free of charge. I was able to get them delivered right to my house and came on a pallet with 19 boxes and 1 uncut sheet box.
each both contains 1 gross or 144 decks. that 19th box was the extras, not a full count.

And well thats pretty much it. For this kind of project you need to stick with it from day one. It is a lot of work but pays off once they arrive to your door and your standing there holding a deck : D
I was able to do this entire process by myself and was overwhelming at first. All you need is confidence and you'll be fine!

I hope this helped!
Sean Whelan
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Creator/Designer of Bicycle Galvanic Playing Cards

Contact: sean.whelan.designs@gmail.com
Be Sure To Like My Facebook pages!:
Galvanic: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Galvanic ... =bookmarks
Lucent: https://www.facebook.com/LucentPlayingC ... =bookmarks
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by Magic_Orthodoxy »

wow thanks! so ..... making it out of cardboard and crayons? Not a good idea..... you're saying....


hrmph
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Re: Creating a custom deck - how do you start?

Unread post by JacksonRobinson »

I personally think the designing of the cards is the easiest and funnest part of the process.

I think the three most important parts to designing a successful deck of cards are this:

1. Incredible Idea

You need an idea that connects with a tons of people. %90 of the card designs I see out right now have very weak or shallow ideas. Do something fresh and new. If the words Zombie, Steampunk, Pirate, or Ninja are in the title of your deck you either need to be some artistic genius that is going to reinvent the genre or start over with a new idea. The card designing bubble is ballooning up and people are getting more and more picky. Its gonna burst very soon and all of the weaker ideas will not survive the fallout.

2. Highest level of execution.

Your competing with hundreds of other decks and wanting people who are already very picky about what they spend their money on, so your execution has to be razor sharp. Don't just color shift the standard rider backs or hit control I in photoshop. Your success will be directly proportional to the amount of time and detail you put into your project times the level of execution. Hitting control U and calling it a new deck will not get you where you want to go.

3. Know the process backwards and forwards.

There are so many factors that go into creating a deck of cards that have nothing to do with the computer your drawing them on. Learn everything you can about the process. Call USPC and ask tons of questions, they will help you! They are making TONS of money off all of us designers creating custom cards they love us weather you have a crappy deck or not they will give you the answers you are looking for.
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