{Design Love} Playing Cards

One of the areas where I think one finds the best design is at playing cards. The idea of course is very simple: it must contain the basic elements of colours and numbers but other than that the design option is open. I have a nice little selection of decks with vastly different designs; Harry Potter, Antique Greek sex positions(!), Danish rococo, flowers, English monarchs, WWII pin ups girls, and the ones designed by the Danish Queen Margrethe II. 

My fondness of cards only increased while reading Jostein Gaarder's The Solitaire Mystery. Since then I wanted to start collecting Jokers - but I'm always to timid to ask for them with strangers and I don't always find it relevant to buy a new deck if the design is not interesting or beautiful. Therefore, I am very glad that there seems to be a growing trend in designing new cards and I want to show some of the latest designs which I have stumpled across here and there. Hopefully, my collection will increase in the coming years.

 A more classic collection of Ace of Spades. Do you guys have a favourite colour? {source}

 I really like this design - so clean and elegant, and an interesting approach in rendering the colours. Designed by Joe Doucet. {source}

 A really cute deck and you guys MUST check out the rest of the designs. They are so cute! Pack of Dogs by Inky-Dinky {source}

 A powerful and beautiful design. Design by Paolo Troilo. {source} (note: the link goes to my Pinterest because Paolo Troilo is no longer represented in the original link's location)

 A very fashionista design, no? Though the black drawing is wonderful, the best feature in this design is the frame incorporating the "Q". So smart and elegant. I wish she had done a whole deck but it appears that this was just a one time only design for a blogger's contest. Design by Sara Woodward (SMÄM) {source}

 This was not as such a new design but rather using an old deck and tranforming it into new art. But I like it and wouldn't mind if the next step in playing cards involved the tactile designs. Design by Kei Takemura {source}

 Also not a whole deck design but just a single illustration. However, I love bonnies. Design by Catherine Campbell {source}

 I am completely smitten with these. The new colour scheme and the use of origami is such a new thing in playing card design, at least to my knowledge! And it is still a clean and elegant design. Design by Pidies {source}

 A gorgeous deck! Such attention to detail and design. The fronts, the backs, everything is just superb on this deck. Truly my favourite of them all. I especially like how the traditional designs are incorporated into the drawings (as you can see in the picture with 5 of Hearts and King of Hearts). Do yourself a favour and check out the whole deck in detail at his DeviantArt-profile or at his Tumblr. Design by Emmanuel José {source} or {source}

 Vintage and romantic designs, sadly I don't know the artist if any. {source}

 Also a very modern and crisp design. I like the sheer paper or plastic and the simple look of colour and value. Sadly, it appears that this deck is no longer available on the site so the designer is still unknown to me. Does anyone know? {source}

There you go. What do you think of these designs? I am almost drooling..

Speaking of Droo (okay not the best intro, but hey...), through him I have discovered that the picture cards have names! I did not know that, you?! Here's the list, they are rather awesome:

The Kings:                  The Queens:                Jacks:

Alexander of Clubs         Argine of Clubs        Lancelot of Clubs

Charles of Hearts         Judith of Hearts        La Hire of Hearts

Caesar of Diamonds        Rachel of Diamonds     Hector of Diamonds

 David of Spades          Athena of Spades      Orgier of Spades

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