{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

{source}

Anne of Green Gables

 Some of my favourite books are the Anne of Green Gables-books. They have comforted my many times when I was younger and I really think that these were the primary reason why I wanted to study literature and write myself. 

I still remember my first 'meeting' with them. I was working at the school library as the one who puts all the returned books into place, and somehow these illustrations on the covers caught my eye. They seemed so nice and friendly in a way and I decided to loan one home. Actually it was the fifth in the series because I thought that it had the prettiest cover! So much for suspense whether Anne and Gilbert would get together, ha! But from the first page I was hooked, and I have learned so much from Anne and her adventures through the years. Especially how amazing it is to have a lively imagination and how it can help you through tough times. I always feel like I am returning home after a long journey when reading the books. I honestly don't know how my life would have been without them, would I value literature and imagination as high as I do now? Somehow I doubt it. The words are a part of my being now and I have breathed my life into the pages.

And isn't that what great books do?

The Danish cover illustratioins are made by the Danish illustrator Ib Thaning, and they have ever since been some of my favourite covers.

Enjoy!

Anne of Green Gables

 Anne of Avonlea

 Anne of the Island

Anne of Windy Poplars 

 Anne's House of Dreams

 Anne of Ingleside

 Anne - Rainbow Valley

Rilla of Ingleside

Vintage Illustrations & Animals

Finally Friday! Happy days ahead... Family gathering for my siblings' birthdays on Sunday (they are not twins though) and a bit of relaxing before yet another busy week. I am slowly but steady getting into my mind framework about my thesis, and I feel ready to start a bit of actual writing next week. So happy days indeed!

 

But today, I will show some of the various scans I have from old magazines and new magazines. Long before I knew the term I have been a scrapbooker - or at least tearing out the things from magazines I liked or which inspired me. Usually, I kept them in plastic envelopes divided by themes - vintage, haute couture, interior, wish list, etc. etc. As I have mentioned here on the blog before, due to a slight try of being more efficient in digging these images out I will post these scans here, so you guys can enjoy them as well.

Naturally though, I may not be able to remember from where precisely these images came from but I will try to credit properly to the best of my ability.

 

I adore old illustrations. Simple as that. And I adore Kay Bojesen's mid-century wood animals.

And I love that both of these things seem to have a sort of revival. On various sites, I see many illustrators' works (just think about Taschen's now 4 volumes about Now Illustration!) and Danish Modern architecture and interior design are still going strong - perhaps stronger than ever these years. Therefore, a little collection of both for you guys to enjoy...

 

 The Bunny, the Hippo with pencil (I recieved this from my sister and her husband for my birthday!), and the Bella the Dashhound which was the first animal that Bojesen created in 1934.

 Perhaps the most iconic, also the one which has been in production the longest, the Monkey from 1951.

 The Elephant from 1953.

 

Have a lovely weekend!

Art Deco Fashion

I have just finished a lovely book about pochoir prints of the 1920s, and I just wanted to share some of my favourites.

Art Deco and the clothes from that period are some of my favourites, and I particularly love the style of presentation. The Japaneese-inspired print technique is perfect for these graphical and bold dresses and hairstyles. I love the way they show fur accents and the difference between shiny fabrics and embroidered ones.

{my scans}

{EmmaKisstina}

I actually don't remember anymore where I first stumpled upon Swedish illustrator Emma Kristina Hultkrantz's amazing artworks. But they had me hooked with their whimsical and yet minimalist style. The bold edges and pastel colours are an amazing combo.

Some of you may know her from Matchbook Magazine where she does a take on What's In My Bag with all the famous ladies out there, like Marilyn, Jackie, Birgitte, Coco etc.

{Anne of Green Gables}

And today, I just discovered she has started a small line of scarves with her wonderful prints. Limited of about 100 each, these could really become a treasure and a keepsake. I am quite hooked on the Marie Antoinette one.

 {Marie Antoinette}

{Glamour}

I am thinking of saving up for custom bespoke illustrations of the three luxury items I am saving for, like a white Birkin bag, Chanel 2.55 bag, and Louboutin heels. Just to help me remind myself everyday when I dance around in my apartment.

{Pink Still Life}

In case you love her work as much as I do, check out her shop at etsy and her online portfolio.

She also has a blog where she posts inspirations and small everyday things.

Flickr Crush: Caitlin Chmaj

I really like these diary entries by Catlin Chmaj on flickr. So little and so much at the same time.

Heartbreaks and strict romanticism.

The same goes for her art.

 I just wish she had more stuff on there because I really love the feel of her work.

Please visit her Flickr here



How to: The Gibson Tuck



Cecilia Carlstedt

Do you know the Swedish fashion illustrator Cecilia Carlstedt? If not, let me introduce you to her beautiful works.

Feminine, flirty, colourful, and lovely would be my words to describe the illustrations.

I have had my eyes on her works for quite some time, and with my recent decision (which has been a while on the way) to invest and buy art instead of clothes, I recieved an offer through a website to purchase one of her prints. Needless to say, I jumped at it, especially when I could save a little money too. This is the one I bought....

I am so looking forward to frame it and hang it in my bedroom.. I just have the perfect spot for it as well as the photo print I won via TabithaEmma and MaGalerie.

Here's some of Cecilia Carlstedt's other works..

Her official website is currently being built but you can discover her work through Art Dept