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EndersGame Inner circle Reviewer EndersGame 2196 Posts |
Collaboration Decks Produced by Art of Play
Art of Play is known for its fine collection of carefully curated decks of high quality playing cards, many of which are optimized for cardistry or for playing card games. Run by cardistry innovators and pioneers Dan and Dave Buck, it is not only a paradise for those who appreciate unique games, puzzles, and playing cards, but it is also the online label under which the Buck twins produce their own brand of playing cards. The Art of Play website has been carrying a wide range of literally hundreds of custom playing cards already since 2013, but in recent years Dan and Dave have more and more been making a unique contribution to the playing card industry by producing their own decks of cards, with many colourful and impressive designs that are especially popular with cardists. To produce such excellence on a consistent basis, Dan and Dave need help. And that's why they continue to partner with talented artists from around the world, with whom they team up to produce their high quality and novel decks of playing cards. I've covered quite a large number of Art of Play's attractive decks previously, but this time I'd like to cover a number of decks that they have recently released, virtually all of which are collaborations with creative artists and design companies from around the world. So if you're looking for a quality deck of playing cards - whether it's something classy for your poker night, something impressive for your family game of Hearts or Spades, something sophisticated for your card magic, or something eye-catching for your card flourishing - look no further: Art of Play has you covered with great decks like these. *** POP CULTURE COLLABORATIONS *** Bruce Lee Bruce Lee has made his debut on playing cards before, with a eye-catching black and yellow colour scheme that featured a dragon back design, and a very striking minimalist "black belt" stripe across the face of bright yellow cards. The original deck was created as a tribute for his 73rd birthday, and now Art of Play brings us a second version of the Bruce Lee deck (V2), in collaboration with Bruce Lee Enterprises. Like the original deck, the tuck box is presented in a matt black finish, with the shadowy figure of Bruce Lee emerging from the darkness, with his signature in yellow ending any question we may have had in identifying him. The back of the tuck box has a new look however, and offers us a quote: "Absorb what is useful. Reject what is useless. Add what is essentially your own." The previous deck already featured Bruce Lee quotes in small print on every card, and that is what we can expect here too, as the back of the box explains: "Known to the world as a martial artist, actor, and philosopher; Bruce Lee compiled countless volumes on his way of seeing the world. From these thoughts are 52 quotes presented in this commemorative deck of playing cards from one of the finest minds of this past century." A red Jeet Kune Do emblem - a hybrid philosophy of martial arts founded by Lee - serves as the tuck box seal, and will return later on the Ace of Spades. There's also full interior printing in yellow and black, which helps prepare us for the yellow and black colour scheme that this deck is about - the same colors as the legend’s famous yellow jumpsuit. The dragon back design of the original deck has had a graphic make-over, with the elimination of a one-way BL monogram in the center. Now a two-way design gives greater prominence to the dragon heads, that produces a more aggressive look. But the biggest change is with the faces of the cards. Instead of being a borderless bright yellow, with a quote in small print across the middle like a black belt, now the faces of the cards feature black rectangular panels with white borders. Each quote is in white capital letters, making it much easier to read, and has Lee's signature below it. The only pips to be found are on the indices, and unlike the relatively standard fonts and shapes of the original version of the Bruce Lee deck, they now add to a sense of customization with a completely new look. The two Jokers - if they may even be called that - feature black-and-white photos of Lee in action. The two bonus cards give us a final quote from Lee: "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times". A second ad card explains something of the Bruce Lee philosophy: "Bruce Lee's art was steeped in a philosophical foundation and did not follow long held martial traditions. Instead it had its core the ideas of simplicity, directness, and personal freedom." This deck is a beautiful homage to a popular martial artist, and a worthy follow-up to the original. It shares enough with its predecessor, while still offering an entirely new look. As for the handling, like Bruce Lee himself, your moves are going to be smooth and slick, with USPCC's crush stock finish ensuring that flourishes will be consistently good. Third Man Records Sticking with our yellow and black colour scheme, we move on to the Third Man Records deck This is a reprint of a deck that first appeared in 2015, but this time with a new design both for the card backs and for the tuck box. Another collaboration, this time with Third Man Records, it is a tribute to the TMR record label, and was designed by the folks behind this brand. Third Man Records was founded by Jack White as an independent record label in 2001, and opened up a location in Nashville in 2009, which is home to a record store, an intriguing novelties lounge, and more. The label is self described as "an innovator in the world of vinyl records and a boundary pusher in the world of recorded music, aiming to bring tangibility and spontaneity back into the record business." The design team has done a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Third Man Records with an incredibly creative and novel tuck box, that besides the obvious yellow logo that stands out well against the black, uses black foil accents on a black background, to create both the look and feel of an actual vinyl record. It's definitely a show-stopper tuck-case that will get immediate attention! The card backs are white bordered, picking up the simple white of the main image of three men. The face cards on the other hand are entirely black, with only white and yellow used for the text, pips, and designs that decorate them. The Ace of Spades gets a particularly loving treatment, and has been made to look like turn-table record, complete with grooves. The court cards feature rectangular panels that are also filled with grooves, to continue the overall theme. While they still retain some elements that identify them as characters, there's sufficient abstraction that turns them more into geometric shapes. If you look closely, however, you will still find the traditional features of court cards present, such as scepters, swords, and flowers, in precisely the places you'd expect them. Also look for small details adorning their clothing, such as the tiny Third Man symbol, and lighting bolts. While the main indices are bold and clear, the larger pips on the number cards are comprised of three lines, continuing the "groove-like" idea. The two Jokers each are emblazoned with a large grooved lightning bolt, while the two bonus cards are both promotional cards for Third Man Records. With thin-crush stock, the deck also feels as soft as butter in your hands, and it's a real pleasure to spring these cards. If you like some groove with your cardistry, this is undoubtedly a deck for you. *** CONCLUSION *** I continue to be impressed with Art of Play and the decks that they are putting out. I use playing cards for a variety of different purposes, including playing card games like poker and other classics, as well as for card magic and card flourishing. With their background in cardistry and magic, Dan and Dave Buck have a lot of expertise with playing cards, and know exactly the kind of quality in looks and handling that a good deck of cards needs. Cardists can be confident that Art of Play's carefully curated collection only includes the very best patterns, colours, and designs that will serve cardists well, and that anything produced under Dan and Dave's own label first has to meet their own exacting standards for visual aesthetics and performance. By collaborating with world class artists and creative thinkers, Dan and Dave continue to ensure that their growing catalogue includes fresh new designs that are the kind of thing that consumers today are looking for. The decks featured in this review are prime examples of what they are contributing to the playing card industry. And all of these creative decks are matched with high quality materials and tuck boxes, with durable air cushioned cards that ensure durability as well as smooth and consistent performance. Certainly some designs are already tried and true, like the Green Wheel deck, the Third Man Records deck, and the Bruce Lee deck, all of which build on the success of earlier versions. But there's also some very original and new concepts, particularly my favourite: the effervescent and vibrantly coloured Off The Wall deck. And of course there are artistic decks like the Flying Dog deck, which is effectively a miniature gallery of Ralph Steadman art, and the Art & Machine deck, which largely defies categorization beyond being a sophisticated art project. Recommendation Whether your interest is in card games, card magic, card flourishing, or even just card collecting, you're almost certain to find some treasures in Art of Play's growing collection, and the decks reviewed here are fine examples of what they offer. If you enjoy quality playing cards, puzzles, or games, then you definitely need to check out whether they can help improve the tools in your hands when you are at play. After all, these guys have turned play into an art! What to learn more? Check out Art of Play: - Official website: artofplay.com - Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest Direct links for items featured in this review: Artistic Collaborations: Flying Dog, Art & Machine Pop Culture Collaborations: Bruce Lee, Third Man Records Nature Inspired Collaborations: Bloc Marble Edition, Green Wheel Other Collaborations: Off The Wall, Cubeline |
motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6127 Posts |
I picked up a deck when I was at the Third Man Record store in Detroit last year.
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
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