This is a funky deck of cards that don’t distinguish colors between the Clubs/Spades and Hearts/Diamonds. All the cards are the same colors; consisting of gray, a pinkish hue and a blueish hue.
There are four extra cards, in addition to the 52 you expect. One is a card that pays tribute to the designer, Ethan King. One is an ad card that conveys certain information that is found in the ad copy below. The third of the three cards is a game card that you pierce with a pen and paddidle. Confused? Look it up! The final card is a Joker that has only the name of the cards in the middle “Proj. Shuffle” and very little design to it.
The index pips are all in gray outlined writing as are the numbers. The pips are all unique artwork, again in simple gray outlines. The Court cards are also in gray outline and lack fine detail. The eyes are simple gray circles. I like this minimalist art work and because of the unique nature of these cards, I expect that many that dabble in cardistry will be drawn to these cards as well.
The card back is a two way design consisting of geometric shapes that look like a maze. It is mostly gray with some hues of blue and pink. There is a small white border on the edge of every card.
The ad copy states:
“Description: A completely custom and modern deck of playing cards. Subtle Playing Cards has been designed from scratch for cardistry. As you read the specific features below, imagine how this degree of detail will enhance the beauty of your cardistry moves! Back Design: The back design features isometric forms that interact and intertwine to create a complex, yet understated design. Selected shapes contain a gradient color that has been chosen specifically to produce unique patterns when spinning. Visual elements have been added for fans, and these create the impression of more motion during cuts. A secondary pink and blue border allow thin borders to be maintained, while the edges of packets remain distinct. This ensures that fans are clear, and your cuts are easy to follow. Face Cards Design: One of the stand-out features of the deck’s design is the unique face cards that have been created from scratch. This includes the design of the index font, suit symbols, symbol placement and court cards. New, innovative elements on the face design have been created specifically to enhance the look of the playing cards in different cardistry moves. How the face cards will improve the look of your cardistry: • Larger index corners allow more detail to be visible in fans. • The colored line below the index form a unique pattern in fans, making them more visually appealing. • A small color palette in the form of a line is present at the top and bottom of the cards. This also adds another line of detail in fans and spreads, such as a riffle and flower fans. • The placement of symbols has also been experimented with so that the design of the cards is more symmetrical. This provides less unbalanced negative space. • All of these elements also work together to create an ‘implied border,’ which makes each packet more distinct in cuts when viewed from the face side. Court Cards: The Court cards contain the same use of line present throughout the design to allow the Courts to fit seamlessly into the rest of the deck. Six unique Court cards have been created, and every card has different placements of colored the lines. Aces: The Aces are minimal and clean. Two small isometric cubes make the Aces unique. These ensure that they still fit in seamlessly with the remaining cards, with similar amounts of negative space. Tuck Box: The tuck box features isometric patterns wrapping around the entire box, around all the sides and even from the back over the top to the front. These patterns seamlessly continue on from a slightly modified depiction of the back design. The look of the back design is featured throughout, with the inclusion of the same colored shapes positioned on the front of the box. Product Specifications: • Manufactured by Cartamundi • Made in Belgium • 1500 decks produced • Offset printed • True Linen B9 finish • Superlux 320gsm board • Poker size (63mm x 88mm) • Corner radius 3mm”
The Subtle Playing cards are my new faves. Although a subtle minimalist design prevails, they stand out for their unique look and card face design.
These cool cards can be picked up at any Murphy’s Magic dealer or web based site.
