Shuffled Ink had the pleasure of interviewing Holly Holton for the story behind The Decision Umbrella Deck. The Decision Umbrella Deck contains “52 Powerful Possibility Practices to help you create a life that lights you up!” The deck was created to help improve people’s decision-making process while assisting them on a journey of self-discovery. “The concept behind the title is that all change starts with a decision. Not a try. Not a hope. Not a wish. A decision.”
“LIFE CHANGES WHEN YOU CHANGE”
It all started with an Instagram account called @thedecisionumbrella! Holly shared that she always loved personal development and created the Instagram account as a way to organize her thoughts. She began brainstorming ways to bring her idea to the next level, something that you can physically hold. That’s when she got the idea to create her own card deck, “Something that was portable and could go anywhere.”
“WE ARE MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN WE KNOW”
Inspired by her dream to be a published author, Holly partnered with an artist to create a one-of-a-kind card deck with calming colors. “When I present this card deck to my customers I always feel extremely hopeful for the future. These cards contain complex issues such as mindset shifts, brain science concepts, and subconscious programming. And I feel very proud that through this deck, I have been able to explain these powerful concepts in an easy-to-understand, bite-sized approach.” We are happy to hear about her positive feedback as she stated, “people have said that they appreciate the ‘travel size’ wisdom and that they are extremely motivational and inspirational.” She discussed that “self-discovery” and “a passion to share her knowledge” are what kept her motivated to bring this project to life. The advice she would like to pass down to newbie creators is “Settle on the size of your cards before you finalize your artwork/content! I changed my cards to the 4 x 6 size late in the process because I decided I had more to add!”
GOALS FOR 2023!
Holly’s major goal is to finish her book! She is excited to expand on the ideas in the deck and further share her creativity and insights with the world! Holly hints at another deck that may be in the works. Right now she is offering FREE shipping anywhere in the US through the end of 2022. Enter code SHUFFLEDINK at checkout. The decks are available for purchase online here.
WORKING WITH SHUFFLED INK
We asked Holly about her experience working with Shuffled ink and here is what she had to say:
“From day one they have been fantastic to work with. I got personalized attention, they always answer the phone which is amazing. I feel like I was important and the company truly cared about me and my project. Just a truly remarkable experience all around and I cannot recommend Shuffled Ink highly enough! The quality of the paper is phenomenal. They are sturdy enough to be shuffled, but not too thick. Really nice matte finish and just really well done.”
Most people know what is meant by the phrase “stacking the deck”. It refers to a technique where you cheat in a card game, by arranging the cards in a particular order. The expression has even entered the English language, and can be used figuratively. Misleading your hearers by cherry-picking evidence and arguments to present only one side of a story is also known as “card stacking”, and is frequently used in advertising and politics.
But today we’re concerned with stacking cards in a more literal sense. Because card stacking can also refer to the literal stacking of cards into a building-like structure. In other words, it’s when you place cards on top of each other to build what is commonly called a house of cards.
The phrase “house of cards” has also migrated into the English language, and is used metaphorically to refer to a situation that is highly unstable or volatile, or to anything likely to fail or collapse. It’s not hard to see why it has this meaning. As you’ll know if you’ve ever tried to build one, a house of cards is a very precarious structure that requires a delicate touch and much care. You only have to bump it slightly, or place one card wrong, and the whole structure collapses in an instant.
The appropriateness of the image and its wide use in the English language proves that building an actual house of cards with real playing cards is incredibly difficult to do. But there are people who can pull this off successfully, and build card houses of incredible size. In this elite group, one man stands tall – though dwarfed by his card houses. That man is world record holder Bryan Berg.
Bryan Berg
Bryan Berg describes himself as a “cardstacker”, hence his official website cardstacker.com. His remarkable credentials are confirmed by the four separate World Records related to cardstacking that he currently holds.
● Tallest House of Freestanding Playing Cards (set in 1992)
● Largest House of Freestanding Playing Cards (set in 2004)
● Tallest House of Freestanding Playing Cards Built in 12 Hours (set in 2016)
● Tallest House of Freestanding Playing Cards Built in One Hour (set in 2018)
If those categories don’t sound challenging enough, consider the fact that the third of these (tallest house built in 12 hours) was constructed on a running, fully loaded washing machine! He set the first of these records at the age of 17, with a 4.4 meter tower. He’s bettered several of these records more than once since setting them, and has broken his record for the tallest house around ten times. In numerous instances his record-breaking attempts have been commissioned by sponsors. His 2004 record for largest structure was a new category that Guinness created especially for him, and was a replica of Cinderella’s Castle for Walt Disney World, which took 24 days to build.
It’s worth mentioning here that the world record for the tallest house of cards has increased significantly since the early 1900s. That’s when record-breaking card towers began receiving attention in the media, and reports indicated that the best structures from that time ranged in size from 15 stories or layers high to as many as 25 stories. In 1972 Guinness listed the highest authenticated claim as being 27 stories high.
The 1972 record was absolutely decimated by James Warnock in 1978 with a creation that consisted of an incredible 61 stories, which John Slain managed to increase to 68 stories in 1983. This lasted until Bryan’s record breaking attempt in 1992, which increased the bar to 75 stories. At the State Fair of Texas in 2007 he built a tower that was almost 8 meters high for the current world record. The size was limited only by the ceiling of the room in which it was built, and even then some ceiling tiles were removed to give extra building room into the attic!
To give an idea of the amount of cards required, here are some figures for a 7.6m high card tower that Bryan built in 1998. It used over 1500 decks, weighed more than 110 kg, and took more than two weeks to build. Or consider the replica of the Venetian Macao resort hotel which he spent 44 days building in 2010. It was 3 metres tall and 10.5 metres long, used over 4,000 decks (representing over 218,000 cards), and weighed more than 272 kg.
Bryan’s academic background is in architecture, but he insists that it was his love for cardstacking that led him in that direction, not the other way around. He credits his grandfather for introducing him to cardstacking at the age of 8, as an amusing activity between the many card games that his family played. But what his grandfather sparked was a love for building, rather than a specific method. Bryan continued experimenting with different methods, teaching himself different card stacking techniques, and perfecting the art. What he knows about building card houses is simply the result of continued experimentation – although he’s learned a lot about the structural behaviour of real buildings as a result of his expertise with playing cards. Remarkably, his incredible structures are all freestanding, and he uses no tape, glue, or tricks like bending or manipulating the cards in any way.
He turned professional in 1994, which gives him the unique position of being the only person in the world that actually earns a full-time living by stacking playing cards. So where does he make his money? He travels around the US and even the world, putting his card stacking skills on show. The instant appeal and visual impact of his remarkable card houses makes Bryan’s creations a real attraction, and this makes his work ideal to feature at the center of a special event, advertising campaign, or museum. For example, in 2005 he built a replica of the New York skyline using 178,000 cards, to represent those whose lives were lost in the 2014 Boxing Day tsunami, a project that gave supporters the opportunity to donate to survivors through several charities. He’s had clients around the world who have sought him out for his work. What he does is arguably a performance art.
The method
When most people try building a house of cards, they use the pyramid or triangle shape as the main building block, with the aim of building another layer on top of this. A structure of this sort is notoriously difficult to build, and if you manage to get anything beyond three levels high, you can quite rightly be quite proud of your achievement.
Bryan has developed an entirely different technique, however. And given his success, it’s hard to argue with him. Instead of using the classic triangular shape as his base building block, he builds towers using square shapes. It’s a self-taught method, but it’s incredibly effective, and can support an incredible amount of weight. According to Berg, the higher the tower goes, the more solid the lower layers become, due to the physics behind this design. The combined weight of the cards actually makes the structure more stable. Moreover, because he arranges the cards in a grid-like structure, they prevent each other from falling over or bending, further increasing their strength and stability. Here’s a video clip from WIRED that features Bryan explaining his card stacking technique:
This repeated geometric pattern is surprisingly simple to learn, and is also the secret behind the large structures Bryan builds. You then cover the basic honeycomb shapes with cards, and go on to build the next layer on top. Once you master this basic concept, you can apply the same pattern for building walls, columns, and beams, which enables you to create variety in shapes. The result is surprisingly strong. In fact, to destroy his creations, Bryan typically uses a leaf-blower. Yes, really – you can even see him do this on video!
Give it a try!
Now it’s your turn. Would you like to try your hand at cardstacking using Bryan’s method? It’s not something he’s kept secret, and he’s published a book entitled Stacking the Deck: Secrets of the World’s Master Card Architect which reveals all. But he’s also explained the basics of his method on videos readily available online. In addition to the video clip above from WIRED, you can see another helpful explanation from Bryan about his method in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnPaEU3-H0k
Key to his success is a simple four card cell structure, which is repeated over and over, in a manner that can best be compared to a beehive or honeycomb shape, or even a waffle. Armed with his basic approach, will quickly be able to take your card stacking skills to the next level. Perhaps you won’t quite be building as elaborate structures as Bryan, who has created a wide range of architectural styles that range from stadiums and churches to pyramids and temples, and even replicas of specific structures like the Empire State Building. But when you try Bryan’s method it is remarkable how much you can achieve. You may be surprised to learn that Bryan even considers himself to be rather clumsy – but his solid design structure and his methodical approach have rescued him more than once.
Here are some helpful tips you should keep in mind, when trying to beat your “personal best”:
● Use new cards. Old cards tend to have bends in them, so it is recommended that you use new or near-new playing cards for the best results.
● Use embossed cards. Most playing cards have an embossed or “air cushion” finish. That is preferable to using cards with a high gloss and smooth finish, because they typically will prove too slippery.
● Build on the floor. It’s tempting to build your structure on a table, but tables invariably wobble. You only need to give your table an accidental bump and your house of cards will come crashing down.
● Avoid slippery surfaces. Don’t build on something slippery, like shiny wood. Particle board can work, or else a non-plush carpet that is tightly woven together.
● Use Bryan’s method. Instead of building with triangles, place the cards on their sides at right angles to each other, forming squares in a repeated pattern. To make the structure self-supporting, lean the cards against each other using the T shapes that this involves.
● Stay relaxed. Tension is your enemy, because your hands will shake if you are tense, increasing the risk of accidentally destroying your own building efforts. That makes it all the more important to stay relaxed.
● Watch your grip. Especially when you’re building on upper layers, Bryan recommends letting the card rest between your fingers rather than holding the card, due to the increased risk of transferring your “shakes” to the structure.
● Don’t give up too easily. Patience is a virtue, and you’ll need lots of it to be successful in building a house of cards. This is a skill you can learn, but don’t expect to become an expert right away.
Bryan’s method will help you improve almost instantly, but don’t be surprised to have your structure fall down. Persist, and keep on trying, because like any skill in life, it’s by persevering and by learning from your mistakes that you’ll improve.
Final Thoughts
If you think that you go through a lot of decks a year, spare a thought for Bryan, who estimates that he goes through well over 5,000 decks a year.
But Bryan’s achievements also teach us something truly important. While most people are wary of anything that is considered to be “a house of cards” due to its potential to collapse, Bryan shows that it’s possible to make a living from building a house of cards. He’s found a way to turn to the kind of structure that most of us consider a disaster into his bread and butter.
So perhaps the lesson in this is that there are times where we shouldn’t shy away from what seems initially difficult, and by persevering, we may sometimes even accomplish something very important. Spending time building a house of cards may even have rewards you never expected. So what are you waiting for – get out those playing cards, and give it a try for yourself!
Want to learn more about Bryan Berg?
● Official site
● Guinness World Records – Largest Playing Card StructureWant to see videos with Bryan and learn his techniques?
● How this guy stacks playing cards impossibly high (WIRED)
● How to stack playing cards (WIRED)
● Record holder profile (Part 1) (Guinness World Records)
● Record holder profile (Part 2) (Guinness World Records)
● World’s best card stacker builds insane outdoor card tower (Coolest Thing)
Images courtesy of Bryan Berg, and used with permission.
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, and collecting playing cards. This article first appeared on PlayingCardDecks.com here.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
After the sudden loss of her grandmother, grief fueled 37-year-old Latoya Marquez’s tarot passion project.
In this exclusive Shuffled Ink Card Story, Latoya Marquez, Government Mortgage Specialist by day and tarot designer by night, shares how writing self-affirmations to cope with grief sparked a fresh approach to tarot design and healing.
Complete with a blend of modern-day imagery and traditional Rider-Waite tarot elements, this personalized deck belongs to the beholder.
During the first week of August 2021, Latoya launched her brand Shuffled World Tarot and first tarot deck, Shuffle Up!. The idea for this project stemmed from the passing of her grandmother, Petra Torres Marquez in November 2020.
This traumatic and unexpected experience filled the artist with grief and heartache, which eventually led to sleepless nights. As a Communications Graduate from the University of South Florida, Latoya has always loved to write and often used it as a therapeutic release. But what was originally a curative method, soon resulted in an incredible and inspiring year-long passion project.
Latoya Marquez, Shuffle Up! creator, posing at a studio shoot.
Creativity is the Wanderlust of Satisfaction
Latoya’s design journey began when she requested a complimentary sample pack in order to see and feel the quality of our cards, various card stocks and size options.
“(Shuffled Ink is) all of what I wanted to experience in dealing with a local USA company,” she said. “I’ve already recommended Shuffled Ink to other creators wanting to do the same type of project.”
The Design Process:
Step 1
Latoya spent several weeks writing down ideas to illustrate on each card.
Step 2
It took a total of 60 days to sketch more than 80 cards by hand. In the early stages of the drawing process, she saw her Taurean grandmother alive and vibrant in the Hierophant card.
“She loved the color purple, lit candles, blessing her altars. A very spiritual Widow,” Latoya said.
Step 3
Thirty days to color in each sketch with a thick watercolor sketch pad, drawing utensils and quality markers.
Designing your own tarot deck means applying creative liberties as you see fit. Most tarot decks follow a standard formula: 78 cards with 22 Major and 56 Minor Arcana.
Shuffle Up! holds 78 hand-drawn, unlabeled cards as well as one dedication, which reads:
For every day we blink and breathe, the sun will always set. And when the sun rises, we have a new day to reset and be better than we were yesterday.
“One of the biggest obstacles in choosing a tarot deck is finding a great set of cards to identify with,” she said. “My format for the reader of any skill level is to identify the image and develop their own perceptions. This way, each Intuitive Reader can bond with my deck card after card.”
A Glimpse into Latoya’s 3 Favorite Cards in the Deck
Devil
She waits for the next contract to arrive. In the background, a shadowed arm lingers, eager to let new souls inside.
Exhaustion from a hard day’s work is symbolized by the removed horns which now rest on the bar beside the Devil. But the day is not over; there is still ink left in her pen.
Queen of Swords
Also known as the Hardcore Nun, she takes down names for the next man to behead as blood drips from her sword.
High Priestess
Drawn to the card’s beauty, particularly the 7-day color candle in the right-hand corner and the blended scroll of parchment at the foreground.
Connect with Latoya Marquez
The first 30 decks sold on Etsy come with a soft release bridge-sized 2″ x 2″ deck called, Shadow Affirmations. This Mini Deck is an all-in-one combined oracle, affirmation & angel number divination in a 30 count card set.
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business that specializes in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
Countless artists in the social media community have submitted their talented holiday/winter-themed designs to our December Card Art competition (closes Dec. 31). Each piece has already made this holiday season feel merry and bright. You can find entry examples at the end of this article.
For now, let’s take a look at some holiday artwork that certainly goes down in history… just like good old Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Holiday Book Art
Christmas
Clement Clarke Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas,” also known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” is a Christmas poem classic filled with colorful imagery to describe one Christmas Eve night.
Through both imagery and text, a face is famously put to the icon that is Santa Claus: A jolly old elf with deep rosy cheeks and a round tummy.
Moore also pushes the concept of Santa’s reindeer, which was first mentioned in A New Year’s Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve Number III: The Children’s Friend, an anonymous 16-page booklet published in 1821 by a New York publisher named William Gilley.
Excerpt from The Children’s Friend:
Old Santeclaus with much delight
His reindeer drives this frosty night.
O’er chimneytops, and tracks of snow,
To bring his yearly gifts to you.
Moore’s holiday story and the art that goes along with it, is widely known in households across America. Since its publication in 1823, hundreds of artists have tried their talented hands at illustrating this timeless story. Here are a few examples of artist’s cover art as well as a Coca-Cola advertisement based on the book.
Since the 1920s, Coca-Cola has included Santa Claus in ads
Hanukkah
Publishers often incorporate every major holiday into their children’s books, especially under big brand names like Curious George and Corduroy. This not only allows children from all backgrounds to feel included but also opens a plethora of doorways for artists to showcase their talent in a family-friendly and educational way.
Picture books help children grasp the holiday, and while the text is undeniably important but for young kids, it is the artwork that first draws them into the story.
There’s a lot going on in this 1566 Pieter Bruegel the Elder oil painting. At first glance, you’ll notice a few things that may remind you of the holiday season: snow sticking to the ground; hustling to run errands; walking shoulder-to-shoulder with family and friends. But let’s dig a little deeper.
Bruegel takes words and transforms them into visual art, displaying a visual scene from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 1 to 5:
“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered in their own towns. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth to the city of David called Bethlehem … with Mary with whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.”
Chaos fills the canvas as children throw snowballs, adults congregate to pay taxes and villagers fulfill daily tasks. Amid such contemporary normalcy, Bruegel weaves in the biblical excerpt above.
To explore this piece further, click here.
Winter Art
Our manufacturing facility is located in Orlando, Florida, so it’s nearly impossible for us to experience a winter wonderland holiday. But for those of you who have to shovel snow while waiting for your car to warm up, here are a few stunning, and probably familiar, holiday pieces that we believe capture the essence of Winter.
This provides a lovely transition into today’s artists who have submitted original holiday art to our competition. The winner, which will be voted on and announced during the first week of January, will receive 10 poker-sized playing card decks with their submitted artwork on the card backs. Here are the winners from our October Art Contest: Marna Blakewell and Brittni Barraco.
Below are some awesome submissions we’ve received so far:
The last chance to submit (max of 3 designs) is Dec. 31 at 11:59 p.m.
Personalize a playing card deck for any holiday! When you create with us, we strive to ensure your vision meets reality. This means that our team of project managers and graphic designers work with you every step of the way. For more information about our products and services, feel free to call us anytime at 407-298-3579.
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business that specializes in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.To receive complimentary samples of our card products include your delivery address and phone number on your custom request a quote form.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
If there’s a deck you wish to possess, but it doesn’t exist yet, then you must create it.
Tarot beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not every single deck or card you choose will resonate, so it may take some time to find your tarot/oracle niche. And that’s where we come in!
At Shuffled Ink, our clients create by design and without limits. They are artists who channel creativity and develop their own guidelines. Having worked alongside a tremendous amount of these talented creators and illustrators, we’ve gathered an extensive collection of mystic cards that we’re excited to share with you!
Hopefully, one of these decks will speak to you, or perhaps inspiration will strike and you’ll customize a set of your own!
Lexa Luna Studio
“Be a good ancestor. Stand for something bigger than yourself. Add value to the Earth during your sojourn.” — Marian Wright Edelman, Activist
The Future Ancestor Tarot Deck
Our client, Alexa Villanueva, created this sacred tarot deck during quarantine. She used sumi ink, water color paper, scissors & fallen leaves and flowers from her surrounding home in Seattle, Washington. A love letter of hope, gratitude and commitment live and breathe in the card’s illustrations and translations.
The Future Ancestor Tarot deck pays tribute to those who came before us by honoring the land beneath our toes. When we are actively responsible for our own actions, we pave the way for future generations who will live on this Earth long after we are gone.
Goal: To connect you with your intuition & dreams; to provide one with a sense of comfort, grounding and guidance
Level: Beginner or seasoned reader
Number of cards: 78, including Major and Minor Arcana & a custom tuck-box
Guide Pamphlet
All Things Intuitive TM
“Take each message as it resonates.” — Kris, Founder of ATI
All Things Intuitive founder, Kris, is an oracle creator and reader. Established in 2019, her mission is to provide independently created oracle cards and products to those looking to exercise divination tools, regardless of experience. All of the Oracle decks listed below are available in our Client Shop.
The Hidden Truth
Through your looking glass, seek knowledge about and answers from your Divine Masculine, Divine Feminine, a former love, your own higher self, their higher self, and/or a lost love? Simply ask to receive The Hidden Truth.
The Hidden Truth v2
Messages of Love
This candid romance oracle deck, the Messages of Love, answers questions about love, sex, twin flames, soulmates, past-life connections, and more. This deck is designed for any type of relationship.
Messages of Closure
Messages of Closure is a 54-card oracle deck created for those who have unfinished business with someone who has passed away.
The person you’re trying to connect with may have been a spouse or significant other, a parent or grandparent, a friend, or nearly anyone. This oracle card deck can help to provide the answers you seek, especially if the relationship was difficult.
In the Shadows
The In the Shadows deck holds energy for healing, cleansing and universal love.
What do you need to know about your person? What do you need to understand about your person? These shadow messages can give you insight into your connection. If you prefer straightforward messages, then this may work for you.
Everyday Magic
“After much trial and tribulation the deck named itself the Wayhome Tarot.” — Bakara Wintner & Autumn Whitehurst, Wayhome Creators
Wayhome Tarot
Everyday Magic is an online shop that sells tarot and oracle cards, crystals, home goods and bath products. We’ve manufactured a handful of decks for this wonderful company, including the two featured below.
May we all find our way home through Wayhome Tarot. Filled with 78 images that cast a familiar feeling to the receiver. This deck is for any person who is willing to allow magic to seep into their daily human lives.
This Durham-based company is among my personal favorites. Another one of their decks, the Postcards from the Liminal Space (which unfortunately is sold out), sits on my own desk. I find myself flipping through the cards to admire its detailed illustrations and, at times, even use its insight to channel sense in mundane things.
REBEL
“They have the messages you may not want to hear, but you need to hear.” –Shannon Gomez, Creator of REBEL Deck
Rebel Deck (the original) If you’re looking for a light, funny and raw oracle experience, then Shannon Gomez’ REBEL Deck is best suited for you. Introducing divination with a modern twist and cards that do not hold back.
Rebel Deck (Couples Edition)
Connecting with others is just as important as connecting with yourself. The REBEL Deck Couples Edition is authentic, rebellious and foul-mouthed. Simply ask the cards what you and your partner need to know right now. These messages will tell it like it is with no interpretation necessary.
Both decks include:
60 cards
58 message cards, 1 cover card and 1 instruction card
For the “Here and Now”
Premium Card Stock 330gsm Black Core
Each card measures approx. 2.75″ x 4.75″
Shrink-Wrapped Matte Custom Tuck Box
Makes for a unique gift
Unicorns NOT INCLUDED
Indie Deck Hub
In August, Gomez launched Indie Deck Hub, a digital marketplace that specializes in independently created card decks. This is a space for creators to sell their products and for indie supporters to buy decks directly from the creator.
Three Trees Tarot
“Beautiful tarot cards with roots in the enchanting, natural world.” — Stephanie Burrows, Creator of Three Trees
Oak, Ash & Thorn Deck
For nature lovers. In folklore, the site of oak, ash and thorn trees entwined on a hillside mark the dwelling of spirits or the entrance to the other world. These trees come together with a collection of woodland animals to create a stunning and unique tarot art deck.
Eco-friendly
83 cards total, equipped with the standard 78 (22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana) + two companion reference cards, a secret bonus card and two additional art cards
Custom Tuck Box
Eco-friendly
400 gsm card stock, matte finish with anti-scuff laminate
They will be restocking on Nov. 25, 2020. Follow their media platforms for more updates.
The Oak, Ash & Thorn Deck was created by Stephanie Burrows and illustrated by Adam Oehlers.
Finding Your Tarot Deck
Hopefully this list has shown you that there’s undoubtedly a tarot and/or oracle deck out there for you. But if nothing piqued your interest, then here’s my advice to you. Playing off a quote about books by the late American Novelist Toni Morrison, if there’s a deck you wish to possess, but it doesn’t exist yet, then you must create it.
Style. Technique. Time period. These are just a few details that critics look for when placing artists into art movements.
Art has a long history, which means pure originality may be rare at this point, but this isn’t to say that innovative art concepts are completely nonexistent. If anything, art’s extensive past provides contemporary artists with an endless supply of ideas to sample from.
It’s likely that even your custom playing card and tarot designs emulate artwork that originated several millenniums ago. Let’s take a look!
Ancient Cave Art (B.C.E)
The earliest homo sapiens who walked the Earth etched and painted animals, human hands, symbols, etc. onto cave walls and rocks. What may look like simple drawings today are, in actuality, novelties. These are among the first pictures known to humankind, paving the way for future artists to advance the art form.
Rock shelter in India. ~ 13,000 B.C.E.
Drawings of a gaur, or Indian Bison, and human-like figures.
Frozen in time for us to reflect on, the clay illustration above heeds warnings of the Indian Bison’s threat toward humankind. Journalist Jo Marchant and photographer Justin Mott visited the caves where art and design were born, and in 2016, the Smithsonian Magazine published their article “A Journey to the Oldest Cave Paintings in the World”.
These drawings and engravings tell stories, some of survival methods, others of fatal demises. But all with the intent to inform. While the names of the first artists may remain unknown forever, we recognize their tremendous impact on establishing art, whether they understood its future significance or not.
Medieval
Mosaic Art
As time progressed, so did the the intricacy of art.
The Greeks created mosaics, or floor and wall designs. Artists used small pieces of assorted material like shells, glass, stone, tile and pebbles to produce images like the one below. This medieval art style captured ancient lives, from their appearances and clothing attire to religious beliefs.
The European Renaissance focused on finding a new way to embrace life; a means for rebirth. Not only did politics, culture and the economy play into this way of thinking, but so did art.
The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous Renaissance portrait paintings. Leonardo da Vinci redefined how women appeared in portrait art. Other artists used jewelry to emphasize status and side profile shots to highlight neutrality. In the Mona Lisa painting, da Vinci manipulates the woman’s mouth into a sly grin. This small but remarkable detail suggests that this Renaissance woman had a mysterious and enigmatic personality, which was an uncommon representation during this time.
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Neoclassicism
Neglecting its art predecessors Baroque and Rococo, Neoclassicism implemented a realistic depiction of life. So, rather than painting with rose-colored glasses on, these artists urged to illustrate knowledge with reason.
When a new art form surfaces, artists may undermine previous styles and genres, or even try to add their own flare to other works. To be frank, art shouldn’t have many restrictions. Artists should have the freedom to reap any style. But many Neoclassicist artists fought to erase art that they did not deem rational like the two previously mentioned. This new movement impacted not only art but society as well. The French Revolution was sobering and Neoclassical art mirrored that.
Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David
Romanticism
Ironically, the next genre to enter the art domain was Romanticism, which fell further from Neoclassical’s rational approach and expressed melodrama and sensationalism.
The Age of Reason attitude was pushed to the side, allowing room for encouragement, emotion and ideation. Art does inspire art in many ways. In this case, Romanticism sparked insurgence.
“Romanticism is precisely situated neither in choice of subject nor exact truth, but in the way of feeling” — French poet Charles Baudelaire.
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog: Caspar David Friedrich – The Kunsthalle (Hamburg)
Academic
This movement condemned creative liberties, dictating nearly every aspect of the piece. I wrote that art shouldn’t have many restrictions, but during the Academism period, artists adhered to strict, conventional formulas taught at the French Academy of Fine Arts, or Academie des Beaux-Arts and other European institutions. Academic art professionals, critics and teachers during this time would probably laugh at the phrase, “anyone can be anything.” If you weren’t already prestigious at the craft or didn’t know someone who could pull strings, then being part of the academic movement was probably not in the cards for you.
The Shepherdess by William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
Symbolism
Let’s travel to the beginning of the 20th century, when art spiraled into daunting images of skulled faces, morbid death, and immoral spirits. This work is comparable to Romanticism. Both intend to capture emotion, but they do so in wildly different ways.
In a literature or art class, you may have been asked, “What is the deeper meaning?” On a few occasions, perhaps you could not find the depth in someone’s work. Well, if it wasn’t painstakingly obvious by the title, every single speck of symbolist art is meant to be symbolic and meaningful.
The image below shows death taking the soul of a grave digger. This symbolizes how death creeps up and can take one’s life at any moment.
The Death of the Grave Digger by Carlos Schwabe
Expressionism
Taking a page from Symbolist art, Expressionism was also full of dark disturbances. One characteristic that separates these artforms, is the use of unconventional human appearances. In “The Death of the Grave Digger,” death is portrayed by a beautiful slender woman. If an Expressionist artist were to remake that painting, the soul-taker would look more haggard and disfigured.
Cardplaying by Otto Dix
Abstract
In 1910, this type of art resurfaced with a new name to account for prehistoric drawings like religious symbols and various shapes carved into stone. Of course, these artists had access to more than just knives and stone, as well as loads of knowledge from past creators.
Impersonal shapes, figures and colors decorated the canvases, lacking a clear subject.
Composition 5 (1911) by Vassily Kandinsky
Contemporary Art
Abstract, surrealism, photorealism, pop art, conceptualism, minimalism, street art — these are just some styles that fall under contemporary, or present-day art.
All artists create in their own distinct way. At Shuffled Ink, we manufacture custom products like playing cards, games and tarot. This allows our client innovators to design without limits.
In October, to reach out to more artists in the card community, we hosted a Card Art contest. The idea was to promote originality in one’s craft. Its structure intentionally resembled the canvases our contestants would be drawing on — blank and open for opportunity.
During our month-long competition, we received hundreds of submissions from insanely talented artists. After learning a bit about these art movements, it may be easier to group these artists into certain categories.
Featured below are some pieces entered to #ShuffledInkArt on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
As long as there are thoughts, ideas and talented hands, art will continue to evolve. We can’t wait to see what’s to come.
Shuffled Ink specializes in printing customized playing cards and games as well as tarot & flash cards for business, personal, promotional, advertising, and/or marketing purposes.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
A tarot spread is designed for nearly anything: guiding one’s love life, career path and uncertainties… there are even ones that align nicely with Halloween. So, while the world has been undeniably spooky since March 2020, let’s not press the snooze button on such a thrilling time of year!
With Halloween in mind, we designed three spreads for you to incorporate into this Fall’s tarot card reading routine!
1. The 6s
This spread revolves around the number six. 6 cards, questions and rows (1 column). A number, title and open-ended question is assigned to each card.
The Tarot Spread:
(1) Monster Mash: How do you interact with others during social settings?
(2) The Seer: What magic (passions) do you tap into daily?
(3) Pumpkin Patch: How do you feel about the choices you have made?
(4) Costume: When do you resort to putting on a façade?
(5) To the Bone: Are you in-touch with your mind, body and soul?
(6) Kindled Spirit: What is your relationship with love like (whether romantic or platonic)?
2. Hallow v. Hollow
In this spread, determine whether the presented statement is hallow orhollow to you. The Major Arcana, which consists of 22 cards, is suggested.
Hallow: to respect greatly
Hollow: without significance
It’s up to you whether to use these exact statements or pose your own. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer, as the Hallow v. Hollow spread is designed to discover who you are.
The Tarot Spread:
(0) The Fool: Explore new paths.
(1) The Magician: If the opportunity is presented, strive toward the aspiration(s).
(2) The High Priestess: Listen to your instincts.
(3) The Empress: Build a family of your own (if you do not have children). Fulfill your nurturing side (if you do have children).
(4) The Emperor: Cut yourself slack when in pain mentally or physically.
(5) The Hierophant: Commitment to your partner.
(6) The Lovers: Use integrity to follow-through with decisions, regardless of difficulty.
(7) The Chariot: Positive relationships with work colleagues and employer(s).
(8) Strength: Prevail during dark moments and return stronger.
(9) The Hermit: Ensure time alone without completely withdrawing.
(10) Wheel of Fortune: Respect and kindness toward those around you (strangers, employees, employer, peers, family, friends, etc.).
(11) Justice: Learn from your trials and tribulations.
(12) The Hanged Man: Seek change when unhappy.
(13) Death: Allow yourself to mourn the loss of a loved one, a dream, a friendship/relationship
(14) Temperance: Pursue tranquility through breathing exercises, yoga, sleep, etc.
(15) The Devil: Weigh all options even when overwhelmed with making decisions.
(16) The Tower: Help others around you when an unprecedented event occurs.
(17) The Star: Allow past negativity to follow once you’ve turned over a new leaf.
(18) The Moon: Once you wake up, write down the dreams you just had.
(19) The Sun: Read or learn about enlightenment so it can be fully sought.
(20) Judgement: How others perceive you, whether accurate or not.
(21) The World: Share your experiences and hardships with others to raise awareness.
Arrange the cards to your liking.
3. Full Moon Scorpio
If you research the Full Moon Scorpio, you’ll find that many interpret the spread differently. But this isn’t to say that one spread is more accurate than the other. Ultimately, with any spread, it is up to you to decide how many cards to use and what questions will be prompted.
We’ve chosen this spread for a couple of reasons. First, on Oct. 31, 2020, it is predicted that a full moon will illuminate the night sky…and second, the astrological sign, Scorpio (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) coincides with Halloween.
You can use this spread directly, as a guide or disregard it completely.
According to astrologers, the Earth’s gravitational pull, which influences many components in our world, is responsible for your personality, or zodiac sign. So, it is unsurprising that many people believe that a Full Moon can alter your behavior, mood and disposition. To provide some Scorpio-sign insight, the attributes include being curious without limits, trustworthy, devoted, persistent and strategic.
The Tarot Spread:
8 Cards to recognize Scorpio as the eighth astrological sign
5 Questions / Reflections to represent the number of attributes listed
How are you balancing various parts of your life?
What are your career goals?
Do you feel a difference in your mood as the full moon approaches this year?
Where do you stand with family members?
Reflect on your openness toward others.
Layout: 2 rows, 4 columns
Design the Cards and Spread
Whether the spread you use is original or taken from our suggestions, consider sharing your insight and knowledge with a custom-designed tarot deck. The options are unlimited: Choose and create your own personal designs, card size, number of cards, instructions, booklets or any custom-printed accessories and packaging.
Print artwork that caters to the spooky holiday or any style. To spark some creativity, here are some tarot and oracle cards created by our awesome clients.
Shuffled Ink specializes in printing customized playing cards and games as well as tarot & flash cards for business, personal, promotional, advertising, and/or marketing purposes.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk
Political playing cards were created during the 17th century by artists who wanted to convey specific messages through art. They put well-known figures in the hot seat, bringing attention to presidential candidates, members of congress, war generals, parliament and more.
These cards are fairly similar to political cartoons. Both use satire to illustrate politicians, public figures and worldly happenings. The portraits, which are still produced today, address newsworthy topics in an artistic and entertaining way.
So, since 2020 is a presidential election year, now is the perfect time for a playing card history lesson. Let’s explore how these illustrations and messages have changed over the years.
Knavery of the Rump (1679)
In 1679, artist Francis Barlow designed playing cards to characterize Oliver Cromwell’s Government. As the head of state in the Commonwealth of England, Cromwell fought to remove the monarch from power.
The 10 of clubs reveals Cromwell’s imbalance between his faith and morals. The card reads, Oliver seeking God while the K. (Don Hafelrigg K) is murdered by his order.
The Head
This infamous fact shows some perspective on the people’s perception of Cromwell — a couple of years after his death, those who supported the monarch dug up his grave, detached his head from his body and displayed it outside of Westminster Hall on top of a pole. It remained there for 28 years.
French Republic Playing Cards (1793-1794)
For obvious reasons, Liberal Republicans from France completely revamped their playing card deck in 1793. The rule of law, which suggests that no one is above the law, and the French Revolution, inspired the Revolutionnaire playing cards above.
Since the French Revolution ultimately ended the monarchy, traditional court cards didn’t seem appropriate anymore. The Kings, Queens and Jacks were replaced by Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. This holy trinity continues to act as an important part of their national heritage. The “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité” motto was even written into the constitution in 1958.
Army & Navy Deck (1865)
Including text is not a necessity on political playing cards. Most of the time, when done properly, an illustration can successfully deliver the message on its own.
In 1865, artist Andrew Dougherty commemorated the switch from wooden to ironclad warships through playing cards. The King, Queen and Jack court cards display caricature-like drawings of civil war naval members. These cards show the new iron ships in action as well as soldiers yielding rifle-muskets during the Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack in 1862.
Anti-Religions Propaganda Deck (1931)
In 1931, Russian authorities created these playing cards to push their anti-religion agenda. The Joker card directly above quickly sums up the USSR’s motives. The winged man symbolizes capitalism and the kneeling figures are the four religions. The suits depict each religion as well: Clubs for Eastern Orthodox; Hearts for Roman Catholicism; Spades for Buddhism; Diamonds for Judaism.
These drawings suggest that the Russians wanted their citizens to see religion as skewed and untrustworthy. This radiates propaganda, instilling the message that all respected religious figures are not as moral as they appear.
The King of Diamonds features a rabbi reading the Torah while also engrossed by money. The Queen of Clubs shows an Eastern Orthodox nun with a man in the background. This insinuates that the woman finds him desirable despite her loyalty to God. The Jack of Hearts illustrates a Roman Catholic priest wrongfully thinking lustful thoughts amid a prayer.
Atouts de la Vie Card Game (1940)
During WWII, Madame Lucien Willemetz designed various card games. She is well-known for creating the educational board game Le Jeu de l’histoire de la France as well as the wartime card game Atouts de la Vie.
This card game emphasizes work ethic, honor, discipline, etc. Ironically, the French government did not adhere to the principles they so desperately sought to instill in their citizens. Nevertheless, the object of the game is to collect all ten virtues.
NEWS & ART
Connecting news and art through playing cards is such an innovative way to tell a story. 2020 has certainly been jam-packed with activity. So, if you’re looking to create custom cards similar to the ones above, then find a person who or an idea that is important to you and illustrate it onto any playing card product.
Some of our clients, including our own company, created COVID-19 decks at the start of quarantine. These decks are informative and capture the pandemic in all its uncertainties. You think it, we print it.
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on the custom request a quote form.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
This October, all artists are welcome to share their passion for art in Drawtober. This community-driven Instagram competition promotes originality within every creative medium. While there are very few (if any) strict rules, participants must incorporate the theme, Harvest Festival, into each design.
Hosted by Timothy Von Rueden, the inclusive art challenge starts on Oct. 1 and naturally closes after Halloween night. Below is the Drawtober 2020 calendar, which presents this year’s 6 prompts: Carvings, Wicked Apothecary, Midnight Feast, Folklore, Ancient Rituals and Harvest Festival.
We encourage our incredible client creators at Shuffled Ink to submit your talented artwork to the contest with the hashtag #DRAWTOBER2020. Perhaps the fall-inspired designs will spark several concepts for your next custom card projects!
Submit ANY design (whether you created it for Drawtober or not) by using the hashtag #ShuffledInkArt or tag us @ShuffledInk on Instagram. The winner will receive 10 FREE decks with that artwork on a standard 54-card deck of poker-sized cards with custom card backs and standard faces. We are excited to see your awesome art!
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Flash Cards at: ShuffledInk
The Nintendo Company is a dominating force in consumer electronics, but what you may not know is it started out selling handpainted playing cards. Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo Koppai in the late 1800s, manufacturing Hanafuda, also known as flower cards.
The column on the far right represents the first month. Analyze from the bottom-up; the months are in order from right to left.
Used for gambling purposes and to play the Japanese Flower Game.
The 131-Year History
The Japanese government was against any Western influence, so in the early 17th century, they banned all playing cards and games that symbolized the culture. Yamauchi ended up successfully manufacturing the Japanese-inspired playing cards featured above. He worked around the restrictions by replacing the traditional Western-style suits, court figures and numbers with scenic nature landscapes. But the ban did not last forever. Once repealed on the cusp of the 1900s, Yamauchi established the Nintendo Playing Card Company. He continued to manufacture Hanafuda cards but added European-designed card products to the mix.
On top of the tech consoles like the Nintendo Switch and Mario video games, Nintendo still creates playing cards to pay tribute to its roots.
Our Story
No matter what industry you’re in, redefining your products to keep up with the times is perfectly practical. In 1999, Shuffled Ink’s first product was the Super Deck, which came with a map and a deck of cards that included discounts and coupons for attractions, dinner shows, restaurants, shopping and golf & recreation. We marketed this product to Orlando hotels until 2006 when we reconstructed the company’s vision and became a custom game manufacturer. Today, we produce top-quality custom printed playing cards, customized card and board games, personalized tarot and flash cards and more! While Nintendo’s reach is on a larger scale than our family-owned company, the principle remains. Innovation is key.
Create Your Own
The playing card decks we all know and love are custom products, so who’s to say that you can’t create an iconic deck that’s similar to the Hanafuda cards? At Shuffled Ink, we have a vast amount of resources available. Not only is our graphics team by your side throughout the entire design process, but your artwork and colors will remain in its original form when printed onto our well-crafted card stock. Feeling inspired yet? Request a quote and get started on your special card project today!
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
For obvious reasons, Liberal Republicans from France completely revamped their playing card deck in 1793. The 
