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
There are some super cool ways for displaying playing cards. Some very fine accessories are available for this, such as the popular carat case.But my personal favourite is something so special, that I can’t even touch the cards. It’s called an impossible bottle, and it looks just like this:
Mine was given to me as a gift by a person who makes these. It’s a prized item in my collection, even though I can’t even get at the cards inside. After all, they’re completely encased in glass, and the neck of the bottle is literally too narrow to get them out, without making a total wreck of the tuck box and of the playing cards. I suppose I could put a sign on it that says “break glass in case of emergency” in case I’m ever get shuffling withdrawal symptoms and need to get a deck into my hands in a hurry. But quite honestly, I’d rather have this deck on display permanently, even though I know I’ll never touch those cards again.So is this really possible? Well you can see for yourself what it says on the tag: “Anything is Possible“. The fact is that the deck is inside. You’ll have to take my word for it, but I can assure you that the deck genuinely has all 52 cards inside. My deck is even still sealed close with its custom seal. Some of these impossible bottles also come with the deck in shrink-wrap. This fantastic eye-catching souvenir is the ideal gift for the playing card enthusiast, and it’s enough to make your head explode! How on earth is this outcome possible? Or in the case of the Earth deck, how literally did Earth get in?I’m here to tell you the secret. Now I realize that the ability to make an impossible bottle is a rare skill. Only a handful of craftsman around the globe know how to make these things, and the method they use is a closely guarded secret. But I’ve been thinking about this very carefully, and I have come up with several ways in which this paradox can be accomplished. Feel free to try any or all of these methods – but at your own risk!
Method 1: Insert the deck. That’s right, just totally ignore the fact that the neck is too small for the tuck box and for the cards. Just put the deck straight into the bottle anyway. This is by far the simplest and easiest method, although it won’t work for everyone. The effectiveness of this technique will depend on the unique combination of gravity and the rotational pull of the earth where you live.Method 2: High speed. Are you sceptical about the first method? Well then here’s the answer for you: just add speed. In other words, just shove that deck through the neck, straight into the bottle. Do it fast. Really, really, really fast. And then wham, suddenly the deck will be inside the bottle, good as new!Method 3: Use water. When you make paper wet, it gets soggy and can change shape. So first you need to soak the deck in water for a long time until it’s soft and malleable. Distilled water seems to work best, because there’s no point in adding other chemicals to mess with things. When the deck is soft and malleable, squeeze and contort it into whatever shape is necessary to get it through the neck. Apply force if necessary, and don’t worry about what it will look like on the other side. Once you’ve done this, now you just need to let it dry and get it back to its original shape. That’s the easy part, so I’ll leave that to you, and don’t need to go into details for that.Method 4: Molten glass. Who said that the deck has to go inside the bottle? Why not just build the bottle around the deck instead – that’s much easier. The process here is very simple. Just start with two halves of a glass bottle, and apply heat to fuse them together. I’ve found that an oxy-acetylene torch works well for this purpose. You just have to be a bit careful that you don’t incinerate the whole deck in the process. And it will take some practice to master this technique, and you can expect to “burn” through a few decks (literally) before you’re able to restore the glass so it looks like it was never in two parts to begin with.Method 5: Shrinking glass. With this method, you start with a much larger glass bottle, one that has a neck that the deck easily fits through. After the deck is inside the bottle, simply shrink the bottle around the deck. I’ve found that a microwave can work quite well to accomplish this, but it only seems to work if you reverse the power supply first, and live in a country with a minimum of a 240V power supply with semi-alternating current. One glitch that can happen with this method is that the deck itself sometimes shrinks as well. In this case you end up with a mini-deck in a bottle, which doesn’t look nearly as impressive.Method 6: Power of the mind. Many people will tell you that human limitations are just a matter of the mind, and they’re right. Real limitations don’t actually exist, so there’s no need to stick to them. Simply convince yourself that the ability to pass one object through another is merely an artificial and arbitrary mental limit, imposed on you from childhood, through learned behaviour. It’s time to ignore that limitation, and believe that it’s really possible to pass one object through another. Once you’re a complete believer, then you can totally do it.Method 7: Illusion. Another method is actually not to use any deck at all. Using mirrors, and tiny lasers powered by near-invisible batteries drilled onto the inside of the cork lid, you create the holographic illusion that there is a deck inside the bottle. This makes use of total internal reflection and refraction techniques that were recently pioneered by scientists in Russia, so you’ll need some knowledge of physics (knowledge of the Russian language also helps, to help following the instructions). With the right supplies, the illusion is extremely convincing, even when viewed from different angles. The real challenge is to also give the illusion of weight inside the bottle, but I don’t want to give away everything, and I’m sure you’ll easily figure out that part for yourself.Method 8: Internal manufacturing. Instead of making and printing the deck outside the bottle, simply do the entire manufacturing process inside the bottle. It’s quite easy really, and you just need the right equipment, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding what you need on eBay. You just start with raw paper pulp, and press it into thin rectangular strips of card, print the cards, and wrap a tuck box around it. The real challenge with this method is to get both sides of the cards printed evenly, because often the borders get misaligned. It can also be quite challenging to add embossing or foil to the tuck box using this technique.Method 9: Pure magic. I saw this done in a Harry Potter movie, so I’m pretty confident it should work as a reliable method with playing cards too. Start with a bottle containing another impossible object, like a ship. You should be able to buy a ship in a bottle quite cheaply on eBay. Then it’s a simple matter to cast a spell on the ship, and turn it into a deck of cards. Voila, like magic, you now have an impossible bottle with a deck of cards inside! Of course if you don’t say the right words, there is a chance the ship might turn into your pet dog Rex instead – which can be annoying, because not all dog biscuits fit through the neck of the bottle. So do be careful if you try this method, lest the ship turn into something dangerous or undesired, or lest you turn a family member into a deck of cards by mistake.Method 10: Cut-and-Restore. Even if you don’t believe in real magic, there are lots of ways to cut and restore objects. Magicians do this all the time with rope, for example, and we all know that it’s just a trick. It looks like magic, but in fact what actually happens is that they just cut something and then restore it again with secret knots or special glues. You can apply the same technique to a deck of playing cards. You simply cut the deck into tiny cube shaped pieces, ideally equal in size. You then carefully super-glue them back together inside the bottle. Just be sure to put them together in the right configuration, because it can be embarrassing to put a front piece of a deck onto the back by mistake, naturally making the whole method rather obvious to everyone.Method 11: Electromagnetism. This method does require some equipment that not everyone will have available. You also need to use paper stock with magnetic qualities, and that requires a deck printed in a factory that uses electro-aligned magnetic rollers. This manufacturing process is used by select printers, but not by the United States Playing Card Company, due to strict US laws governing imports. But with this method, you use powerful electromagnets on both sides of the deck, in a bilateral configuration in order to compress the deck, making it much smaller than it really is. With the deck now in a mini-size, it is an easy matter to put it into the bottle. Then you turn off the electromagnets, and the deck returns to its regular size. Presto – deck inside bottle!Method 12: Cheap deck. Another way to make an impossible bottle is to start with a very cheap deck nicely inside a bottle, tuck box and all. You then glue thin layers of paper onto the tuck box, to make it look like it’s actually a much higher end tuck box. The only thing that I don’t really like about this method is that it makes you feel dirty inside. In your heart of hearts you know that the deck inside the bottle is really just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and so true craftsmen frown on this technique. Basically if you use this method, you can’t expect to sleep with a clear conscience at night. ,Method 13: Cheat. I actually haven’t figured out this last method entirely yet, but apparently it involves cheating somehow. And I’m not good at cheating, as everyone who plays card games with me knows. Maybe I should just stick to playing card games instead of making impossible bottles? At any rate, I’ll have to leave you to figure out the other parts of this method yourself.Well, I think I’ve given you enough ideas for you to get started with making your own impossible bottle. Of course if you’re lazy, just buy one for yourself. Or better yet, be like me, and find a friend or relative willing to make or buy you one!
Where to get them? An impossible bottle like mine doesn’t come cheap, but they are available from BuyWorthy here (note: we have no affiliation with them).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
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
Our clients’ custom cards serve a unique and clear purpose. They create decks to raise awareness and educate, market their artwork, celebrate milestones and so on. With Shuffled Ink, the creative playing field is vast because there isn’t a cap on personalization options.So, if you’re looking to create a deck of cards with a distinct purpose, then feel free to follow our 4-step design guide. In this article, you’ll find helpful suggestions and strategies as well as examples of our clients’ custom card products.
1. The Purpose
Staying ahead of the game means constantly implementing new initiatives. If you’re a professional seeking to promote and market your brand or logo, an artist looking to use tarot cards as a canvas, or a card game designer working to crush your Kickstarter goal, then Shuffled Ink is best suited to bring your vision to reality.So, let’s run through the basics.Marketing 101
Who is your target audience?
What is the message/purpose?
How will you promote this campaign?
All three steps are extremely critical, especially if you’re designing custom cards for marketing, branding, promoting, client gifts, sales leads, trade shows, etc. It’s essential to nail down each of these steps, for example, you can easily craft an excellent message but misinterpret who the target audience is.
2. Choose Your Custom Product
We are positive that our dedicated service and graphics team will suit your needs and help cultivate your message. One of the fantastic parts about creating with us is that any product you choose is entirely customizable, so you make the rules. While Shuffled Ink provides the blank canvas, you are the artist — paint anything you like and in any color(s).Here are our products:
We have a variety of clients with bold visions for their playing card decks. Here are some messages that are often pursued:
Bringing Awareness: Speak to others through art. Many creators use playing cards to bring awareness to various subjects like saving endangered species and our ecosystems, portraying history, etc.
Promoting Brand/Company: Our clients also choose to print their company emblem, website and/or social media links on their deck of playing cards. This may seem like a simple act, but the impact is tremendous. Now, every single person who interacts with your playing card deck will have access to your supplementary content.
Merchandise: Selling or handing out company merch is a fantastic way to manifest your message into clients’ minds.
EXAMPLES:These illustrations by Give Me a Brief, raise awareness for our planet’s most endangered species.
This deck was printed for both gaming purposes and to raise awareness about the Spotted Lanternfly invading our ecosystem.
Astrodog Media is a Video Production Agency known for crafting high-quality videos and other digital media for businesses, agencies, and brands. The custom faces include different types of dogs floating in space and the backs show the logo.
The SD Office of Highway Safety designed custom playing cards to emphasize the importance of safe driving. Their message is clear: Beat Death. Don’t Cheat it. Instead of including tips and strategies, they let the artwork do all the talking. Each face card includes a reaper-like creature to instill the lurking reality that if you drive recklessly, death may be around the corner.
Flash Cards
If your purpose relates to teaching or training a certain skill, then flash cards are the route to go. Our endless custom options are perfect for educational cards since every person has a different way of teaching and learning. Basically, you dream it, we print it!
Train Employees: Creating PowerPoint presentations are not always an effective route for some business settings. These training flash cards encourage time management, communication skills, risk management, etc. It also reiterates the expectations that employers have for their employees and vice versa.
Teach Interview Skills: It’s never too early or late to start prepping for an interview, which is why there will always be a consumer for this custom card product. Whether it’s their very first one or their hundredth, it’s important to cultivate how they are going to present themselves to a potential employer. Putting one’s best foot forward means that they aren’t reading off a script and studying the basic interview talking points. Rather, they are prepared for the most difficult questions.
Learn a Language: Our clients are constantly setting the bar to new heights. An age-old skill like learning a new language can be interactive and exciting when you implement both visual and auditory elements. Our suggestion is to set your purpose apart from all others. Go against the grain and introduce a new way to learn a language. Consumers are always looking to try new things and if they like what they experience, then word will spread, and you’ll gain more clients.
EXAMPLES:These flash cards are for training purposes in a work environment.
This ultimate Interview Survival Kit includes over 50 tips & strategies to help secure your dream job.
These audio-enhanced flash cards, known as Linguacious are geared toward children. An image of the designated word is displayed with a QR code. Upon scanning the code with your phone, you will hear the pronunciation of the word in the targeted language. Here is a visual of the fronts- and backs- of these game-based vocabulary flash cards.
Card Games/Board Games
The overall purpose of card and board games is to entertain, but there’s obviously more to it than just that. If you’re looking to create a custom card game, the message should be locked down and clearly stated. A card game has a lot of different moving parts before it’s printed.
Identify the theme: Having a distinct, unique and fun game will help set yourself apart from other game makers. Right now, you probably have an idea of what the game will be about. For example, will it feature zombies, robots and aliens? Or does it follow a question/answer format (similar to Cards Against Humanity)?
Establish the Rules: This is the fun part! You are the all-knowing creator who is bringing this game to life. But make sure to keep your game’s purpose in mind at all times. You don’t want to stray away from the designated message you’re trying to relay.
Graphic Design & Game Pieces: Customize your game to your heart’s content, including but not limited to the card size, card stock, number of cards, spinners and dice, booklets, instructions and game tokens.
“Some write books to be remembered. Long after you are gone, you will be remembered for the game you have made. So pour your heart out and make a great game…”True Frenemies Board Game Creator, Derek White.
Elephant in the Room Card Game. Players use the white cards to disclose whether they personally agree or disagree with the statement or not.
Tarot & Oracle Cards
If you’re passionate about sharing your knowledge and insight through tarot and oracle cards, let our team print your custom designs. Our clients use tarot to reimagine the world. These pieces are not only eye-catching but the meanings behind each one are equally enticing.
Reinvent: Tarot has an extensive amount of history. Some clients enjoy reproducing decks that are decades old. This allows new tarot designers to reflect on the past and remember where the art form originated.
Readings: Tarot and oracle readings can become quite deep and personal, so consider adding your own original designs to the deck.
Market Art: If your art fits well in the spiritual realm, market using tarot or oracle cards. These decks include however many cards you desire, which allows for an endless supply of art concepts to dabble in.
Nicolas Conver’s 1760 tarot deck was faithfully reproduced by one of our clients for the purpose of restoring history. The deck is also available for purchase.
Make the mundane magical with custom oracle cards. This deck holds 36 allegorical messages to inspire your inner self.
The Wayhome tarot deck by Everyday Magic features images that weave in the magic of the mundane and imbue them with an enchantment that asks us to look a bit harder.
3. Exposure
We’ve found that online exposure is key to relay your brand’s purpose with custom card products. Simply being active on social media is a beneficial form of marketing.Over the past couple of years, we have used social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to market our custom cards. Recently, we started posting content on LinkedIn, which is an incredible site for companies and individuals alike to network and craft a professional message.
4. Client Product Shop
Once your cards are printed (even if we didn’t manufacture your product), you have the option to become a member of our Client Shop.
INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY YOUR SALES: Shuffled Ink’s goal is to invest in and cultivate a tight-knit community for our clients to feel comfortable marketing, promoting and selling their custom products. Many alternative online marketplaces charge significant referrals, percent of the sale and other exorbitant fees. This is not our approach! We truly believe that we will achieve our greatest success, by directly partnering and investing in our clients’ success.
MEDIA PROMOS: Most e-commerce sites will put your product live on their site and leave it collecting dust. That is not our mindset. Our goal is to actively communicate with you to ensure your message is heard. We will work alongside you to market, promote and sell your custom products on our media platforms. Prior to publishing content, we work with you to perfectly cultivate your desired message.
Here are a few examples of how we promote our clients’ products on our social media (whether available in our shop or not).
Contact us to become a member of our Client Shop or for general information about our products.
Custom Cards with a Purpose
We’re more than happy to chat with you about any and all of your ideas. Our purpose is to assist you. When you choose us to print your products, all hands are on deck. After all, your success is our success.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
● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Flash Cards at: ShuffledInk
Thomas Bowles established his printing shop in the late 17th century. He not only dominated the London market well into the next century but also bred four generations of printmakers. The Bowles family specialized in maps, guidebooks and topographical prints as well as produced some playing cards and games.In 1714, shortly before Thomas’ demise, he passed the business to his oldest son, Thomas II. He followed in his father’s footsteps as a successful printseller and publisher, opening a shop in St. Paul’s Churchyard. His younger brother, John, managed his own shop as well, creating original map designs for clients.John’s son, Carington, worked alongside him for ten years as John Bowles & Son. Thomas II’s son, Thomas III, was destined to follow in the same path but, unfortunately, died the same year he joined the partnership. In 1767, Carington’s son, Henry Carington Bowles, took over the family business.In this article, we will look at playing card decks and illustrations as well as games printed, published and sold by the Bowles family.
South Sea Bubble & Mississippi Scheme Decks (1721)
Printing satirical pieces were the Bowles’ niche. The Beggar’s Opera, written by poet John Gay, parodies various Italian work. It also implements comedy and political satire in songs set to contemporary and traditional English, Irish, Scottish, and French tunes. These cards, published by John Bowles, mirror the music and lyrics from Gay’s opera. The sheet music shares the same space as the court figures. The faces are in the upper left-hand corner of the playing cards.
The Spendthrift (1760-1767)
This is not playing card art, but it does portray a young man’s experience with gambling and gaming. The illustration shows a deck of sprawled out playing cards and an empty glass sitting on the table. It is assumed that he lost a great sum of money during a poker-related game. Carington Bowles published this print.
Bowles’ Geographical Game of the World
Henry Carington Bowles created a game for players to gain knowledge about various parts of the world. Published in the late 1700s, the board game embodies Western Christian views on the world. The period speaks volumes. One of the game’s punishments is to move backward if you land on Mecca. Players spin a teetotum (spinning dice) to move their markers around the map game.
Bowles’ Geographical Game of the World Game Board
Bowles’s Geographical Game of the World, case front
Shuffled Ink resembles the Bowles’ business in some ways. We are also a family-owned printing company. Founder Charles Levin started the custom playing card business in 1999, and today, three of his children work alongside him. Matthew is the Vice President, Lisa is a Project Manager and Jonathan is an Operations Manager. Shuffled Ink specializes in producing decks of custom playing cards, card games and tarot & flash cards for individuals and companies around the world.To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom request a quote form.
There are all kinds of reasons why people collect playing cards, and it can even be a hobby in itself. And why not? People collect all kinds of things, so why not playing cards! Especially given the wonderful and creative designs of the high quality custom decks that are being produced in recent years, they do make the perfect collector’s item.But maybe you’ve got a growing collection of custom playing cards, and you’re wondering what else you can do with all those playing cards. Or perhaps you’ve worn out a deck, and it no longer handles well enough for performing with, so it’s ready for retirement – what do you do with it now?It turns out that there’s a whole lot more you can do with a deck of cards than you might think. Here are a baker’s dozen great ways to get some real mileage out of your playing cards. Some are silly, some are creative, and still others are just mundane – but perhaps you’ll find something here that inspires you!
1. Magic
If you have an interest or background in magic, then you already know this, and it may even be the main reason you own a deck of playing cards in the first place! Every kid growing up should learn at least a few good card tricks, and all you need for that is a decent quality deck of cards, and the help of your public library, or of course the internet and youtube. Any set of playing cards will work, but ideally you want cards that handle well.
2. Cardistry
Cardistry has been defined as “the performance art of card flourishing”, although “juggling with playing cards” is an equally apt description. Many readers have probably heard of cardistry before, but for the doubters, I can assure you that it is a real thing, and it even has a Wikipedia page on the subject here! Cardistry is about doing things like fanning and cutting cards in a creative way and with a high level of skill, thereby turning it into a performance art. Instead of doing ordinary cuts and shuffles, expert cardists are able to do one-handed cuts, complicated shuffles, turnovers, tosses, and catches, in a way that is a beauty to watch. You can even buy decks of playing cards that particularly lend themselves well to cardistry. A good example is the Virtoso deck, which was specifically designed for cardistry, and has a real visual appeal when fanned and flourished. Search for “cardistry” on youtube and you’ll find lots of tutorials to get you going with any deck.
3. Card games
There are many wonderful card games that can be played with a deck of cards, including popular traditional favourites like Bridge, Hearts, Spades, Euchre, Rummy, and Cribbage. And if you like the excitement of gambling style games, there’s Poker, Blackjack, and many more. Besides the traditional favourites you might already know, there are many excellent card games, and in most cases you can learn the rules for free online. The best website on games with playing cards is easily Pagat.com here. Some easy games that I highly recommend trying include Knock Out Whist, Blitz, Scopa, and President, while games like Oh Hell give room for more skill. If you need more suggestions for great card games, check out this list of my personal favourites here. There are some great books on the subject too, with David Parlett’s Penguin Book of Card Games being the most comprehensive – it’s a great resource, and will help put those arguments about rules to rest once and for all!
4. Solitaire games
There’s some terrific solitaire games that you can play on your own with a deck of cards, and it can be a good way to pass the time, or even to enjoy your favourite custom deck of cards. Personal computers have popularized solitaire games like Canfield, Klondike, Freecell, and Spider, but there are many other excellent solitaire games out there. A good place to get started is the Wikipedia page on the subject here. If you’re new to this kind of thing and want to begin with something fairly easy, I’d suggest Golf, Pyramid, or Monte Carlo. For something more challenging, try a fan game like La Belle Lucie, or one of its easier variants (e.g. The Fan, Bristol).
5. Artwork
Many crowdfunding projects for playing cards offer an add-on option to purchase an “uncut sheet”. This is a complete printed sheet showing all the cards in a deck prior to them being cut into playing cards. I never really saw the value of this, but a family member recently bought one of these uncut sheets and put it into a glass frame, and it looks absolutely amazing! Or try making your own with your favourite custom deck. Especially with a creative and artistic deck, putting playing cards on display in this way can turn them into beautiful works of art. These works of art make great decorations to hang on the wall, while also giving a tribute to your passion for playing cards and magic.
6. Bookmarks
A deck of playing cards can make a great supply of bookmarks! Especially if it’s a special custom deck with nice artwork, but is a little too worn for continued official use, why not re-purpose the cards and use them as bookmarks? I’ve often done this, and my playing cards have often found themselves doing wonderful service to keep track of which effect I’m working on in my magic books, or even as a handy marker in a fiction novel I’m reading at the beach or beside the pool. Any custom deck will work, but cards with metallic ink or foil backs make especially classy looking bookmarks!
7. House of Cards
Building a house of cards, or a “card tower”, is not as easy as it looks! Also called “card-stacking”, there’s a Wikipedia page here devoted to this subject too. Bryan Berg (USA) created a world record 72 stories in 1992, and since then has kept and broken this and numerous other related records, including the tallest house of cards, and largest house of cards. In 2010 he built a replica of a hotel, which took 44 days and 218,792 cards (more than 4,000 decks) – it weighed over 250kg, and was 3 metres tall and 10.5 metres long. See a video profile about Bryan here. Some googling will help you find some techniques to improve your card stacking abilities.
8. Polyhedrals
George Hart has some great ideas for using playing cards to create complex polyhedral shapes. You can find out more at his website here, which includes full instructions. A great idea for math class perhaps?
9. Impossible Bottles
Put a deck of cards into a bottle! Wait a moment, you say, that’s impossible! Well, isn’t that why they call it an impossible bottle?! But there are ways to do this, although you may have to dig a little to find the secret. Some Kickstarters offer these as add-on options for purchase with a new deck of cards. Jamie Grant is a well known creator of these, and his impossible bottles typically cost $100-200. So unless you’re really keen, perhaps this is something to the experts. I’m certain there’s only one way to get something into a glass bottle, and that’s through the neck, and it’s a very time-consuming, difficult, and near-impossible job. I know someone who makes these as a hobby, and they are impressive and mystifying to see firsthand, but they do require a lot of effort to create.
10. Card Throwing
Have you ever tried throwing a card? It’s much harder than it sounds, but there are techniques you can learn to throw playing cards long distances and at high speeds. It’s not that difficult to learn the proper grip and method for throwing a card. To get some idea of the basics, head to Wikipedia again here. If you get real good, maybe you can start competing with Rick Smith Jr, who is the world record holder for throwing a playing card 216 feet and 4 inches at a top speed of 92 miles per hour. Seriously! When you’re as good as him, you actually can slice fruit with a playing card! There are several instructional DVDs available that will teach you how to do this kind of thing, but for now you can check out Rick Smith Jr’s tutorial on youtube here. But even if you aren’t ready to start destroying fruit, it’s a lot of fun to try, so I definitely recommend giving card throwing a shot! You can even buy special cards designed for the purpose, like the Banshees deck, which add a “sonic scream” when the cards whip through the air.
11. Fortune telling
One of the oldest forms of fortune-telling is called cartomancy, and uses playing cards. Personally I don’t give it any more credibility than reading palms, tea-leaves, stomach rumbles, or cloud shapes, but it certainly uses playing cards. Many specialty Tarot and Oracle decks exist. But cartomancy can also be done with a standard deck of 52 cards and Jokers as well. While any deck will work, some decks like the KADAR Fortune Playing Cards are especially geared to this purpose, and they work great for magic too.
12. Bicycle Noisemaker
How do you make a bicycle sound like a motorbike? By affixing a playing card to your bike frame with a peg, and having the card flap loudly on the spokes as the wheel turns. Using playing cards to soup up bikes and make them sound like an engine is something that kids have been doing for years – certainly I did it many times in my childhood! Nowadays you can even buy an official product (Turbospoke Classic) to do this. But using a playing card works just as great for kids today as it always has! If you need help figuring out how to do this, head to Instructables here for directions.
13. Emergency Kit
When you’re really stuck, you never know how a playing card might come in handy. Do you have a wobbly table that needs levelling out due to an uneven table leg? Playing cards are perfect to use when you need just a few layers underneath that one table leg to get things straight. Has that steak dinner left something between your teeth at a fancy restaurant? In a pinch, you could even use a playing card as a toothpick, and while it wouldn’t be my first choice for re-purposing a deck of cards, in an emergency it might work! Playing cards to the rescue!
Finally, let’s conclude on another magical note. Some tricks and moves can be brutal on playing cards, and even destroy them. And yet as always, you need to be able to practice these tricks before you’re ready to perform them in public. An old deck of cards is perfect to use for this purpose. Many magicians will put their old decks to good use by “destroying” them as part of their magic practice. The “Mercury Card Fold” and routines involving a “Torn and Restored Card” are just waiting for your old playing cards!Isn’t it great to know that playing cards have such a variety of uses?! So next time someone challenges you about the amount of decks of cards you own, point them to this list. Meanwhile, happy playing with your playing cards!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.
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● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
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Not sure how to start promoting your art? Consider printing 54 of your original designs on a deck of playing cards! With our text, image and card size options, every component of your product is completely customizable.Here are some tips on how to optimize marketing your artwork with our custom cards.
Playing Card Art
1. Personal Branding Your Art
Every creator must establish his/her brand. A personal brand is how an individual’s business is perceived based on actions taken to market product(s) within an industry or a community.This means that your artwork should exemplify what you stand for as an artist. Luckily, the possibilities to create are endless. Your 54-card poker-sized deck comes with two jokers, all of which are customizable.Your card project can feature 54 different art designs, 4 consistent artwork sets for each suit, one illustration set to the card backs and faces, etc. With any idea that comes to mind, we will ensure that your vision comes to fruition.Now, there are more card options to choose from when promoting your artwork. If your art fits well in the spiritual realm, market using tarot or oracle cards. These decks include 78 cards, which allows for an endless supply of art concepts to dabble in.
Tarot Card Art
2. Custom Packaging
Presentation is equally as important as the art you choose to showcase. After all, the card packaging will catch the consumer’s eye first. Just like the card backs and faces, the packaging is completely customizable. Here are our specialty box options:
Custom Two-Part Box
Custom Tuck Box
Post-Consumer Custom Tuck Box
Hard Clear Plastic Case Classic
White Window Tuck Box
white-window-tuck-box
Plastic Banding
plastic-banding
3. Social Media Exposure
Nowadays, social media is among the main tools used in business and personal marketing. If you don’t have a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account, we highly suggest that you create at least one. These platforms are perfect for publicizing your exclusive illustrations and products.We recommend that you include your social media handle(s) or website(s) on the deck of cards. This directs future and current consumers to your supplementary art pieces and collections. Gaining followers on these media sites will only increase website traffic and engagement.
4. E-Commerce Site
Once your art is printed on any of our custom cards, consider establishing an online store to support your product(s). Setting up an e-commerce site makes it easier for clients to purchase your designs, whether they are featured on a deck of cards or canvas.If you aren’t interested in creating your own online platform, Shuffled Ink will lessen the load by selling your card products in our Client Product Shop on Shopify. Even if we didn’t manufacture your product, you’re still able to sell in our shop!Alternative online marketplaces charge significant referral and percent of the sale fees, but this is not our approach. We achieve our greatest success by directly partnering and investing in your success. After all, our motto since 1999 has always been “Your success is our success”.
How It Works?
Our Client Product Shop works in two easy ways:
Purchase bulk inventory for Shuffled Ink to store and sell
On-demand production arrangements that allow you to sell your product without having to purchase bulk inventory
When you opt into our Client Shop program, there are NO:
% of sale or referral fees
setup or service charges
monthly minimums or inventory storage costs
Market Your Art
The sky is the limit when it comes to creativity and customization, which is why we don’t charge fees for extra colors. Whether you prefer a matte, smooth or linen finish, your art will remain in its truest, original form when printed onto our well-crafted card stock.The principles of marketing are constantly changing. So, take advantage of your opportunities and get your art out into the world with our playing card products.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
Poker is often called the national card game of the United States. You’ll find that this household game is played nearly anywhere — in casinos, at home and on the internet. Even Hollywood producers have tried to manifest this popular game of deceit and tension into entertaining blockbuster films.Here are some scenes from movies and tv shows that use poker to drive essential elements like the plot, characters, dialogue and more.
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Paul Newman has acted in numerous films that feature America’s favorite card game. This scene in the movie Cool Hand Luke is known as one of the most accurate portrayals of poker. Newman’s aloof character, Luke, starts off by betting a mere dollar. This gives off a lack of confidence, insinuating that he does not have a good hand. But that is only the beginning of his bluffing skills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEvbUTWKLMc
The Sting (1973)
Set in Chicago during the 1930s, two con men played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford scam mob boss, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw) and acquire a generous amount of money. The showdown between Newman’s and Lonnegan’s character is filled with suspense, tension, and above all, deceit. While poker players lead their opponent astray with his/her stature and expression, Redford actually cheats to win. The deceptive switch occurs between 0:59 and 1:15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=773E6GPll3A
Casino Royale (2006)
If produced effectively, audiences often praise films that incorporate poker into the narrative. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the game, the scene’s atmosphere is often still captivating. Many viewers end up holding their breath in anticipation of how the scene will unfold.Casino Royale stars Daniel Craig as James Bond. The setting takes place at a high-stakes Texas Hold’em tournament. In this scene, 007’s convincing poker face leads his opponent off course.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJtzqqkC6sw
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
This comedy film sheds light on the times when poker games end poorly for the players. Nicholas Cage’s character, Jack Singer, ends up losing $65,000 to a professional gambler and con man (James Caan). Singer’s does, in fact, have a good hand but his fatal downfall is that he bets more money than he actually has. Nonetheless, this is the catalyst for the plot of the movie. To pay off his debt, he allows the con man to take his fiancée on a vacation to Hawaii.
“The One With all the Poker”Poker and its many variants are played quite seriously, which is why Hollywood likes to portray it as such. But there are shows and movies that add comedic relief to the game. In this episode ofFriends, the gang sits down to play poker. The game starts with Phoebe hilariously revealing the cards she needs and Rachel offering up her own.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWsq2sJL7SM
Play Your Cards Right
Whether it’s just for fun or, as Monica Gellar calls it, “serious poker”, our 54-card poker-sized decks are suited for any poker setting. Here are a few features that put us ahead of the game in the custom playing card arena.
Print custom backs and/or faces – same price
Choose standard bridge or poker size – same price
Print 1 or 1 million decks
Pricing starts at $17.60 for a deck of standard cards
Pricing at 5,000 decks starts at $1.61 each
Print 1-4 CMYK colors – same price
Premium and casino cards stock available
Custom sizes are available
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
For centuries, playing cards have used illustrations and text to convey messages. While these attributes continue to serve a purpose with modern-day cards, Augmented Reality is redesigning the way we play card games, use playing cards, and learn new information.AR adds a visual element to enhance a playing card’s function. Images and descriptions may be limited to the types of cards you are trying to create. For example, an AR application will suit decks that showcase demonstrations, athlete highlight reels and trivia/educational games.
The History of Computer-Generated Reality
While AR was not labeled the official term until 1990, the journey to its development was actively tested many years prior. Technology introduced in the 19th century and beyond paved the way for today’s AR and VR devices.AR and VR history dates back to the 1838 Stereoscope. This gadget required a pair of 2D images to create an augmented 3D image. But that was just the beginning. The 1929 Link Trainer Flight Simulator and the 1938 View-Master contributed to future tech advancements. The Trainer simulated airplane movements and the latter allowed users to experience various 3D visuals when peering through a portable stereo lens.During the 1960s, headset designs launched. These consisted of motion-tracking features with the 1961 Headsight and sense simulations with the 1962 Sensorama and Motorcycle Simulator. But the first VR head-mounted display, which hung from the ceiling and presented real-life graphics, was Ivan Sutherland’s the Sword of Damocles.Flash forward to the 21st century, where it’s likely that you have heard of or personally used these AR and VR devices: the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear, Sony’s VR headset and more.
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
The origin of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is clear, but the distinction between the two gets muddled.The main difference that sets them apart is that AR displays a live view of virtually implemented elements. This means that your real-world setting has interacting, layered images present. Now with VR, your environment is not the background. Instead, it transports you to a different “world” that is as real as climbing Mt. Everest or as imaginative as exploring the inside of Hogwarts.
Redefining Playing Cards
AR and VR have changed the way that we use playing cards today. This technology has seeped into our daily lives, impacting our gaming experience, education, etc. Here are some examples of this captivating function for playing cards.
Demonstration Cards: We recently manufactured a deck of cards for a Boy Scout troop in California. This sparked an idea to customize a deck of cards with 52 tips to use during a camping trip. Right now, we are working on adding AR to the mix, where each card will include a digitally demonstrated tip. This is a great hands-on lesson for visual learners. Rather than reading a description and attempting to mirror the practice, this AR experience will be accessible and simple. All you need is an electronic device and the designated card deck.
Trivia Cards: Shuffled Ink is working on implementing AR into your playing card games. Trivia challenges are an entertaining way to test your knowledge of facts about various topics. These trivia cards featured below use video highlight reels to reveal the answer to the printed question. This new wave technology provides the card’s answer through an informative and exciting visual element.
For example, if the question on the card is “What is the common name for the Beatles’ self-titled double LP?” then clip montages and voice-over elements will detail the answer: the White Album. This is an intriguing factor in what a playing card can capture, create and convey.
Augmented Reality in Playing Cards
All of these AR videos fall under a demonstrative and informative category. The AR experience involves more than just pictures and text; we now have video and audio to bring it all to life.About two years ago, we wrote an article on the future of playing cards and what that may look like. Augmented Reality was one of our suspected installments. We are happy to have worked with clients who wish to use the AR element. This has transformed playing card opportunities and added a technological outlet for custom playing cards, card games and flashcards alike.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
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For thousands of years, we have linked playing cards to card tricks, games, gambling and art, but there are also card decks that reflect history.All cultures and societies have their respective innovations, conflicts and hierarchical structures. And during experiences of greatness and despair, some artists depicted historic moments in time and legendary figures onto playing cards.
South Sea Bubble Playing Cards
In 1720, Thomas Carington Bowles created the satirical South Sea Bubble playing cards. Unlike the smooth card stock that we use today, these cards were printed on copper plates. The cards below depict the South Sea stock market’s fleeting boom and ultimate destructive collapse, which led France into an economic crisis. Click on the image to see close-ups of each card.
The Jack of Hearts in this card collection indicates one of many unfortunate financial situations; this one is based on a distraught South Sea woman who has now lost a large quantity of her riches.The caption reads: A South Sea Lady having much improv’d, Her Fortune proudly slighted him the Lov’d, But South Sea falling, sunk her Fortune low, She would have had him then, but he cry’d no.
Playing Card Casino
The first legal casino house surfaced in 1638 Venice: The Ridotto. This enabled others to follow suit. During the 17th century, Louis XIV’s finance minister, Cardinal Mazarin, sought to provide revenue for the royal family, so he transformed the Palace of Versailles into a card-playing casino. The cards below feature French soldiers holding detailed playing card flags toward the sky, most likely to praise and glorify this newfound entertainment source.
Both government-controlled and underground casinos created a vast production of card materials. Soon after the introduction of gaming houses, Great Britain began charging a tax on card manufacturing. This led to the infamous Stamp Act of 1765. The tax implementation created strict rules on any forged printed materials like stamps and cards, resulting in felony charges, and in many cases, death.Stamp Act Excerpts, Playing Card Provisions:And for and upon every pack of playing cards, and all dice, which shall be sold or used within the said colonies and plantations, the several stamp duties following (that is to say)For every pack of such cards, the sum of one shilling.And for every pair of such dice, the sum of ten shillings.
WWII Map Decks
During World War II, prisoners of war used playing card decks to escape from German prison camps. The United States Playing Card Company created card decks that helped at least 32 individuals escape and prompted more than 300 attempts. Once applied with water, the POW would peel back each card to find escape routes. The Escape Map cards will forever illustrate hope and perseverance during a time where danger and uncertainty were prevalent.
The Ace of Spades: Death Cards
Card suits and symbols were printed on more than just decks. During the mid-20th century, the 101st Airborne Division painted the Ace of Spades emblem on their combat helmets for good luck. But in Vietnamese culture, this card symbolizes death, humiliation and suffering.Two U.S. lieutenants decided to take advantage of this superstition by shipping only Ace of Spades decks to Southeast Asia where they scattered them across villages and the jungle. This caused many Viet Cong fighters to flee at the sight of the Death Cards. Even today, the Ace of Spades depicts psychological warfare used during the Vietnam War.
Legendary Figures on the Court Cards
KINGS
Recognizing court cards (King, Queen and Jack) as prominent figures developed long after the establishment of the modern deck. So, in a way, while this “fact” has been debunked, the association is still true.For a period of time, and depending on the country, particular famous figures were assigned to a court card. For example, French and British decks identified their court cards with these four monarchs: Charles VII of France, the Biblical figure David, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.You may have noticed slight variations on face cards: Positioning of swords and hands, medieval attire and crown designs. This is no coincidence.The Suicide King: The King of Hearts features an oddly positioned sword that is piercing the side of his head. Never noticed? Pull out your own deck of cards and look. This is the only King who appears to be stabbing himself in the head with a sword. While the King of Hearts has varied in design throughout the years, there is always one consistency: The act of suicide or harm.
QUEENS
Queen playing cards have many face versions but the most common four figures are Pallas, Judith, Rachel and Argine.The Breakdown:
Queen of Spades: Pallas or Athena; the goddess of strategic war, courage and inspiration in Greek mythology.
Queen of Hearts: Judith; a Biblical figure and heroine
Queen of Diamonds: Rachel; the wife of Biblical figure Jacob
Queen of Clubs: Argine; anagram of Latin name Regina, which means Queen
JACKS
The Jack face card was previously called a Knave, which means male servant. Eventually, they realized that it did not make sense to have two Ks (with the King and Knave) or even a Kn since the first initial is present on the face cards. But even the new term Jack had its flaws. It was originally used in a demeaning manner, aimed toward lower-class people.
Jack of Spades: Hector, a Trojan Prince
Jack of Hearts: La Hire; member of Charles VII’s court and comrade to Joan of Arc)
Jack of Diamonds: Ogier, one of Charlemagne’s Knights
Jack of Clubs: Judah Maccabee, or Lancelot
COVID-19 Pandemic Depicted on Playing Cards
One day, people will be curious about the historic moments we once experienced – both the good and bad. For example, the Coronavirus pandemic has created an entirely new world for us, where we social distance, wear masks and work from home. Undoubtedly there will be recollections and statistics written in history books but playing cards will also be used to tell stories about the past. We created a collection of COVID-19 Playing Cards with the intention of providing helpful virus tips, suggestions, statistics and more. Like the South Sea Bubble cards, these decks will be great for future generations to discover and interpret historical events.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
Pandemic outbreaks are constant threads in human history. These worldwide infectious diseases date back to as early as 165 CE when the Antonine Plague struck the Roman Empire. A curious observation that has recently circulated the internet is the roughly 100-year disease pattern: 1720 Plague; 1817 Cholera; 1918 Spanish Influenza; 2019 Coronavirus.It’s difficult to call these repetitions a simple coincidence, but we won’t go into deep conspiracy theories today. Instead, here’s a list of the various card games, playing card designs and board games created during such unprecedented times.
1720: Bubble Playing Cards
The Great Plague of Marseille hit Western Europe in 1720, taking the lives of nearly 100,000 people in France. While England feared the disease would spread to their own country due to the constant use of Marseille’s ports, they were also dealing with the repercussions of the South Sea Bubble. The South Sea stock market collapsed less than a year after it started to boom.The playing cards featured below satirize the devastating financial crash, detailing both counterfeit and authentic investment trades that ultimately led to the demise of many fortunes. Created and designed by Thomas Carington Bowles, the cards placed both a comical tone on a devastating financial time and helped to subside worries about the disease’s spread.
1817: Durak Card Game
Reports of Cholera can date back to 5th century B.C., but it wasn’t until 1817 that the first Cholera pandemic occurred. Over the course of six years, this disease hit India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Japan and parts of European territories like Russia.The card game Durak became popular in Russia during the 19th century. Its exact origin is unclear, but it can be assumed that this game allowed for a decent distraction while Cholera spread throughout Russia. There are numerous sources that label it as the most popular and well-known card game in Russia. Durak’s objective is to avoid being the last player holding cards and requires a 36-card deck.Durak consists of two types of players: attackers and defenders. A player who leads with the lowest trump card is the first attacker. The player who sits to the left of the attacker is referred to as the first defender. Once a player places a playing card into the middle, an attack is put into place. Defenders will counter this attack by placing a higher-ranking card of the same suit into the middle. Now, if the attacker placed a non-trump suited card into the middle, then a defender simply must play any trump card to beat the card played.If the defender succeeds, then the attacker can try again by playing a card that shares the rank of the previous card played. Once the first attack/defend ends, the player to the left of the attacker makes their move.
https://youtu.be/3JagmUmUJOc
1918: Uncle Wiggily Board Game
Spanish Influenza caused a global pandemic that killed nearly 50 million people. Some of the authoritative measures taken during this 20th-century pandemic mirror our own methods against the Coronavirus. This included quarantining those who were ill, closing schools and enforcing the value of handwashing and wearing masks.Playing card games and board games with one’s family increased in popularity during the 20th century. Two years prior to the outbreak, Milton Bradley Co., an American board game manufacturer, transformed the famous novel, “Uncle Wiggily’s Adventures” by Howard Garis, into a board game. The game’s popularity matched that of the novels’, allowing for the series to come to life in a visually appealing manner. While the game has undergone many changes since its publication, it has reigned in popularity for over a century while also having survived the deadliest pandemic in history.
2019: Our Clients’ Card Designs
For the past seven weeks or so, we have been living in an unfamiliar world. Reality hit home when the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named COVID-19 a pandemic.We encourage both our clients and prospective clients to continue working on their customized game designs. This is the perfect opportunity to take your mind off of the current situation. Consider creating a playing card project that brings enjoyment and entertainment. Here are some incredible products that we have printed for our clients during COVID-19:
We at Shuffled Ink hope that you are staying safe during this pandemic. Our manufacturing facility is fully operational and ready to assist you! Stay safe, and we will get through this together!
● 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!
