[VISUAL RESEARCH] PLAY CARDS

I did research on some existing play cards. I found out that there are many different styles and the styles tend to provide a better experience for their particular target audience. Designers make good use of colours and shapes and the style of illustrations to create the best combination of hierarchy. They branded different sets of play cards with the best aesthetic that suits the usage and functions of the deck. Some targets children, some targets young people, some are suitable for everyone to use. I realised that no matter how different the styles are, they will never affect the functions of the cards and will never distract the content with their designs. This is a really important point to think of when I design my set of cards. I should not overuse decorative elements and distract audience from reading the text on each card. 

*bold italic-ed points are the ones I think is suitable and applicable for my design outcome*

MINIMAL

• user- friendly trend 
• Clarity
• Expressive visual hierarchy
• High attention to proportions and composition
• Functionality of every element
• Big amount of spare space
• High attention ratio to core details
• Typography as a significant design element
• Eliminating non-functional decorative elements
• simplicity
• flat design 

1.

2. 

• shapes and lines
• white and red 
• maximum 2 colours 
• thin fonts
• good use of white space to create hierarchy 

CLEAN [TAROT]

• no colour
• serif font to make it look less modern 

ILLSUTRATIVE
1.

• hand drawn illustrations 
• bright colours 
• no words, text 
• use only drawings to show meaning 
• childish, kid-like

 2.

• tbh I love this style so muchhhhh
• simple illustrations 
• using the theme of myths and bedtime stories 
• large variety of colours used, but. still of the same colour tone to create consistency 
• hand written words to fit the theme and the drawings 

GEOMETRIC
1.

• only yellow and blue, but with different shades to make it less dull and flat
• boxy fonts to fit the geometric style 
• good use of white to lessen down the colours, make it cleaner 

2. [TAROT]

• gradient makes it look modern and stylish 
• add depth to design 
• used white to section text 

BOLD AND STRAIGHT FORWARD
1.

• crowded text 
• simple colours as background (primary colours?) 
• simple illustration to describe the content 
• good use of colour contrast, bnw vs bright colours 
• used black only on the outer package, bright colours no the inside (surprising) 

2. 

• love the typography and how text are placed in a overwhelming way 
• bold and strong 
• contrast between front and back of a card (surprising) 
• big contrast on colours used in front and back of each card
• creates a different emotion among the player who is holding the card and other players who can only see the back of the card 
• arouse curiosity 

REAL IMAGES/ PHOTOS
1. [TAROT]

• good quality photoshoot 
• would like to try this so bad, but time won't allow and I will need to rent a studio for the photoshoot
• only one colour tone on one card 
• photo speaks itself  
• with few words to describe the content 

2. [TAROT]

• photo collage 
• yellow and blue only to add depth 
• desaturated photographs