1-ON-1: Jason Brumbalow Part One

Something a little different with this 1ON1. 

So a few weeks ago I approached Jason Brumbalow about doing a 1ON1, in the same manner I've approached everyone else who's been kind enough to collaborate with us. We went back and forth on schedules and ended up making an appointment via Skype to discuss what we wanted to do.

From that meeting we came up with a date and time for our "Interview" we felt the easiest way to do this was via Skype once again and I could go back through the conversation and build the "written" piece from there.

A few days later when I started working on the piece I sat there for about 20 minutes pulling bits and pieces out of the video capture and kept getting distracted by the conversation itself. So while the notion of making this a video interview was bantered about, Jason knew it might be a possibility, we really didn't set out to do that. So while this is a bit crude, and not how I would do it in the future, I think the "piece" is much more interesting coming directly from Jason than anything I could have written.

So ignore the guy on the left and I hope you enjoy Part One of our Jason Brumbalow 1ON1



I want to thank Jason for his time and willingness to be a guinea pig on this new format, it's greatly appreciated.

Coming soon Part Two of our Jason Brumbalow 1ON1...stay tuned!

This exclusive 1-on-1 is written by Anthony Ingrassia for kardify. No part of this article can be reproduced without written permission from the author. You can check out Anthony's awesome collection on his Facebook Page Sparkz Collector.

1-ON-1: Jason Brumbalow Part Two

Welcome to Part Two. 

This segment is all about RUN, Jason goes into detail about the inspiration and story behind the deck as well as some 1st looks and availability information.

Enjoy!



Once again I want to thank Jason for his time and collaboration, it was great fun!


This exclusive 1-on-1 is written by Anthony Ingrassia for kardify. No part of this article can be reproduced without written permission from the author. You can check out Anthony's awesome collection on his Facebook Page Sparkz Collector.

News: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Lance T. Miller's Fox Targets Playing Cards

The Fox Targets Playing Cards by Murphy’s Magic Playing Card Company are an exquisite new deck of cards masterfully hand illustrated and digitally remastered by the one and only: Lance T. Miller. Teaming up with art direction from Jason Brumbalow of Murphys Magic, the Fox Targets spring to life with an exciting array of icons and clever minimalism that’s really anything but ordinary. Here’s 5 things you didn’t know about the Fox Targets.

1. The Fox Targets feature over 250 hours of illustration work. Each court card has about 25 hours of illustration and was hand illustrated and then digitally remastered by Lance T. Miller to scale perfectly to the size of the cards.

Here's a glimpse at the process of the art for the Fox Targets. Each court card had over 25 hours with of illustration work and then I digitally remaster each one.

A post shared by Lance T. Miller (@lancetmiller) on Jun 15, 2017 at 9:40pm PDT

2. The decks were printed by Expert Playing Card Company, but were supposed to have been printed by USPCC. Originally the decks and tucks were all designed to be printed out using the standard US Playing Card format. The designs were all sent in and ready to go and at the last minute Lance got a call to change the packaging and card template over to EPCC standards.

3. There is a puzzle built right into the deck! It may take forever to figure it out but Lance says he’s not worried. He says: “I won’t be upset if people don’t figure it out right away or ever for that matter. I wanted to create something that would last throughout time; that people might pick up 25 years from now and still be trying to solve. There are clues buried throughout all of the artwork and the entire deck itself is the puzzle. I almost hope no one ever solves it and that it brings many years of adventure to those endeavor to work on it.”

4. The design is simple yet deceptively magical. Nothing was left to chance in this deck. Some people have reported spotting one-way elements in the design and Lance says that’s the point. “Magicians will know what they can use in this deck. Lay people won’t even suspect the magical devices being used. The deck is not marked, but is designed so that it can easily be marked in a most devious manner. We (Jason and Lance) wanted to put something in a magician’s hands that could be easy to master but devastatingly awesome to witness in action. I can’t wait to see all the things people do with this deck.”

5. This may not be just a one-off production run. Based on the response from the community, there may be other editions with other wicked puzzles and built in magical elements. The courts may even vary slightly as well as the deck color. Whatever happens, it’s exciting to hear that Lance is back in action as one of the world’s premier deck designers.

Available right now from your favorite Murphy’s Magic retailer or from Lance T. Miller’s Website.

At the Table: 7 Question with Lance T. Miller

Its been some time since Lance T. Miller has been "Visible" in the community. The man who brought us the Actuators and Gargoyle decks was assumed to have taken a break from playing cards and designing by many, but the fact of the matter is that Lance has been very busy and involved in the playing card community, just not in his usual way. He's taken a behind the scenes roll in many projects as well as being involved in events like the 1st Annual International Cardistry Open.

I'm sure I'm not alone in being pleasantly surprised when Lance Miller's name attached itself to the Murphy's Magic "At the Table" deck, commemorating Murphy's At the Table On Line lecture series.

So it goes without saying that this new development got me very curious to find out what else Lance has been up to that we may not know about and what's around the corner for him. One quick message and in true Lance T. Miller form he was more than happy to accommodate us with a little of his time to catch up a bit.

Enjoy

You've been a bit "out of the spotlight" in the community for some time, what have you been up to?
I've been working behind the scenes, with some of the best designers and artists, consulting and developing new and exciting projects that the community is sure to love. I also got to work hand in hand with Kardify to bring about the International Cardistry Open. I've collaborated, planned, and executed more than 5 deck projects (yet to release). I've also been studying fiercely. Everything from illustration technique to graphic design, to Spanish language and even a bit of computer programming. I've been way more active in the card scene than a lot of people realize and even if I'm not in the spotlight, I'm always there.

I think many people were pleasantly surprised to find out your involvement with Murphy's Magic "At the Table" deck, could you share how that came to be?
Jason Brumbalow and I have been talking about collaborating for a long time. Last year, we sat down and dreamed up some ideas and went to work. It's been an amazing experience and I'm thankful I get to work with such amazing people.

While the deck is inspired by the Murphy's Magic feature by the same name, what inspired the concept and design?
We wanted to harken back to a simpler era and capture some of the feel of classic casino decks. Workers, ones that could be used readily to perform magic but would also be classy enough to sit down and enjoy some poker. It needed to fit Murphy's aesthetic goals for the At the Table lecture series and have a sleek professional appeal. A clean diamond back pattern utilizing the logo in a typographic pattern and a slight fade on the edges was just the ticket!

The "At the Table" deck is a bit of a departure from the style we're used to seeing, do you find yourself pushing your talent in new directions?
I'm being challenged constantly to push my talent in crazy ways. I'm learning new ways of concepting projects and creating art, design techniques that will blow your mind, and mostly I'm learning to trust my instinct. All of which is really helping to create some really cool projects.

With the success of the Actuators and Gargoyle decks, and now the At the Table deck, has your creative process changed of evolved over time?
It certainly has! I used to sit and fret over whether the community would accept me if I changed a style or tried something different. So I'd almost always find myself creating the same way or getting upset that it didn't feel as full as one of my previous decks art-wise. Now I know that's part of the process and typically avoid the steps of trying to make things too complicated or feeling like I have to make my art a certain way.

What concepts and designs have you enjoyed from the playing card industry as of late?
Shout out to Jason there. The Run decks are magnificent! I remember seeing a little bit of the concept art for it early on and then when they launched, I was floored!

Can we expect any other surprises in the near future from Lance Miller?
Most definitely! I've learned that keeping a few tricks in my hat is exactly what every good magician and designer should do.

We want to thank Lance for his time and are truly excited to see what's next for him in the industry, one thing is for certain, whatever Lance produces is sure to be unique. Keep up to date on what's gong on in Lance's creative mind by following him on Facebook as well as his cardistry page at  Lance Miller's Cardistry and of course on his main site lancemillerdecks.com

Deck View: RUN (Standard Edition) Playing Cards

Elegant. Stunning. Attitude.

Produced by Jason Brumbalow and Murphy's Magic the Limited RUN series captures detail, stunning looks and an attitude all in one cool package. Elegant presentation with the outer shell case and just as impressive tuck box makes the RUN Series a unique concept that has garnered much attention.

The Standard Edition features green and gold colorway and is 100% Custom from every aspect in and out. Familiar yet different court cards tie the custom Jokers, Ace of Spades and stylized pips together. The decks also include a Gaff that can be used for various effects.

Printed by the US Playing card company and also available in Heat (Burgandy) and Bankroll Edition (Crimson). Get it now from murphysmagic.com or at your favorite Murphy’s Magic dealer.

Deck View: Black Arcane Playing Cards

Mystery. Elegant. Signature.

Released back in 2012, the Arcane Playing Cards deck was the first in Ellusionist's new line of Signature playing cards. Designed by Lee Mckenzie based on an initial idea originally from Jason Brumbalow, the deck exudes mystery, elegance, and sophistication.

The deck features an all-new, compelling back design with cryptic glyphs that speak in mysteries, equally matching all-new face cards that match the glyphs, and the easily recognizable traditional courts with a different, Arcane-styled outfit. Let's not forget the incredibly custom-designed Ace of Spades that will sure to turn heads!

The white version was simultaneously released with the white version. Also available in the rare Gold version. Arcane are printed by the USPCC on Aurora stock with an Air Cushion finish.

Available from JP Games.

Deck View: White Arcane Playing Cards

Mystery. Elegant. Signature.

Released back in 2012, the Arcane Playing Cards deck was the first in Ellusionist's new line of Signature playing cards. Designed by Lee Mckenzie based on an initial idea originally from Jason Brumbalow, the deck exudes mystery, elegance and sophistication.

The deck features an all-new, compelling back design with cryptic glyphs that speak in mysteries, equally matching all-new face cards that match the glyphs, and the easily recognisable traditional courts with a different, Arcane-styled outfit. Let's not forget the incredibly custom-designed Ace of Spades that will sure to turn heads!

The white version was simultaneously released with the black version. Also available in the rare Gold version. Arcane are printed by the USPCC on Aurora stock with an Air Cushion finish.

Deck View: Revolution Playing Cards

Intricate. Bold. Symbolic.

The Revolution Playing Cards designed by Jason Brumbalow and produced by Murphy’s Magic are a bold, symbolic deck with historical and philosophical depth. The tuck case features a deep red design with hidden etching that reveals images and words under light. 

The front showcases the Revolution symbol, a triple bar, along with Zeus’s hand gripping a lightning bolt, symbolizing personal empowerment. Beneath it, an atom symbol appears alongside the quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Inside. the card backs have a white poker border framing a red field with the triple bar symbol in the center. The court cards are fully custom, featuring Revolution-themed outfits, weapons, and lightning bolt imagery, while the pips and indices have unique placements, colors, and a custom font, with the triple bar subtly embedded in each pip. The Ace of Spades showcases the All-Seeing Eye, crossed daggers, and the year 2015 in Roman numerals. The Jokers depict surveillance cameras inside a suited frame, one featuring a card reveal. 

Printed by the Taiwan Playing Card Company, the deck features a thicker stock and traditional cut. Available from RarePlayingCards for $16.

Deck View: RUN Playing Cards

AFTER THE SCORE THERE IS ONLY ONE THING TO DO... RUN

Produced by Jason Brumbalow and Murphy's Magic the Limited RUN series captures detail, stunning looks and an attitude. Beautiful presentation with the outer shell case and just as impressive tuck box makes the RUN Series a unique concept that is garnering much attention. Available in a Standard (Green), Heat (Burgandy) and Bankroll Edition (Pictured).

The Series is 100% Custom from every aspect in and out. Familiar yet different court cards tie the custom Jokers, Ace of Spades and stylized pips together. The decks also include a Gaff that can be used for various effects.

The long wait for this deck to finally materialize was definitely worth it.

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Deck View: Darkfall Playing Cards

Darkness. Street. Style.

This is our last Deck View for 2108! Darkfall Playing Cards is an intriguing deck designed by Jason Brumbalow and illustrated Abraham Garcia. The deck is a respectful nod to the street artists who charge into the darkness to imprint their brand on the city.

Darkfall is a fully custom-designed deck of high-quality playing cards with the modern street art spirit. The face and backs fade into complete darkness, giving the deck a bold and stylish design. The artwork of the Ace of Spades, Jokers and courts are an infusion of symbology, style, and passion.

At first glance the deck is unassuming, but the cards are meticulously illustrated and overflowing with detail, presented in a consistent color palette which suits the theme really well! Masterfully crafted exclusively at the US Playing Card Company, for a premium finish and highly-durable casino quality stock. Available from your favorite Muphy's Magic retailer!

See you in 2019!

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Card Flash: Queens Playing Cards by Murphys Magic

Conceptualized by renowned playing card creator, Jason Brumbalow and produced by Murphys Magic, Queens Playing Cards is an infusion of classical iconography and bold modern design.

In the game of chess, the Queen is the most powerful entity on the board. Yet, with enough blood and sweat, even the simplest Pawn can become the most powerful piece on the board. The deck is a reminder that with enough passion and drive, one can rise up and achieve their dreams.

The tuck features a simple and elegant design shielded in alluring red foil. Inside, the cards feature a bold custom Ace of Spades, a one-way card back with a diagonal cigar band on a checkered board used in chess, custom jokers, standard recolored courts, and pips.

As an avid chess player, the chess iconography in the deck that excites me. The bold Ace of Spades and the card backs, in particular, are very well done and suitably beautiful to the theme of the deck. The face cards include a striking silver metallic ink which works well in general. However, the metallic ink on the courts seems to make the faces of the Royals 'invisible' at a certain angle.

The deck is masterfully crafted by Expert Playing Card Company with a sleek slipstream finish which is super smooth and feels really snappy. Definitely an excellent deck for the poker table!

Available right now from your favorite Murphy’s Magic retailer!

Top 12: Playing Cards of 2014

It's been an amazing year! As we near the end of what's been a busy and successful year for playing cards, we are going to take one last look back at 2014. Compiling the list has been a lot fun but hard work as there are just so many quality decks this year, making it difficult to narrow them down. If you think we left your favorite deck out, let us know in the comment section below. :)

12. LUXX

Earlier this year, a teaser image of LUXX was circulated to the customers of JP Playing Cards and what a buzz it has generated around the playing cards community! This privately funded deck of cards is created by Paul Middleton and designed by the talented Randy Butterfield. LUXX is elegant, intricate and beautiful whilst remaining practical and fun to use.

11. Origins: Grail Edition

Inspired by the elegance and charm of playing card history, designer and illustrator Rick Davidson has masterfully created Origins Playing Cards. All of the Grail cards are individually researched and custom designed. The amazing fine details on the backs features metallic gold ink. The tuck case is printed on high quality stock, fully embossed and the box details is embellished with gloss gold foil, giving it a touch of elegance and sophistication.

10. Aquila Limited Edition

A collaboration between Three of Clubs and Kardify Projects, Aquila Limited Edition Playing Cards are meticulously designed by Indonesian graphic artist, Ade Suryana. This stunning deck is inspired by the Garuda Wisnu Kencana in Bali, Indonesia. Featuring fully custom back design, eye-catching Ace of Spades, diptych Jokers and stunning courts. The tuck looks incredible with elegant gold foil plus embossing on imported paper giving it a very luxurious feel.

9. Requiem

One of our most anticipated 2014 project, Requiem Playing Cards is a stunning deck created by Lorenzo Gaggiotti. This unique deck is 100% custom and features darkness and pain as a theme. The suits are made out of broken Hearts, Clubs with thorns, cracked Diamonds and dry leaves as Spades. Pips are unique and the gold metallic ink on this blood red deck gives it a touch of class.

8. Seven Seas

First amazing playing card project by Brain Vessel Creative! What a great experience! The Seven Seas Playing Cards is a customized nautical themed deck with beautifully illustrated images of pirates, ghost ships, sea creatures and life on the high seas. The deck is about the dichotomy of a life at sea.

7. Hive

The Limited Edition Hive Playing Card is designed and illustrated by Brendan Hong and independently produced by Kings Wild Project. Inspired by classic playing card art, this fully customized 54 card deck that comes with its own unique court cards to customized back design to Bee inspired Ace of spades. The deck comes in matching set of blue and red back design.

6. Sherlock Holmes: Baker Street Edition

Created by Kings Wild Project, the Sherlock Holmes Playing Cards: Baker Street Edition is the flagship deck of the entire Sherlock Holmes Series. The Baker Street Edition features an intricate back design that includes iconic elements from many of the beloved stories. The court cards for the Baker Street Edition are inspired by the original late 19th & 20th century engravings and illustrations that were released with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels and short stories. The tuck case features premium paper stock with embossing and Gold foiling and is printed both on the inside and out.

5. Zenith

Zenith is the first deck in the Encarded Signature Series masterfully designed by Paul Carpenter. This impressive deck was self-funded with a very limited release of only 1000 numbered decks. Needless to say they sold out relatively quickly and have found their way onto the Sought After and Must Have lists of many collectors and enthusiast. Housed in a special sideways opening tuck box made of elegant, thick matte black paper, Zenith is adorned with amazingly detailed and vibrant holographic silver foil and sealed with a sequentially numbered seal under the cellophane.

4. RUN: Bankroll Edition

Produced by Jason Brumbalow and Murphy's Magic the Limited RUN series captures detail, stunning looks and an attitude. Beautiful presentation with the outer shell case and just as impressive tuck box makes the RUN a unique concept that is garnering much attention. The deck is 100% Custom from every aspect in and out. Familiar yet different court cards tie the custom Jokers, Ace of Spades and stylized pips together.

3. Independence

This one came as a surprise in 2014. Created by Kings Wild Project, the Independence playing card series is inspired by the American Revolution, featuring both a Continentals Deck and a British (Crown) deck. The courts, back design, diptych joker and Ace of Spaces are fully customized. The tuckcase is created to Kings Wild standards with embossing, custom numbered seals, artwork and foiling both inside and outside the tuckcase.

 2. Ornate - Obsidian Edition

One word: Stunning! This Limited Obsidian Edition decks are part of the White Ornate series. Meticulously designed by Randy Butterfield and produced by HOPC, this beautiful deck exudes elegance. The tuck box is truly mesmerizing, crafted from a deep matte black vellum paper. The design has been carefully stamped in Black and Gold foil, giving the box a shimmer and shine. As a bonus, the inside of the tuck is coated in a solid wall of gold foil.

1. 52 Plus Joker: The Club Deck

Designed by Jackson Robinson, the Club Deck was offered exclusively to attendees of this years 52 Plus Joker Convention being held in Charleston, South Carolina. This ultra-rare deck is just amazing, a bright white two piece "Slip Case" accented by silver foil houses the just as spectacular cards featuring a mirrored and foiled back design of the "52" script. The deck also features a custom Ace of Spades, beautifully rich custom court cards and two custom Jokers depicting the 52 Plus Joker Logo. The Club Deck also features a custom numbered seal.

Honorable mention: Pagan by UUSI, Gatorback (Green) by David Blaine, Tally-Ho by Kings Wild, 100 Years' War by SPAAAADE&Co, the Flight Deck by Paul Roman Martinez, Whispering Imps: Black Edition by Chris Chelko, and Voltige by Dan & Dave.

Designers: Interview With The Artist Behind Ellusionist Playing Cards -Lee McKenzie

Artist Lee McKenzie has gone under the radar for some time. In fact, when most talk about the extremely popular playing card decks Arcane, Artifice and Infinity the only constant mentioned is Ellusionist. Often times when a playing card deck is released by a company, the artist takes a back seat to the entire project while the brand or company releasing the deck gets most of the attention. As the financial backer and driver of the project, it makes sense the company would get the glory. However, I thought it was time to shine light on the artist. Without the artist there is no deck. I was able to get in touch with Lee, the artist behind Ellusionist's best decks, and ask him a few questions...

Tuck Case: Can you give a brief background about your career? Education? Self taught? Years as an artist? etc...
Lee McKenzie: I've been creative for as long as I can remember. The short(ish) version is that I was a good drawer as a kid. I studied design and experimented further in high school. I got an A* in '98 and went to college for 4 years for my National and Higher National Diploma in graphic design, photography, film-making, 3D and new media. Adding a computer in the mix was exciting and opened up a whole new world of possibilities. I was even asked to teach classes there as the tutors didn't have experience in certain areas that I did, which was great.

After college in 2002, I schooled myself in motion graphics and visual FX. I did some TV work and short films with friends. In 2004, I eventually landed a job at a DVD production house designing everything from logos to print advertisements to DVD menus and visual FX for TV shows, movies for the BBC, and some crazy 70's horror films, which was awesome.

I met my girl and in 2008 I quit my job. We left the UK and I became freelance, trying to scrape a living together designing for my own clients. I've been designing professionally for 10 years, but I've been creative my whole life. Software was taught to me, but creating art with it has always been an experimental self-taught love-affair and learning from great artists around me.

Tuck Case: How did you get involved with Ellusionist?
Lee McKenzie: As a magician and lover of mystery and wonder for many years, I've grown to adore playing cards. But more importantly, how they can tell a story of their very own, just sitting there on the table or in the hands of a talented conjurer. They're a pandora's box, waiting to be opened. An amazing tale waiting to be told.

So as a magician, I was already aware of Ellusionist. I'm a big fan. When they put out the Ghost, Tigers and Vintage 1800 decks, I got a strange feeling in my stomach. I loved these cards! But I felt something more, like this was some kind of symbol to take notice of. Something came alive in me and gave me the green light to say, "Go and do it, design your own deck, this couldn't feel more right!" As I looked at these cards, I knew I wanted to create something just as amazing. Maybe even better, who knows? I had to try. I knew I was meant to pursue this, so I got to work designing a completely custom deck. It had more detail and creativity than I'd even seen in a deck of cards, and it was mine. I was so excited. I packaged it off to Brad at Ellusionist, along with a letter about how much they inspired me to do this. I wanted my deck to sit alongside their decks and finally pave a meaningful way to make a living with my real passions.

As it turned out, Brad loved the deck! I was so happy. I can't even begin to describe it. However, my deck didn't end up alongside theirs. It stayed undercover but they felt I was the right guy to finally design their very first completely custom deck. Not another Bicycle brand redesign, but a new custom deck all of it's very own. In 2008, I started designing the Arcane deck and I became the Ellusionist playing card designer. My dream of launching my own deck was put on hold for the next 5 years...but not for much longer.

Tuck Case: That first deck you worked on and sent to Brad, what happened to it? Is it still on the shelf?
Lee McKenzie: Yes, the first deck I sent to Brad is still on the shelf. My shelf though. I'd like to re-work a lot of it and one day maybe even release that, but right now I feel it's just not really finished.

Tuck Case: How many decks have you worked on with Ellusionist? Which decks are they?
Lee McKenzie: I worked on 5 decks for Ellusionist. The Arcane, Artifice, Infinity, Fathom and I created the back and ace design for the LTD. The Arcane Ace as was a concept I reworked, but was originally created by Jason Brumbalow. Also, the Artifice Joker was created by another artist as well. They look great.

Photo courtesy of Kenzii.com

Tuck Case: Were you given a lot of creative freedom with the Ellusionist decks or were you told from the start exactly what they wanted?
Lee McKenzie: Most of the time, just sharing the general vision they had for a deck was enough for me to actually nail the design, or at least come very close to that. After that, there's lots of refining and tweaking to make it really come alive. We had a mutual trust we had built up between us, which meant they were happy that I experimented and took the time to come up with something I saw fit, as most likely it was very useful, if not exactly what they wanted and still want. So yes, there was a lot of freedom, but within the scope of the vision. There were also times when we would completely misunderstand each other, and I wasted hours going in one direction when it should have been in another. Luckily, those were rare occasions haha!

Tuck Case: It is said that the Ellusionist decks were extremely challenging for USPCC to create. Did you ever have to change your work because of USPCC limitations?
Lee McKenzie: Never. We just weren't willing to sacrifice a design because the 'how' couldn't be worked out. I put a ton of passion and heart into everything I do. I can't help it. So if something was "undo-able", it was just a case of trying to figure it out because compromising the design was and is not going to please anyone. The design is the deck. Figuring out how to print something that complex and challenging would only serve to help USPCC prepare for more projects like that in the future anyways. Ultimately, it's of great benefit to them, and everyone else in the long run. Win-win-win. You can't push forward in the world by staying still.

Tuck Case: What was the most challenging deck for you to design?
Lee McKenzie: The most challenging deck for me had to be the very first, Arcane. The concept itself is something that is very hard to put your finger on. It's a dramatic combination of mysterious elements, all of which become very difficult when you attempt to define them on a canvas as small as a deck of cards.

Tuck Case: Out of the decks you made, do you have a favorite?
Lee McKenzie: Personally I have 2. Artifice and Infinity. The story behind Artifice is something I find exhilarating. The dedication to the art of deception. Being bold and taking the risk to win. A life pursued by the hustlers who live on the edge. Amazing! Also, something of deep personal interest to me as the path I've taken in life has not been without it's share of risk and bold action.

Infinity was a concept that I originally brought to the table, so maybe I'm biased, but I love the end result. Visions of early magicians at the turn of the century, dabbling in all sorts dark mystical fancies. It's a very old-world deck, almost like a special time travel device to take us into the past. It's depth, feel and the story it tells is something that really excites me. A genuine artifact of a time when magic was more 'real'.

Photo courtesy of Kenzii.com

Tuck Case: Do any other decks on the market stand out to you as a favorite? why?
Lee McKenzie: Rebels. Monarchs. Artisans. Split Spades. Beautiful cards! I love to see great art. The guys responsible for designing those cards are fantastic artists. I love their style and it's great to see so much effort being put into them. I'm also a huge fan of regular Bee backs simply because of their wild gambling roots.

Tuck Case: Who or What do you use for inspiration? Other playing card decks? Artists/designers?
Lee McKenzie: I'd love to say I look at XYZ for inspiration but I can't exactly pin point where my ideas come from. There's so much happening out there to be inspired by. My head is like a cinema, always turning my thoughts into visual stories and movie scenes that usually end up taking shape in reality as creative ideas and inspiration for design. Everything I encounter probably makes its way into my head and may eventually come out onto the screen in one way or another. As each project is so different, there's no one way to 'be inspired' for it. I'm always looking around the Internet for beautiful things, things that move me, feelings and images that tell me visual stories. The outside world, stepping out of your door and getting rid of the roof over your head is a huge tool I use for getting inspired. I can't tell you how many ideas I've had by simply, being outside. That is probably where a lot of visions for my work comes from.

Tuck Case: Other than cards decks, what other design work have you done?
Lee McKenzie: Motion graphics and composting for company ads, DVD menu design for TV shows and movies. Drink labels, various brand logos, website designs and t-shirts. That is the great thing about graphic design - it can be applied to many industries. However, I feel it's best to figure what you enjoy doing most, and frame your life around that as much as possible. Which is why I've decided to stop freelancing and finally move forward with something of my very own. It's an exciting and risky time for me, but I hope it works out. I'll share more soon. (Get Ready!)

Tuck Case: What advice can you give to someone looking to design a deck of cards?
Lee McKenzie: There's room for everyone in this world and I think that being creative is a great way to add value to it. There's 2 paths here: You either want to design cards just for yourself, or, you want to bring them to the world. If it's just for yourself, go for it. Grab a pad of paper or open up the computer and start trying to pour your ideas out and see what happens. It's great to actually make something of your own and enjoy doing it too.

But, if you intend to launch it to the world? What I'd say is to try to add something of your very own. Put enough time and effort in to it to do it justice. There's a lot of, in my opinion, very poorly designed decks out there. Art is subjective, and someone else may like what I don't. That is great, but the point is, don't add to the noise for the sake of it. Do something that matters to you. Just because company ABC is doing this, it doesn't mean that you should too. It's okay to learn from what already exists around you, but try and stamp your own mark in this universe and don't add to the clutter.

If you aren't capable of using the tools needed to design cards, get in touch with someone who can, work with them to fulfill your idea. Just because you can use Photoshop a bit, doesn't mean you should. If you don't have the ability to communicate your own idea in the best way you can, don't half ass it just because you don't know how to do it. Your idea will end up watered down and getting lost. Find someone who can help you realize the vision you have. Either that, or bust your ass learning how to use the tools to make your own vision come to life. The end product should be something that matters to you and that will add value to someone else. If it really matters to you, don't compromise that. Most of all, make sure it's something you enjoy doing. Life's too short for anything else.

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There you have it - some words of wisdom and insight from the man behind the industry's most intricate and challenging playing card decks. After going back and forth with Lee while setting this interview up, I realized that Lee is an extremely humble person that just loves design, the work that he does and constantly pushing forward for the next best thing in playing card design. Lee is not complacent or stagnant by any means. Without Lee pushing the boundaries with playing card design it is possible that the industry might not be where it is today. I am almost certain of that. With that said, in the coming weeks there will be more information about Lee McKenzie being posted on Tuck Case. For now I will call it a "follow up interview with a special treat" for everyone! Get excited!

In the meantime, check out Lee's work on his website: http://www.kenzii.com

And on Dribbble: http://dribbble.com/Kenzii