1zec team has just successfully funded its first Kickstarter campaign, the Portal Playing Cards. 6 months in the making the deck does not only emphasize on elegant modern design but also ensuring that the deck is manufactured to the standards expected by magicians, cardists or collectors. On December 4th, Portal achieved 100 percent of its Kickstarter goal fund with less than 4 days remaining. Currently, the amount raised totals over USD$4,600.
Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Portal Playing Cards:
1. Backstory
According to co-founder Zyz Yizhang, “Portal is a personal expression of my stories since moving away from my home. It stands as a monument to all those who have impacted me over this period, and I feel it especially poignant in an era of movement where the concept of home and identity is ever more fluid. Originally from China, I have resided in the UK for the past 6 years. Throughout my time here, I have parted with friends, family, and love as I have traveled for education and work. The images of teleportation and travel portray our desire to meet the people we miss and care about. Dreaming of the ability to bypass the barriers of time and distance to meet with them, that we might share in their joy and aid them in the face of adversity. Portal is more than just a deck of 56 playing cards, but an expression of love between people separated by circumstance. We hope that Portal might inspire the expression of these emotions and remind those important to us of our desires to be with them.”
2. Design Elements
The design of the back of the cards is focused on the concept of travel. “Traveling despite the conditions: through the myriad of portals, soaring vast distances by plane, traversing stark crystalline mountains and braving the harshest of storms. It also refers back to the original main concept of the card via symbolizations, which is to express the desire to meet the people we miss about no matter what’s in between.”
3. Gaff Cards
Zyz continued, “I perform magic a lot, and I hope magic is not something very non-accessible, or to be considered very superior. I hope it is something that can help people easily reach strangers and bring joy to everyone.”
As such, the two included gaff cards that allows people to perform easy but powerful routines.
4. Back Design
The airplane on the back corner enables a feature of movement to take place when performing XCM cardistry moves such as thumb fan, bloom. While the circle in the center gives the illusion of a balanced design while doing performing padiddle, card shots or any simple card spins. It makes the move become more visual as well.
5. Numbered Seal
Every deck will come with a numbered seal for x/1000. “We want every deck to be unique in order to suit the purpose of sending gifts to important people.”
The Portal Deck will be printed by the USPCC and is currently available on Kickstarter. Pledge starts at $16.
