El Reino de los Muertos - Expert Edition Playing Cards

There's something cool about Guzo B's artwork; it is intricate and meticulously detailed and looks really good on a deck of playing cards. Currently on Kickstarter, El Reino de los Muertos Expert Edition Playing Cards is an artistic deck that celebrates life and death in the Mexican culture.

The deck is fully custom and retake iconic elements of Mexican culture, from pre-Hispanic times to the present day, and adapted them to the traditional function of a deck of playing cards.

As such the deck features original art for every face card from the pips, indices, and aces to the court cards featuring iconic characters from Mexican culture- La Catrina, revolutionary heroes, and pre-Hispanic gods.

The back design combines traditional elements that represent the day of the dead like the cempasúchil flower color (the traditional flower used to honor the dead), papel picado, pre-hispanic imagery and calaveras.

A lot of thought has gone into this deck. It is not just a deck of cards but a narrative, a desire to recover and exalt Mexican traditions. Printed by Cartamundi on their amazing Slim Line B9 Stock & Finish. Pledge starts at $10 on Kickstarter.

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Kickstarter: Axolotl Playing Cards by Sextante Studio

The beautiful Axolotl Playing Cards are created to support the Mexico axolotl conservation efforts in mind. The idea is to help create awareness about this amazing creature through the art contained within the Axolotl deck.

The Axolotl is named after an Aztec god and the inspiration for a Pokemon. The amphibian can heal itself better than Wolverine from the X-Men, even regrowing lost limbs. In nature, the Axolotl is in peril. It is native only to Lake Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage site outside Mexico City.

In 2006, the species was declared critically endangered due to habitat degradation and the pervasiveness of invasive fish in the lake. In 2009, experts estimated that the axolotl population had fallen 90 percent in the past four years, a decline further exacerbated by urbanization.

Axolotl Playing Cards are fully custom with hand-illustrated art by Gustavo Borboa of Sextante Studio, including the courts, aces, and joker. The design is inspired by the Axolotl and its natural environment, focusing on 3 main elements: the water hyacinth, the Axolotl and the water.

For example, the gorgeous back design illustrates how the axolotl interacts with these elements that are constantly present through all its life. Guzo explained on the campaign page,

Ripples in the water created by the movement of the axolotl pass through the water hyacinths, this scene displays the harmony that its present between the 3 elements the water hyacinth, the axolotl and the water.

The deck is kept in a matte black tuck box and spot UV ink print for all the details. Printed by Cartamundi on their popular True Linen B9 Finish.

Pledge starts at $10. If you want to support the Axolotl Playing Cards, head over to the Kickstarter campaign here! If this project is successfully funded, the team will donate 100% of all profits produced from the decks that remain after the campaign.

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First Look at Dinastia Playing Cards

[Update] Dinastia Playing Cards are now LIVE on Kickstarter!

If you are like us and have been glued to the TV watching the World Cup, this deck will pique your interest. Launching on Kickstarter today, Dinastia Playing Cards celebrates football (soccer) legends from past and present. The deck by Guzo Borboa and produced by our friends at Enigmacard has been crafted for the collectors and fans of the beautiful game. On the inspiration, Guzo explained,

I grew up during the World Cup in Mexico 1986. I recall the impressive ad campaigns on television that used the most advanced technology at that time. Dynasty is a deck that represents strength, passion and movement, a tribute to the leaders, the heroes and the legends that inspire us to be better.

Dinastia is fully custom and very well thought out. The court cards and jokers prominently feature legends of the sports. The indices have a special typeface which is the lion symbol of strength, courage, and justice inspired by the classic letters of the football jerseys. The aces evoke shields of clubs that fans will be familiar with and the tuck box represents the football field. On the design process, Guzo said,

I drew the main figure with ink, then brought it to life with color pencil and watercolor. I added some artistic effects to finally finish coloring digitally. 

The sleek mirrored card backs are characterized by the protagonist of the sport- the ball and the emblem. The stars around the emblem represent the number of World Cups held to-date. The solid lines on baroque patterns are an allegory to the aesthetics of the uniforms of the game from the oldest to the modern jerseys.

[Update] Dinastia Playing Cards are now LIVE on Kickstarter!

Dinastía will launch on Kickstarter today and will be printed by Cartamundi on the popular true linen B9 finish. The is limited to only 2000 decks. Early birds will start at USD$8.60 per deck. Also, posters and the original artwork of the deck will be available as a reward tier.

News: Bicycle Mythical Creatures Playing Cards by Sextante Studio

The Bicycle Mythical Creatures Playing Cards is a fully custom deck featuring legendary mythical creatures from Greek, Norse, Egyptian and East Asian mythology designed by Sextante Studio for Gent Supply Co.

Illustrated by Gustavo Borboa (@GuzoBorboa), a lot of thought has gone into the design of the deck. Each suit represents a different pantheon: Spades - Greek, Clubs - Norse, Diamonds - Egyptian and Hearts - East Asian.

The mirrored back design is decorated with symbols and iconic elements of the four suits. Also, each of the court cards and Aces are represented by a mythical creature from the culture.

On the design, Guzo told Kardify,

Working for United States Playing Card Company is a dream come true, I worked out each creature in detail to represent its strength, magic and majesty. The whole deck is full of symbols of the four cultures integrated subtly to endow each card with mystery.

Printed by the United States Playing Card Company with a Linen Air Cushion Finish. This deck includes 52 cards plus two unique jokers, one double backed card and a card identifying all the Mythical Creatures. Available now from Gent Supply Co. for $14.85.