Kickstarter: 7 Questions with Chris Edgerly of Dia de los Muertos Playing Cards

Dia de Los Muertos Bicycle Playing Cards is a Deck inspired by the art and traditions of the Day of the Dead -  a traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to the ancestors; it honors both death and the cycle of life. Created by the team at Edgy Brothers, this beautifully illustrated deck pays homage to the spiritual and cultural event as it is celebrated today: full of color, detail and character.

We caught up with Chirs Edgerly, one of the founders of Edgy Brothers to talk about his company, the inspiration behind the Dia De Los Muertos Playing Cards, the evolution of design of the deck and Kickstarter.

Can you tell us about yourself and what is your design background?
Our company, Edgy Brothers, started in 2011 mainly to do t-shirt designs. It was myself (Chris Edgerly) and my wife (Geraldine Planchart) and my brother David Edgerly - our resident artist. But David was so busy doing freelance work that we could only devote so much time to getting the designs going. Dave's got the design background - he's worked in graphic design, animation, illustration, you name it. Geraldine's and my backgrounds are more in the performing arts, though we've found that gives us a valuable p.o.v. for design. You're constantly thinking of not just the visual idea, but how it connects with an audience, how it tells its story.

This is Edgy Brothers’ first Kickstarter Project. Why Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is the perfect storefront. They've done all the heavy lifting for you. The backers are already there, looking all over the site for something to inspire them. Some are niche backers, who pledge in just one area, and others are generous across a wide landscape of concepts. Naturally you've got to do whatever you can to pull other card enthusiasts into the site to see your work, but in this case, virtually every hardcore collector knows about Kickstarter.

What is your inspiration behind the Dia De Los Muertos Playing Cards? How did you come up with the idea?
We've always been inspired by Dia de los Muertos. One of our first t-shirt designs was of a Flamenco-dancing skeleton. We've still got a few shirts of it (we sell them on our site.) And my wife Geraldine is Venezuelan, and everyone in the Latin culture knows Dia de los Muertos and the strong connection to those who have passed on. It's such a wonderful, mysterious, vibrant aesthetic, and, like Latin culture, is also quite bold. Hard not to be inspired by that. So, the idea then was how best to represent that on a deck of cards, keeping the modern, popular style of Dia de los Muertos in tune with the older, more historic side of it.

How much time did you spend working on the deck?
We spent a couple of months, at least. David had just finished the art work for a successfully funded campaign he did with a couple of friends, the Edgar Allen Poe deck, and was ready to jump right in with this one. We had to discuss the concept for a bit before we were happy with what card would be represented by what character, and from there he started sending us designs for notes (he lives in Austin, we're in Los Angeles.) After that, it was back and forth for weeks, tweaking, sometimes starting from scratch, etc. Meanwhile we also worked on the project page and everything else that comes with running a campaign, as we found out.

Can you briefly go through the design evolution of one of your unique card design?
Let's take the Jack of Spades and the Jack of Hearts. You'd think they're both Jacks, no big deal, just a minor difference here and there, right? But they were elusive. The color scheme was crucial - we knew we wanted Mariachi for the Jacks, but once we juxtaposed the red of the Heart with the colors inside the border and the border itself, it didn't always work. And then what works with the Heart doesn't work with the black of the Spade. So, after this long back and forth we finally realized that the solution was two different borders: one more rustic and bronze/copper shaded for the Heart and one more silver/grey for the Spade. Then we had to deal with the negative space of the card design, which was harder to fill with a skeleton, being as they're obviously slimmer than a person, unless you want to do a bulky, broad skeleton and that didn't work.

So, we found ways to put filigree in just the right spots to complete the design. In the interim, we toyed with adding and subtracting different colors and flowers, juggling all these classic Dia de los Muertos elements that we wanted to include but some of them just didn't work with the rest of the design. It's knowing what to leave out sometimes. And while all this is going on, David is methodically cranking out this unbelievable art work and you hardly want to reject any of it because you know on your best day you couldn't do that yourself. But the perk of being family is you get to be honest. And he prefers being challenged instead of having someone who just says "yes" to everything.

57% of the top projects in 2012 missed their delivery dates? What are your thoughts?
We studied a lot of campaigns - and not just up until they got funded. We looked at their post-funding updates, at comments from backers who were sometimes understandably impatient with a very loooong fulfillment process. And we realized that both sides have to understand the other for this all to work. Backers who get behind a lot of campaigns are the coolest. They know fulfillment takes months, and they accept it. In fact, they're suspicious of creators who promise short fulfillment windows.

Newer backers, however, are amazed at the window of time between when they pledge their money and when they get their deck. But Bicycle - who almost everyone uses - has their process, and it takes weeks. And that's assuming you've got the art work finished as soon as the campaign ends, which doesn't always happen. Then you've got to use a good fund manager (we're using Backerkit for this campaign) to keep everything in order and communicate with your fulfillment center so things get shipped on time and to the right place.

They key is being realistic. If you've got several different add ons and complicated pledge levels, you've got a lot of sorting out to do before everyone gets what they pledged. And communicating with backers is crucial. You have to use regular updates to explain where you are in the process so they don't think you forgot about them. To help with that, we pledge campaigns regularly so we can not just support the creators but to get a sense of what it's like to be a backer and experience that wait.

Finally, what are your favourite playing card decks? 
There are too many to mention. Some we only found about after they had ended because we're so new to Kickstarter, and you just kick yourself for not being one of the early backers. Uusi's Pagan deck was very cool and original. House of Playing Cards' Imperial deck had a nice design choice as well but it was also over when we found it. But we managed to back Elite's One Million deck, the Steampunk Goggles deck, and the Diploma Bicycle deck, which unfortunately didn't get funded. We also loved Jackson Robinson's Federal Decks, which were long since closed after we discovered them. We did back his Independence deck.

We're just like any backer - we're looking for something to surprise and amaze us. Lot of that to be found on Kickstarter. We plan on mentioning other ongoing campaigns in one of our updates a little later in our campaign. Gotta send out your support.

That's very nice Chris! Congrats on reaching the funding goal! :)

Pledge starts from $12 and the Dia de Los Muertos Bicycle Playing Cards will be the USPCC. There are also multiple rewards that are waiting to be unlocked once the project hits its stretch goals. The most notable is the black deck at $25k and painted deck at $50k! Add-ons such as dice, dealer coin and shot glass are available.

Deck View: Whispering Imps Special Edition

Mythological. Folklore. Mischievous.

Illustrated by Mark Stutzman and inspired by American magician Harry Kellar's 'Whispering Imps' poster from 1894, the same year the USPCC was established. This Special Edition is a very limited edition deck of Whispering Imps.

The cards are presented in a tuck box crafted from premium Starfire Red Vellum Paper embossed with Red Foil. The intricate card back design of the Whispering Imps is embossed with red foil on the back of the tuck box.

This Deck View is contributed by @Charlie_L1f3, our regular Deck View guru. Check out his Instagram to see more of his awesome collection.

Available at JP Games. Use the code KARDIFY10 during check-out to get 10% off for orders over £50.

Kickstarter: 7 Questions with Ken Sommer of Portraits of the Zombie Apocalypse Playing Cards

This is NOT your regular zombie themed deck that features zombies in various poses doing what they usually do. The Portraits of the Zombie Apocalypse Playing Cards is a tribute to what it was before and a reminder that zombies were once people too. Inspired by post-apocalyptic fiction, Ken Sommer designed the deck to stand as a testament to humanity after the zombie uprising comes to pass.

Presented in an eye-catching tuck and unique back design, this deck features portraits based on real people. Backers who pledge on the 'be on the zombie court' tier will have their likeness immortalise on this beautifully illustrated deck.

We caught up with Ken to have a chat about his design background, Classy Horse Industries, inspiration behind the Portraits of the Zombie Apocalypse deck and his thoughts on Kickstarter projects.

Can you tell us about yourself and what is your design background?
My name is Ken, I work under the moniker logicaloperator. I’ve been an illustrator and designer for seven years, and I spent the majority of that time working in the print publication industry.

Like any designer, I love creating, but I identify with the idea that good design is problem solving. My passion is working on full projects rather than just single pieces. I personally feel the beauty of design and satisfaction one derives from working in the field is found in all the unseen details behind every project.

I have a love of all things “post-apocalyptic” and like most people of my generation I am better prepared for the zombie apocalypse than I probably should be…but who doesn’t have “a plan”.

This is Classy Horse Industries’ first Kickstarter Project. What is Classy Horse Industries’ and why Kickstarter?
Classy Horse Industries was initially born from making cards, games, puzzles and print media for other clients. We’re both fans of cards and games, and with our experience in the field, we wanted to launch a project of our own.

We chose Kickstarter for our first major project because it’s a great way to get ourselves out there as well as really connect with other like-minded people. We’ve only been live for a few days but we’ve already gotten an enormous number of responses from both fans, designers, and vendors. The instant feedback makes it possible for us to grow as creators as well as make sure we are able to make something that everyone loves.




What is your inspiration behind Portraits of the Zombie Apocalypse Playing Cards? How did you come up with the idea?
As I mentioned, I have an affinity for all things post apocalyptic as does Andrew so we knew we wanted to explore the subject in our first deck. We tried out a few concepts but really like the idea of having a painted portrait as the court and the zombified version on the reverse. Initially we wanted to use public domain victorian portrait photos to be the subjects of our decks, but the USPCC requires model releases for all likenesses public domain or otherwise, which would have easily fallen into challenge part of the “risks and challenges” Kickstarter category. So we reached out to our friends and family to see if anyone wanted to become a zombie. The response was amazing so we thought we definitely need to extend the offer to the backers.

How much time did you spend working on the deck?
Probably somewhere between six and seven hundred hours over the past few months. This has been my main focus once we got underway and includes everything from concepting to finalization as well as the various work involved in forming a new company and creating our first Kickstarter.

Can you briefly go through the design evolution of one of your unique card design?
Our initial concepts were monochromatic, and very busy with a good deal of superfluous design elements and weathering effects; I like to start big and refine with the idea that “less is more”.

For the final design, I moved the floral elements behind the character in the background splatter and made the border a simple stroke on the living side and a scrawl on the zombie side with subtle blood effects throughout the border.


We tossed around the idea of making the pips “realistic items” that were in keeping with the theme, but nixed it believing that even though it looked cool, the pips might not be instantly recognizable as the traditional counterpart they were depicting, thereby decreasing the decks usability. We ultimately settled on a splattered effect for the “zombie side” of the card.



For the portraits, I work digitally but I started my career using traditional tools and techniques so I employ a process one might use if they were going to paint a non-digital portrait. Typically a non-photo blue sketch, followed by a refined grayscale sketch over that and finally painting in full color over that.

57% of the top projects in 2012 missed their delivery dates? What are your thoughts?
Projects slip, it happens, for many reasons. I think the key is communication. I’ve seen projects where backers are completely understanding and it’s because the creators are actively engaging the backers and keeping them informed.

There is so much involved in delivering any print product and with Kickstarter. It’s not just designing a beautiful product, it’s also managing a marketing campaign, being an accountant, a customer service rep, a logistics and supply chain manager, a shipping clerk, a backer liason. It’s a lot of work and no matter how much you plan there are always surprises.

Andrew and I have worked together on projects including cards, packaging, puzzles, stickers and textbooks. Through these experiences we understand the logistics of a project like this and are able to set realistic goals for our Kickstarter while realizing how important it is to keep backers informed whenever issues arise.

Finally, what are your favourite playing card decks?
I have a long list but I can name a few from past Kickstarters. Anything by Jackson Robinson, Postumo, Oracle, Pedale Designs Misc Goods deck, Karnival, and the 8-bit deck was an amazing project overall, great cards, great rewards.

Thank you for your time Ken and all the best!

The Portraits of the Zombie Apocalypse Playing Cards will be printed by the USPCC and pledge currently starts at $10 (early bird). There are multiple add-ons available such as t-shirts, art prints and uncut sheets.

1-on-1: Emmanuel Jose

If you’ve never seen any of Emmanuel Jose’s work, you need to. When I started collecting playing cards I formed a list, like many do, of the decks I wanted to add to my collection. Usually the easiest way to go about that is to see what decks are popular or caused some buzz. I kept coming across Emmanuel’s Curator deck in poking around the internet, so I added it to my list. As I worked through that list I would do some research on the deck and then make my decision. So there it is the Curator deck…kind of cool, very creative transformation deck. Then I came across a thread on a forum that talked about how these images were produced, and all of a sudden this “kind of cool” deck took on an entirely new life. Why does the analogy, “Never judge a book by its cover” come to mind? Needless to say, Emmanuel’s art form of paper-cutting is something to be admired and seen.

Emmanuel was born in the Philippines and moved to San Diego California along with his family at the age of 6. By the time Emmanuel was 13 his family found themselves relocating once more, this time to Raleigh North Carolina where in time he attended Davidson College, a small liberal arts school near Charlotte. Motivated by the artistic people on both sides of his family Emmanuel was a double major at Davidson in the fields of Art and Psychology. ” I’ve been artistic all my life, and there are artists on both sides of my family.”

Davidson College offered a very traditional art curriculum, and even though one of his majors was in studio/fine art, Emmanuel has never had a formal education in graphic design. He did design logos and T-Shirts in High School and college, and he even worked as a lab tech for a biopharmaceutical company for five years. As an undergraduate, Emmanuel started creating paper-cut artwork, the first steps in what we see and admire today. Emmanuel graduated with a degree in Studio Art from Davidson College in 2006.

A collector of playing cards and an avid card player, Emmanuel’s creativity fuels his passion not only in designing playing cards but also in other artistic media. “My goal is to establish myself as an artist and to be creatively fulfilled. I’d also like to do more in terms of photography, painting, and sculpture.” As for playing cards specifically, Emmanuel was always an admirer of the designs and creativity he found on them, “…I’ve been fascinated with the artistry and beauty of playing cards as long as I could remember.” Emmanuel’s longtime fascination with playing cards and the art of paper-cutting came together in 2011 with his Curator deck.

Emmanuel’s decks to date are produced using paper-cutting techniques, where if you’ve ever cut out a snowflake or silhouettes to put on a piece of paper you “kind of” get a very general idea of what he does. The process of coming up with the transformation image is a challenge in itself and truly clever if you have ever seen any of his work. Brining that vision to reality by painstakingly clipping layers of various colored paper to form an amazing image is not only a creative challenge, but also a test of patience. One card can take up to a week to produce. 52 cards in a deck…you do the math. Once you see the finished product, much like I felt when I first discovered Emmanuel’s process, you can’t help but say to yourself, “How did he do that?” Emmanuel’s work shows fine lines, intricacy, as well as shading and depth, a far cry from just cutting out a simple shape.

Currently working on his fourth transformation deck, Delicious, continuing to utilize the fine art of paper-cutting, Emmanuel doesn’t seem to be slowing down in 2014 with the highly anticipated releases of his Clipped Wings and Sawdust playing cards. If that were not enough, Emmanuel even expressed an interest in possibly taking one of his future deck designs away from the transformation deck genre.

Emmanuel has been busy with his current project but was nice enough to take a few moments to answer some questions:

1. What or who inspired your art form/style? 
Papel Picado artists and Chinese paper-cutting artists have definitely influenced me in terms of technique. Visually, artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Wayne Thiebaud, and Robert Indiana inspire me. There are so many more artists and illustrators that I could list, but I tend to love Pop Artists. The visual crispness of their work appeals to me, and I find that same crispness with paper.

2. With the successful release of The Curator deck, did you feel that you needed to produce something “Bigger and Better” for your next project? 
I didn’t feel like I needed to produce something bigger, but truthfully, the first audience I have in mind is myself, and that steers me in the directions I’ve gone. For the majority of 2011, I thought the Curator deck would be the only deck I would make since I initially planned on making cards for only 1 year. Fortunately, I decided to make Clipped Wings when I saw all the recurring bird ideas that I had and from my experiences of having pet birds. I made Sawdust because I was getting to know more and more circus performers, and the circus world is an incredibly rich one to explore. I’m now making Delicious because I want to improve my cooking, haha.

3. Speaking of your next project, it would seem you have multiple projects in the works at the same time, how challenging is that and can you tell us something about them? 
So far, Delicious is what I’m primarily working on, but I do want to create a non-transformation deck sometime and also work on art that’s not necessarily related to the cards. It is challenging finding the time to balance everything, but mentally and creatively, I thrive from that challenge.

4. Do you ever find yourself having to explain what’s so special and different about your work, be it cards or gallery pieces?
At times I have to explain that the medium is paper if people aren’t seeing the cards up close, but I’ve been lucky to have people give great feedback when they view the cards in person. Some in the art world have said my work is “too commercial” or “not serious enough,” but I love to create art with humor, whimsy, and fun.

5. Have you ever considered straying away from your trademark style? 
I want to push my skills and mature as an artist, but I don’t know if or when I’ll stray away from the cards. I want to create more 3D/sculptural work and be a better photographer and painter, but that doesn’t mean I have to stop making the cards. As long as I continue to be inspired and have fun, I’ll keep making the cards.

6. Any final thoughts or comments?
I want to thank everyone that’s behind me and supports my work. It means the world that I can share my art with you all, and I’m so grateful for the people who are there for me. Emmanuel Jose defines creativity, his passion for what he does is evident not only in his work, but in his drive to expand on his medium of choice. I’m sure that whatever Emmanuel chooses as the “Style” of his future projects will be nothing short of amazing. As I’ve said in my past pieces, creative people have to create, and Emmanuel is no exception.

I want to thank Emmanuel for taking some time away from his busy schedule to help me put together this piece, it was an honor to get to know him a little better and a privilege to work with him on this. If you would like to learn more about Emmanuel Jose and his work, please visit his web site at emmanueljose.com, you can also follow him on Twitter, and Facebook.


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 at sparkzcollector.