Kickstarter: 7 Questions with Bryan Sloan of Aves Playing Cards

Designed by world-class artist Karina Eibatova and produced by LUX Playing Cards,  Aves is a beautiful deck of playing cards inspired by birds from all over the world. These fine art playing cards were hand drawn before being turned into digital art prior to being transformed into gorgeous playing cards.

Each individual cards is a work of art by itself and these 56 custom cards are amazingly detailed and meticulously illustrated by hand. The card back features feathers from many bird types tied together with a beautiful, one of a kind coordination. With this colourful and intricate design, the cards will be perfect for fans and even eye-catching enough for cardistry.

We managed to have a quick chat with Bryan Sloan of LUX Playing Cards about his interest in playing cards, the artist and inspiration behind the Aves deck and his thoughts about the growth of crowd-funded playing cards.

Can you tell us about yourself and your interest in playing cards?
I love many of the custom decks that have been released recently. There is a fine line between a “good” deck and an amazing deck. It’s important that unique design elements are added to each deck to give people something new. I’m not interested in producing something that’s already been developed. Each new deck idea needs to be creative and unique.  

Please describe the Aves Bird deck and why you’re passionate about it?
The Aves Bird deck is really unique in that it is more of a fine art deck. Many decks we see now are not just “graphic design” decks, but revolve around a specific theme. It’s amazing to see some of the wonderful art by many different artists. The first time I saw the illustrations for this Aves Bird deck, I knew it was special, so I wanted to help develop it.

Stunning artwork! Can you tell me more about the artist for this deck?
Karina Eibatova is the artist for this deck, and her illustrations and designs speak for themselves. She has clients literally all over the world, from luxury hotels in Barcelona to the Sunday New York Times (USA), Wired Magazine (England), Iloveyou Magazine (Berlin, Germany), Monsterthreads (Sydney, Australia), Atlantic Records (USA), and others who appreciate her work. I’m glad I was able to work with her to bring the designs to playing card enthusiasts and art collectors at this point in her brilliant young career.


What was your most brilliant breakthrough when designing a card deck?
For some of the playing card decks that are currently in the works, I’ve taken things that I’m passionate about and found a way to incorporate that theme into a new deck of cards. An idea can strike at any time, so I find myself rushing to write down thoughts and concepts that will work. I’ll say that character placement is important, and I’m looking forward to the fruition of a couple of decks that are in their completion stages.

This is your second Kickstarter project. What are a few key elements and principles you incorporated into your projects that you think future Kickstarter creators could benefit from knowing?
I think it’s important to stay focused on the main theme of the cards, and to stay true to your vision. With a fine art deck like this, I was happy to include the original art as part of this Kickstarter campaign, as it enables art enthusiasts and collectors the opportunity to own something that is truly one of a kind. Being able to display original art in your home is rare, especially when the material has become so popular.

What are your thoughts about the continuous strong growth of playing card projects on Kickstarter?
I think the art form of playing cards will continue to evolve. From simple decks to more elaborate art, to the tuck cases becoming more complex, there is a lot that has changed. Collectors and enthusiasts can continue to be more selective in what they choose to buy. With so many card projects being launched, only the highest quality decks will become funded. It’s nice to see the interest and passion for playing cards increasing, as it’s a favorite pastime for many people. The technological advances in the last year alone are amazing, as it deals with what can be done to the actual card and the tuck cases.

Finally, what are your favourite playing card decks?
Wow, what a tough question. There are different reasons why I like different card decks. One of my favorite tuck cases is Whispering Imps. I love the red embossing on black paper. Theory11’s Monarchs tuck is pretty outstanding. Kings Wild’s “The Crown” deck is fantastic. I’m a fan of the subtle background in the cards, as well as the art and pip layout. I’m really looking forward to seeing Jody Eklund’s Golden Spike cards in the near future. The detail on the portraits looked amazing. Anything by Lorenzo Gaggiotti is going to be stellar. His Heretic deck was a great concept, and the design detail is unbelievable in everything he does. Dan and Dave’s Stranger & Stranger Ultimate Deck is another that I can appreciate; the sheer magnitude of variance in the art is phenomenal. As for playability, I love Tally-Ho.

Thanks for your time, Bryan and congratulations! At the time of writing, the project is 218% funded with 8 days to go. If want to support the Aves playing cards, you can find it on Kickstarter here. 

Pledge starts from $12 and the deck will be printed by the USPCC. There are multiple add-ons available such as uncut sheets, art prints, deck holder and wooden coin.