Suits of Life: Illustrated Playing Cards

Suits of Life: Illustrated Playing Cards is a fully illustrated 54-card art deck created by German illustrator Stefan Große Halbuer, also known as Plastic Pen. Designed as both a functional poker deck and a pocket-sized art collection, this Kickstarter project brings together four personal themes: Love, Nostalgia, Food, and Nature... each expressed through a complete suit of hand-drawn, story-driven illustrations.

Every card in Suits of Life is individually illustrated, with each image presenting a small narrative twist. Built on a consistent isometric grid, the artwork across all four suits connects visually, giving the deck a cohesive gallery-like feel when spread out. The result is a playable deck that doubles as a compact collection of 54 miniature art prints.

The project marks Halbuer’s return to fully illustrated playing cards more than a decade after his first custom deck, Geistreiz. Work on Suits of Life began in 2024 and was developed over two years between client commissions, culminating in a completed set of 54 hand-crafted designs plus a double-back card.

Each suit reflects a theme that has shaped the artist’s life:

• Clubs – Pixel Pleasures explores tech and gaming nostalgia. Inspired by growing up in the 1990s, the suit references early consoles, classic handheld systems, and LAN party culture. It serves as a love letter to retro gaming and digital beginnings, blending playful detail with personal memory.
  
  
• Hearts – Magical Love interprets love and relationships through a darker, fantasy-infused lens. While romance anchors the suit, the court cards in particular unfold a subtle, slightly tragic narrative. The imagery balances emotion and mystery, giving the traditional suit of Hearts a more cinematic tone.
  
  
• Diamonds – Tasty Treats celebrates indulgence and comfort. From chocolate and lemonade to craft beer and pizza, this suit embraces life’s guilty pleasures. Bright, playful compositions highlight food as both joy and ritual, contrasting with the more introspective tone of other suits.
  
  
• Spades – Campfire Tales turns toward the outdoors. Lakes, mountains, campfires, and quiet natural moments define this suit, reflecting the calm and creative reset that nature provides. The imagery leans into atmosphere and serenity while maintaining the deck’s structured isometric style.

All pips and indices have been custom-designed specifically for Suits of Life by Jakob Fangmeier, ensuring the deck maintains a unified aesthetic from courts to number cards.

The deck is printed by WJPC on 310gsm German black core stock with a linen texture and butter varnish finish. Pledge starts at $21 on Kickstarter.

  

Deck View: Goshawk No.3 Vintage Playing Cards

Vintage. Luxurious. Classic.

The Goshawk No.3 Vintage Playing Cards by A. Haines Playing Cards is a beautifully hand-illustrated deck inspired by classic decks of old. Inspired by the Goshawk bird, this deck is designed in classic red. 

Inside, the deck includes 100% custom artwork. The Ace of Spades features an illustration of the Goshawk and additional decorations on the other Aces. The court cards are hand-illustrated in deep cobalt, gold, and vintage red, following a unique pattern. 

The back design features classic scrollwork and motifs, designed to look impressive when fanned or spread. Each deck includes unique Jokers and an extra card printed with vintage type. The deck is packaged in a luxurious matte tuck boxes feature intricate old-world designs, printed inside on the inside with an all-over antique plaid pattern. The deck is capped with a custom stamp sticker seal.

Printed by Legends Playing Card Co., these hand-illustrated vintage playing cards are perfect for collecting, games, magic, or cardistry. Available for $18 on AH Playing Cards online store.

Bicycle Reen Barrera- Our Daily Dread Playing Cards

Bicycle Reen Barrera- Our Daily Dread Playing Cards is a deeply personal, fully illustrated art deck that blurs the line between gallery work and functional playing cards. Produced by RunIt Decks and officially licensed by Bicycle, this release transforms Reen Barrera’s visual storytelling into a tactile, hand-held experience... one meant to be shuffled, examined, and lived with.

Inside, every card features unique original artwork, resulting in 56 custom illustrations across the deck. The card back design is built from the visual language of the Ohlala universe, filled with expressive, watchful eyes. These layered gazes create a sense of tension, awareness, and introspection, reinforcing the deck’s theme of confronting uncertainty and the subtle dread embedded in daily life.

The court cards bring Reen’s iconic characters to the forefront. Figures such as Ohlala, Mother, Duge, Yessir, Tori, and others are reimagined as Kings, Queens, and Jacks, each retaining their distinct personalities while fitting naturally into traditional card structure. 

The number cards continue the narrative, with several designs integrating the pips directly into the artwork, allowing form and function to coexist without sacrificing playability. Suit-specific color palettes guide the mood of each section of the deck, shifting the emotional tone as you move from card to card.

The tuck box features Double Sided Fate, an artwork first exhibited in Hong Kong. Designed with a full wraparound layout, the illustration flows uninterrupted across every face of the box, enhanced by a subtle dimpled texture that echoes the canvas surface of Reen’s original paintings.

Printed by the United States Playing Card Company, the deck uses premium Bicycle stock with the classic Air-Cushion finish, ensuring smooth handling, clean spreads, and reliable durability. Despite its heavy artistic focus, Our Daily Dread remains a practical deck—balanced for gameplay, magic, and display alike.

Bicycle Legal Tender Playing Cards

Bicycle Legal Tender, designed by Jackson Robinson, reimagines the intricate craftsmanship of historic American currency as a fully custom playing card deck. Released as part of USPCC's Bicycle Designer Series, the deck blends classic Bicycle handling with richly detailed, engraving-inspired artwork that pays homage to the visual language of vintage U.S. banknotes.

Money has always been more than a means of exchange—it’s a showcase for national symbolism, ornate filigree, and meticulous linework meant to reward close inspection. Legal Tender translates that tradition directly to the tabletop, drawing from the same ornamental borders, portrait-style vignettes, and razor-fine detailing found on historical currency. Every card feels like a miniature print, designed with the patience and precision associated with collector-grade engravings.

Produced as an official Bicycle-branded release, Legal Tender continues to balance timeless aesthetics with modern execution. Jackson Robinson’s artwork gives the deck a cohesive, fully custom look while preserving the familiar feel players expect from his designs. 

Bicycle Legal Tender stands as a refined celebration of traditional illustration, where classic design, craftsmanship, and usability intersect in a deck that feels equally at home on the card table or in a collector’s archive. Available now $14.99 from Cardtopia.