Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards

Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards by Dan and Dave is an experimental playing card project that explores the intersection of cardistry, architecture, philosophy, cinema, design, and Japanese aesthetics within the traditional 52-card structure. The series is built around the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction, using iterative design as a creative framework.

Across the broader Case Study concept, 52 prototype back designs are reimagined through systematic variation, all derived from the foundational DD logo. This approach treats the card back not as a fixed graphic, but as a design system capable of endless reinterpretation... blending minimalism, structure, and conceptual art into a unified visual language.

Version 11 stands out within the series as an artistic hand-sketched interpretation of the card back, featuring the iconic DD logo as its central motif. This edition emphasizes raw illustration and expressive linework, giving the deck a more tactile, studio-study feel compared to more geometric or refined iterations in the series.

Produced as a limited collector’s release, Case Study Version 11 is numbered from 001 to 288. Available NOW on Dan and Dave store for $30.

Deck View: Legends #852 (Chromatic Edition) Playing Cards

Radiant. Innovative. Refined.

Legends #852 (Chromatic Edition) playing cards showcases the creative potential of cold foil printing, reimagining the iconic artwork of the original Legends #852 deck in a vibrant new form. 

Reimagined by Randy Butterfield and based on the original artwork by Mark Stutzman, the Chromatic Edition uses a silver cold foil base layered with full CMYK color printing. The result is a striking spectrum of color that shifts and catches light while preserving the intricate details of the classic #852 design.

Unlike traditional hot foil, the cold foil treatment creates a more subtle metallic effect, giving the deck a sophisticated sheen rather than an overt shine. This approach highlights the deck's ornate artwork while demonstrating the versatility of one of the industry's most advanced printing techniques.

Printed by Legends Playing Card Company on their Pre-Crushed Classic Finish, the deck offers a soft, flexible feel straight out of the box, complementing its visually impressive presentation. Available now for $22 on Legends Playing Cards.

LiaoZhai Playing Cards by ARK

LiaoZhai Playing Cards by ARK is an art-driven collection inspired by Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, the legendary supernatural anthology written by Pu Songling. Drawing from centuries-old Eastern folklore, the project transforms classic tales of spirits, fox demons, and human desire into an immersive collector’s experience that combines storytelling, luxury craftsmanship, and theatrical presentation.

Continuing ARK’s exploration of Eastern fantasy aesthetics following its ShanHai series, the deck uses traditional Chinese splash-ink painting techniques to create an ethereal atmosphere filled with flowing brushwork, softened forms, and dreamlike transitions between the mortal and supernatural worlds.Every illustration is designed to feel as though it has emerged directly from an ancient scroll, blending haunting elegance with contemporary collectible design.

The centerpiece of the project is ARK’s highly elaborate packaging system. Housed within a snake-bone-inspired slipcase featuring embossing and gold foil accents, the tuck case unfolds into a rotating cross-shaped three-dimensional theatre inspired by pop-up carousel books. As the structure rotates, four iconic Liaozhai stories gradually reveal themselves as miniature stage scenes, allowing the deck to function as both a playable object and an interactive display piece. 

The card backs continue this narrative approach through animated panoramic artwork that shifts from elegant Suzhou-style gardens into eerie supernatural landscapes when fanned. Each suit is tied to one of four classic Liaozhai tales. 

The custom courts features Chinese narrative characters symbolising “Beginning,” “Progression,” and “Ending,” turning every suit into a miniature visual story arc. The Jokers further reinforce the deck’s central themes by representing the coexistence of the mortal and underworld realms through contrasting yin-and-yang imagery.

Multiple collector editions expand the experience further, including holographic gilded versions, monochrome manuscript-inspired editions, large-format artist boxsets, and an elaborate wooden collector’s display box that transforms into a rotating theatre stand for the fully unfolded tuck structure. Across every edition, ARK maintains its focus on premium materials, intricate engineering, and highly tactile production techniques.

Pledge starts at $30 on Kickstarter.

FRAGMENTS: Cubistic Playing Cards

FRAGMENTS: Cubistic Playing Cards by Omega Playing Cards are inspired by the revolutionary art of Cubism and the fragmented visual language of Pablo Picasso. Reimagining the traditional playing card through layered geometry, fractured perspectives, and architectural compositions, the project transforms familiar forms into an experimental study of depth, motion, and visual harmony. 

Every card embraces the Cubist philosophy of presenting multiple viewpoints simultaneously, creating a deck that feels both artistic and mechanically precise.

The collection is released in two distinct editions: Vibrant and Rusted. The Vibrant Edition explores Cubism through energetic electric teals, corals, and warm ambers, while the Rusted Edition adopts a darker industrial atmosphere with weathered iron, burnt amber, and carbonised charcoal tones. Both editions are available in standard and Kickstarter-exclusive numbered gilded versions.

The tuck boxes use a transfer-process printing technique layered over foiled stock, combining embossed surfaces with contrasting shiny and matte finishes to create shifting textures and dimensional depth. The fractured typography and geometric structures continue across every surface of the box, reinforcing the fragmented aesthetic central to the project.

The card backs feature mirrored geometric compositions built around an ocular focal point surrounded by shattered rays, angular planes, and interlocking structures. Inspired by Cubism’s exploration of the “Fourth Dimension,” the designs suggest the collapse of space and time into layered abstract forms. 

Court cards reinterpret traditional royalty as avant-garde psychological portraits. Kings, Queens, and Jacks are broken into angular, mechanised forms that reject classical anatomy in favour of fragmented structures and overlapping perspectives. The Vibrant Edition uses high-contrast colour palettes to guide the eye through these fractured compositions, while the Rusted Edition reimagines the courts as industrial relics shaped by corrosion and age.

The Aces continue the architectural experimentation by transforming the suit symbols into dense geometric frameworks filled with layered facets and abstract spatial patterns. Number cards extend the Cubist approach throughout the deck, integrating pips into shifting backgrounds that blur the distinction between foreground and structure. 

Printed by KSPCC, the deck combines luxury production techniques with experimental visual design. FRAGMENTS is both a fully functional playing card deck and a contemporary exploration of Cubist art, transforming the familiar structure of playing cards into a layered study of abstraction, geometry, texture, and motion.

Pledge starts at $17 on Kickstarter.