Kickstarter: 7 Questions with Jannieke van Geet of Diamon Playing Cards

Currently funding on Kickstarter, the eye-catching Diamon Playing Cards by Artedame Dutch Design Studio features diamond patterns with shades from lime to forest green and cyan to night blue. The diamonds are assembled with mathematical precision to create a harmonious composition.

Fully customs, the traditional courts and pips have been updated to harmonize the theme and pattern with complementary color palette. The theme is translated beautifully and functions incredibly well, making flourishes, fans and shuffles look great!

We managed to catch-up with Jannieke van Geet, founder of Artedame Dutch Design Studio to chat about the inspiration behind Diamon Playing Cards and the design evolution of the deck.

For those of us who don’t know, tell us a little about Artedame Dutch Design Studio?
Our Design Studio has existed for more than 15 years. Arte: stands for 'art' and da me: stands for 'from me'. (So roughly translated: "the art that stands close to me.") Art of mine created for you. The designers who we work with are creative and view each project as a work of art. We share the common passion for creating and are only satisfied when the customer is.

What do you guys love most about being a designer? And what are some favorite projects you’ve worked on?
As a designer, you find art in everything and you aim to make things look good. Creating is a journey from the beginning to the end; the designer plays with shapes and colors until they achieve satisfaction. Sometimes it is difficult to be obliged to complete a task. Working on an assignment limits the free spirit and hand of the designer. That's why the Diamon Cards project is definitely one of our favorites, as it was realized without any imposed boundaries.

Can you describe the Diamon Playing Cards? and why you guys are passionate about it?
Nowadays there is a trend of minimalistic card designs. As a team, we wanted be artistic without giving up a deck's main purpose. The recurring diamonds in our cards are assembled with mathematical precision. When experimenting with compositions and hues, we were left with an infinite amount of unique patterns. That is what we aimed for and it greatly compliments our passion for endless creation.

Talk to us a bit about going from the first draft to the final version. How did you get to this finished product?
For the first Diamon Cards deck, three designs have been created. These were extensively tested and improved several times. Eventually, the choice for the back has fallen on design N°2. In collaboration with various cardists and magicians, the design has come to an end product. A design that perfectly fits the summer season with its bright green and blue colors.

What was your most brilliant breakthrough when designing the deck?
An important breakthrough with the creation of No. 2 was choosing the two complementary colors; lime and night blue. The shades immediately gave the card that wonderful summer feeling. The enthusiasm grew further and we decided to go for a 100% custom deck. The pips and the court cards fully match the overall design. In addition, the subtle blue arrows on both sides of the deck make the cards stand out in fans and table spreads.

What’s next? Can we expect more deck designs in the future?
First, we hope that collectors, magicians and cardists will be as enthusiastic as we are and we will reach our Kickstarter goal! But yes, we would love to continue with this Diamon pattern, as mentioned before, the are endless possibilities to create unique playing cards.

Finally, what are your favorite playing cards?
Our favorite playing cards are obviously our own! We shaped it entirely to our own preferences and we love the outcome. But we are sure that the next deck we create will be even more beautiful.

Thank you for your time and all the best! If you like what you've read here and want to support Diamon Playing Cards, you can find it on Kickstarter Here! 



Pledge starts from €10 (~USD$11.5), Diamon Playing Cards will be printed by the United States Playing Card Company with Air-Cushion finish on Bicycle or Tally-Ho grade stock.