Kickstarter: 5 Things You Didn't Know About TIKILANDIA Playing Cards By Robert Jimenez

From the mind of designer Robert Jimenez, TIKILANDIA Playing Cards is a fun, fully custom Tiki-themed deck currently seeking funds on Kickstarter. TIKILANDIA is based on a bar and lounge on the fictional island paradise. The face cards and backs feature original artwork and illustration with a fun and bright color pallette. Robert briliantly captures the unique tropical vibe of the island!

Here are 5 things you didn't know about TIKILANDIA Playing Cards:

1. TIKILANDIA in an actual bar (kind of).
I try to create a narrative through most of my art, especially in my Tiki art. The locale for these pieces is a place called Tiki Tower Island, a paradise populated with sophisticated apes, Tikis, mermaids and more. On the island is a bar and lounge called Tikilandia. The first of these pieces was, Last Call At Tikilandia (pictured below), which featured an inebriated chimpanzee at the bar. Subsequent paintings and illustrations feature the bar in some way. This card set is an extension of all that. I’d like to think it’s the house deck, played by the various humans and simians who frequent the place!

2. The Queen for the Tikilandia Playing Cards is based on my wife.
In researching the look for the queen I knew I wanted curly or wavy hair. After some searching I was not having any luck finding many images that appealed to me. I turned to personal albums and in looking through a bunch of family pics, I found the perfect inspiration in a photo of my wife.

3. The moon is a motif often found in my paintings and illustration and is also a part of this card set.
In addition to the slogan, BEST PLAYED ‘NEATH MOONLIGHT, the moon will also be represented in the final art for each of the face cards.

4. Faux ad.
One of the rewards options in the Kickstarter is a faux vintage ad for the cards. In my work, I love to create art that harkens back to vintage publications, especially pulp magazines. I also create pieces that have a built in worn or distressed feel. The Tikilandia cards will be printed with a slight vignette to give the sense of a deck you may have found in your grandparents attic. So, in keeping with this direction, I designed this reward to feel as if the ad was “torn” from the pages of 40’s pulp magazine.

5. TIKILANDIA logo.
The logo and illustration for Tikilandia Playing Cards, found throughout the campaign as well as on the front of the tuck box, incorporates many images and symbols from my Tiki art. The Marquesan-styled Tiki, the octopus tentacles, mermaids, jellyfish and more can be found in my paintings and illustrations from the last few years.

TIKILANDIA will be printed by the United States Playing Card Company with an Air-Cushion finish. At the time of writing, the project is only 70% with 28 days to go! Pledge start at $10 on Kickstarter. Add-ons such as enamel pins, mini art prints and uncut sheets are avaialble during the campaign.