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About this WebsiteOn the Cards

The 'On The Cards' project is currently being rolled out as a new section of The World of Playing Cards website.

THE ART, DESIGN & PRODUCTION OF PLAYING CARDS.

 Woodblock Joker by Simon Wintle  
 Hand-painted Joker by Pete Wood

Above: hand-painted Joker from Pete Wood's "Pack of Pearls", 1999.

This website is an open invitation to all artists, designers and manufacturers interested in Playing Card design and production.

We would like to hear from anyone who has or intends to design their own pack(s) of playing cards. Often there are financial constraints or other difficulties, but also there are various ways around these problems. It is also possible to learn from other people's experiences, including mistakes.

We are developing a web-based resource with details of small-scale playing card producers and designers, how to contact them, their work, their production methods and cards for sale direct, with a view to increasing interest in this field.

As the group expands, we shall also consider the publication of small, limited editions and with this in mind we would like to hear from printers/manufacturers or anyone who might want to support, invest in or sponsor such a project.

 

Please email us if you're interested in participating in this project or if you require further information.

Production Methods     Gallery of Designers     Products & Services

 Fly Spade

‘On The Cards’ presents…

GALLERY OF DESIGNERS & ARTISTS

The links listed below offer a sampling of a wide range of creativity, design skill and general knowledge about playing cards and their design. New links are being added continually, several are now under construction.

AUS=Australia C=Canada CK=Cook Islands DK=Denmark FI=Finland UK=England E=Spain H=Hungary IRE=Ireland URU=Uruguay

sketch by Leonor Finisketch by Leonor Fini

Emily Arkin (USA)

David James Binns (UK)

Bonnie Blue (USA)

Laurence Cherniak (C)

Anabella Corsi (URU)

Ben Crenshaw (USA)

Carmen G Carballeira (IRE)

Karen Curran (AUS)

Thomas Damkier (DK)

Heraclio Díaz (E)

Shelley Fowles (UK)

Karl Gerich (UK)

Joan Gragg (CK)

Shon Gwynn (USA)

Georgina Harvey (UK)

Reeta Hiltunen (FI)

K. Frank Jensen (DK)

Witta Jensen (DK)

Idelle Jones (USA)

Catherine Kelly (IRE)

Caroline Kent (UK)

Dianne Longley (AUS)

Alison McDonald (AUS)

Frank Mulligan (USA)

John Newman (UK)

Balázs Pál Nagy (H)

Rex Pitts (UK)

Rita RA (PT)

Simon Wintle (UK)

Peter Wood (UK)

 Artwork by Peter Wood hand-made playing card by Heather Rocchi

About this Website     Production Methods     Products & Services

The 19th century was a period of innovation and trial and error for printers and industrial designers: changing technologies opened new possibilities; many beautiful designs began to emerge from house artists such as Owen Jones (De la Rue), Harrison Weir (Willis & Co.), Aymer Vallance (James English & Co./Peerless Card Company) and George Cruikshank, Richard Doyle and George Clulow (Charles Goodall). Moving into the 20th century, the artist William Barribal was contracted to work for Waddington's. Other playing card designers and artists include F. C. Tilney, Jean Picart Le Doux, Lucy Dawson, Harry Rountree, Paul Brown, G.D. Armour, Siriol Clarry, Sonia Delaunay, Gertrude Kümpel and Melchior Annen.   See also: Art in Playing Cards.   If you would like to participate in this Gallery, please notify the Webmaster.