Balearic Souvenir Cards

Inspired and designed in Illes Balears by local design studio Rioba Studio for their store Rioba Paper & Goods, this classic 52 + Jokers playing card deck is “illustrated with Mediterranean scenes”. This very elaborate deck shows 52 individual vector illustrations on each and every card showcasing scenes of Mediterranean, Spanish life. Recurring themes are the ocean and the beach, as well as city life, architecture, nature, and food.

A lot of effort has been put into designing this card deck, as 52 individual detailed digital vector illustrations have been drawn by hand with a tablet for every card, with a very distinct and cohesive style. A soft pastel color palette was used for the intricate illustrations, underlined with a warm, beige undertone instead of the usual plain white, and added with a grain which gives the flat style a more highlighted look. For the mirrored numerals on the left corner, a round sans serif was used with big, bold, and playful features. The pips were designed fittingly for it, being very round and playful.The main illustrations are framed in the corresponding suit color, either red or black. There is no visual distinction between figure cards and number cards; both are designed with the same level of detail regardless of their in-game value. The Joker, marked by a shadowed "Joker" label on the left and all four pips on the right, features a sun lounger with palm trees and flowers. It is the only unframed illustration in the entire deck. The reverse side of the cards features a stylized sun with the phrase "Enjoy the mediterranean vibes" and the store's logo at the bottom.

Balearic Souvenir playing cards by Rioba Studio, Pollença, Mallorca, 2026. Website: Rioba Paper & Goods ►

The packaging is a high-quality, rigid sliding box made of sturdy paperboard with a textile pull tab. The front displays the same sun motif as the card backs, alongside details about the deck, the suit pips, and the company logo. The back of the box displays four sample cards, the brand's logo, and information regarding production, copyright, and origin.

Author's Note

My best friend found this deck in a local shop during a girls' trip to Mallorca, knowing she wanted to bring me playing cards from her travels. Before purchasing it, she looked up the deck online to confirm that it was not created using AI, as ensuring it was designed by real artists was important to her.