Typographic Playing Cards

Playing cards and typography share a deep connection through the history of printmaking, visual clarity and the creative use of graphic elements such as symbols and fonts*. Each card design in this ingenious pack is composed of letters and numbers in a specific font which is named at the bottom of the card. A different font, or typeface, was used for each card. The court cards, aces and jokers use letters and the rest are created using numbers.

The idea of making a deck of typographic playing cards arose during an idle moment while Jim was on holiday in Crete in 2007, where he produced his first sketches . The playing card designs involve repetitions and superimpositions of type. Curiously, the indices are placed at the top right-hand side, as though for left-handed players.

Above: Typographic Playing Cards designed by Jim Sutherland, Hat-Trick design (UK), printed by Boss Print, London c.2010. 2nd edition (limited to 1000 decks). 52 cards + 2 jokers + 2 extra cards in tuckbox.

* The rise of playing cards in Europe paralleled the development of woodblock printing, which paved the way for movable type and typography. Both playing cards and early printed books were among the first products of this technology. The numbers, letters and symbols on cards rely on clear, legible typography, often using bold sans-serif or simple serif fonts for easy recognition. The design of playing cards, especially court cards, incorporates graphic design principles like symmetry, repetition and negative space — key elements shared with typography, where balancing form and readability is crucial.

Further References

Pentagram: Just Type Playing Cards►

Thanks to Lisandro Gimenez Corte, designer and joint professor of Typography at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism in the Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina, for sharing his ideas and thoughts about typographic playing cards.