"Venexiana Dark" by Lotrek: Funding(funded) on KS!

[Lotrek]

So, does it say "that's it?"

What does it say to you?

But seriously, it may need some work but I think that that's it. At least for now... You guys are watching a deck's creation in real time!

[Mike Ratledge]

Back.jpg

When designing the back, I had a problem: I made 5 alternatives and I liked them all. This is a problem because if you like them all, then none is good. I mean that they may be wonderful designs but one has to make you say: That's it!

So. I decided that maybe I should completely change the back design.

I like it! Maybe use it for the LE decks and keep the other back on the 'unlimited' side? Dunno, different faces on the courts already...

[rousselle]

Ok. I want to get my hands on this deck.

People! Pledge for this deck! Pleddddddge!

Oh, and Lotrek... Are you posting this work-in-progress on the Facebook and PlayingCardForums and in Updates to your previous Kickstarter campaigns?

Let's get the word out!

PS: how are the other court cards coming along? You might drum up some excitement by posting updates on the CL project, as well.

[Cbkimble]

So, does it say "that's it?"

What does it say to you?

But seriously, it may need some work but I think that that's it. At least for now... You guys are watching a deck's creation in real time!

I like what you have but it seems to me as though it's missing something. It kind of looks boring to me. Maybe another color or two, highlights, maybe a border( I know how you all feel about full bleed)??? Maybe boring is too harsh...unfinished sounds better to me.

[Sher]

I like it better than the back displayed on the project page. I would prefer not to have a border.

[samurai007]

Back.jpg

When designing the back, I had a problem: I made 5 alternatives and I liked them all. This is a problem because if you like them all, then none is good. I mean that they may be wonderful designs but one has to make you say: That's it!

So. I decided that maybe I should completely change the back design.

I definitely like the mask incorporated into the back design, it connects it to the front much more than just the flowery curls. I wonder if you might even fit more masks in, perhaps 4 of them pointing in the cardinal directions rather than just north and south?

[samurai007]

So, does it say "that's it?"

What does it say to you?

But seriously, it may need some work but I think that that's it. At least for now... You guys are watching a deck's creation in real time!

I like what you have but it seems to me as though it's missing something. It kind of looks boring to me. Maybe another color or two, highlights, maybe a border( I know how you all feel about full bleed)??? Maybe boring is too harsh...unfinished sounds better to me.

I agree that some highlights would help make it less flat looking. Here's a quick dodge and burn job to show what that might look like, and I also added eyes to the masks, just for fun.

[Lotrek]

So, does it say "that's it?"

What does it say to you?

But seriously, it may need some work but I think that that's it. At least for now... You guys are watching a deck's creation in real time!

I like what you have but it seems to me as though it's missing something. It kind of looks boring to me. Maybe another color or two, highlights, maybe a border( I know how you all feel about full bleed)??? Maybe boring is too harsh...unfinished sounds better to me.

Yes, I agree. I posted the design just after I finished it and I knew that there was something missing. But I want a more direct connection to the theme instead of just a beautiful floral design. As for the borders, I'm not Tom in fact I love borders and tell you what? I like thick borders. It's all Tom's fault! But for this deck I wanted full bleed. EPCC's precision in registration cuts your breath and it's very tempting to try it.

[Lotrek]

@samurai: Haha, how much do you charge per hour?

I know what's missing and you guys will see it soon. I'm not very fond of this kind of airbrush highlights. I'll add depth in the picture but in a different way. The back design should have some "clean" areas so that when you look at it from a distance, you can pick up a clear motif. That's my opinion at least.

[Lotrek]

Oh, and Lotrek... Are you posting this work-in-progress on the Facebook and PlayingCardForums and in Updates to your previous Kickstarter campaigns?

Let's get the word out!

PS: how are the other court cards coming along? You might drum up some excitement by posting updates on the CL project, as well.

Yes, I'll be posting all this work in both fb and CL. I don't want to post too many updates in my previous campaigns as I suspect that people get tired and don't read the updates. But I'll post again about V. Dark after a few days.

Today you'll see the next court as well.

[samurai007]

@samurai: Haha, how much do you charge per hour?

I know what's missing and you guys will see it soon. I'm not very fond of this kind of airbrush highlights. I'll add depth in the picture but in a different way. The back design should have some "clean" areas so that when you look at it from a distance, you can pick up a clear motif. That's my opinion at least.

I'm quite affordable, just let me know if you ever want help.

If you want to stick with flat colors, you might try 2 colors instead of one, with the curls in the back being darker so that it pushes them into the distance and gives the appearance of some of those almost empty spaces you described without them being totally empty.

[Eoghann]

This new design is just gorgeous! But I would also go with Mike's suggestion of perhaps using it for the limited edition. The red floral is beautiful as well and I'd be sad to see it go. I wasn't to keen on the teal back.

[ecNate]

I really like the addition of the eyes. It makes it look real, alive. It goes from what is just a mask, or even just a mask like design, to there's a person behind that mask and he's watching me and it's creepy, it's real, it's dark, it fits. Keep it.

[volantangel]

I really like the addition of the eyes. It makes it look real, alive. It goes from what is just a mask, or even just a mask like design, to there's a person behind that mask and he's watching me and it's creepy, it's real, it's dark, it fits. Keep it.

I dont agree, i like the backs much more without the eyes.

[MagikFingerz]

Yes, I agree. I posted the design just after I finished it and I knew that there was something missing. But I want a more direct connection to the theme instead of just a beautiful floral design. As for the borders, I'm not Tom in fact I love borders and tell you what? I like thick borders. It's all Tom's fault! But for this deck I wanted full bleed. EPCC's precision in registration cuts your breath and it's very tempting to try it.

Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game

I'm torn on the eyes tbh, it looks good both with and without.

[Lotrek]

Thanks for the input. It seems that you all prefer the new design with a few tweaks that I was anyway going to do.

As for the mask, it won't have eyes. Indeed it's a bit more creepy but I want the back design to be more impersonal. It's just a background for the action on the courts. I don't want competition between them.

[Lotrek]

Posted in Cardlauncher as well,

Here's the drawing sequence of the King of Diamonds. Beware!

KoD 5 lo.JPG (327.84 KiB) Viewed 1872 times

[Eoghann]

poor guy! Will there be a face attached to that assassin's hand on another card perhaps?

[Lotrek]

poor guy! Will there be a face attached to that assassin's hand on another card perhaps?

Examine the hand holding the knife...

[Eoghann]

Could it be the beautiful femme fatale from the original deck?

[Lotrek]

Eheheh...

[Lotrek]

The plan is to have silver metallic ink for the Limited Edition back...

Back LTD metallic.JPG (200.01 KiB) Viewed 1818 times

A hybrid between full bleed and borders.

[Eoghann]

WHY HASN'T THIS AMAZING DECK FUNDED YET?!!? Everybody pledge for a brick NOW.

[chach]

WHY HASN'T THIS AMAZING DECK FUNDED YET?!!? Everybody pledge for a brick NOW.

I would say that's purely because of the speedbumps encountered during launch.

[SpecialK]

Being a new platform, CardLauncher really needed a successful launch to get the momentum going. Now, momentum is gone, exposure is limited, audience is limited and marketing is, from my perspective, non-existent.

I'm sure there will be a big bounce near the end of the campaign or if additional items are released. Of course, that messes with the economics of the funding of the deck.

[Mike Ratledge]

Being a new platform, CardLauncher really needed a successful launch to get the momentum going. Now, momentum is gone, exposure is limited, audience is limited and marketing is, from my perspective, non-existent.

I'm sure there will be a big bounce near the end of the campaign or if additional items are released. Of course, that messes with the economics of the funding of the deck.

Something big is getting ready to happen, folks. I'm pretty much devoted to one single thing right now, and the decks have to market themselves. This is the first of several game-changing new directions.

If this doesn't get you excited and over the speed-bumps, you need your head examined. It's an outrageous change, from a great deck to a fabulous one. Time to rub your quarters together, folks! As always, I want you to vote with your pocketbook, and if you don't care for CardLauncher, it's the only place you can get these - unless you're waiting for an aftermarket that might never exist if you don't go spend a couple of bucks. We're already over the first 43% (or more, I simply don't have time to look) so with 25+ days left, we're already good, but it could be better - always! I know what I want, and it's not for selfish or personal reasons.

[SpecialK]

Being a new platform, CardLauncher really needed a successful launch to get the momentum going. Now, momentum is gone, exposure is limited, audience is limited and marketing is, from my perspective, non-existent.

I'm sure there will be a big bounce near the end of the campaign or if additional items are released. Of course, that messes with the economics of the funding of the deck.

Something big is getting ready to happen, folks. I'm pretty much devoted to one single thing right now, and the decks have to market themselves. This is the first of several game-changing new directions.

If this doesn't get you excited and over the speed-bumps, you need your head examined. It's an outrageous change, from a great deck to a fabulous one. Time to rub your quarters together, folks! As always, I want you to vote with your pocketbook, and if you don't care for CardLauncher, it's the only place you can get these - unless you're waiting for an aftermarket that might never exist if you don't go spend a couple of bucks. We're already over the first 43% (or more, I simply don't have time to look) so with 25+ days left, we're already good, but it could be better - always! I know what I want, and it's not for selfish or personal reasons.

Looking forward to it Mike. This deck looks simply awesome - so I definitely want it to fund.

[bamabenz]

Any chance you'll have PayPal hooked-up before the Venexiana Dark's campaign ends?
That's the only think stopping me from pledging.

/bama

[Cbkimble]

IMO, not having paypal/Amazon payments right now is what's holding this project back. You get either of those working and the project will fund overnight. Too many just don't know wepay so they aren't going to trust it.

[volantangel]

We are trying to work things out with paypal, however they are extremely slow to respond, hopefully we will get it up asap.