Inktober is in session.
This is what my weekend looked like.

Usually, I’d start it by just hitting the ground running but working with product-driven clients have changed my perspective on how to reorganise my creative skills.

Because I hand draw my assets before refining it in design, I’ve always waited until the final artwork before I created any prototypes. This time, I decided to create prototypes first — no matter the quality. In business, this is called an MVP (minimum viable product). So far, I've ran two tests before the project has officially started. 

The first test was to experiment with possible art styles and realise the size. The second was to test colours and concept. Neither tests came out perfect.

However, I learned something just from the first test run, as you'll see below. On the left are a deck of standard Bicycle playing cards, 56 cards in total, at 300 GSM (grams per square metre) thickness. On the right are my first print runs, 42 cards in total at 280 GSM.

Despite having 14 cards and a 20 GSM difference per card, they both look the same in thickness. How could this be?

RM12 taught me three things

1. Designing playing cards are not the same as designing posters. Posters are static, designed to look good from afar and withstand time. Playing cards require the means to feel premium, withstand high frequency use and absolute colour precision for consistency. This meant special refinement eventually, be it material or in process.

   
   

2. If you’re testing for layout, colour or size, use a thin GSM paper. If you’re testing for durability, use a thick GSM paper. If you’re testing for all of the above, pay more. If you want to be efficient, know what you’re printing for (purpose, paper type, size) and utilise all given space. 

   
   

3. Get to know your local printer, call them before you reach, learn how they work and ask questions before updating your next working file. I believe that being able to compromise and make someone else’s work easier is a great way to foster healthy business relationships.

More to come

Here's what the prototypes look like (top: test 1, bottom: test 2):