case study
ZSA Playing Card Illustration
A deck of inspiration and connection
This one-of-a-kind deck of playing cards is unlike any deck you’ve played with before. In 2022 I was fortunate enough to work with the team at ZSA alongside a handful of other talented artists to contribute 8 illustrations to the deck in my style. I was tasked with designing art for each of the 8 ace cards (see I told you it’s a unique deck!)
ZSA is a keyboard company but their deck of cards was a labor of love and something fun and creative to put out into the world.
Services:
Illustration
sketches
I was given a ton of creative freedom and very little guidance on what to create. The only stipulation was that I had to include a one specific animal on each ace card which included a horse, butterfly, dragon, lizard, dog, turtle, hummingbird, and platypus. Other than that, it was up to me!
I decided to make each animal do some kind of very human activity and had a ton of fun with it. It got a little weird, which I think was what made it fun.
The first round of sketches were quickly approved and I got started on the full-color versions.
no edits?
For the first time in my career, the client approved the proposed designs with no revisions. Safe to say that were satisfied and so was I.
It took a few months for the cards to get put together and produced, but I eventually got my hands on a deck and took some photos.
thank you zsa!
This was a very fun project, and I’m grateful to ZSA for the trust to help bring some more fun to their cards.
I still love how each illustration turned out. My favorite is this happy astronaut dog, but they’ve all got a special place in my heart.
