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?
ZSA approved the proposed designs with no revisions. Safe to say they 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.
