Year
Year
2017
2017
Client
Client
Sansminds
Sansminds
A private reserve deck gifted only by Sansminds.
Duration
Duration
1 Month
1 Month
Location
Location
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Industry
Industry
Magic, entertainment, playing card design
Magic, entertainment, playing card design
Deliverables
Deliverables
Custom limited-edition playing card deck, including back design, Jokers, Ace of Spades, and brand application for Sansminds’ private collection.
Custom limited-edition playing card deck, including back design, Jokers, Ace of Spades, and brand application for Sansminds’ private collection.
A private reserve deck created for Sansminds’ inner circle, gifted only by the studio and never sold to the public.
A private reserve deck created for Sansminds’ inner circle, gifted only by the studio and never sold to the public.
Most decks fight for attention. This one was never meant to be seen.
Most decks fight for attention. This one was never meant to be seen.
SansMinds asked me to design a private, invitation‑only deck for their inner circle. Unlike a commercial release, this project had no need to please the market, no pressure to stand out on a shelf, and no promise of ever being available to the public.
SansMinds asked me to design a private, invitation‑only deck for their inner circle. Unlike a commercial release, this project had no need to please the market, no pressure to stand out on a shelf, and no promise of ever being available to the public.
The challenge was to create something that felt precious and understated at the same time: a deck that could live quietly in a drawer or on a close‑up pad, but reveal its intent the moment you picked it up.
The challenge was to create something that felt precious and understated at the same time: a deck that could live quietly in a drawer or on a close‑up pad, but reveal its intent the moment you picked it up.
I built the visual system around SansMinds’ butterfly mark and the idea of a “private reserve.”
I built the visual system around SansMinds’ butterfly mark and the idea of a “private reserve.”
The back design uses a repeating butterfly pattern in fine metallic lines, giving the cards a subtle shimmer without loud color. The Jokers carry a restrained circular seal with the butterfly and wordmark, paired with calm, spacious typography that reads more like a certificate than a playing card. The Ace of Spades becomes the most intricate moment in the deck, with a detailed interior pattern that rewards anyone who looks closer.
The back design uses a repeating butterfly pattern in fine metallic lines, giving the cards a subtle shimmer without loud color. The Jokers carry a restrained circular seal with the butterfly and wordmark, paired with calm, spacious typography that reads more like a certificate than a playing card. The Ace of Spades becomes the most intricate moment in the deck, with a detailed interior pattern that rewards anyone who looks closer.
Because this deck is not sold, its value is entirely symbolic. It exists as a gift and a signal: if you own one, it is because SansMinds gave it to you. My role was to make that gesture feel considered, intentional, and collectible without ever being commercial.
Because this deck is not sold, its value is entirely symbolic. It exists as a gift and a signal: if you own one, it is because SansMinds gave it to you. My role was to make that gesture feel considered, intentional, and collectible without ever being commercial.