SEAFARERS - JOKER AND THE THIEF

Seafarers Playing Cards Design

In 2018 I was invited by James Milaras to create a new fully illustrated deck for his playing cards brand, Joker and the Thief.

With inspiration in the the sea life and nautical signs we came up with "Seafarers".

Seafarers Standard Edition

The Back Design

Timeless and Writhing with Symbolism.

Creating the back design is always the first task we undergo. It is by far the most important element and shapes the rest of the deck. Not only does Seafarers have to live up to our original designs, it also needs to incorporate symbolic and thought provoking imagery, while maintaining a timeless air. Practicality is something that was of utmost importance for Seafarers. We want to see these put to use. That meant creating something elegantly understated - a design that can be greatly appreciated for its beauty.

Seafarers' back design is teeming with life. Serpents are deceptively lurk within the ropes representing looming mortality. This directly contrasts with the ascending sea eagles representing heavenly symbolism. The only one-way element, the anchor, grounds the entire design. This represents a tether to reality.

The Ace of Spades

A Statement of Elegance and Identity.

The ace of spades is the Seafarers’ heart and soul. It is easily one of our favourite aces since the original decks were released. Unique and Iconic.

The Court Cards

Unique characters. Unique stories.

The court cards are all completely custom - illustrated by hand, from scratch. Themes from the back design start to carry over and give life to these oceanic royals. They are unrestricted by borders, allowing us to take full advantage of the space of the card. By doing this, these courts develop their own distinct and individualistic characteristics. Each suit tells its own story, with each jack, queen and king being thematically and symbolically linked.

The Joker and The Thief // The Pips

They return, Marauders of the Sea // Custom Pips and custom font

The Tuck Box

Uniquely Finished and Peppered with Lavish Touches.

By far the most praised aspect of the line of Joker and the Thief decks are theluxury tuck boxes we craft. Always 100% custom, and often feature processes such as letter-pressing, hot stamp foiling, offset printing, embossing, interior designs, and custom seals.