Below is a bunch of stuff that may or may not make any sense, but hey-!

Kai Myers

Illustration 4

Deck of Cards Proposal

1-18-14

Sir Barksalot

The inspiration for this particular assignment comes from my love of two things: dogs and the middle ages. According to historians, the medieval era was a [ruff] time. Furthermore, these two subjects -canines and the middle ages- have similar chronological elements. However, more importantly, animals, specifically canines, played a crucial role in the well-being and development of medieval people. Dogs were used for companionship, hunting, and were sometimes seen as important symbols of social standing. This deck of cards takes that knowledge and twists it into a comedic representation of role-switching. What if the roles of dogs and humans were reversed? Rather, what if the dogs were the humans but still dogs at the same time? The concept is simply this: Imagine a dog, perhaps a beagle, dressed as a knight, prepared for battle. Then, remove any humanoid conception of a dog dressed that way. The way the dog acts and is represents no more than a dog being hilariously, adorably, and almost painfully dressed up for the amusement of the player(s). The playing cards are arranged according to breed of dog. For example, the king(s) are represented by pug(s), and the queen(s) are represented by pomeranian(s). The reasoning behind these two choices resulted from the similarities between the stereotypical notion that toy breeds (which pugs and pomeranins are a part of) and human royalty are pampered and spoiled. Additionally, the back of the cards all have the same design which will be, in part, inspired by medieval tapestry. The box that houses the cards compliments the theme, with text in sprawling letters that read: “YE OLDE TAILS”. Underneath, bottom right corner, in clean font reiterates: “Ye Olde Tails, 52 cards. Suitable for all ages.”

 

 Annnnd this is a quick sketch to sort of get an idea of what I'm going for.