SYS-84 PLAYING CARDS
This academic project explored system based design through the creation of fully custom playing card deck. The objective was to design cards and packaging that were visually cohesive and recognizable at a glance.
// 01
overview
1984 called, they want their cards back
SYS-84 is a set of playing cards inspired by the aesthetics of retro computers and CRT displays, combining nostalgic technology with a bold, futuristic visual style.
// 02
design and System
it's all in the little things
While creating the playing card theme, it was important for the design to feel authentic and meaningful rather than simply relying on neon colors and generic retro aesthetics. The goal was to capture the visual language of 1980s computing by incorporating elements inspired by CRT displays and the computers themselves. To achieve this, I focused on accurately recreating the scan lines, glow, and subtle distortion found on CRT computer screens. These details helped give the cards a more authentic technological feel rather than solely using retro-inspired colors and graphics.
and then there was light
The colors for the cards weren't chosen on a whim, they were based on how Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays produce color. A color CRT uses three electron beams to activate red, green, and blue phosphors on the screen. By varying the intensity of each beam, the CRT combines these three primary colors of light to create a wide range of colors. Using this principle as the foundation for the card design, each suit follows the RGB color system. Red, green, and blue represent the three primary phosphor colors, while yellow is created by combining red and green. White represents all three colors being displayed together at high intensity. This approach gives the color choices a direct connection to the technology that inspired the deck, rather than using colors purely for aesthetic purposes.
// 01
box design
looking into the past
SYS-84 is a set of playing cards inspired by the aesthetics of retro computers and CRT displays, combining nostalgic technology with a bold, futuristic visual style.
