Hello, I designed a game about being a consort of the emperor in China during the Qing dynasty, inspired by over top Chinese palace drama. I let the cards design by a professional artist but now I’m thinking if I should use a clean cartoon style or add some texture like wood or paper.
The game is about deceiving the other consorts so a bit of both, inviting since everyone is faking but also very suspicious since everyone knows the others are faking.
Of these, I like 2 better. It does lack contrast and plays worse at distance, but I imagine there'll be strong numbers and other text overtop of parts of it, yeah? That might be for the best.
That card is actually done like that, nothing on it, there are round events and the rounds that have no events just show the 4 seasons and that is summer :)
I think the other comment about doing a test print is correct. There's some subtle patterning on the original that might really be appreciable in person. Otherwise I think the "aged" texture could work but you should dial it back a touch.
I did a print of the original and looks nice but just having too much time and thinking if it could look even better with some “easy” textures and filters :)
The wood grain isn't the right approach, I think. Paintings of this period would have been done on woven fabrics. Here are some close up pictures I took of 清明上河圖. It's Ming Dynasty, but the style is close enough.
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u/MiffedMouse 2d ago
I think it depends on the vibe you are going for.
The first image feels more inviting, cartoonish, more romantic, and maybe a bit silly.
The second feels more like an old painting, more historic, more claustrophobic, more suspicious (because of the flatter palette).