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Hello guys, since my preview microsites are not easy to post, I'll post myself about my latest project

Here are some cards, a render of the tuck boxes and a cool microsite to see more > http://www.thirdway.it/odissea/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope you'll like it

Date not decided yet, I'm still designing it - I hope in May or June, after Delirium and Eva Statue delivery.

They look good Gio. I look forward to a new series.

The color theme difference on the two decks is cool. But it feels like the neptune deck doesnt take full advantage.

Minerva's central art is silver surrounded by a large amount of gold. (or somewhat similar colors anyway).

Then Neptune is a large amount of silver... with a gold trident kind of to one side.

I understand the mirroring effect that is desired, but it just feels that the trident isn't really central or bold enough visually for it to be working for me. I understand thematically it makes some sense, but visually making something like his beard or the serpent wrapping itself around be the gold part of that image might work better. (or even his body for true reverse symmetry but that body takes up so much of the image).

And on that note, everything on the two tucks are opposite colors but otherwise identical, except the waves around the boat on Neptune, shouldn't those be gold? This could also be contributing to the issue I seem to be having of Neptunes box not really making full use of the theme. On Minervas box the blue really pops out against the large amounts of gold, but on Neptunes there doesn't seem to be anything BUT blue, so rather than making the gold bits that are there stand out there are so few of them its like they aren't there at all.

Anyway, minor issues with Neptune tuck aside, I cant wait for the deck to pop up on kickstarter so I can get myself on board! Always love the decks you put out. Will this be 2 decks or will there be some form of limited edition 3rd and 4th "tuck swaps" as we saw with the Lunatica decks?

I love them, how could I not? I've been a backer since the original Omnia campaign and loved every one since, so of course I'm in. But I'm starting to feel like I want to see something truly different from you, something that will challenge you beyond godlike beings and crazy godlike beings. I'm sure you already have plans or ideas, you have refined your style to perfection and I can't help now but wonder how it would work with and elevate different subject matters, perhaps those which are more obscure, or may not even be humanoid, or organic, or exist in a physical form, who knows? I hope one day to see what it may be, until then I'm still happy to snap this beautiful artwork up lol. Personally, I can't recall a single deck in my collection which features dark-skinned courts, which is something I feel you could pull off spectacularly and would be quite interesting!

@Bradius <3

@juFin - Renders are always tricky
Minerva and Neptune will have the same Gold and Aqua (Green/Blue) Foil.
I hope to find a good hue of aqua foil that will be have the same "depth" of the gold. My idea (at least, in my mind, I hope to achieve that with the final result) is to have similar depth colors with a cold (aqua) and a warm (gold) tune. If I achieve that, it should be really good. Anyways, everythin is a WIP, and I'm still working at some details

This project will be similar to SINS, there might be a limited edition, with different cards, tuck, back than Minerva and Neptune.

Thank you for the feedback!

@Adonael - Thank you for the kind words!

About the style, I consider Odissea as a "son" of SINS and Dedalo, with some differences: the figures have a smaller scale and thinner lines, this allowed me to do bigger figures, like the Cyclope and the monsters, like Scylla.

Of course I know its (purposely) similar to some of my decks (Omnia, SINS, Eva, Dedalo, Pantheon).

I consider this one my "classic" style, the one that I have much fun with and hopefully the ones who support me like most. I’m trying to evolve this style every deck I’m doing

I was on the fence to make monsters "real monsters", but in the end, I thought it was better and more usable keep the cours humanoids, for playability and design consistence.

It was long time that I was waiting to do something like this, after Eva I’ve designed only “funny” stuff

I have some ideas for future decks with different style and themes, of course - this include dark skinned figures and also dark themes.

Probably after Odissea I’ll be done for a while with greek mythology

Even though I told myself I wasn't going to back Lunatica, I ended up buying them on the aftermarket. Your style is very obvious but it still always looks good.

I would support these, but the white borders on the back designs kills it for me. It just doesn't look good IMO.

Damn you Gio and your over-complicated great art.

Any chance you can make the card backs curved since the corners seem to poke into the thin white border on the card back? I hope you see what I'm trying to describe.

@TwoPieceFeed - @RichK About the backs, here is the work in progress design - the render is not good for show the back properly:
(UC exclusive preview, haha)

I wanted to do white borders on Odissea because a lot of people asked me about them since Dedalo (almost all my decks so far were full-bleed).
However, I usually prefer full-bleed backs, so I might decide to change it. Let me know if you have a preference, I'm very open on this point since I have not decided yet

@TwoPieceFeed - oh no! when possible buy my decks on KS Anyways, I'm happy you bought Lunatica, I am very happy about how it turned.

Thank you for the feedbacks!!!

Side note - I am thinking to use all metallic inks on cards. Even the red.

I prefer full bleed, but I suppose if you have *one* project in your line-up that has white borders, it's not the end of the world.

Foil / metallic inks, on the other hand: gimme, gimme, gimme!

Thirdway Industries wrote:@TwoPieceFeed - @RichK About the backs, here is the work in progress design - the render is not good for show the back properly:

The attachment backs.png is no longer available

(UC exclusive preview, haha)

I wanted to do white borders on Odissea because a lot of people asked me about them since Dedalo (almost all my decks so far were full-bleed).
However, I usually prefer full-bleed backs, so I might decide to change it. Let me know if you have a preference, I'm very open on this point since I have not decided yet

@TwoPieceFeed - oh no! when possible buy my decks on KS Anyways, I'm happy you bought Lunatica, I am very happy about how it turned.

Thank you for the feedbacks!!!

Side note - I am thinking to use all metallic inks on cards. Even the red.

I think it's the color outside of the black border that makes them look weird. Maybe you can make 1 of them full-bleed, and take the outside color off the other one, like this (crappy Microsoft Paint render):

Oh Aw, I liked the metal color outside the black border

Anyways, I'm really evaluating the full-bleed now.

I've did the white border only because some backers told me that the decks would be more "usable" with it - if you guys prefer the full-bleed, I am even happier!

I'm in for full-bleed as well.

I get the feeling I am aesthetically challenged, but I think I would prefer full bleed as well. I do agree with TPF that if you use a border, stop the color at the black border. Otherwise, it does look messy.

I like metallic ink. However, for the premium decks, it would sure be nice if they could have foil on them to make some of those colors really sparkle and shine.

I must be the only one, but I think it looks weird if you don't extend the color on the backs past the black border. Too abrupt.

Making the backs full bleed makes everybody but the haters happy.

Ok here's a question. How many of you commenting about the borders are even going to open the decks when you get them?

Now, now. There is no need to get nasty.

I think having the border could be cool and I open all my decks!

jerichoholic wrote:Ok here's a question. How many of you commenting about the borders are even going to open the decks when you get them?

I open mine, and I know I'm not the only one here who does.

That said, I know that extensive play with decks that have full bleed can lead to chipping along the edges (although, truth be told, I haven't played enough with the previous Gio decks to get to that point.) Where that has happened, though, it hasn't hindered gameplay, as these decks are usually decks for games I play with my kids, and none of us try to read marks on cards when we play games as part of our nightly routine.

How about having the 2 standard decks with metallic inks & white borders and a special limited edition version with foils & full bleed backs??

jerichoholic wrote:Ok here's a question. How many of you commenting about the borders are even going to open the decks when you get them?

I open 50% of every deck I buy, because I buy 2 of each. Your comment is antagonistic at best.

TwoPieceFetus wrote: I open 50% of every deck I buy

So the other 50% stays sealed then?!?

Your response was antagonistic at best?

jerichoholic wrote:Ok here's a question. How many of you commenting about the borders are even going to open the decks when you get them?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not really sure how or why it is of anyone's concern what another person decides to do or not do with their decks whatsoever. Nor am I able to conceive how this has anything to do with the feedback they offer (especially considering that it was elicited from the designer himself)... this whole thing just seems completely irrelevant and a contentious issue to even bring up at all...

PipChick wrote:

jerichoholic wrote:Ok here's a question. How many of you commenting about the borders are even going to open the decks when you get them?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not really sure how or why it is of anyone's concern what another person decides to do or not do with their decks whatsoever. Nor am I able to conceive how this has anything to do with the feedback they offer (especially considering that it was elicited from the designer himself)... this whole thing just seems completely irrelevant and a contentious issue to even bring up at all...

Completely agreed. Regardless of what people may choose to do once the deck arrives they're still allowed to weigh in.

Cardians wrote:

TwoPieceFetus wrote: I open 50% of every deck I buy

So the other 50% stays sealed then?!?

Your response was antagonistic at best?

No. Stop posting with blind hatred. Taking part of a sentence out of context to fit your agenda isn't progressing this discussion.

I imagine that Gio's decks aren't often used for magic. I'm 100% on-board with full-bleed backs.

I also agree with the above, and it really shouldn't have to be said, that feedback shouldn't be limited to those that open decks...

With past decks Gio has been criticized for having a monotonous style. I always ignored that talk because the decks were great and different enough for me. But I think this might be my tipping point. It's not that this deck isn't beautiful (sealed or opened, with or without borders although I almost always prefer borders) but with increasing playing card prices I might have to pass on these decks because they just seem superfluous. I know they're different like all the rest but also retain Gio's noticeable style (which isn't a bad thing!) F.or me I think it's a combination of cost vs. "style fatigue" but as usual, I will keep an eye on these and I might change my mind. Either way I hope and know this will fund, with or without my support!

vasta41 wrote:With past decks Gio has been criticized for having a monotonous style.

I share the same feeling here. I love SINS decks, but probably won't go in for these

akicer wrote:

vasta41 wrote:With past decks Gio has been criticized for having a monotonous style.

I share the same feeling here. I love SINS decks, but probably won't go in for these

I've been saying this since Gio created Dedalo. And at that time, it was said by Giovanni that future decks would have a different style. Then came Pantheon, and the story writes itself ever project after.

The same old style continues to carry over with every deck he produces. It's obviously others are now noticing and are seeking if Gio can creatively come up with something different not just in style, but overall creation and story line. Until then, I'm out and will continue to be out.

Second point as Vasta41 stated, with increasing playing card prices from the manufacturers and the shipping costs associated with a project, it's makes it difficult to collect unlike some here that purchase 2 decks to open 50% of them.

So to sum it up, Gio change things up buddy!

I actually chatted with him recently. I suggested that adding skin color to his court members would make them stand out a little from this previous work. Additionally I think it’d be cool to see him try “aging” the cards. Giving them a hieroglyphic feel. I think his style would lend itself well to that aestethic and would offer up something fresh while maintaining much of his style.


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TheGentlemanWake wrote:I actually chatted with him recently. I suggested that adding skin color to his court members would make them stand out a little from this previous work. Additionally I think it’d be cool to see him try “aging” the cards. Giving them a hieroglyphic feel. I think his style would lend itself well to that aestethic and would offer up something fresh while maintaining much of his style.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

All good advice and I'd be interested to see any renderings. BTW is that awful signature engrained into every iPhone? I'm such an Android fanboy. [BACON]

I get what you all are saying. However, many artists have a specific style that makes them uniquely themselves. Peanuts would not be the same if Shultz kept changing radically his style. That said, it did change subtly over time. I have some artist friends, and they do not feel comfortable or want to change their basic style. Some artists do like to try radically different styles. I remember going to the Van Gogh museum and finding some paintings by Van Gogh when he fancied himself a Japanese artist. While it was somewhat different in some respects from his other art, it still had a very distinct style that was uniquely him (and decidedly NOT Japanese).

I would encourage Gio to try to evolve his style some, but don't give up your stylistic roots. It should always be stylistically Gio!