Project Overview
Long live the king. That phrase certainly upholds its legacy as the film, Black Panther, continues to be one of the most highest-rated Marvel films. The main premise of the movie centers around a young king, T'challa, who rules the land of Wakanda, a secretive kingdom hidden deep within the continent of Africa. However, chaos is soon brought upon the order when a strange, unexpected relative arrives and decides to challenge the throne. Divided by power and salvation, the two fight it out in an intense battle to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Inspired by the movie's plot, I decided to make some playing cards. This project will show a semiotic structure that presents itself as a clear, cohesive system.
Software: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
Skills: UX/UI Design, Brand Strategy, Marketing
Skills: UX/UI Design, Brand Strategy, Marketing
Research & Production
I was inspired by both cultural and visual elements from the film and incorporated them into my design. I used the same font that was used in the film, "Wakanda", which incorporates futuristic, geometric-like letters and chose colors that were representative of the film and to help differentiate each suite. Red is for the diamond suite which resonates with the Dora Milaje warriors, the fierce protectors of Wakanda. Green is for the club suite which is associated with the River Tribe. Blue is for the spade suite which represents the Border Tribe and purple to represent the heart suite which resonates with the Royal Family. I also used brown for the Joker card and black for backside of each card. Lastly, I used gold and silver for the card's accents. Below shows a mood board of reference images I used to create my cards.
Mood Board
Note: These photos are courtesy of Google Images. These were just used for inspiration and reference.
Character Design
I was inspired by the traditional playing card design of the flipped character and used that for designing my face cards. T'challa is the caring and respected king of Wakanda, who's legacy continues to inspire generations. Nakia is the nurturing care-taker from the River Tribe who deeply cares for her country and has a deep affection for T'challa. Okoye is the fearless Dora Milaje warrior who values tradition and virtue and will stop at nothing to protect those she loves and the throne. The African mask represents the villian, Erick Killmonger, who becomes a threat to the Kingdom—he represents the Joker card. Lastly the Panther God, Baast, who is the most respected and worshipped figure in all of Wakanda—he represents the Ace card.
Initial Sketches
Final Characters
T'challa, King
Nakia, Queen
Okoye, Jack
Erick Killmonger's mask, Joker
Baast Panther God, Ace
Final Product
