Doctor the deck

Doctor the Deck

 

 

 

 

 



Brief

In this project, we were asked to construct something out of cards and use fasteners.
I decide to use, as a theme, the expression 'King of the Castle', except in this case, it would be entitled 'Too many Kings for a Small Castle'.  This relates to an experience I have had when working for a very small organisation who had a multitude of trustees and managers (official and self appointed).  Things were not as well as they could have been!
Part of the brief was to complete some research but not to plan anything on paper and record  the process of making the final piece after completion.
I looked at many cards art works.  I found them to be very clever and amazing in their precision but not the sort of thing I would get into particularly as an art form.

Research

History:

It is agreed by most historians that playing cards originate from China although some believe that they originate from the Middle East. 
Early examples of playing cards have been found dating back 800 years, and playing cards appeared in Europe in the 14^th century. 
They were brought to Europe by traders from North Africa.  Due to the fact that cards are easy to carry and offered a good entertainment value, they spread across Europe rapidly.

 

        From China about 1000A.D. (University of Cincinnati Digital Press). 
                                     

 Although cards were reserved to the very rich to start with, they became more accessible to people as printing became more available.Originally, there was no queen in the deck as society was male orientated, however, France introduced the queen to the game as well as the black and red colour for the suits. It is possible to get German and Spanish suits today with a king and two marshals but no queen.

 

The popularity of playing cards spread very quickly and very soon, the church intervened as playing card was judged immoral as it was believed that gambling would lead to depravity, dishonesty and drunkenness. By the 15^thcentury, cards were only played during the 12 days of Christmas in England. By the 17^th century, cards were taxed and the Worshipful Company of Makers of playing cards was set up in England. It is interesting to note that cards were also used as a source of paper and the blank back of cards were used for notes. In Holland cards were left with abandoned babies. However, if the card was torn in half it meant that the mother would come back at a later date to retrieve her child.

Cards were also used to pass on hidden messages by secret societies in the ensuing centuries.

Tarot cards appeared at the same time as playing cards in Europe. It is believed that they originate from ancient Egypt. Initially they were another type of playing game -the Tarocchi. However, with time they became linked to the occult and are used to guess the future.
 

                                         tarotdeck.biz

Artists using cards:

The first artist I have chosen is a French artist who create cards rather than build with them.

Jean Delpech 1916 - 1988)

Delpech was an painter and engraver as well as an illustrator.

He completed the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Although french, he was born in Hanoi and spent the first 19 years of his life there. This had a marked effect on his work and influenced him greatly in his painting.

He is particularly famous for his engraving and received many awards for his work.

He became a teacher in Paris and trained students in the art of engraving, with many of these becoming famous themselves.

 

 

 ressources-aa.blogspot.com

 

 

                                                              dxpo-playingcards.com          

Bryan Berg (1974)
Berg is a professional card stacker. He studied architecture and has a

Master of Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
He is not an artist as such as, he builds existing buildings out of playing card. So creativity is limited

 

                                                                                  cardstacker.com

Completion

Having decided to build a castle, I experimented with fasteners and opted for large paper clips to hold the cards to the walls (helped by staples also). This gave an effect of crenellation which I also used for the corner towers, although the paper clips used for these were even bigger.

 

In order to get the cards sufficiently pliable, I soaked some cards in warm water for a few minutes and was then able to peel off the top layer of the cards before sticking them around the towers which were made of cardboard tubing.

 

 

 

I also made some suits symbols (Heart, spade etc), with some clay to plade on post within the larger central tower. As well as a couple of bodies hanging over the wall.

 

 

Evaluation

This project enabled me to realise the importance of planning.

I used cards and fasteners with a view to assemble and construct the castle without sketching or making reference notes.

I tried to assemble cards by cutting slots into them and build up towers.  However, I did not go for this option for the following reasons:

• It offerred little room for stability as soon as it got higher than three cards on top of each other.
• I realised it would take me a very long time to get to any satisfactory result.
• I didn't like it.

The end result was more sturdy than stacking and it also enabled me to use fasteners.  This is not a project that I would do again.