Versus playing cards

Volume 2 of Versus - a limited-edition pack of illustrated self-promotional playing cards - just landed at Computer Arts HQ.

Following the success of volume 1 last year, this second edition launched last month - and features 52 illustrations by 13 artists, who have each illustrated a set of four cards: aces, twos, threes and so on.

It's a pretty innovative self-promotion idea, and ultimately shows that a band of illustrators joining forces can achieve something pretty special. While volume 1 was curated by project coordinator Dave Ashby of Liquidlizard from his personal illustration contacts, volume 2 was run as a competition, and printed by Ripe Digital.

"Everyone could have a go at entering, by designing a card based on a brief with a colour scheme," explains Ashby. "We had four judges with a background in illustration choose their favourites. Once selected, the featured 13 artists created the rest of their designs."

"The Versus project helps everyone: the creative organisations have a collection of local artists, and the illustrators get employed," he adds.

The final 13 artists are:

ACE: Barney Ibbotson
TWO: Murray Somerville
THREE: Ricardo Sudario
FOUR: James Downing
FIVE: Emory Allen
SIX: Todd Oliver
SEVEN: Melanie Chadwick
EIGHT: Luke Waller
NINE: Dean Zappy
TEN: Amy Evans
JACK: Giuseppe Longo
QUEEN: Nicholas Darby
KING: Blair Sayer

Fittingly, issue 154 of Computer Arts Projects is dedicated to all things self promotional. It's on sale for a couple more days in the UK, or available online. Plug over!