The Devil's Hand

The Devil's Hand is a custom set of 56 gothic-themed poker cards, designed in my final year at university for my final major project. The brief given was to choose our own subject of interest, my topic being 'The Horror Genre'. The desired outcome was a fully-realised, creative resolution to our theme, not limited by any particular medium.

Delving into the history of horror, from Aristotle's cathartic tragedies to modern 'elevated horror', I explored why people find so much enjoyment in these themes. The controversial nature of my topic lead to researching the broader concept of enjoying high-adrenaline experiences, noting the differences in attitude to this enjoyment based on the medium they're presented. Poker and other high-stakes games are heavily connected to the feelings horror media envokes, but is arguably a more socially accepted and widespread method of delivery.

When circling back to my project theme, this exploration lead me to produce a horror-inspired poker set as my final outcome, fully illustrated and designed to bridge the gap between these similar concepts. To amplify my theme I expanded the traditional 54 card set, creating a custom 'Contract Card' in which the player can 'sell their soul for a winning streak', and a sticker for the card box warning the player 'break the seal, make the deal', further illustrating the concept of poker and horror going hand-in-hand.