Entwined is a series in celebration of the beauty of nature and its interpretation through the grace of dance.
Winter is the third in the series of a tetralogy of artistic decks designed by Ritu of Old Gravity. This edition encapsulates Winter, the time, when nature recedes into slumber. However, in this cycle the grandeur and majesty of this earth shines through in its white pristine snowy fields, the grand mountains, the glistening frozen lakes of ice, and the sudden rays of the sun, breaking apart the fog, giving the land a gentle embrace of warmth on a frozen winter morn.
The beauty of nature is paralleled with dance in these decks, where the heart of the dancer resonates with the poetry of nature and finds expression in its elegant and graceful form. The journey of the deck begins at the tuck boxes, with its dual foiled design and embossing, enhancing the richness of the art to be revealed inside.
There are two versions of Entwined. One, the Winter Gold, is adorned with shiny rich gold, and contrasting cyan foils, set against a highly detailed and embossed opalescent paper base. This edition mimics the warmth of winter, and the richness you discover in nature's details when you look for it. Towards the back of the tuck, a graceful ballet dancer stands beneath an eternal canopy, signifying a moment, frozen amidst the grander cycle of life and death. The inner lip of the tuck case holds the design of a beautiful swan, the symbol of our Entwined deck.
As you peer further into the case you are welcomed by a premium deck of cards like none other; custom painted by Ritu, and painstakingly produced by NPCC of Ukraine. The card back overwhelms you first with its rich holographic foil, mirroring the prismatic ice shimmering on a sunny winter day. The regal swan, the symbol of Entwined, graces the card back. Tying the thread between nature, dance and the 4 volumes of these luxurious playing card decks. The face cards are where the unique and beautiful art of Entwined shines the brightest, with each card hand painted by Ritu, over a period of one year. These cards are not muted as we think of winter, but is vibrant in its intricate shades of cyan, purples, mauves, flowing across the scene. The dancers are prominent in their graceful pose, but also merged in the colorful palette, signifying the merge of soul with nature.
The four Queens of Entwined are graceful forms in ecstasy, as if a melody from Tchaikovsky's swan lake had expressed itself on canvas. The four Kings are powerful, but gentle at the same time, a man's expression of beauty in masculinity and grace. The jacks celebrate the youth, where small children merge themselves with the beauty of untainted nature. The four Aces, majestic symbols towering over the beautiful and vast landscapes. These panels have a look as if you are peering out of a window into a painting, where the surreal forms of the custom pips, are balanced on a vast land, going into the infinite. Finally, we come across the two Jokers, who signify the playful and colorful side of winter. This resonates in the card's more vibrant tones, a sway from the palette of the other 52 cards. But they still retain the hues of the deck, making them distinct, but harmonious across the suits.
The Entwined number cards are special, unlike any deck that exists. Each, number of the card is mirrored in the count of leaves on a branch. The leaves themselves are the four custom pips unique to the four volumes of Entwined. This special arrangement creates a harmony across the distinctive art and standard features of a deck of cards. Thus, maintaining playability, whilst not compromising on the artistic expression being pursued. The crowning glory of the Entwined series is its special collector's box, with two decks and a special coin, central to the rich presentation.
The winter version of the collector's box is unique, with its pristine white look, and rich holographic foil design, a special treat for any serious collector. The box opens on the side, to reveal the two versions of the winter series, and a special silver version of the coin, keeping in line with the theme of winter. The third chapter in our journey embraced the beauty of winter, and expressed its glory, in dance. Though these decks are the beginning of this project, more is to come as we move forward in the coming days. We do have some surprises up our sleeves, so keep a look out for those as well. Till then we hope you enjoy these new creations, and back our campaign.