The Eye of the Ocean Part Two (2024)

While the intricacies of the island’s myriad elements were too extensive for a sole creator to tackle comprehensively, I remained dedicated to a select few. My pursuit of minute details led to the creation of an expansive map of the island, intended for high-resolution printing at 70x100cm.

Diligently, I poured over every architectural nuance - statues, ruins, bridges, roads, caves, towers, and more. A meticulous effort spanning 100 hours, not counting the time devoted to elements already designed in Volume 1.

This map will serve as the backdrop for each card within the project, forming a complete picture on an uncut sheet.

The process for crafting the court cards followed a similar trajectory as in volume 1. I began with initial sketches and continued refining the artwork until I was satisfied with the poses.

In contrast to volume 1, the court cards in this volume do not originate from Cpt. L. Dougherty’s perspective. Instead, they represent characters native to the island. My intention was to align the red cards with the Malachim (or Malakim) bloodline and the black cards with the Gibborim bloodline. While I didn’t create an exhaustive genealogy of these characters, their ranks are consistent. If you consult the map, you’ll find the two towns situated on the island’s northern forearms.

For the court cards in volume 2, I underwent a complete transformation of the color palette, enhancing its vibrancy. In contrast to the characters from volume 1, who featured a faded and desaturated palette with weathered effects, resembling old and aged prints or drawings, the new set boasts vivid and saturated colors. Deep reds beautifully contrast with aquamarine, and I added simple shading to these cards to provide an extra layer of depth.

The transition from sketch to final artwork involves numerous changes, additions, and improvements. This occurs when I draw the black outlines over the sketch

The four aces are crafted using this very technique, each one representing a floating platform fashioned in the shape of the four suits, replete with buildings and temples. Every design includes one or more entrances, allowing the observer to envision pathways leading to various structures on the platform.

While these structures remain unmentioned in the novel and do not appear on the map, the world of the Eye of the Ocean is conceived as vast in both time and space, making room for them to exist in a different context.

Regarding the distinctions from the final designs of the planned three variants (Malakim, Gibborim, and Nephilim), the variations lie in the decorations and the illustrations in the backdrop. Typically, the back design remains consistent, with only the color changing. However, this time I decided to create three distinct designs, although they share certain graphic elements.

Each variant showcases its own megalithic marvel. These structures bear resemblances to architectures from ancient civilizations, such as pyramids, step pyramids, megalithic walls, and more. 

 The Kickstarter campaign was launched on March 2024 and offered the 3 main decks (Gibborim, Malakim, Nephilim), the novel as "Tomus Unicum" (consolidation of vol1 and 2 in one tome), the Orbis Triplex (a piece designed to solve the incoming quest), Windwatcher mini deck, and more. 

All items are currently in production. Once fulfillment is completed, the quest/puzzle will be launched. Those who pledged for a reward that includes the book, the Orbis Triplex, the Malakim and Gibborim decks, and the card guard will be able to participate and solve the puzzle.