• Mask: A layer placed over an image which allows for the removal of pixels in order to cut an object from its background.
• Bitmap Graphics: A type of graphic file in which pixels are defined to be certain colors. Also known as RASTER graphics.
• Brush tool: A Fireworks tool which modifies the color of underlying pixels.

Masking- The Heart of the Deck of Cards:  To complete this project, you must learn how to MASK an image (cut it from its background).  To learn this, please review the following tutorial and SAVE the resulting image, as you will need to turn it in at the end of your project:

Video Tutorial:  Fireworks Masking

Download these files for the Masking Tutorial: boxer.jpg and alleyway.jpg

Base Images:

The students must locate 8 good size images (at least 500 x 500 pixels in size) for use as face cards and joker for this project. These pictures should be photographs, complicated paintings or graphics are fine. NO CARTOONS are allowed! Cartoons are too easily cut out from backgrounds and so do not fit the spirit of this project.

Our current network filtering system has rendered locating pictures very difficult.  I do not have an answer to this at the current time.  Do the best that you can to locate suitable images for the project.  If you can't find the proper pictures, select a new theme for your deck of playing cards.

Select images that would fit with the idea of a “King”, “Queen”, “Jack” and “Joker”, such as a Large One, a Medium One, a Little One and a Funny One, or a Father One, a Mother One, a Baby One and a Silly One. Remember, you will need to complete this for TWO different suit symbols!

In general, the King, Queen and Jack images on a deck of playing cards are portraits, usually seen from the midsection or the shoulders up. The Joker card is usually a full figured image, showing head, body and feet, usually in a silly or funny pose.

Creating the Deck:

Students will RIGHT CLICK>SAVE to download The CARD DECK TEMPLATE from the highlandtechnology.org website. Then, using the card outlines shown, will create their card deck by adding the various face card images, ace suit indicator, etc.

Face Card Creation:

Students will take each of their eight face card/joker images and, using Fireworks MASKING tools, will cut out the objects from their backgrounds. This should be completed as thoroughly as possible, with a minimum of haloing. Students should make sure that the base of each figure is sliced to a straight, angled line for copying, inverting and reattaching. Then, copy the image, paste into your card template and resize as needed to fit your card outlines.

Now, copy your top piece of your face card, rotate it 180 degrees, and reattach it to your face card graphic!

Here is a Video Tutorial that walks you through the Face Card Creation Process!

The Joker:

The Joker usually has a full figured image, not a copied and reverse image, as on face cards! Cut out your full figured image, just as you have done with the face cards above and place the figure in the center of the Joker card spot. The card indicator in the case of a Joker usually only says “JOKER”, without a suit indicator.

Suit Symbols:

Of course, decks of playing cards need suits. The common suits used are Hearts and Diamonds (red suits) and Clubs and Spades (black suits). Our deck will be different. Our deck will have two customized suits, based on the theme of the deck. For instance, the suit for a deck about dogs might be dogbones and spiked collars or the theme for a deck about football players might be footballs and helmets.

The suit symbols, however, are to be created completely using only Fireworks Vector Graphics tools, just like those used to create your Webpage Emulation. DO NOT import or copy any outside images for this part of the project.

Once your suit symbols have been created, place them together with the proper card letter (K, Q, 10, etc.) on your deck template file. You will have to copy and invert these symbols for the bottom side of your card.

You will also use these suit symbols for the creation of your 10 through 2 cards. Make sure to place all of your suit symbols in the proper fashion on the card where the pictures went on the face cards, check the cards from an actual deck, if necessary, to make sure your alignment is correct.

The BLACK Ace:

Generally, with a deck of cards, the Ace of Spades (black suit) in a deck has a greatly enlarged suit symbol in the center of the card, with some sort of manufacturer’s mark placed somewhere on the suit. On your black Ace, please do the same, place a large version of your suit symbol and personalize it with your initials or a "Maker's Mark" of some sort. The red Ace will look like the regular number cards with a single suit symbol.

The Back of the Cards:

The back of a deck of cards usually has a small repeated pattern. We will do the same. Locate a proper pattern for your themed deck, for instance, a deck regarding Disney Characters might have a Mickey Mouse silhouette for a repeating pattern.

Place your design on a small canvas and save it as a .PNG file. Now, you can use this .PNG file as a PATTERN FILL for the back of your cards!

Here is a Video Tutorial demonstrating how to use a created Pattern fill for the back of a deck of playing cards.

Example Decks from Years Gone By:

Here are a couple of galleries of Playing Card Decks from years gone by:

• Playing Cards from the Technology 1 Class of 2009-2010
• Playing Cards from the Technology 1 Class of 2008-2009