Visiting Turnhout's Playing Card Museum

The rich tradition of playing card production in the northern region of Belgium inspired the format of our collaborative 'Just Print Play' residency at the Frans Masereel Centrum - which meant we all had to visit Turnhout's Playing Card Museum!

The museum has an enormous variety of presses, as well as wood engravings and lithographic stones with original playing card designs still ready to be printed!

This massive camera was responsible for photographing designs in order to make them into cards!

After working for 10 days on our own playing cards, it was amazing to see an entire production space devoted to printing cards, cutting them and trimming the edges, and even a die-cutter to fold the protective box!

Then back to the Centrum to work on some of my own plates as well before heading back to Canada.

and last of all

PONY TIME!