The making of the Magic Card for customers and guests of Art. Lebedev Studio’s stores and cafés
Piling up the first sketches.
![als magic card process 01](als-magic-card-process-01.jpg)
Art director: Nope, that’s not it. Let’s play with our logo. How about we turn it into a percent sign?
![als magic card process 02](als-magic-card-process-02.jpg)
Art director: Needs to be more sophisticated. It’s gotta look cool.
![als magic card process 03](als-magic-card-process-03.jpg)
Designer: Like this?
Art director: Cool, but that’s not exactly about us.
Trying different approaches and solutions.
![als magic card process 04](als-magic-card-process-04.jpg)
Art director: Now it’s about us and Arbat Prestige (a Russian perfume retail network).
Showing fresh sketches.
![als magic card process 05](als-magic-card-process-05.jpg)
Art director: Now you’re talking. Numbers 1, 6 and 7 can see further development.
![als magic card process 06](als-magic-card-process-06.jpg)
Art director: Print it out and hang it on the wall—let it ripen for a while.
![als magic card process 07](als-magic-card-process-07.jpg)
Art director: We’ll go with the first. But our logo has to be on the front.
![als magic card process 08](als-magic-card-process-08.jpg)
Art director: Also, the back needs some work. We have some unused percent signs somewhere, don’t we?
Designing the back without the percent signs. The back has to contain a bar code with a five-digit card number. A traditional EAN-13 is too large for that. Finding a more compact Code 128.
![als magic card process 09](als-magic-card-process-09.gif)
Typesetting and sending to a print shop.
![als magic card process 10](als-magic-card-process-10.gif)
First samples come from the shop.
![als magic card process 11](als-magic-card-process-11.jpg)
It’s all very bad. Not a single parallel line, no correct blotting-outs. Changing the print shop and making our requirements more clear.
![als magic card process 12](als-magic-card-process-12.jpg)
The concept has changed. The word “discounts” on the front has to be replaced with the word “magic” translated into different languages. First, we use Google Translate.
![als magic card process 13](als-magic-card-process-13.jpg)
Typesetter: Should I ask someone for a proper translation, or are we short on time?
Art director: Everything must be correct.
Asking everyone at the studio to submit the translation of the word “magic” in every language they know.
![als magic card process 14](als-magic-card-process-14.gif)
That was fruitful. Exploring the difference between magic and wizardry in all these languages (because we need magic—good and pure), typesetting the card over again and sending to print.