Frequently Asked Questions

Art Production and Availability

Are all your pieces really unique?

Yes, all my pieces are 100% unique, one-of-a-kind pieces of art. I achieve this by creating anywhere between 20-60 individual card "layers" for each type of deck we use. By using varying combinations of these layers and using 55 cards per deck provides a HUGE numbers of variations. For example, the Bicycle Standard decks can use any of 60 layer types I designed. That's 60 options which can be used in 55 indivudal card positions. Allowing for repeats and cosidering the importance of ordering, that provides us 62,851,952,135,660,053,355,610,535,331,500,262,172,917,760,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 unique combinations! Some pieces look the same at first glance but trust us, there's slight veriations to each and you'll receive a unique piece!

How many of each deck type do you produce?

I have a standard set of decks sold all the time from popular manufacturers which are generally always available. This includes Bicycle Rider Back/Standards, Brybelly Medusa Back, Hoyle Poker, Tally-Ho Circle/Fan Backs and Maverick playing cards. 

I also sell limited-run pieces from popular decks as they're released. These are generally limited to 200 decks only and are available to our monthly "Custom Back" subscribers first before being released publically. If you like my art and want access to these limited-runs you're best to subscribe to avoid missing out. For very popular Custom Back runs I sometimes reproduce these where stock is available and there's sufficient demand. 

Is each piece made from a single deck of cards?

Each piece is made up of 55 cards total (as this is generally the number of cards which come in a deck and we want to refill the box with the same amount). It's not obvious to all, but each new deck of cards is slightly different to another due to the the final cutting process used by the manufacturer and in some cases a deck is made up of slightly different cards! (Good to know if you're playing poker and have a sharp eye). Therefore, our decks can't always be made from a single deck and we have to mix and match decks to maintain the 3D illusion. There's also decks produced which are a deliberate mix of contrasting deck colours to provide  a unique look.  

Are they new decks of cards?

Yes, all my decks are new stock and placed back into an original box. I don't purchase used cards however we did use new old stock from my personal collection in the past for spacers only (the cards which are just the border and provide layers of separation). 

Are there any decks you won't produce?

Yes, some card-back designs unfortunately aren't interesting enough for me to use (although we're happy to produce custom pieces if requested). I also won't use plastic cards as they're too difficult to work with. 

What happens once you sell a piece?

Once a piece is sold it's gone for good and is removed from the website. Unfortunately I don't produce duplicates. 

How long does it take you to produce a single piece?

This really depends on the complexity of the card design and the number of layer designs I want to produce. For a deck with 30 layer variations it takes around a week just to produce these. We then need to test the designs to ensure they work to the desired effect and produce any variations to case designs. Each deck then takes around 1-2 hours to produce, photograph and add to our website. It sounds easy, but unless something is aesthetically pleasing my customers notice, so patience and attention to detail is required.  

Do you hand-cut each deck?

No, the art of producing these unique pieces is in designing and producing each individual layer design and piecing the decks together in an aesthetically pleasing way. (There's some tricks I use to achieve this). Hand-cutting each card would make my pieces incredibly expensive and I want everyone to have access to these unique pieces!

Can I choose the case type, colour and lighting options for my piece?

Yes, options for these are available when adding pieces to your cart. Doing this allows you to individualise your piece even further.

Do you take requests for a deck run?

Absolutely! If there's a particular deck you'd like me to produce please let me know and if it's interesting enough for my customers and where there's stock available I may produce a run. I'll even credit you in the product listings!

Will you create a custom piece(s) from a deck of my choosing?

Yes, however generally you can expect these to be around 4x the price of our standard decks. The reason for this is we're having to produce the layer designs just for you and this takes time. If you want multiples of the same deck then the price will be reduced accordingly. Customers requesting custom designs can identify the deck and provide us a brief on the type of design you'd like. You leave the rest up to us. We'll generally source the deck for you but on rare occasions may request you provide it. 

Note, we retain the original layer designs for custom pieces and may choose to use them in future runs however we generally produce additional layer designs which ensures your piece remains unique to you.

Can you engrave your laser cut case with customised wording?

Yes, you can select this option during checkout. Note, the words will be written exactly as typed so please check you're spelling!

Online Ordering and Payment

 

Payment options

 

Do you offer gift cards?

Yes, please use the 

 

How long will it take to process my order?

 

 

Shipping and Returns

 

Do you ship internationally?

Yes. We ship to around 27 countries worldwide. Our shipping rates are pretty reasonable given the size and weight of each piece are quite small. The perfect art for sending to family and friends overseas!

My items says shipped but still hasn't been received?

 

What are my options for returning a piece?

Here's our Return Policy

In short, we happily accept returns and either refund or replace under the following circumstances only:

• The piece you received isn't the correct numbered item purchased
• The piece is damaged or faulty on arrival (eg broken case, scratched glass, broken card pieces). In other words, there was a fault in the manufacturing process. This is rare and we photograph packed items before shipment for our records. 

If an item is damaged in transit please immediately contact us with photos of the packaging and item. Where you do this within 24 hours of receiving your item we're happy to repair or replace it once the original item is returned. 

Unfortunately we don't accept returns if you change your mind, don't like the piece or where you damage the item yourself. Please your piece carefully, review photos and contact us if you'd like additional photos to be sure you're selecting the right piece.

What should I do if I need to return a piece?

 

 

Other interesting stuff

Where are you based?

Flashburn operate out of Melbourne, Australia. Our "Creator Space" is jam-packed full of card decks!

How many people work for Flashburn?

One. Just me. Andrew Jackman. I make design and make everything myself. I'm also the same person that fulfils orders, mainatins the website, runs the socials and attends shows.  Aparently I'm also the guy who writes the FAQ! 

Why did you start doing this?

I have an unhealthy obsession with playing cards. I traded and collected cards for 10 years before trying to work out how to create art from them. I guess the reason I started doing this is it gave me an excuse to purchase even more decks of cards. The second reason is I wanted to do something creative and bring some joy to people who otherwise couldn't afford custom artwork. I'm passionate about my pieces and I want to share them with the world!

You must be good at cardistry and magic!?

Nope, and to be honest I've never tried. I guess one day....