Papercuts Trading Cards - big little pictures

Papercuts Trading Card Game

Development & Visualization

Project Credits

Company: Big Little Pictures

Software: 3D Studio Max, TyFlow, VRay, Illuistrator, Photoshop

My Contributions: Everything but manufacturing!

This may be the most comprehensive, start-to-finish project I’ve ever taken on — a personal challenge for 2025.

Leveraging concepts I've learned as a day trader on the side, I developed everything for this idea. From the original concept and gameplay mechanics to the card design, artwork, rulebook, full website with integrated store, custom coded wordpress plugins, interactive trading simulator, and even the 3D animation and commercial for the finish product!5 It was a massive solo undertaking, but a genuinely enjoyable challenge to conquer.

Check out the full site at papercutstrading.com

Printing and Manufacturing

Bringing my card game to life wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible team at Qin Printing. From the very beginning, they provided custom templates tailored to my unique product, which allowed me to prototype with precision and confidence. These templates made it easy to visualize exactly how the magnetic box and cards would look and function once manufactured.

Through several thoughtful iterations, we refined the packaging design together—balancing form, function, and cost-effectiveness. Their collaborative spirit and attention to detail were invaluable, and they went above and beyond by even developing new templates specifically for my game. The entire process felt like a true partnership, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their professionalism, quality, and dedication. I highly recommend Qin Printing to any creator looking for a reliable, high-end print manufacturing partner. Working with an overseas team during the tariff debacle of 2025 was scary, but they put me at ease with their patience and collaborative spirit. Huge thanks to Jimmy Dang at Qin!

Concept & Game Design

Origin of the idea: merging trading education with classic card gameplay.
Core mechanics: dual-purpose deck, market events, action cards.
Simplified scoring and round flow for accessibility. The introduiction of a bonus interactive round was also a unique and clever twist.

Interactive & Digital Elements

Custom-built a market simulator from scratch to extend gameplay online and help people grasp simple day trading concepts.
Bonus round and timed challenges for enhanced replay value.

Marketing & Promotion

Scripted and produced commercial
Social media assets, QR-linked materials, and YouTube strategy

Visual Design & Illustration

From card layout and iconography to print-friendly design, I handled every aspect of the visual presentation. This included developing the brand identity—logo, color palette, box design, and rule booklet—complete with an interactive flipbook and QR code support. It was my first time diving deep into Adobe Illustrator and working on something at this scale. I had a great time mixing assets from various mediums and vectorizing them into a cohesive, consistent visual palette.