Annette Abolins is the artist behind VIZAGO Playing Cards. She is fascinated by faces, and has always loved drawing and painting them in all shapes and forms on her pottery and other work. And because VIZAGO is Esperanto for "faces", and in this project she's applied this concept of faces to playing cards - with absolutely stunning results! There are two decks: VIZAGO Lumina is a deck with a red card back, while VIZAGO Lumino is a matching deck with a blue card back - both gorgeous.

Each suit has its own flavour and colour, with Hearts being red, the Diamonds having more of a green focus; the theme colour for the Spades is blue, and the Clubs feature purple and a touch of yellow. The Aces all have faces incorporated into the oversized pips. This concept has been applied to the number cards as well, so that these pips also have the face design inside them. Rounding out the package for both decks are a couple of cheerful and playful jokers.

I especially like the fact that there is a real sense of unity within each suit, which is a result of each suit focusing on a single colour, as well as the fact that it's not just the court cards that have faces, but also that the pips in the Aces and the number cards incorporate them. The decks have been printed by Legends Playing Cards in their quality Classic finish, for good handling.

The VIZAGO deck is a real artistic achievement, and I find it absolutely stunning! The artwork is something truly unique and special, with the faces and designs the work of a true artist - and it really shows. I particularly love the bold lines and radiant colours of this deck, with its very stylish design. These cards have so much charm and character, and an immediately striking visual impact. It's very different from any other deck that I've ever seen, and yet it works because the deck as a whole has an internal consistency of style. I'm glad to see a true artist applying her skills to the world of playing cards, and I look forward to see what Annette Abolins has in store for us next - congratulations Annette! - BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGame