Coming back to Kickstarter

52 real tattoos.
One deck.

52 tattoo artists created 52 playing cards on 52 real people. Every tattoo was photographed and transformed into a card — bringing more than 100 people together in one permanent art project.

Get notified on Kickstarter Watch the film

No tattoo-inspired illustrations. No AI. No stock artwork. Every card exists as a real tattoo on a real person.

Real Inked tattoo artwork and corresponding playing card

52 × 52artists × people

52 tattoo artists52 human canvases52 real tattoosone complete deckmade around the world

See how it began.

The original REAL INKED film shows the idea in motion: artists, skin, ink and the moment a tattoo becomes a playing card.

52Playing cards

52Tattoo artists

52Human canvases

1Complete deck

This deck wasn't drawn. It was tattooed.

One card. One artist. One person.

REAL INKED started with one question: what if a deck of cards existed on people before it existed on paper?

The idea

We assigned every card in a traditional deck — from the Ace of Spades to the King of Hearts — to a different tattoo artist. Each artist created a unique interpretation and tattooed it permanently onto a real person.

The transformation

Every finished tattoo was photographed and transformed into a playable card. 52 individual permanent artworks became one collaborative object you can hold, shuffle, play and collect.

10 cards. 10 artists. 10 stories.

These are only a glimpse of the full deck. Click any image to view it larger — each one connects the real tattoo to the final card.

Led Coult tattoo artist and Real Inked Ace of Clubs

Anrijs Straume tattoo and Real Inked King of Spades

Mister Troshin tattoo and Real Inked Ace of Hearts

Tattooing process and corresponding Real Inked playing card

Nancy Mietziii tattoo and Real Inked Ten of Diamonds

Lucas Camargo tattoo and Real Inked Ten of Spades

Erin Zeien tattoo and Real Inked Five of Clubs

Real Inked Five of Spades tattoo and playing card

Real Inked Eight of Hearts tattoo and playing card

Made for collectors. Built to be played.

The original project proved the concept. The relaunch turns it into a deck that tattoo lovers and playing-card collectors can both be proud to own.

Brynjár tattoo artwork, six of spades, Reykjavík Iceland

Collector-grade production

We are finalizing production with a professional playing-card manufacturer. Exact printer, stock, finish, tuck and edition details will be announced before the Kickstarter campaign goes live.

FormatPoker size

Core deck52 unique tattoo artworks

ArtworkReal tattoos, professionally photographed

PackagingPremium collector tuck

We launched before. We learned.

In 2022, 252 people backed REAL INKED and the campaign reached almost twice its funding goal. We still chose to cancel it.

Why we stopped

At the time, we believed the deck was not yet ready to become the product we had imagined. Our pricing was too high, shipping was not clear enough, and we had not communicated the production details collectors rightly wanted to know.

Why we're back

We listened. We learned. We kept the project alive. Now we're returning with clearer pricing, better production planning and a deeper understanding of the people this deck is for. To the 252 people who believed in REAL INKED the first time: thank you. This time, we're finishing what we started.

The relaunch

Be there when REAL INKED returns.

Follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page to get the launch alert, see the final collector specs and access the first reward tiers when the campaign goes live.

Get notified on Kickstarter

Questions.

The Kickstarter page will carry the final production, shipping and fulfillment details. These are the essentials.

Are the tattoos real?

Yes. Every card began as a real tattoo on a real person. The finished tattoos were photographed and transformed into the final card artwork.

Is this the same project that launched in 2022?

Yes — but the product and campaign are being rebuilt. We are returning with better pricing, clearer production specifications, better shipping planning and a stronger collector focus.

When does the Kickstarter launch?

We are preparing the relaunch now. Follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page or Instagram for the confirmed date.

Will there be collector rewards?

Yes. Final tiers will be published once production costs and fulfillment are locked. The core offer will stay simple and collector-focused.

Real Inked is coming back

52 tattoos. One deck. This time, we finish it.

Follow the relaunch and be first to see the final deck, launch rewards and early-bird edition.

Get notified on Kickstarter Follow @realinkedcards

52 real tattoos.One deck.