An examination of traditional and AI-based production processes in playing card design

Abstract

Playing card design has developed in accordance with the principles of mass production, forming a systematic visual structure based on symmetry, repetition, and visual hierarchy. With the advancement of digital technologies, this structure has been transformed through AI-based production processes, leading to the emergence of data-driven and variable visual generation approaches.

This study aims to comparatively examine traditional production processes and AI-based production processes in playing card design. The research was conducted within a qualitative framework, and the selected samples were analyzed using visual analysis based on the criteria of composition, symmetry, figure–ground relationship, and stylistic consistency.

The findings reveal that traditional designs exhibit a high level of structural continuity, visual coherence, and systematic repetition. In contrast, AI-generated designs, while offering a high capacity for visual diversity, remain limited in establishing a consistent and repeatable design system. In particular, composition, symmetry, and stylistic elements in AI outputs vary significantly across different generations.

This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the limited capacity of AI-based visual production to establish systematic design structures. The findings indicate that production processes in graphic design are not only technical but also structural and perceptual determinants, and emphasize that artificial intelligence should be considered as a tool that transforms the design process rather than replacing it.