Stories

Highlighting the magic behind people, places, science, and art.

The Wavelinks Puzzle

The Wavelinks Puzzle

Four heavy steel pieces interlock to create a modern masterpiece of mechanical puzzles. Elegant, challenging, and deeply satisfying.

Eames "Hang-It-All" Playing Cards

Eames "Hang-It-All" Playing Cards

Designed by Art of Play in close collaboration with the Eames Office. A tribute to the timeless sensibilities of Charles & Ray Eames.

Tension Carved Into Wood, a Q&A with Gibus

Tension Carved Into Wood, a Q&A with Gibus

French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Boutin carves guttural truth from wood, freezing tense moments in a forever state.

The History of the Slinky

The History of the Slinky

Some of the greatest inventions in the world happened by accident. Silly String, Play-Doh, and ... the Slinky. Even stranger? The inventor himself.

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Julia Ibbini Evolves the Language of Arabesque

Julia Ibbini Evolves the Language of Arabesque

She's spent the past five years applying her own visual language to these ancient motifs, painstakingly crafting biomorphic paper sculptures.

Celebrating 9 Years

Celebrating 9 Years

On August 13, 2013, we launched Art of Play with over a hundred different decks, which was incomparable at the time. It was a brilliant idea, but sales suggested otherwise.

Playing cards by Art of Play

Designing a Deck of 52

Art of Play founders Dan and Dave Buck discuss playing card designs, breaking conventions, and offer a sneak peek of upcoming decks.

Automata: The Odd Magic of Living Machines

Automata: The Odd Magic of Living Machines

Self-operating machines hold a peculiar place in history, from an 18th century "pooping" duck to today's merging of technology with the human form.

Pelikan Puzzles

Pelikan Puzzles Pack Elegance and Deception

Pelikan is known as the Rolls-Royce of packing puzzles and require a great deal of spatial problem-solving.

The Designer Who Listens to Trees

The Designer Who Listens to Trees

Swedish woodworker Olof Davidsson creates some of the most peculiar furniture designs with pieces that snap together like puzzles.