Curio Black is a neo-noir tabletop game of deception, bluffing, and well-timed strategy. Centered around the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Curio Black is an exploration into the world of spies, casinos, private auction houses, dramatic world events, and the politics of a not-so-distant judgement day.
Over the course of ten months, I swapped hats as the art director, copywriter, strategic planner, media planner, and creative director—certainly not a balancing act for the lighthearted. I conducted research on the missile crisis, nuclear weapon tests, successful auction houses across history, Western exploration of the Pacific, and eventually created the branding for a fictitious auction house: The Mariana.
I delved into prop design, patterned custom packaging, and created additional merchandise to compliment the game. I did my best to emulate the design work of the midcentury and was greatly inspired by Armin Hoffman and Saul Bass. Drafting the rules and systems, making and playing prototypes, and creating the finished product has been incredibly rewarding.
