Project Overview

This is a personal illustration project that blends hand-drawn art with the storytelling elements of trading card games. I transformed the personalities, interests, and visual impressions of my friends and clients into original "Yu-Gi-Oh!"-style character cards, including card layout, abilities, and illustrated backgrounds. The overall aesthetic pays homage to the original series while reflecting my own artistic style.

The series is titled Yugi Girl Yi-heng, inspired by the iconic way Pegasus, a character from Yu-Gi-Oh!, addresses others—calling them “boy” or “girl,” like “Yugi-boy” or “Kaiba-boy.” Building on this, I combined the phrase with my name to create "Yugi Girl Yi-heng," which also serves as the name of the Instagram account where I share and promote the series.

Each card is fully hand-drawn, from character illustration to attributes and ability text, giving every persona a unique identity within a fictional game world. I also designed custom card sleeves to enhance the cohesiveness and collectible value of the project. More than just illustrations, this is a playful and heartfelt exploration of character design, creative storytelling, and personal connection.  

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Example｜OT Pretty Guardians: Terra, Aqua, Aero

This four-card series is a set of interlinked, Yu-Gi-Oh!-inspired character cards themed around the natural elements of land, sea, and sky. The concept draws inspiration from three close friends, with each card representing a character whose personality, interests, and symbolic element shape their unique battle style and fantasy persona.

When all three characters appear on the field, they can trigger the final evolution—the Fusion Card: OT Pretty Guardians: Terra, Aqua, Aero. This card is not only a culmination of their powers but also a celebration of friendship itself. The trio transforms like magical girls, combining into a dazzling super unit that radiates overwhelming unity and strength.

This project goes beyond character illustration—it applies the game mechanics of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card system to create cards with interactive effects and fusion capabilities, enriching both the worldbuilding and card dynamics. Through attribute design, ability descriptions, and the climactic fusion card, each card becomes more than just a visual piece—it invites the viewer into an imaginative universe where individuality and friendship intertwine to tell a story of strength, creativity, and connection.

Project Content

This project blends character illustration, fantasy aesthetics, and trading card game mechanics to create a cohesive set of hand-drawn cards with their own mini-universe. Each card is not only an artwork, but also a narrative device that reflects a character's unique traits, told through game-like stats and abilities.

• Character Illustration: Based on each person's hobbies and traits, such as freediving, tennis, or yoga, I created unique fantasy characters. Their outfits, poses, and accessories all support the central concept behind each design.  
• Card Design: Modeled after the layout of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, each one includes attack/defense stats, attribute icons, ability descriptions, and a custom illustrated background. The ability text also integrates personality details, adding humor and individuality.
• Card Sleeve Design: Custom sleeves were illustrated in the same visual style to enhance the collectible feel when the printed cards are placed inside them.
• Print & Application: Some cards were printed as postcards or actual-sized cards and gifted to recipients. The sleeves were also professionally manufactured and are planned to be distributed as gifts or merchandise in the future.

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My Role & Contributions

This was a fully independent creative project that involved research, illustration, design, and production. I oversaw every step from concept to delivery, showcasing my versatility in character design, visual storytelling, and hands-on production.

• Character Analysis & Creative Adaptation: I observed and interpreted each person’s interests and personality, translating them into fantasy characters with matching abilities—a process requiring both imagination and subtle observation.
• Illustration Execution: Every piece was hand-drawn using iPad and Procreate, from rough sketches to clean lines, coloring, and lighting effects—highlighting my personal visual style.
• Visual System & Layout Design: I managed all aspects of card formatting, including text hierarchy, number placement, layout structure, and color harmony to ensure visual consistency across the series.
• Production & Application Testing: I tested various paper types and formats, explored combinations with custom sleeves, and refined the physical output for future gifting or product development.

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User Feedback

This series has received enthusiastic responses from recipients. Many expressed their joy and surprise upon receiving the cards, often commenting on the detailed design and personalized character concepts. A few even incorporated their cards into their own trading decks as token cards—giving these illustrated characters a continued life in actual gameplay. Several cards were also sent as birthday or holiday gifts, creating heartfelt and memorable emotional connections between the giver and the recipient.

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Future Outlook

The project is still evolving and expanding. In the future, I plan to develop more personalized merchandise inspired by the characters and cards—such as custom card sleeves, collectors’ binders, stickers, and acrylic items—to build a richer character universe and a more cohesive visual brand. I also intend to open for commission-based custom cards so that more people can have their own fantasy personas. Beyond Yu-Gi-Oh!, I’m also exploring adaptations in other card game styles, including Pokémon, to experiment with different themes and aesthetics.