Reviving Pinocchio: A Unique Blend of Art and Storytelling

Elettra Deganello's Award-Winning Design Brings Collodi's Classic to Life

Pinocchio's story has been told countless times, but never quite like this. Deganello's project was inspired by a desire to rediscover and amplify the educational value and stimulating characters of Collodi's original version. The result is a playful product with a deep cultural meaning, consisting of Sapphire, Vermilion, and Collodi's decks, each with custom illustrations that bring the story to life.

The Sapphire deck focuses on the Blue Fairy and the positive moments in the story, while the Vermilion deck is dedicated to the figure of Mangiafuoco. Collodi's Pinocchio, on the other hand, is an innovative book-like double tuck case designed to hold both Sapphire and Vermilion cards. Each deck is a piece of the narrative puzzle, with each ace illustrating a chapter title and all the figures of the same seed belonging to that specific moment.

The design process involved a blend of traditional and digital techniques. The illustrations were first made by hand and then transformed into vector art using Adobe Illustrator. The cards are industrially printed on air-cushioned paper with a black-core center layer, using 2 Solid Coated and 3 Premium Metallic Pantone colors per deck. The tuck boxes are printed with hot foil on colored paper, with the Collodi's edition tuck box featuring a custom mold and seal.

Creating this unique product required not only graphic design and illustration skills but also a deep understanding of unique media and printing techniques. The total customization and illustration of the product required a long and meticulous research phase. The project also involved an immersive abstraction work and a profound analysis of Collodi's novel to use the structure of playing cards as a medium for storytelling.

The project was started in March 2018 in Prato and completed in December 2018. It was endorsed by the National Carlo Collodi Foundation and is currently being printed in the U.S.A. The design has been recognized with the Silver A' Design Award, which is awarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation.

In conclusion, Elettra Deganello's Pinocchio project is a testament to the power of design as a tool for storytelling and cultural preservation. It is a unique blend of art, design, and narrative that brings a classic tale to life in a new and engaging way.