modern tarot

[Guest]

i guess I got a little more serious about his than I thought I would...

 

so i update the subject and straightened out some of formatting issues with this thread so I I cold just use this single thread.

 

here is the orion card ;)

[Guest]

I am not entirely sold on the arches, but I chose that way to express hexagrams. so I keep drawing them and redrawing them.

 

I have left out suits. Suits are not used in astrology and I find them excessively confusing. By and large, suits reflect the elements. Some people have told me how the suit expands upon the element, gives it more depth, etc....except the suits tend to just run with the element i.e. I find myself holding 1 swords and I am translating to 1 earth to recall placement and meaning. Suits are fun though!! I have plans for them later.

 

The arch displays the polarity that is inherent at each stage of any process. The light half contains the Divinatory/Outward physical manifestations of the card, the dark half the inner/mental configurations and approaches to the same.

 

The constellation is really the beating heart of the card. IMO by knowing the story of cygnus and emphasizing some small aspects, I can easily recall the inner and outer meanings, the decan and rulers, number and element.

 

the yellow color is not very significant. I broke a color wheel into 36 colors and assigned one to each card. I think it will look cool when placed in a circle on the floor around you in order, and you have an excellent map of the 36 minor constellations.

[dancing_moon]

Hey :)

 

This is a cool-looking deck, and the idea behind it is fascinating. Is there a system for assigning particular minor constellations to particular cards?

[Guest]

Hey :)

 

This is a cool-looking deck, and the idea behind it is fascinating. Is there a system for assigning particular minor constellations to particular cards?

I'll outline some main points, just let me know if I skimmed too light and ignore me if it is painfully obvious...

 

This order uses as it's first Minor card 1 fire or (1 wands) and that card references Aries first decanate (the first day of spring) ...from there just about every ten days ( ten degrees of the zodiac to be precise) is another card.

 

Within the 30 degrees of each zodiacal are 3 minor constellations of basically 10 degrees.

 

There are 48 original constellations that predate the modern lists, these are used.

 

The top left of the arch is the current zodiac ruler ( the monthly zodiac signs we  are accustomed to) of the card. The top right is the decanate co ruler.

 

The 48 minors (1-9 and the court cards j,q,k representing the 12 zodiac).

 

So this allows that if laid in circle all the minors you would take the card representative of the sun from the majors and set that above this card and you have a close representation of the current astrological transit of the sun

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

 

[dancing_moon]

Thanks for your reply! So basically, the constellations are assigned in the order of the Sun's movement through them, right? That should make a very good learning deck for sure. :)

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply! So basically, the constellations are assigned in the order of the Sun's movement through them, right? That should make a very good learning deck for sure. :)

Yeah. Wow I talk too much.

 

Yes, the deck should be able to represent a birth chart and transits or a progression, and a map of the sky so to speak.

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

 

[dancing_moon]

Thanks for your reply! So basically, the constellations are assigned in the order of the Sun's movement through them, right? That should make a very good learning deck for sure. :)

Yeah. Wow I talk too much.

 

Yes, the deck should be able to represent a birth chart and transits or a progression, and a map of the sky so to speak.

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

:D Not at all. That was an excellent post, and it really made things clear to me. I was just checking my understanding.  :)

[EmpyreanKnight]

Now we're talking! It's beginning to look like one mighty fine card, whatsawhosit. What's the tree image all about tho?

[Guest]

the earthen stone here represents earth building itself from the inside. the roots are to help show earth as a living thing that goes through its own cycles.

 

the tree is earthy as well (is it not?) but the tree takes help from outside itself. Higher frequencies it absorbs though the atmosphere, water, and space/time itself.

 

an image of this sort details a basic dichotomy within a single element. The Feminine and masculine aspects of earth as an element. later images show how adding this higher energy changes evolution and involution. I am very tempted to just slap my original pen and ink drawings in here and doing a little color correction...I was determined not to make a collage though. i have not been drawing long, and I have only moved into drawing on the computer in the last year when i was bought this tablet.

 

over the years the border became the main instrument to my cards. I interchange the pictures as my current studies or fancy dictates.

 

the "actual plan" was for my daughter and I to draw the tale of each constellation in the center. She found a different project and has moved on to far more important things, so I am on my own...

 

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

I have to say - the art is above par, whatsawhosit! I'm really curious as to how it would turn out. A couple of observations tho:

 

1. I love the octagon-ish shape of the frame. It's different from most decks, and I think it gives yours its own distinct character, so good job. It does leave some ample white space in the corners. Maybe they won't be so noticeable when the cards eventually get rounded, so it might just be my horror vacui speaking.

 

2. You repeated the symbols of both Saturn and Capricorn twice in the arch. You might want to consider putting other esoteric symbols there so that they won't be redundant, like the I Ching equivalent for that minor, say, or sigils for the 2 angels of the Shemhamphoresh associated with the card. It's ultimately up to you tho.

[Guest]

thanks. thanks a lot, i'm still just scribbling here.

 

well we will keep the matte then, for later reference. that folded paper looking bit behind everything was just a doodle. I was trying to envision ways I would matte this if I were to build a frame for it. Funny how people like the more mindless things i do, you are the third to say they like that to me.

 

the next card will also help show the flow of symbols, so that apparent redundancy of signs in this card is answered for. The symbol on the right is the co-ruler on the card. so every 1,3, and 7 cards will display identical zodiac and planets.

 

in a way, I want to throw everything and the kitchen sink into these cards, and I, for the most part, have for years. I have been pondering what to do with the corners, as well. they are so big and "Cornery" because the minors have an oval frame. I think this will work itself out as I get to the court cards and majors.

 

...gosh how many days do I have left?!? life really gets in the way of my life

 

 

[Guest]

I have chosen to leave this thread as the "earth," thread rather than filling this entire forum with a thread for every single card.

 

I scabbed together a 10 card this morning...

[Guest]

four days left and I think I am gonna set this one aside...I did start early on it.

 

the art that i went with 1 earth represents migration time for swans for cygnus. drawing a scene for each constellation really seemed like the thing to do.  Capricorn rules cold mountainous regions so that is the setting. Mercury is the significator of the One cards so I thoughtfully etched that into that rock there. ;)

 

i'll revisit this card later as I smooth out my workflow

[EmpyreanKnight]

Ah, you changed the illustration in your 1 Earth. I like this one better than the original. I hope to see more cards in the future. :)

[Guest]

I have 2 earth mocked up now, this is the second decan of Capricorn. The constellation Dolphinius is used to describe this decan by a couple rather obscure traditions of poets (hesiod and arion) being saved by dolphins, sorta . I chose to draw the scene as Job's Coffin, this is the same constellation and it ties in well with the same meanings.  To engage or grapple with some worthy cause and stick at it until the end regardless of whether it is popular or not.

 

I did the border differently this time. I like it. But I think I wanna draw ten or twelve borders first and then pick. Then go back and redraw them all the same, I can draw them really quickly if I know what I am going to be drawing.

 

I also made my first pass at the reverse side of the cards.

[Guest]

I had some time off work, so I cleaned some stuff up. I think I have some solid concept art for these three decans. I am still learning to get comfortable drawing on the computer.

 

I am still ahead of schedule :)

[Page of Ghosts]

I gotta say I'm not very knowledgable about astrology but I think this is a very cool concept and it might be a less saturated market for this deck if you plan on selling it :D

[Guest]

I gotta say I'm not very knowledgable about astrology but I think this is a very cool concept and it might be a less saturated market for this deck if you plan on selling it :D

 

thanks for your optimism.

 

every now and then we wonder if I could sell my cards...but I am never happy with them.

 

It turns out that pretty much ALL tarot decks are based around astrology. That is what the minor cards represent, that is where the meanings come from that we have all memorized. So actually in a very real way you know quite a bit about astrology. Everyone on this forum does.  8)

[Guest]

well I have my first decan of Aquarius layed out. I have not been working much so I have been really digging back into my studies.

 

This card is the four of air. Probably a four of pentacles for most, perhaps swords. The constellation Equalis is a horses head that resides in the first decan of Aquarius. The stories around this constellation revolve around inventiveness, common sense, and originality, think horse sense.

 

The imagery has the horse head full of occult knowledge that is able to stand on it's own in nature. I borrow some cues from Dali for this one.

 

I also am still playing with the border. One would read the response that is on the color that is up when you deal the cards out. So if the dark side is up you read the meaning for the constellation, if the light side is up one would read the numerological divination that is related to cards number, element, and relation to the major arcana.

[Guest]

well I guess I got away behind, as I expected, no matter how big of a head start I took. I got pretty busy working in the real world...but I have been trying different things with the borders and fonts.

 

here I have 5 air. The second decan of Aquarius is represented by Pegasus. This one shows pegasus above a spring he created which gives one inspiration when they drink from the fountain

 

 

I really can't wait till I settle into a nice motif that I am happy with for the borders and fonts

 

 

 

[Guest]

I backed off on Card images for a while to get the borders hammered out. Choosing to do the deck for other people as well sent me way way back into the process to make corrections that would create a lot of work further down the line.

 

I'll be getting the Aquarius decans updated this weekend to this new border.

 

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

I just noticed something with your latest images, whatsawhosit. When the card is upright, the elemental symbol looks like the one for Air. When it's reversed it looks like Earth, which is the correct one I guess.

[Guest]

I am so glad you said something I caught an error while hashing this out !! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I make silly errors when I sit here too long.

 

Yeah elements have that about them. I chose the Arabic numerals rather than the Roman since they lend a better sense of "this way is up."  When the card has the numeral and element upside down one would be ignoring them anyways for example.

 

If the card is laid with Constellation at the top, one would read the darker portion for the inner meaning of the card. Which is derived from the teaching entailed by the Constellation If the card were reversed you would read the divinatory significance of the card which is the typical application by tarot, a combination of the numerology and element/suit.

 

I am quite literally asking you to pretend you did not get a a 3 of Earth/swords if it is reversed. This card does not mean the negative or opposite of "lawsuit or Divorce" when it is reversed, it then represents "Idealism" as represented by Pisces Australius.

[Guest]

the basic idea for the back of the card, though it will probably change a bit. It is also the color scheme that has been decided on i have gone with a much warmer set of grays than I was using for the past couple months.

 

I also started working on the custom zodiac symbols for the deck. some of them I really like already some need more fleshing out

 

i am slowly finding a way to painting on the computer so it looks like when I am drawing on paper

 

[Page of Ghosts]

I really like the backs! I had a tablet for many years but I never really got the hang of digital art so I sold it - I'm too fond of the physical aspects of traditional art. There's so many brushes and cool textures you can use though so hopefully you can emulate drawing on paper.