My New Rosenwald Tarot

[Ella]

Hi everyone! I'm Ella, and I am an author and graphic designer from Australia.

My first tarot deck is almost ready and I'd like to give you just a little taste! I love collecting tarot, and I realized that it's almost impossible to get decks from the 16th century, so I began this project. Anyone who knows tarot knows of the Rosenwald sheets from c1501, and also would know of the wonderful facsimile deck by Sullivan Hismans . It's beautiful but not an option financially. I also know of a version redrawn and colourised in four colours by Lady Heather Hall. So, here's how mine are different. They will be print on demand, so no limit and no end date, and hopefully cheaper. And they will look quite different to both these gorgeously authentic decks. My cards are still faithful to the original images, with linework traced off the images held at the national museum of art. But they are coloured in a modern palette with watercolour pencils, which brings them into our era for people who want bright, colourful, rainbow cards. The missing cards have been recreated by using elements of other cards in the deck to build up the image, so they fit the look and feel of the deck.

So, here's a first glimpse for you, I'd really love to know what you think, and hear any comments!

 

[reall]

Wow! Luv these colors & Historic decks so this is definitely my pod wishlist!;)

also looking forward to see how you reconstructed cards look?;)

 

p.s with pod you can offer various options such as Borderless & Vintage effect & smaller bridge size cards everyone like!;)

just be sure your cardstock is linen or embossed

 

[Ella]

Thanks Reall! I'll get some sample images up soon.

 

I've seen comments about linen stock, can I ask, what is the reason? I'm new to card publishing so I really don't know, and my personal preference is gloss coating. Linen is so much more expensive in most of the quotes I've seen...

[reall]

linen means your cards will have texture!:) that makes them feel more sturdy/less thin & better at touch & shuffle better!:)

best to ask your printer for samples so you can see it yourself!:)

 

imo no one likes glossy!:) as laminate may peel of or simply feel sticky when shuffling & ruin that vintage look you are aiming fo?:)

so watch out for that imo matt/linen or even plastic mpc/printerstudio cardstock is best but there are plenty of glossy cards i.e DV sets that works fine so it all depends how good your printer can make it?;)

[BlueToy]

Congratulations on your deck! I am a fan of this particular pattern, and enjoy gawking online at Sullivan's and Lady Heather Halls - those two versions counterpoint each other nicely, Sullivan's rustic and rough, and Lady Heather Hall's softer and fluid. Yours adds a third, painterly flavor, distinct from the other two. They remind me of one or two decks from the 90s (not a bad thing), the titles I can't seem to recall at the moment. You might want to reconsider standardizing your borders, though - I think the one you used for the suit of swords will work well for the entire deck. Color coordinated borders seem just a bit too much, especially since the suits' backgrounds are already color coordinated. Just my 2 cents. :)

 

-Ly

 

PS You also might want to do a take on the Budapest. Sullivan did a version of that too, as well as Robert Place, the latter counterpointing Sullivan's in the same way Lady Heather Hall's did in their Rosenwalds.

[Ella]

8 hours ago, BlueToy said:

They remind me of one or two decks from the 90s (not a bad thing), the titles I can't seem to recall at the moment.

Thanks for your comments BlueToy! Funny you should say that, since I guess my formative years (Tarot-wise) were the 90s...

8 hours ago, BlueToy said:

You might want to reconsider standardizing your borders, though - I think the one you used for the suit of swords will work well for the entire deck. Color coordinated borders seem just a bit too much, especially since the suits' backgrounds are already color coordinated. Just my 2 cents. 🙂

I see your point about the borders. I might have a idea...

8 hours ago, BlueToy said:

PS You also might want to do a take on the Budapest. Sullivan did a version of that too, as well as Robert Place, the latter counterpointing Sullivan's in the same way Lady Heather Hall's did in their Rosenwalds.

I have considered the Budapest, still thinking about it. I don't feel the same connection to it as I do the Rosenwald (I think it's those adorable centaurs!).

 

PS I also have another idea I'm chasing, still in research so I won't say too much, but it will combine two mid-16th century card artists.

[Ella]

Hi tarot peeps,

It's been a while, what with the world going belly up, but I have an update. I have taken your advise on board, and the final version is now available for sale here: https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/the-new-rosenwald-tarot