The Work-In-Progress Thread

[zedekiel]

23 minutes ago, katrinka said:

But why the dismemberment theme on both cards?

I think that's probably just a greater theme in my artwork in general. A subconscious image that appears again and again. For me, when the conflict between the internal reality and the external is extreme, it creates dissociation and mental breakdowns. Throughout my life I have experienced much physical and mental harm and how the two contrast and balance with each other is of great interest to me in general. I find in the Tarot a constant and obvious message of balance between physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, and for the cards that depict imbalance in this regard, my thoughts often go to how that imbalance feels for me. And the visual that most represents that feeling for me often ends up being surrealist dismemberment and decapitation, I suppose. It wasn't something that I said "ah, I will make both these cards depict some kind of dismemberment", it just so happened that both these cards led me to the images they did, and part of those images involved splits of the body and such. But for me at least, the dismemberment in Justice is completely different than the feeling of dismemberment in the 5 of Fire. The same goes for the nudity. They both involve those things to an extent, but the feeling and meaning is coming from a completely different place.

I hope that all makes sense! I can't tell other people what to think and feel when they look at my art, I can only say what goes into it from my end. Thank you so much for your question!

Edited April 2, 2020 by zedekiel

[Starlight]

Hi @Raggydoll. I've just emailed the extended Sun card meanings for the Forum page to you in a PDF.

 

I am sifting through some ideas now for the Ace of Air. 🙂

[Raggydoll]

9 minutes ago, Starlight said:

Hi @Raggydoll. I've just emailed the extended Sun card meanings for the Forum page to you in a PDF.

 

I am sifting through some ideas now for the Ace of Air. 🙂

Yay! Exciting!!

[Grandma]

Here is my new improved Two of Fire 2.0!

 

Suggestions?  Questions?  Extravagant praise?  

 

And to the many people on whose cards I have not commented, I'm sorry.  I will go back and make amends soon.

 

Love, Grandma

 

 

[gregory]

9 hours ago, Grandma said:

Here is my new improved Two of Fire 2.0!

 

Suggestions?  Questions?  Extravagant praise?  

 

And to the many people on whose cards I have not commented, I'm sorry.  I will go back and make amends soon.

 

Love, Grandma

 

 

Grandma - please can you explain how that card actually says 2 of fire ? What in that image carries the meaning of the card ? To me it says "male head with background".....

[Raggydoll]

To me it sort of says “old man contemplating his past”. 

[Thoughtful]

He appears to be contemplating his life past and present, he is at a crossroads in his life.  He possibly needs help and renewed energy to see his way clear. Your card is lovely l like how it shows the two pathways between the trees.

Your card Grandma is very apt to how l read the 2 of Fire.

[Thoughtful]

Zedekiel l totally get your image for the 5. The nudity to me shows the vulnerability of the person, and the displacements of the body shows the inner conflict and turmoil.  l like it, very readable.

[gregory]

36 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

To me it sort of says “old man contemplating his past”. 

Which really isn't the way I have ever seen the card. I've always seen it as a sort of pause before choosing (as opposed to stuck and in denial that there IS a choice to be made, in two air.) No thought so nostalgia - that's more 6 cupsy...

 

Not a crit as such - I just want to get it !

[Pen]

I feel as though he's contemplating past lives ( the two very different human aspects/eras/locations of the background). He's nearing the end of life and wondering what's coming next.

[Pen]

zedekiel - looking forward to the completed image. I didn't see either card as dismemberment as such, but your explanations for both images show how deeply you've thought about the meanings. 

[gregory]

51 minutes ago, Pen said:

I feel as though he's contemplating past lives ( the two very different human aspects/eras/locations of the background). He's nearing the end of life and wondering what's coming next.

But how is that two fire ? Seriously....

[Pen]

2 hours ago, gregory said:

But how is that two fire ? Seriously....

Wands for me are passion and creativity. He has contemplated two of his past lives, the one on the left looks romantic, 18th century, courtly perhaps, the one on the right looks to me like an Inuit or someone in the snow (although I may be wrong about that) - he seems to have a rifle over his shoulder and is leaning on a snowshoe, but I can't see his face. Our aged man now has his back to those lives and has one of two paths (symbolically below) to choose from. Although there's no indication of what either of those lives will be like, I think fire is indicated by the intense light above the central hill. I did wonder if the foreground of the lower background indicated crossing water (the Styx?) before choosing, but Grandma knows...

Edited April 5, 2020 by Pen
addition...

[Grandma]

3 hours ago, Pen said:

but Grandma knows...

...and Grandma will tell but Grandma just got out of bed having been unable to sleep until 5 am and is still on her first cup of coffee...

[Nemia]

I have carried the Emperor with me in my head for many days, collected material, now I have two different basic ideas for a collage. One with a coloured Emperor (from the stained glass windows of Halberstadt Cathedral) and the other from an old black-and-white photograph of the Horseman from Bamberg. Nothing is in its final position yet but these are the elements I want. I'll probably let it all sit for a while but if you can help me decide, it would be great 🙂 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Nemia

[Raggydoll]

12 minutes ago, Nemia said:

I have carried the Emperor with me in my head for many days, collected material, now I have two different basic ideas for a collage. One with a coloured Emperor (from the stained glass windows of Halberstadt Cathedral) and the other from an old black-and-white photograph of the Horseman from Bamberg. Nothing is in its final position yet but these are the elements I want. I'll probably let it all sit for a while but if you can help me decide, it would be great 🙂 

 

 

 

 

An actual physical collage - i love it!!! And the third option is my favorite. More is more 🥰

[geoxena]

31 minutes ago, Nemia said:

I have carried the Emperor with me in my head for many days, collected material, now I have two different basic ideas for a collage. One with a coloured Emperor (from the stained glass windows of Halberstadt Cathedral) and the other from an old black-and-white photograph of the Horseman from Bamberg. Nothing is in its final position yet but these are the elements I want. I'll probably let it all sit for a while but if you can help me decide, it would be great 🙂 

 

 

 

 

The b&w image is very powerful as the dominant image.  I also like your third layout best.  It is well-balanced.

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, geoxena said:

The b&w image is very powerful as the dominant image.  I also like your third layout best.  It is well-balanced.

Definitely - the third for me too... 🙂

[Nemia]

Thank you all! I hope I didn't spoil it now. I'll scan it then. I wanted to give it a bit of a medieval touch. 

 

The three little playing cards are the minors associated with the three decans of Aries. It's always dangerous to tell a Taurus that more is more! 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Nemia

[geoxena]

1 hour ago, Nemia said:

I hope I didn't spoil it now.

Oh, not spoiled, but... somewhat off-kilter now.  I'm not saying that everything needs to be arranged perfectly symmetrically, but I liked the stained glass image on the right. It seemed to be whispering to the larger b&w head.  Now it seems most of your objects are on the left, so the right seems bare in comparison.  I'd say you can add a little more on the right - so says a double Taurus!  😁

[Nemia]

Yes, very true! I added something on the right side 😉 I'll send a picture tomorrow and try to get my old scanner to work with my new laptop. I'm glad I overcame my perfectionism. Now I have to think about the text. Great! 

[Grandma]

Hey guys I haven't forgotten that I need to explain my last card.  I'm struggling with what to say.  Stay tuned for breaking news.

[Grandma]

Edited to remove all content because it was wrong.  Correct information in next two posts.

Edited April 7, 2020 by Grandma

[Grandma]

No no no I did it wrong.  

 

First card - original, of which people understood my vision, that "The Two of Fire is dynamic, dramatic and pragmatic.  He is a confident leader who knows when to conform and when to innovate, when to forge a new path and when to walk an established track.  My vision is an old man, still vital and bold.  He has been there, done that, and is ready to capably do it all again.  He is weather beaten, strong, confident and disheveled – my kind of guy!"  It had to be changed because there was no original work, so it lacks creativity we want to showcase in We Are One.  I understand.  There are decks which are illustrated with pieces of art that fit Tarot cards, but this deck is not one of them.  Although this painting has long been my ultimate Two of Fire and to me there will never be a better interpretation, it does not belong in this deck.

 

Second card - the one nobody gets and I see why.  Making it felt more like a chore to drudge through than a creation of art.

 

Third card - the one I did today.  I'm showing all three in a row for quick comparison and a larger copy of the third.

 

All help is welcome.  

 

 

If I can't make a success of this I will give the card back, because that's all I've got.  I will still be represented in the deck by my trifecta of anguish and despair!

[Grandma]

Oops forgot to add - in a nutshell, the bottom of the card represents the need to choose paths carefully throughout the journey.  The top left is a memory of the Two of Fire as a young man starting out with his royal garb and globe of the world, fresh, confident, untested.  The top right is a possible future.  He will be a leader as long as he is needed, even when he is an old man trudging through the snow.  The main figure is where he is now, as I described.  And the leaves are there because it is the autumn of his life, because they are a reference "two roads diverged in a yellow wood" and because I really love the way they look!  I added a hazy finish to give the card a soft gentle look.  My Two of Fire is deservedly resting.

 

Now tell me the truth - if it doesn't work I need to know and I will not be offended.  

 

Love, Grandma