View Full Version : Dark Carnival Tarot
for the last few months i've been throwing a deck idea around that has a dark, evil carnival/circus theme. so far all i've completed the Sad Clown (Fool) and started the Ring Master (Magus.)
I was curious if anyone else has seen decks of this theme before? i'd hate to put so much effort into it just to know i couldn't walked to the store and bought one:)
I have not, but your deck idea is intriguing!
The Sad Clown/The Fool & The Ringmaster/The Magus sound like a promising beginning.
Btw: the title reminds me of a movie & a novel.
The former a very old black & white horror movie called "Carnival of Souls".
First really scary movie I saw & no desire to ever see again.
The latter a novel by the noted sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury: "Something Wicked This Way Comes". Two 13-year old boys, Jim Nightshade & Will Halloway are best friends, born respectively on Hallowe'en & All Saints' Day. A carnival billed as Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show arrives in the dead of night to their small town. Gradually they realize this is a dark carnival that preys upon human frailties.
Do keep us posted.
bladeraven
28-04-2005, 12:15
Clowns???!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *takes off running*
Clowns???!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *takes off running*
My dear friend Zombi typically has the same reaction to clowns. He absolutely cringes when flashed with the Devil from the Victoria Regina.
Ive had the pleasure of seeing his Dark Carnival tarot in progress. Very cool.
Can we see a sample yet Zombi00? So we can research similiarities to other works on your behalf of course :D
a novel by the noted sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury: "Something Wicked This Way Comes".
I was reminded of the movie of that book. IMHO Jonathan Pryce is particularly cool/attractive as Mr. Dark!
As far as decks, I'm reminded of The Buckland Romani Tarot. I don't have that deck, but I believe at least some of the cards have a carnival theme to them.
Also, I looked up circus tarot on Google and found this:
http://www.tarotpassages.com/circus.htm
Zombi00: There is a deck with a circus theme, but do not recall its name. It has bright colours & expressive artwork reminscent of cartoons.
...As far as decks, I'm reminded of The Buckland Romani Tarot. I don't have that deck, but I believe at least some of the cards have a carnival theme to them.
Also, I looked up circus tarot on Google and found this:
http://www.tarotpassages.com/circus.htm
Some cards of the Buckland Romani are suggestive of a carnival, but I think that is because of the various images which articulate the caravan life-style & the occupations.
Thanks for the link to Chris Paradis' deck.
damn, it was only eventual that someone would do it... but i'll be going a radically different direction than Chris Paradis. mine was aimed towards being scary/creepy.
As far as giving you a glimpse, i'm afraid that during my last PC crash i lost the masters. So i'm starting all over again and never owning a non-Mac ever again coincidentally.
as soon as i get this daunting task started up again i'll post for you guys.
I don't think this is what you mean but there is a rugrat type cartoon Tarot Called Phantasmagoric Theatre Tarot. It is a little creepy but not much. Your project sounds interesting ~Rosanne
I found another deck, the Carnival of Venice Tarot.
http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Reviews/carnival.html
This is just another deck to be aware of. I know yours will be different, zombi00.
hey i like that one. my deck will look markedly different than those three sets you've all posted. mine will be a more contemporary carnival/circus look (c.1930's perhaps) and the style will be more.... stained glass i guess you could say. heavy black lines and full, rich colours. but if you guys find any more let me know. they are muses at the very least:D
Clowns???!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *takes off running*
haha I used to be scared of clowns [poltergeist?]. I don't know how I got over it.
stella01904
30-04-2005, 01:03
MM ~ Not Poltergeist - It! But seriously, it's a great idea. Something surreal about a carnival, anyway. Evil Clown tattoos are quite popular where I live, you could use one for the Devil, bring a bit of a Trickster element into it. If one is sensitive and compassionate one can find a lot of human drama in the sideshow, and maybe the Tower could be a lightning-struck ferris wheel or something of that nature. If you can't fit it to a Tarot format in the end, make it anyway! There's a whole world there that would make a wonderful oracle deck! BB, Stella
Chronata
30-04-2005, 02:02
Oh I love love LOVE the idea of a Dark Carnival tarot!
The world definitely needs one!
I can just see the scary clowns, the dark ringmaster...the goth like atmosphere! *Shudders*
I had started to work on a real tarot based on the HBO series Carnivale, (gave up after catching up on the second season...and all the characters had changed!)which is dark, of course...but not quite in the same way.
This is one of my favorite ideas for a deck that I have seen!
I am SOOOO there!
Please, Zombi00...post your images and ideas as soon as you can!
Oh! Have you seen the work of artist Lisa Snelling? Not a tarot artist...but a unique sculptress, who works in this theme!
I can't seem to find a website that shows off her work,(though there is a book called Strange Attraction.)
(Incidently...I once created my own sideshow tarot. One of these days I have to put the rest of the cards up here!)
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=23606&highlight=Carnival
Keep us updated on your deck as you go! I am eagerly anticipating your designs!
right now i'm in the development phase after the loss of my masters.... but right now i'm wrapping my brain around the thought of a tattooed contortionist whose limbs are in the shape of a pentagram..... hmmm.....
don't worry, you guys' input and piqued interests have redoubled my efforts. i got my drawing goodies out just the other day.
Best of luck on this deck, from one Portlander to another! I love the idea of a Dark Carnival Tarot... I've got a good friend who is a local clown -- you may have seen his art-car a round town. (which, come to think of it, might be a good jumping-off point for The Chariot...)
Please post images or links for us, when you get around to it.
Cerulean
01-05-2005, 11:56
Scroll down...
http://www.tarotpassages.com/filipas6.htm
Interesting that Scapini did not use gold laminate to get a shiny effect--the use of black outlines and colors makes it rich looking.
I too remember the Ray Bradbury stories as a kid and a spooky tarot sounds quite interesting.
Best regards
Cerulean
P.S. My brother used to turn on a local station when we were kids that seemed to play ancient repeats that showed "Carnival of Souls" along with black and white "horror". We were kids so we thought the "kabuki" white-face makeup was all bad theatre...there was a merry-go-round and wierd angles. Of course we were so literal, we didn't realize it was scary.
bladeraven
01-05-2005, 13:02
MM ~ Not Poltergeist - It! But seriously, it's a great idea. Something surreal about a carnival, anyway. Evil Clown tattoos are quite popular where I live, you could use one for the Devil, bring a bit of a Trickster element into it. If one is sensitive and compassionate one can find a lot of human drama in the sideshow, and maybe the Tower could be a lightning-struck ferris wheel or something of that nature. If you can't fit it to a Tarot format in the end, make it anyway! There's a whole world there that would make a wonderful oracle deck! BB, Stella
I think a lot of fear about clowns is that they are basically disguises...a perverted form of happiness I suppose you can call it that hides sadness or even darkness underneath...
Best of luck on this deck, from one Portlander to another! I love the idea of a Dark Carnival Tarot... I've got a good friend who is a local clown -- you may have seen his art-car a round town. (which, come to think of it, might be a good jumping-off point for The Chariot...)
Please post images or links for us, when you get around to it.
please tell me it isn't that EVIL! looking clown car with gargoyles and the like that runs around downtown :cry:
Dorotarot
02-05-2005, 12:29
Great idea for a deck. I totally support it. Can't wait to see the images!
Dorota
Cerulean
03-05-2005, 05:28
they said it seemed like a surrealistic carnival atmosphere...coincidence, I think
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/navigators-mystic-sea/review.shtml
Best regards,
Cerulean
stella01904
03-05-2005, 05:46
MM ~ That reminds me of the Gypsy Lenormand, same feel. I like it! BB, Stella
ok i finished the preliminary sketch for the androgenous, Victor/Victoria Ring Master. should be able to get it on here eventually. there are so many options out there in regards to carnvial appearances i'm having a hard time narrowing them down!
Little Baron
04-05-2005, 05:57
Look forward to seeing this Zombi.
Other decks I thought of with clowns are the Phantasmagoric Theatre, Rohrig (Fool). Also thought about the Karma Tarot with relation to carnivals and circus's but my memory may be wrong.
LB