Just Starting Out

[FeralFey]

Howdy!

I just wanted to introduce myself. I discovered this site last week and introduced myself on the newbie's forum and they all pointed me in this direction, as I'm interested in creating my own tarot deck.

When I first started out, I originally intended on creating a deck based on a novel that I'm writing, but then I decided maybe I should do a "practice" deck first. My novel is WAAAAAYYYYY too complicated and I keep tripping over myself trying to remember all the little intricacies of character and plot lines to even try and cull out the "right" information for a tarot deck.

So I started last week on my "practice" deck. I'm starting with the suit of cups and I've got two cards done. I'd like to submit them for critique and then eventually (provided I actually finish the deck and they turn out to be half-way decent) I'd love to get them published. So, I'll need lots of help along the way.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better, and pick your brains for information and suggestions and whatnot.

I'm going to "attempt" to include my two of cups card first and see how that goes.

Thanks!
--FeralFey

[FeralFey]

Shoot! That didn't work. I'm going to try again and get the two of cups to upload. Wish me luck!

--FeralFey

[lunalafey]

VERY NICE!!!
can't wait to see more. How long did it take you to make that?

[blue_fusion]

hey. i like it! :) and i like the symbolism as well. tell me, though, is are the yin yang symbols beside the window supposed to not be parallel with each other? :)

[FeralFey]

Luna!! - Glad to see you. It took me about a week to make this card. It probably would've been done sooner, but I've got an active 19 month old daughter who keeps me on my toes! Thanks for checking out my card. I'll be posting my ace of cups next. That one took me less time to create, about three or four days. I look forward to hearing more from you soon!

Blue Fusion - Thanks for your comments as well. I see your point about the yin/yang symbols. I wrestled with this problem before deciding to leave it as it is. The symbols are virtually (I was going to say "in reality", but I've created them with a computer program and using that phrase didn't really seem appropriate. :) )aligned, but because of the perspective in the scene, they look uneven with each other. Esoterically speaking I could also make the justification that the balance implied by the yin/yang symbols does not necessarily insist on parallel equality, for there is always a give and take to any equilibrium. But that's just me being pithy and making rationalizations for the optical illusion. :)

Thanks to both of you for your input. I'm glad you liked my card. Now here's my ace of cups. Let me know what you think.

--FeralFey

[Starfish]

Feral -

I don't normally read this particular folder, because I'm not nearly talented enough to create a deck, but I happened to this evening and have to say that the two cards of yours I've seen so far (Ace of Cups :TAC and Two of Cups :T2C) are wonderful! Keep up the good work!

(And I know what you mean about busy 19 month olds!)

:TAW Starfish

[blue_fusion]

hey, i think the second one looks better than the fisrst. it has that lovely ancient/travel thing going (at least for me) :)

[kayne]

Very Cool FeralFey!!! I like them a lot :D And hey, if you can justify it, you can do anything! :P I can't wait to see more cards! Do you plan on using people in the courts and majors?

[FeralFey]

Kayne - Thanks! Glad you like my cards. Yes, I am planning on using people in my court cards and the major arcana. I can't really see getting around making them without including the people. :) I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to execute this, however. People are not my strong suit in artistic ability and I'm afraid I'm going to have to rely on using "Poser" to make them. My only complaint about using Poser is that the people tend to look plastic and static and doll-like instead of vital and alive. My deep, dark secret is that if I make all the "non-people intensive" minor arcana cards really spectacular and fabulous, no one will notice the people missing until I can brush up on my Poser and Photoshop skills. ;)But shoot it all, Kayne, you're on to me EARLY!!! Sheesh! Guess I need to get off my laurels and get to work! :|

--FeralFey

[FeralFey]

I have a general question, since you all were kind enough to look at my work. What do you all think of my border on the two cards? I'm not entirely happy with what I've got so far, but my DH thinks they look just fine. Ultimately I'm going to have a different border for each of the suits and one for the major arcana. I've seen the borders that Gozer has on his deck and I am humbled. I'm looking for ideas on how I can make my border more....dynamic (?). Any and all takers to my question are welcome.

Thanks!
--Chrys

[kayne]

To be entirely honest, and this is only my opinion, but I think as far as the borders go - less is more. You don't want to take anything away from the central image and the details in the card. I think the minamalist approach to borders is best because when a deck is printed the iamge is relatively small and the borders take up so much space. (eg Sacred Circle tarot) But that is just my personal preferences...

[FeralFey]

Kayne - I'm actually glad to read what you just wrote. At first I hadn't intended on putting on a border at all, but then DH walked by and made some smart-alecky comment about pushing my artistic and computer skills by creating a border for each suit and the major arcana. The gauntlet has been thrown and I'm not one to back away from a challenge. :D

This border is by no means set in stone, (which is a good thing, as I'm not overly fond of it). I agree that less is more, and yet on the other hand, I think a border would be a nice unifying theme for the deck. The problem is dancing that fine line between aesthetics and artistic vision. I think, in the end, I will have a border for the cards. I'd like to include a placard (or whatever it's called) with the name of each card. I personally don't like words hovering in space and a placard with matching border would anchor the name of the card nicely.

But then again, I'm just bumbling around in the dark and making it all up as I go along. :)

--FeralFey

[Liliana]

I really like your cards, it fits my artistic taste and would probably buy your deck if you ever publish it :)

As for people, why not get some of your friends together and make them pose for picture that you can digitally manipulate with Photoshop or whatnot, cant get more realistic than real :)

As for your borders, they look ok but Im with kayne on the less is more. Also the kind of scallopy pattern on the edge instead of a straight line kind of cuts into the cards a little to much for my taste.

I bet your deck would look great without borders tho, itd feel like you were in the card since they are so 3d.

:THP

[migueldart]

Hey, Feralfey!

You're a real pro at digital 3D!

I Find your images quite beautiful, but you should really watch it taking liberties with your symbols.

You placed the ace of cups in what appears to be a desert--a symbol of infertility and famine, and therefore death--whereas the set of cups represents the element of water-- always a symbol for life, fecundity, plenty and wealth.

My advice is for you to do what I did when I began creating my own TAROT deck. I bought several decks with books included that explain the TAROT card by card, and as I began designing each card I would find out what was the meaning of each and use symbols that would reveal that meaning.

One cannot arbitrarily use any kind of imagery on TAROT cards just because it looks pretty. the symbols must speak universally under the traditional language of TAROT, even if the symbols are not traditional themselves.

First find out what each card means, and then, use symbols that will bring out that particular meaning

[FeralFey]

Migueldart - I appreciate your input and your perspective. I realize that art is a subjective thing, and I'm not always going to please everyone all of the time. I do, in fact, own a half dozen or so books on Tarot symbolism and have spent a good number of hours pouring over them before I create a card. I did not arbitrarily create the Ace of Cups merely because I thought it looked pleasing. I like to think that I put some thought and effort into what I was doing.

I, however, see your point about the landscape looking a bit "too" infertile. What I was going for was to illustrate that the Ace signifies the beginning of a cycle - that which follows a fallow period. I further reinforced the concept of that cycle progression by using the infinity symbol within the cup itself.

I am aware that Cups signify the element of water and is the realm of emotions and the subconscious as well as meaning fecundity. I used other symbols to try and illustrate these aspects. The liquid being poured into the cup and splashing over into the landscape to indicate the divine spark that flows into us all and allows us to be creative. I also use the acorn as a symbol of fertility. The newly emerging grass does the same thing, but granted I probably could use more blades in the card. The rainbow, which in nature can not exist without water being present, represents our hopes and aspirations that motivate us at the beginning of any psychological journey. There are other symbols within the card that I think more than sufficiently cover any overt or subliminal meaning of the Ace of Cups.

I'm flattered that you consider me a pro at computer graphics. All those hours teaching myself the programs were not in vain. :) And thanks again for your perspective.

--FeralFey

[migueldart]

All the other symbols you used in the ace of cups were perfect, but the desert background was so dominant , it overwhelmed them to the point where that was what I noticed at first 'read'.

I handled the design of my ace of cups quite differently. I placed my cup in a swampy looking pond (I'm Scorpio) and with blood (the water of life) splashiing out of it. I am debating wether to insert the image of a nude woman (representing the Mother Goddess) bathing in it.

Having worked as a photographer before changing careers to graphic design, I am creating my TAROT deck as surealistic photo-montages using photoshop in a Mac.

I would love to show you some of my card designs, even though they are in different stages of completion, and none are finish. To do that I must ask you to tell me how you attached your jpeg? images into this thread. I would definitely be most gratetful, not just for your input as an artist, but also everybody else's in the Aeclectic forum.

Keep up your beautiful work!

[FeralFey]

Migueldart - I like the idea of the nude woman bathing in the ace of cups. And I'd be very interested in seeing your work. To post a jpg is EASY. And I'm not just saying that because I've done it before. :D

When you go to post a response or start a new thread, you come to the screen that allows you to type your message. Two fields down from where you do the typing is a section called "Attach file". If you're one of those clever people who already know the file location with having to browse for it, you type it in the space provided. If you're like me, you have to stumble your way through your computer files and that's where the "Choose" button comes in handy. It allows you to browse through until you find the file you want to upload. Follow the simple instructions and Voila! you're there. You shouldn't have too much trouble with it.

I look forward to hearing from you soon and viewing your work.

--FeralFey

[Liliana]

I did the Ace of Cups (as well as the Queen of Swords) for the FACT project that can be viewed elsewhere on the site

Mine has a man meditating on the beach, holding the cup aloft through his own will, a fountain flows straight up from the cup and floating down to the fountain a butterfly and a dove carry a circle and cross symbol. All the explanation and it can be seen here

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/project/01cups_liliana.html

:THP

[migueldart]

Hi, Feralfey!

After I posted into your thread, I went to the 'NEW MEMBERS' forum to introduce myself to the rest of the Aeclectic community and found out how easy it really is to attach a jpeg to my posts. Neverthe less, I thank you very much for your help.

My 'New Members ' thread is titled "HI, NEW TO THE FORUM, BUT NOT TO AECLECTIC" and you will find there my image of the ace of cups. So far I've gotten nothing but the best response from the people welcoming me who've seen it.
Tell me what you think, please.

I will goodby this post by attaching the image of the STAR card, which is almost finished. All it's lacking are the 2 streams of water spilling from the vases held aloft by the magic power of the Mother goddess. I hope you like it.

[Starfish]

Wow!

It's wonderful to read that what you started your project believing has grown and changed into a deeper, more personal journey.

How many of the cards have you completed so far?

:T5P Starfish

[Starfish]

Feral Fey -

Your Two of Cups :T2C is wonderful! It represents the 2 of Cups :T2C so perfectly and the card seems to emote intimacy (which I associate with the 2). In fact, it would make a lovely piece of framed art. I can almost feel like I'm in the picture. I just love it and look forward to you sharing more of your artwork.

Blessings -

:T5P Starfish

[migueldart]

Thanx for your encouragement!

So far, I have Started 9 cards. Some are more completed than others, but none of them are finished yet.

90% of my time is taken up by searching for the right kind of images (I have thousands of color slides, plus over a hundred royalty-free photo cd's) and then I have to erase unwanted portions of the backgrounds very carefully. Sometimes I spend a whole day just cleaning up and optimizing an image. It's very painstaking work, but also very therapeutic. The whole time as I do this, without actually meaning to, I meditate on what the image means as I am going to use it in what card, many times stopping to check with my different Tarot manuals the meaning of the card and how well the image I'm working on will fit into it.

Once I have most of the images for a particular card, I montage the images together in independent layers and keep them so, waiting till I come accross the one or two I'm still lacking to finish the card. This usually takes me less than half an hour to do.

I'll leave you with another unfinished goodie to look at.

Love and Peace.

[vision]

Wow, I like your tower.

90% of my time is taken up by searching for the right kind of images (I have thousands of color slides, plus over a hundred royalty-free photo cd's)
I know exactly what you mean. I design and build website and it's time cosuming tasks.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your deck when they are ready :)

With love
Vision

[migueldart]

Thanx for complimenting my art.

Having such wonderful reception from all of you people who really know best abot Tarot, not only makes me feel very up and confident about my Tarot project, but makes me want to go at it 24-7 till the whole deck is finished.

Thanx for your encouragement!

Love and Peace,

Miguel

[FeralFey]

Thanks for your compliment on my Two of Cups. I'm so glad that I was able to get the whole intimacy thing across in the card. I wasn't sure if I had got it right or not. I mean, I put in it what would speak to ME as an intimate setting, but that doesn't necessarily mean the same thing for other people. Sometimes it's a fine line to balance between finding a personal meaning and finding a universal image so that (maybe possibly somewhere down the road) other people can find the same (or similar) meanings from the card. I'm having this very problem with my Three of Cups card. Maybe something will come to me in a dream or a flash of brilliance and I can get the card done. :)

--FeralFey

[Sorceress_Jade]

FeralFey, post more I'd love to see what else you have. I didn't read the other posts in depth, but a word... the 2 of cups was a bit dark to see online, if it's that dark in person you may want to brighten it a bit (no reader wants eye strain) But i think you did a good job with simple symbolism and the artistic value is right there, they're lovely