What deck is this? Collage style art deck. Distant Past Tarot

Barleywine

I don't have the Distant Past, but judging from the available online scans, I would say that while it looks like a very pretty and attractive deck, it doesn't come close to the Touchstone's thoughtfulness, nuance, and depth. That doesn't necessarily make the Touchstone better in all situations. There are times when I just want a nice, pleasant deck to read with, and the Distant Past looks like it would serve that purpose for me admirably. But the Touchstone, brown though it may be, gives me a lot more to sink my teeth into.

I've often thought about getting the Touchstone, but the mention of "brownness" gives me pause. I'm still trying to flush the "brownness" of the Haindl from my memory. On the other hand, the Anna K's "brownness" just seems homespun and rustic, which I find very appealing for certain purposes. But "blueness" seems more reliable, somehow.
 

Le Fanu

I don't have the Distant Past, but judging from the available online scans, I would say that while it looks like a very pretty and attractive deck, it doesn't come close to the Touchstone's thoughtfulness, nuance, and depth. That doesn't necessarily make the Touchstone better in all situations. There are times when I just want a nice, pleasant deck to read with, and the Distant Past looks like it would serve that purpose for me admirably. But the Touchstone, brown though it may be, gives me a lot more to sink my teeth into.
Of course, it all comes down to personal preference and while I like the Golden, the Touchstone leaves me cold. I am the only one in the world (I know) who finds it disjointed and heavy - Henry VIII's arm sewn onto a Medici shoulder, conflicting light sources, off perspectives. What I would say is that if the Touchstone isn't your thing then maybe the Distant Past Tarot is for you. It has a light, airy gracefulness, a flutteriness which goes with the elegant portraiture. Yes, I think it's that which I love, the airy flutteriness which makes it feel so upbeat. I love the draping leaves at the edges of some of the cards. Like looking at scenes through willow tree branches on a riverbank. So summery and peaceful.

But I honestly thinking that comparing the Touchstone with the Distant Past is a bit pointless just because they're the same media. The energies are so very different. But the brown-ness and trompe l'oeil frames and brass plaques of the Touchstone oppress me...
 

Dee Ell

I am the only one in the world (I know) who finds it disjointed and heavy - Henry VIII's arm sewn onto a Medici shoulder, conflicting light sources, off perspectives.

You're not the only one Le Fanu - Now you know of someone on literally the other side of the world! ;)
 

Lee

Of course, it all comes down to personal preference and while I like the Golden, the Touchstone leaves me cold.
See, for me it's the opposite -- I love the Touchstone but the Golden leaves me cold. I find the source artwork of the Golden to be drab.
Barleywine said:
I've often thought about getting the Touchstone, but the mention of "brownness" gives me pause. I'm still trying to flush the "brownness" of the Haindl from my memory. On the other hand, the Anna K's "brownness" just seems homespun and rustic, which I find very appealing for certain purposes. But "blueness" seems more reliable, somehow.
I like the browns in the Touchstone. It's like the brown of brown eyes.
 

euripides

disjointed and heavy - Henry VIII's arm sewn onto a Medici shoulder, conflicting light sources, off perspectives. ....

oh so that's it. I wondered what it was that makes me sometimes go *huh?* - I'm an artist, I should be looking more critically, but I hadn't quite put my finger on it. I guess I spend a lot of time looking at amateur art where those things are par-for-the-course.

I do still love the Touchstone, for all its failings, but that the Distant Past has such a different feel will make me feel quite a bit less guilty for spending the money! I also love that it's borderless.

For those that have the deck - how do you feel about the image resolution in Poker card size - I like smaller decks for handling - or should I go for the Tarot size deck?

hi all,
yes, that's my deck- The Distant Past Tarot -

I just had a look at your site - oh I wish you'd do a Tarot like your Alternate Realities Lenormand. I love the graphics and text on it! I'm really not into Lenormand but I feel like I ought to have the Kitschy one as a companion to my Housewives Tarot.
 

Lee

Now I feel like I have to order this deck! :D I too would be interested in hearing comparisons of the different sizes.
 

FLizarraga

I've often thought about getting the Touchstone, but the mention of "brownness" gives me pause. I'm still trying to flush the "brownness" of the Haindl from my memory. On the other hand, the Anna K's "brownness" just seems homespun and rustic, which I find very appealing for certain purposes. But "blueness" seems more reliable, somehow.

Of course, it all comes down to personal preference and while I like the Golden, the Touchstone leaves me cold. I am the only one in the world (I know) who finds it disjointed and heavy - Henry VIII's arm sewn onto a Medici shoulder, conflicting light sources, off perspectives. <snip>
But I honestly thinking that comparing the Touchstone with the Distant Past is a bit pointless just because they're the same media. The energies are so very different. But the brown-ness and trompe l'oeil frames and brass plaques of the Touchstone oppress me...

You're not the only one Le Fanu - Now you know of someone on literally the other side of the world! ;)

Me three. Just look at the 3 of Wands. The head does not truly belong to that body, and the angle is so odd that you don't know if the guy is coming or going. I can forgive things like the different light sources, but this is too much.

Plus, for me, recognizing not only the painters, but the painted (and there are several very well known historical characters here) just turns me off.

Don't get me wrong: I still love it, warts and all. And it reads well for me. (Those wonderful faces do make you forgive it all.) But I think the main reason that the collaging does not work as well as it does in the Golden is because the flat, stilted, unrealistic Medieval art was much more forgiving and easy to manipulate.

I like the browns in the Touchstone. It's like the brown of brown eyes.

THIS. There is something archeological about the Haindl. I find it a deck for study (especially after Pollack's books), but not for actual reading. All those browns and terracottas are like one of those simulated excavations one sees in museums.

The browns in the Touchstone are warm and inviting, and mostly confined to the borders. Which you can cut off, you know. I have both a trimmed and an untrimmed copy, and find both equally appealing.
 

FLizarraga

Now I feel like I have to order this deck! :D I too would be interested in hearing comparisons of the different sizes.

I just HATE you all... Just when my wish list was more or less empty... 😿
 

Michellehihi

I just HATE you all... Just when my wish list was more or less empty... 😿

How about me...got this one today, and then, out of the blue, decided to also buy a Lebanese tarot...........