Did Pixie do the coloring of the RWS?

tarotbear

We all know that Pixie drew the RWS - but did she do the coloring? Does anyone know? Or did Rider provide the coloring to Pixie's B/W illustrations?

All I can say is based on what it is taking/has taken me to color my B/W deck - if Pixie drew AND colored all 78 cards herself - no wonder she bitched that it was 'a lot of work for little money'. :(
 

Zephyros

As far as I know, she did do the coloring herself. At least, I've never seen any mention that she didn't. She probably understood printing processes of the day, and would have done the pictures in such a way that it would be possible to print. Waite also probably had some input, although the RWS doesn't follow the GD color scales, at least not fully.
 

Luna-Ocean

For an artist to sign each of her cards with her signature does give me the notion that she really took the time and effort with the undertaken of this work? i would say she done all the colouring herself to each of the cards and i really don't think any artist would leave their work half finished.
 

tarotbear

I don't know how big the originals are, but she did the B/W probably in India Ink so the coloring would have to have (originally) been some kind of watercolor, tempera, or such like.

I agree that since she signed her glyph on each that she probably did everything - but looking at what it has taken me (I'm no artist) to color mine in digitally - Pixie was very tenacious and a very 'driven' artist.
 

Luna-Ocean

I agree that since she signed her glyph on each that she probably did everything - but looking at what it has taken me (I'm no artist) to color mine in digitally - Pixie was very tenacious and a very 'driven' artist.

Yes i would say she worked very fast indeed considering the time she had to complete this work and there were many cards to be done in a short space of time? i do not accept that she had any help doing this as what we have learned about Pixie she was a very independent lady that really only lived by her own standards in that time, it was really hard for any woman in those times being independent to get by when not being married she really only had herself to rely on and she also wanted to be recognized as a professional artist?
 

Le Fanu

But there were decks at the time - like the Vacchetta - that we're never intended to be coloured anyway. We assume a finished deck is a coloured deck. Who would say that Doré's illustrations or Aubrey Beardsley's work is "half finished"?
 

Zephyros

Yes i would say she worked very fast indeed considering the time she had to complete this work and there were many cards to be done in a short space of time? i do not accept that she had any help doing this as what we have learned about Pixie she was a very independent lady that really only lived by her own standards in that time, it was really hard for any woman in those times being independent to get by when not being married she really only had herself to rely on and she also wanted to be recognized as a professional artist?

While I agree that she probably did the coloring herself, I somewhat disagree with the reasoning. While most accounts depict her as a plucky, independent woman ahead of her time, it was still of her time, and those times weren't as backward as one might think. Women did earn a living doing all sorts of things, although this would get a big boost a few years later, when WWWI began. Feminism in those days was very different than today, even the suffrage movement was only just starting to take off.

Secondly, there's nothing to indicate she wouldn't allow anyone to help her, as aside from how big the job was, it wasn't a "special" job about which she would be passionate. On the contrary, it is surprising she did as well as she did, considering the restraints. As an artist for hire, she would do whatever was ordered, and if Waite asked for b&w that's what he would get. Furthermore, as a veteran illustrator, she would understand printing processes, which would mean Rider would have the final say over the amount of colors used, plates, etc.

Still, I think she probably did the colors herself.
 

Grigori

Sorry I can't remember the source now, but am sure I've read that Pixie colored the cards when designing, however the line drawings alone were used for mass production due to the technology of the era, and the printer's colors were selected for the production (presumably based on the originals by Pixie).
 

Luna-Ocean

She did like to listen to classical music when doing these illustrations she saw music and was able to transmit those visions into tangible artworks, i think this really helped her along very quickly and with creating the visions of colour that was used in each card, she was also gifted with something called ''Synaesthesia'' a crossing-over of sensory input You 'hear colour's or see music or 'smell' words and so on?
 

tarotbear

Not to go 'meta' here - I don't think Pixie did that 'listen to music and paint what I heard' exercise to design the RWS; she did a series of pictures based on that practice, though.

Still - no matter how talented or professional you are - to render 78 drawings in pen & ink and then color them all in yourself - how Pixie could do that all by herself in the short time she did - is astounding.