Onyx
When I look at the color of the borders of the Major Trumps. I am excited at the variety of them. Looking back at the interview that Dan “Umbre” Pelletier did with Patrick I am intrigued at the color theory that went into the majors.
Here is the quote from Dan’s review:
“The mixed colors come from the cards I created when I was 15. Truthfully, the colors on the majors just looked good with the color compositions of the individual cards at the time, so I just carried that over when I re-began the deck in 2004. However, the minors were different... these colors relate to the citizens of each realm. The borders on the suit of Swords are Red for their strife and pain of the heart. Cups have Blue for the calm purity of the sea. In Wands I used Green for the earth and the natural world. And with Pentacles, Black for the materialistic void they have in their souls.”
Here is the link to the review: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/deviant-moon/review.shtml
Breaking this down again:
Green is for the earth and natural world.
Blue is for calm purity of the sea.
Red is for the strife and pain of the heart.
Black is for the materialistic void in the soul.
The Major Trumps sorted by the color of their border.
Greens: The Fool, The Hierophant, The Hanged Man and the World
Blues (Violets): The Magician, the Empress, The Emperor, The Chariot, The Hermit, Temperance, and The Star.
Reds: The Lovers, Strength, Justice, and The Sun
Blacks: The High Priestess, The Wheel of Fortune, Number 13, The Devil, The Tower, The Moon, and Judgement.
Looking over these cards and setting aside the traditional elemental associations and their traditional colorings, I see some insight with these groupings and yet some questions as well.
The Greens seem to me to be an alright group. The Fool is based in his earthly, natural voyage and he is in the moment. The Hierophant also fits with me in the earthly realm. The World is clearly well suited with this border. The Hanged Man is interesting but I have thought that the inverted state would mix the humors in the body in a natural alchemical way that would shift and bring revelation.
The Blues (Violets): Cards in this group that I believe are peaceful: The Magician, Empress, Emperor, Temperance, and The Star. Cards I am not sure fit are The Chariot and The Hermit -- Normally I would fit the Hermit in this group but in this deck there isn’t quite the calm spiritual reflection and insight that other decks have. The Chariot is traditionally a water card and that is linked with the color blue. I think that this card can show the coming and going of the tides of the sea. Also the Seas is in a sense its own master and the Chariot can communicate that sense of self-control and determination.
The Reds: I see the strife and the pain of life that can be associated with the cards, I even am willing to see the sun as a strife in the sense that we are in a struggle with how much sun we need for our food protection, and our mental health, but too much and we have draught and sunburns (ouch!)
The Blacks: With the possible exception of the High Priestess, I completely buy these as Black cards. Each of these cards has a mystery and a fear that is naturally present in our psyches when we encounter them. None of these cards can be taken lightly and one must always be on guard with each of these because there is an inherent danger.
Well I think that this is a good jumping off place. I will need to look a little more to see if there is anything I missed.
Onyx.
Here is the quote from Dan’s review:
“The mixed colors come from the cards I created when I was 15. Truthfully, the colors on the majors just looked good with the color compositions of the individual cards at the time, so I just carried that over when I re-began the deck in 2004. However, the minors were different... these colors relate to the citizens of each realm. The borders on the suit of Swords are Red for their strife and pain of the heart. Cups have Blue for the calm purity of the sea. In Wands I used Green for the earth and the natural world. And with Pentacles, Black for the materialistic void they have in their souls.”
Here is the link to the review: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/deviant-moon/review.shtml
Breaking this down again:
Green is for the earth and natural world.
Blue is for calm purity of the sea.
Red is for the strife and pain of the heart.
Black is for the materialistic void in the soul.
The Major Trumps sorted by the color of their border.
Greens: The Fool, The Hierophant, The Hanged Man and the World
Blues (Violets): The Magician, the Empress, The Emperor, The Chariot, The Hermit, Temperance, and The Star.
Reds: The Lovers, Strength, Justice, and The Sun
Blacks: The High Priestess, The Wheel of Fortune, Number 13, The Devil, The Tower, The Moon, and Judgement.
Looking over these cards and setting aside the traditional elemental associations and their traditional colorings, I see some insight with these groupings and yet some questions as well.
The Greens seem to me to be an alright group. The Fool is based in his earthly, natural voyage and he is in the moment. The Hierophant also fits with me in the earthly realm. The World is clearly well suited with this border. The Hanged Man is interesting but I have thought that the inverted state would mix the humors in the body in a natural alchemical way that would shift and bring revelation.
The Blues (Violets): Cards in this group that I believe are peaceful: The Magician, Empress, Emperor, Temperance, and The Star. Cards I am not sure fit are The Chariot and The Hermit -- Normally I would fit the Hermit in this group but in this deck there isn’t quite the calm spiritual reflection and insight that other decks have. The Chariot is traditionally a water card and that is linked with the color blue. I think that this card can show the coming and going of the tides of the sea. Also the Seas is in a sense its own master and the Chariot can communicate that sense of self-control and determination.
The Reds: I see the strife and the pain of life that can be associated with the cards, I even am willing to see the sun as a strife in the sense that we are in a struggle with how much sun we need for our food protection, and our mental health, but too much and we have draught and sunburns (ouch!)
The Blacks: With the possible exception of the High Priestess, I completely buy these as Black cards. Each of these cards has a mystery and a fear that is naturally present in our psyches when we encounter them. None of these cards can be taken lightly and one must always be on guard with each of these because there is an inherent danger.
Well I think that this is a good jumping off place. I will need to look a little more to see if there is anything I missed.
Onyx.