Illuminated Tarot

auntie

a real gem

I've been working with this deck for a few weeks now and I think it's GREAT. It's not a Tarot in our strict sense, it's a 52 card playing deck plus a Joker/Fool. She's folded the meanings of the Majors and Minors into a beautifully illustrated oversized playing card deck, which I haven't analyzed because I don't use regular playing cards for divination myself - and it would be open to interp depending upon what system you use anyway - but as an oracle deck, this works a dream - with the imagery of the Majors used in the cards just being an added attraction. I like the artwork, young Brooklyn-based illustrator. The cards are bigger than I expected, oversized playing cards, Tarot-sized but wider. You can't beat the package and production value, beautiful everything, great cardstock, clothbound hard box with gold gilt.

I think it's a really great bridge between Tarot and playing card divination, every illustration is great, no chintzing or laziness, the picture evokes the meaning and are so thoughtful, it's such a treat. I'm so sick of these lazy decks where I swear the illustrators chose to do playing card Minors just so they don't have to draw. And it's $10 on amazon! Seriously, what a bargain. I already bought a back up and have sent a few out to friends.

Really, the only annoying thing about it is that it's called a Tarot and doesn't have 78 cards. However, I bet a lot of Tarot people will come to it accidentally and be pleased when they open it up and see that Strength card, and Tower, etc. Which is what I did - though I also love oracles so win/win.

You can see some of the cards here:
http://caitlinkeegan.com/tarot/
Don't you love that Hermit? That little gray fish-like creature hiding in the grander design?
http://caitlinkeegan.com/tarot-archive/2015/7/18/9-of-diamonds-the-hermit
This shows the box and a few pages of the book:
http://caitlinkeegan.com/#/the-illuminated-tarot/
And if there are any Sesame Street fans out there, click on the link to her designs for Sesame St workshop! :)
 

DeTerminator

This deck looks like a winner to me. So, I placed my order.

It has the playing card format, so I will be able to use it for that method. Plus, there's the added Tarot imagery, for additional information, if wanted. It reminds me somewhat of the Gyspy Witch cards, in that way. Very unique, the cards look to be of good quality, interesting art work, and reasonable price. Works for me!
 

Emily

I took delivery of this tarot deck a few days ago. I wasn't too sure about it at first, it is a mix of tarot and playing cards but in the days that I've been using it, it has grown on me.

It is a large deck around 5 inches x 3 1/2 inches and it was sticky when I first opened it, usually that is a killer for me - I don't like sticky cards that clump when you try to shuffle them but they lose their stickiness as you use them. Also the cardstock feels good, flexible. Feels nice in the hand.

The booklet is fully illustrated with colour images of the cards but it only contains keywords - 2 Hearts - Temperance - Balance, Moderation. 8 Hearts - The Moon - Subtlety, Mystery, Instinct. In the book she explains that they are only a general guide, it would be easy to expand on the meanings.

I like the way some of the cards have been paired with the Majors, and the illustrations themselves are very pretty. They also follow the basic playing cards symbolism - Clubs - Wands - Fire, Diamonds - Coins - Earth, Hearts - Cups - Water and Spades - Swords - Air. I'm pleased the Swords/Air hasn't been swapped. The deck and book are contained in a nice folding box, I have also put a small notebook in there too and keep the whole think closed with elastic cord.

I'm enjoying getting to know this deck because it was an impulse buy and I had only seen a couple of the cards beforehand but I'm glad I went ahead to get it. :)
 

DeTerminator

I received my deck today...fast delivery, three days!

These are large cards, as has been mentioned. And SOLID! This is a Taurus deck, released at the end of this last April. And Taurus it is. If you have Taurus planets in your natal birth chart, you might enjoy this deck. I opened the deck today, when Jupiter was conjunct the local Ascendant, and also trine Jupiter. My natal Mercury was conjunct the Descendant. I like to use astrology to establish a relationship to cards and other things, and find that helpful.

The artwork is reminiscent of about 1967. At least, for me. The deck is very well made, and presented. I like the linen stock, but the cards could be smaller for my taste.

My Aquarius planets don't know what to make of this yet. It is challenging for them. I need to work with the cards, as they are a bit different from what I am familiar with. I do use playing cards for divination purposes, so thinking that this could work.

So, that's my inital impression. I asked the cards how they would work out for me. They gave me a Queen of Clubs, a 5 of Clubs, and the Fool! It is a straight forward and well meaning deck, with the Queen of Clubs. The 5 of Clubs is a lucky thing, bringing organization into the mix, a working deck. The Fool card...well, go figure. That describes it's adventurous nature, anyway.

My next spread with it also ended with the Fool card! That involved asking about my upcoming bike ride. A 9 of Spades was also in the mix, suggesting possible harm to myself, a disappointment, failure. I rode a short ways, and it started to rain. So, the ride was cut short. The playing card aspect of the cards works just fine for me.

So, there you have it. A good value, if you relate to it's character. I'll be working more with them, but it IS more challenging for me.
 

EmpyreanKnight

This looks like such a beautiful deck, and I'm always on the lookout for gorgeous playing cards for when I enter my cartomancy phase. I'm putting this on my wishlist.