The Bohemian Gothic Tarot

magenta said:

Baba,you could not have described better what artistic process and work is...
Expression of an inner view...authenticity, what a beautiful thing...

best wishes to you Baba, your work is very inspiring ..


magenta

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Thank-you. Well, we try - we don't always succeed!

I suppose I ought to add that there are cards in this deck that we know will be very controversial - some we haven't shown for that reason. So getting pulled into defending those is something I don't want to do right now. It IS intended to be a "difficult" deck, in as much as it needs to both disturb and challenge as well as - hopefully - illuminate and delight. We know that some people really will not like some cards - but as Umbrae says, maybe it's those very cards that will be the grit in the deck that produces a pearl in some readings (no, Umbrae put it far better I think).

Anyway, back to the design...

baba-prague said:

we don't design by consensus - we feel it results in poor design with no personality. We design as "baba studio" and tend to have quite strong direction about what we want to achieve in each deck. We aren't really trying to please everyone or hit a common denominator, just make authentic decks that we feel ourselves are the best we can do....I really (really!) appreciate the comments, but I just can't find a positive-sounding way to keep saying "No!" to specific ideas for visual and style changes...

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Baba - I love what you're doing with this deck, and I've really enjoyed seeing the story unfolding, as it were, with each new card you've posted.

However - I totally relate to what you're saying. Sometimes I think it's downright dangerous to have too many "voices" in your ears when you're in the throes of the creative process. This deck is your vision, and it's a powerful, distinctive one. By its very nature it's going to unsettle - and possibly p**s off - some people. I would take that as a sign that you're right on track!

And while I will be sorry not to see any more cards posted, I think you're probably making a wise decision. I really look forward to the seeing finished deck

Thanks Leo. You know, it's hard not to be derailed a bit by requests for changes. In decks in the past I have sometimes insisted on changes that have first been suggested here - and guess what, they have nearly always felt like mistakes later (not always - for example, we have added lightning to The Tower partly as a result of comments here, though also because I realised when I wrote up that card that it WAS too silent and static to fit the meaning well). So I've learned from that.

Anyway, we have such fights here over cards - although our fights would look like polite discussion to an outsider they feel pretty passionate to us - that maybe that's as much as I can focus on right now.

It IS a very difficult deck to make - emotionally demanding at times, so that's another reason why I need to take it off somewhere quiet for a bit.

Do what you need to do with the deck and I´ll wait around with great anticipation nomatter the outcome! By the way, I have said it from the beginning but I really appreciate the impact this deck seems to have on almost everyone looking at the scans posted so far. It really touches people, for good or bad. That to me shows great promise for the future!

baba-prague said:

No, no, no! The whole point is that the Queen of Wands is wearing a Baroque dress and typical Baroque powdered wig. Making her hair auburn would be a disaster. Sorry, but no!

To be honest, we are not looking for "change this, change that" comments on this thread (well, we are happy to hear them - but very unlikely to respond by making changes that we don't feel are right). Design by consensus sounds lovely but tends to result in a mish-mash. It has to be our vision in the end. Then the deck will either work for you or not - it can't work for everyone.

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~giggles~ I know Karen ... just trying to get a rise out of you *LOL*. I promise to behave I am loving the deck, can't wait to buy the silver edition (with the Vampuss bag, you know, the one crawling down the tower wall *LOL*)

Jewel said:

~giggles~ I know Karen ... just trying to get a rise out of you *LOL*. I promise to behave I am loving the deck, can't wait to buy the silver edition (with the Vampuss bag, you know, the one crawling down the tower wall *LOL*)

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AAAAARRGGHHHHHHH................................................runs off shrieking - pursued by a flying Vampuss.

baba-prague said:

AAAAARRGGHHHHHHH................................................runs off shrieking - pursued by a flying Vampuss.

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So is that a yes? ~bats eyes prettily~, or were you calling me a flying vampuss?, or both *ROFLMAO*

By the way I finished reading the rest of the thread after your original response to me, and I want to echo that comments about individual cards was more from the excitement then really expecting you to alter the work you are doing. As much as I love all of my baba decks (I own them all now), I know I will love the outcome of the Dark Sister. I just got cought up in the wave of excitement like someone else said earlier. You just inspire us so then we get creative and think out loud so to speak *LOL*.

I guess I've been living under a rock since last xmas. I haven't been around much on AT, only been back for a week or so.

Today is the first time I heard about this new deck. Like others, I drool waiting for it. The VR has such a nice aura about it, it really brings me back to the late 1800s. It's one of my favourite reading decks.

Today when I read that the BG deck will be available in the fall, I was happy that I didn't know about it back in the spring.....I'm sooo impatient!...haha

The BG deck has a nice dark sumptuousness to it....can't wait.

Not sure if this has been asked or answered (so forgive me if it has been), but when are you taking pre-orders, Karen?

Shaymus

My thinking is that no one will be taking pre-orders until we quit bothering Karen and let her get the deck finished!!!

Yes,yes,yes; HER way!!

*S* waiting patiently like everybody else. Okay - not patiently. What can I say ~

[edited to reword: "... THEIR way" ... ... gesh; what was I thinking]

Ann
*S*