Debra
Ah. Funny, I saw the center post of the scales in the first version as a sword, that's why I thought you'd taken it out. Looking again, I see I need new glasses...
The Gilded Tarot Royale
GryffinSong
Regarding the Lewellyn debate ...
I'll probably be pelted with rotten fruit, but I agree with the publisher. To my eye, this is a completely different deck. People are still purchasing the original Gilded, so they'd be eliminating a successful product from their catalog in order to introduce a replacement. But it's NOT a replacement. It is, to my eye, quite different. From a technical perspective, of course the digital manipulation is considerably advanced. From an aesthetic perspective, it's going to be very subjective. I've noticed several major differences, particularly around the posture of the figures in the cards. The newer figures tend to be more static. That is, the character tends to stand more upright with less implication of movement. I first noticed this on the Six of Swords. The woman in the orginal is leaning forward more than the newer woman, and her pole is also leaning more. To me, the original woman looks like she's moving across the water to her destination. The newer image looks more as if her boat has stalled, which brings a different interpretation to the card.
This deck is going to read differently than the original Gilded, and I believe there is a place for both decks on the market. To replace the Gilded would eliminate a respected and proven deck from the hands of future tarot readers. Personally, I think that would be a shame.
I'll probably be pelted with rotten fruit, but I agree with the publisher. To my eye, this is a completely different deck. People are still purchasing the original Gilded, so they'd be eliminating a successful product from their catalog in order to introduce a replacement. But it's NOT a replacement. It is, to my eye, quite different. From a technical perspective, of course the digital manipulation is considerably advanced. From an aesthetic perspective, it's going to be very subjective. I've noticed several major differences, particularly around the posture of the figures in the cards. The newer figures tend to be more static. That is, the character tends to stand more upright with less implication of movement. I first noticed this on the Six of Swords. The woman in the orginal is leaning forward more than the newer woman, and her pole is also leaning more. To me, the original woman looks like she's moving across the water to her destination. The newer image looks more as if her boat has stalled, which brings a different interpretation to the card.
This deck is going to read differently than the original Gilded, and I believe there is a place for both decks on the market. To replace the Gilded would eliminate a respected and proven deck from the hands of future tarot readers. Personally, I think that would be a shame.
cirom
Thank you, thats an interesting perpective, and at least its one based on actual comparison, i.e. in the example you used of the 6 of swords. I'm not sure that I share your opinion that in general the postures are more static. I also don't consider these images to be "digital manipulations" as that suggests some kind of technical adjusting as opposed to each image being completely re done from scratch. Nevertheless I do accept your point, namely that having seen these images thus far, you consider the changes might result in the deck reading differently. I think so too, but I think for the better. But irrespective, I don't feel that was the rational behind the publishers decision since they came to their decision after seeing only one image, and that was one that ironically is the closest in posture to the original.
Either way, wether its ultimately perceived as a replacement or as a different item entirely, its fortunately also optional
So I guess its a mute point at this stage.
Either way, wether its ultimately perceived as a replacement or as a different item entirely, its fortunately also optional
So I guess its a mute point at this stage.GryffinSong
Poor choice of words on my part. I meant that the digital tools available today are much more advanced than they were when you did the original.
gregory
That's why I said they could keep it in the Easy Tarot kit and sell the new version as - well, the new version ! (Maybe I actually suggested that in a PM - but I am now suggesting it here. Have BOTH on the market under different packaging.)
cirom
Ah. Funny, I saw the center post of the scales in the first version as a sword, that's why I thought you'd taken it out. Looking again, I see I need new glasses...
New glasses? Not necessarily. You aren't the first to assume it was a sword in the first version and its been tempting on many occasion to play along with this and many other such assumptions and claim them to have been deliberate. Much like so many squiggles here and there by deceased artists of older decks, which like some inkblot on a psychiatrists test pad, they have been imaginatively transformed into meaningful butterflies or whatever by tarot readers ever since. But in this case I must admit I think I'll act upon it and will in fact add a sword to the new Justice image. I think it will work both conceptually and in composition.
cirom
I have been thinking about this and it reconfirmed (as if reconfirmation was needed) as to the almost unique relationship of the art of tarot and the tool of tarot. While one strives to consider the implications of every aspect of an image knowing that it will be studied in detail, it is nevertheless impossible to cover the infinite varieties of interpretation that will result. Nevertheless, feedback such as your interpretation can be extremely useful. Clearly to accommodate every suggestion and preference is futile and even if attempted would result in a "design by committee" blandness. But sometimes as in this case I found it quite valid and I may change it accordingly. Fortunately one of the advantages of this often maligned digital medium is that once the initial hard work is done, later adjustment and manipulation is relatively easy.
On the issue of publication, since it does seem that this will be a distinct product, then I may introduce more changes from the original than I had initially planned.
Debra
LOL interesting--you deliberately decided not to include a sword and yet a sword manifested itself on the card!--I love when this kind of thing happens, I see it as the gleam from a half-buried gem.
cirom
Believe it or not yes the omission was deliberate. I understand the traditional rational for a sword in the symbolism of Justice. But I considered that symbolism required another element to truly represent Justice and without which I didn't feel balance was adequately represented. A bit audacious on my part to question a symbol that has been around for centuries, of course not everyone would have shared my view, but there it is.
Years later when working on the Legacy I felt a bit more comfortable occasionally veering off from the RWS, and as I mentioned earlier I felt my take on Justice in that deck made far more sense... to me.
This is off topic I guess, so if you are genuinely interested I'll PM the text from the legacy companion book. You might not agree with the thinking indicated there, but at least there was some thinking.
Cerulean
I thought perhaps it was the painful posture reflected in her face
I think when I tried the same posture as the Nine of Pentacles second image and especially her outstretched hand supporting the bird, I understood the tension and stiffnes of her two outstretched fingers and the painful stretch of two fingers curled back .- Intead of a happy, relaxed nine of pentacles, this will be a tense and intent falconer.
Of course everyone reads pictures differently and I was just trying a card exercise of putting myself im the card posture. I admire the artistic dedication and work when I see ¢M decks that my friends adore.
Very beautiful changes...expressive detail as well.
I think when I tried the same posture as the Nine of Pentacles second image and especially her outstretched hand supporting the bird, I understood the tension and stiffnes of her two outstretched fingers and the painful stretch of two fingers curled back .- Intead of a happy, relaxed nine of pentacles, this will be a tense and intent falconer.
Of course everyone reads pictures differently and I was just trying a card exercise of putting myself im the card posture. I admire the artistic dedication and work when I see ¢M decks that my friends adore.
Very beautiful changes...expressive detail as well.
