Deck of the Week : Sign-up Thread: Week 191 : March 28 - April 3

[swedishfish612]

BodhiSeed- thanks for the welcome back! I missed this group!

Madrigal- Well, I selfishly vote for Shadowscapes just so there will be 3 of us using it this week! lol


Here are my initial impressions of Shadowscapes:

- Love the colors, especially in the Majors. So pretty all laid out together.

- I just love the artist's drawing style, the use of fine lines especially. There's so much to SEE in these images. It's fun to peer at them and see more...and then more...and then just a little more. I'm kind of wanting the full-color book she has on her website now. I don't have a tablet to see these images larger on.

- The borders and the font work nicely with the artwork. The back of the cards is lovely. I like how it just looks like a Celtic design at first, but then you notice all of the different creatures in it.

- Favorite majors- the Hierophant (finally a pleasant one that I can feel tender about, instead of cringing!), Temperance, the Hermit, the Devil.

- Favorite Wands- 3, 6, 7, 10

- Favorite Cups- 6,8, Knight

- Favorite Swords- 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, King. This is my favorite suit in this deck.

- Favorite Pentacles- 8, 9, Queen, King

 

[AJ]

The Hierophant. Bit of a pain isn't he. Although historically correct I hate the christianized view so many have. Don't like the impression that only men can teach, and men make the best students. Probably one of the reasons I like oracles better than tarot decks

 

[Madrigal]

BodhiSeed- thanks for the welcome back! I missed this group!

Madrigal- Well, I selfishly vote for Shadowscapes just so there will be 3 of us using it this week! lol


Here are my initial impressions of Shadowscapes:

- Love the colors, especially in the Majors. So pretty all laid out together.

- I just love the artist's drawing style, the use of fine lines especially. There's so much to SEE in these images. It's fun to peer at them and see more...and then more...and then just a little more. I'm kind of wanting the full-color book she has on her website now. I don't have a tablet to see these images larger on.

- The borders and the font work nicely with the artwork. The back of the cards is lovely. I like how it just looks like a Celtic design at first, but then you notice all of the different creatures in it.

- Favorite majors- the Hierophant (finally a pleasant one that I can feel tender about, instead of cringing!), Temperance, the Hermit, the Devil.

- Favorite Wands- 3, 6, 7, 10

- Favorite Cups- 6,8, Knight

- Favorite Swords- 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, King. This is my favorite suit in this deck.

- Favorite Pentacles- 8, 9, Queen, King

Well Hanson-Roberts won out and I had a lovely reading with it today.

Swedishfish, I agree Shadowscapes is a lovely deck. I think the circle on the backs is the same one behind the Emperor.

 

[Lycanthropos]

Since several are reading with Shadowscapes, I decided to look at the deck online and see what it's about. It's really gorgeous. The artist did amazing pieces for the deck. I can see why it appeals to a lot of people.

I'm having a harder time than I expected bonding with the Fenestra Tarot. I like the style, but some of the cards I'm pulling I have to sit with for hours before I really 'get' them. Last night I pulled the Two of Cups and I was initially disappointed because I wasn't feeling what I normally feel from the card in other decks, but I kept going back to it, analysing it, and finally I could start to see 'attraction', but I really had to pull it out of the card.

I had The Tower in a reading two days ago, and the colours are so closely matched (and I'm colourblind), that I had a hard time finding key symbols. It took me a whole day to find everything. I guarantee when it pops up again I won't miss it as I'm totally familiar with it now, so I'm glad I'm taking this time to get to know it.

Most of the cards I can read just fine, or at least from my initial few run-throughs that's my impression, but there are a few that are stumping me.

 

[BodhiSeed]

I love the watercolor images in the Shadowscapes; I do wish the cards were borderless to make the images larger. Regardless, they are beautiful!

Lycanthropos, the Fenestra was one of the quickest trades I ever made with a deck. Like you, I had a terrible time with the color (even though I'm not colorblind) and with so many of the images that looked like other cards.

 

[Madrigal]

The iPad app for Shadowscapes is well worth its $4 cost. Seeing those gorgeous images on a large scale with all the intricate details suddenly vivid opens up a whole new vista on the cards.

Re Fenestra, I bought this awhile ago after being entranced by the expressions on the characters' faces, their subtlety. Once in my hands though that fascination faded. I have yet to use it but I'm hopeful I can refind my initial enthusiasm for it.

 

[swedishfish612]

I'm liking Shadowscapes. It's exactly what I was hoping it would be- a gorgeous deck that is gentle and healing. I can ask tough questions with this deck and get the answers delivered in a way that doesn't feel so...blunt and harsh.

Ironically, I feel the need to cleanse my palette with something not so sweet. I've ordered the Tarot of the Vampyres and it will most likely be my choice for next week, lol.

 

[Lycanthropos]

Yesterday I drew the Two of Wands from the Fenestra for my daily meditation and was very pleased. I connected with it straight away and wrote my daily blog post, no problem. I went through about half of the deck and felt OK with most of the imagery.

It's hitting me that this is not going to be a regular use deck for me like I originally anticipated. I'm a moody Pisces, affected very much by what I see, and the cards are too dim and and evoke a sort of melancholy in me. When I'm in that state or something similar these will be the perfect cards, but otherwise I won't use them unless a sitter picks them. I've always preferred vibrant colour, which probably partially explains why Vision Quest is my personal reading deck.

 

[swedishfish612]

I, too, have always thought the Fenestra looks kind of moody and sad. I feel the same way about the Aquarian. I don't know why!

 

[Lycanthropos]

I've put Shadowscapes on my Amazon wishlist. I read the preview of the companion book and it's well done, and similar in format the companion book that Barbara Moore wrote for another deck that I own. (at least what I read in the preview) I got a lot out of that book; it really helped me understand the cards and still refer to it from time to time when I want a certain perspective, so I would expect no less from this one.

I'm not sure how well I could/would be able to use Shadowscapes as a divination tool, but it's such a gorgeous art deck I can't see passing it up and not at least trying to use it. If I can't connect with it for readings, I could definitely use it for daily meditation draws. I'm glad you all introduced me to deck!