Modifying a deck

[fferyllt]

A few days ago I succumbed to temptation at the store and bought the World Spirit Tarot. Originally, when I researched this deck, I thought I wouldn't like it. But more and more the art and concept has grown on me. When I got it home I liked it even more.

Except for the 10 of Pentacles. I couldn't get over the guy not having pants on in that picture, it just says all the wrong things to me. So, as I saw described in another thread where someone blacked out keywords, I took a permanent marker and colored in some shorts for him. Immediately that card felt better to me. But . . .

Now I feel torn, like it's a little disrespectful to make that change. What do you think about making small modifications like this to a deck?

 

[Sulis]

Of course it's not disrespectful, it's your deck, you bought it, you can do what you like with it.

The World Spirit deck is my favourite tarot deck and the one I use the most. The guy on the 10 of Pentacles doesn't bother me at all but the numbering of the Majors did (I prefer Justice to be number 8) so I took a permanent marker and blacked out the numbers on the Majors - much better and now it really feels like MY deck.

Enjoy it, it's a treasure.
You may find the threads in the World Spirit Study Group sub-forum interesting too... Feel free to jump in and add your own thoughts..
http://www.tarotforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=121

 

[Skysteel]

A few days ago I succumbed to temptation at the store and bought the World Spirit Tarot. Originally, when I researched this deck, I thought I wouldn't like it. But more and more the art and concept has grown on me. When I got it home I liked it even more.

Except for the 10 of Pentacles. I couldn't get over the guy not having pants on in that picture, it just says all the wrong things to me. So, as I saw described in another thread, I took a permanent marker and colored in some shorts for him. Immediately that card felt better to me. But . . .

Now I feel torn, like it's a little disrespectful to make that change. What do you think about making small modifications like this to a deck?

I'd sooner chuck the whole deck out.

 

[BodhiSeed]

I'm one who bought the World Spirit and gave the 10 of Pents guy some shorts. I love this deck, but I'd never use it if I hadn't made the change. For me, it's no different than buying a skirt you love but altering the hemline. You're just making it usable for you!

Bodhran

 

[fferyllt]

Of course it's not disrespectful, it's your deck, you bought it, you can do what you like with it.

The World Spirit deck is my favourite tarot deck and the one I use the most. The guy on the 10 of Pentacles doesn't bother me at all but the numbering of the Majors did (I prefer Justice to be number 8) so I took a permanent marker and blacked out the numbers on the Majors - much better and now it really feels like MY deck.

Enjoy it, it's a treasure.
You may find the threads in the World Spirit Study Group sub-forum interesting too... Feel free to jump in and add your own thoughts..
http://www.tarotforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=121

Thanks Sulis. It just felt odd to modify the artwork itself, rather than blacking out words. Not every deck would lend itself to it either, but this one seemed to. I'll be sure to check out the study group.

I'd sooner chuck the whole deck out.

I was tempted, that's probably why I'm feeling torn now. But there are a lot of other things about the deck I'm interested in, so it seemed like it was worth a try. It does feel weird though.

I'm one who bought the World Spirit and gave the 10 of Pents guy some shorts. I love this deck, but I'd never use it if I hadn't made the change. For me, it's no different than buying a skirt you love but altering the hemline. You're just making it usable for you!

That really helps, knowing I'm not the only one who's done this!!

 

[Sulis]

That really helps, knowing I'm not the only one who's done this!!

I think that quite a lot of people have put pants on the pantless guy

If you do a search in 'titles only' for 'World Spirit' I think you'll find threads mentioning it.

Don't throw it out just because he has no pants, it's a wonderful deck... One of those decks that you see something new in every time you use it

 

[gregory]

If USG themselves can modify the Yeager to make it "respectable", I should think anyone can do anything they like !!!

 

[le fey]

I think being disrespectful to the deck (and the artist) would be insisting that *all* copies have a decent pair of shorts, writing the artist to chastise them for their choice, marching over to the artists original copy to make the alteration, write your congressman to insist there be a national referendum on shockingly pantless men standing around with a bunch of phalluses...

But tossing a whole deck in preference to change one mass-produced copy of one single image?

That's melodrama taken to a ridiculous level!

('course you're talking to someone who leaves notes in the margins of favorite books, so I'm pretty committed to the idea that the copy in your hand is YOUR copy and things done that make it more uniquely yours don't do a thing to the ideas expressed there.)

 

[SolSionnach]

If USG themselves can modify the Yeager to make it "respectable", I should think anyone can do anything they like !!!

First of all... what did USG do to the Yeager? I don't know anything about that, and while I no longer have that deck, I kept it for years simply for the 'camp' value of the courts.

Now, as to modifying a deck: you go, grrl!
For instance, I love the Light and Shadow, but the noses on the Princes of Cups and Pentacles were just weird, to put it mildly. When I made a smaller size of that deck (so I could actually *use* it!) I modified their noses to look more normal. Do I feel bad about it? Not on your life!

If I'd kept the World Spirit, I would've put pants on that 10 pents dude, too. Too icky, otherwise

 

[rwcarter]

First of all... what did USG do to the Yeager? I don't know anything about that, and while I no longer have that deck, I kept it for years simply for the 'camp' value of the courts.

sravana,

The original limited production deck had nude people throughout. When USG mass-produced it, they put clothing on most, if not all, of the figures. I think there may still be the occasional breast, but there are definitely no penises in the USG version of the deck.

Rodney