The 78th Fool
Scion said:I don't even know if full 4-color is completely necessary, but relevant design would go a long way towards improvement. After executing 78 pieces of artwork, your artists could complete the job with a single reversible image, which after all, folks are going to look at more than any other. People respond to backs even subconsciously; the Magic Realist backs are a case in point: stylish, simple, and consonant with their individual decks.
On the other hand, I'd say the Dante and Gay Tarot backs are two of your most successful backs because they are in keeping with the feel of the artwork, and convey the tone of the entire deck... so that the cards work as a whole when spread. And I agree with Gregory, the recent Universal Marseille is also lovely.
I'll add my voice to the crowd of folks who really dislike the wasteful multilingual titling: I'd rather they were just in Italian for the Majors, and numbers for the Minors, which would free up a lot of real estate for the artists' images...
As always, thanks for soliciting opinions, and best of luck convincing your boss to take heed.
Scion
I second all the points made here but I'd also add that I love the back on the Tarot of Reflections. It's a gorgeous deck and one that I'm reading with frequently. This is one instance where lifting from the deck really has worked but I think it's because the Moon from the Moon card is a self contained motif and sits beautifully within the abstract texture of the card back.
With regards to the multi lingual titling it just seems to rob the cards of a little mystique somehow. Tarot originates from Italy - be proud of your heritage!
It would be lovely to see decks cards with exclusively Italian titles. In the case of decks such as the Universal Marseilles or the Tarot of the New Vision it would have been nice to see titling in only French and English respectively, to reflect the inspiration and roots of the original source decks but with your modern decks, just go right ahead and title them in Italian to reflect that you're spearheading the Tarot tradition in Italy today in the same way that the cardmakers whose Italian decks you print in facsimile were the custodians of the tradition in their day.
With regards to the question of "what is a card back ?" I think it has to act as a gateway to the cards. It tantalises, entices and draws you in with the promise of the mysteries contained within the cards themselves. It has to make you curious as to what lies on the flipside of the card and above all, it must be a beautiful work of art in itself. It doesn't have to be elaborate. It just has to be striking. I've listed below a selection of what I consider to model or ideal card backs.
Tarot of Prague: Totally in keeping with the feel of the Deck and enigmatic with its inclusion of the text of a magical palindrome. This really does make you curious to turn the cards over !
Gilded Tarot and Tarot of Dreams: Intricate, beautiful, mysterious, eccentric, just plain perfect.
Albano Waite: Plain white with a small gold sun motif. This proves that less is definitely more.
Rohrig Tarot: Spectacular and Surreal design of space merging with sea. In keeping with the deck and really does draw you into its strange world. Prize example of equal effort being lavished on both the back and the front of the cards.
Norbert Losche Cosmic Tarot: Dark and Mysterious, mirroring the kind of symbolism buried in the deck. Style is totally cosistent with the deck artwork.
Totally subjective, personal favourites but there you go !!
Chris. xx
