Transparent Tarot - General Discussion

rwcarter

OK,

This is the general discussion thread for the Transparent Tarot study group. The Transparent Tarot was created by Emily Carding (AT's own Sidhe-Ra) and was released in October 2008 by Schiffer Publishing. It's called the Transparent Tarot because the cards are literally transparent! They are meant to be layered together in various ways to form images. Those who aren't familiar with the deck can check out its creation thread here in the Tarot Deck Creation forum.

There's another thread here in the Tarot Decks forum where we've been discussing the deck.

Finally, there's a Daily Draws thread here in the Your Readings forum.

In keeping with the forum rules, I believe the following is true.

What should be discussed in the Study Group:
  • insights, meanings and observations about individual cards and about composite images
  • discussion about different ways to form images with the cards
  • discussion of the companion book as it relates to the study of individual or composite images

What should be discussed in other forums:
  • composite images related to specific readings should be discussed in the Your Readings or Personal Readings and Exchanges forums where the reading has been posted
  • comments about the deck, production issues, excitement over the deck, etc. should be discussed in the Tarot Decks forum
  • comments about how Em conceived the deck, what her inspirations were, etc. should be discussed in the Tarot Deck Creation forum
  • comments just about the companion book should be discussed in the Tarot Books & Media forum
  • specific spreads that are created to take advantage of this deck should be discussed in the Tarot Spreads forum

Because this deck is so new and different, those of us who been using it have developed some new terms and acronyms:
  • SI= Standard Image (one or more cards in their native orientation)
  • CI = Composite Image (the layering of two or more cards to form an image)
  • MI = Mirror Image (one or more cards that are flipped 180 degrees vertically so that what points left in a SI points right in a MI, etc.)
  • JI = Jumbled Image (the layering of cards until the image gets too busy to see clearly)
  • FS = Film Strip (laying the cards out so that they overlap to some degree so that they end up looking like a reel of film)
  • FI = Freeform Image (laying the cards in what appears to be a haphazard manner a la the cover of the book)
  • RI = Reversed Image (in contrast to the MI, this would be one or more cards that are flipped 180 degrees horizontally so the image is upside down from its SI

Because this deck is so visual, those who are able to take pictures or scans of their images and can post them are encouraged to do so.

If people want to start separate threads on individual cards or images, please begin to do so. If you create a new thread for the Study Group, please PM the Tarot Study Group Moderator(s) so that the thread can be added to the index. It's just as valid to create a thread called "Transparent Tarot - The Sun" as it is to create one called "Transparent Tarot - MI Fool, Ace Cups, Queen Wands."

Rodney
 

rwcarter

How to Handle Jumpers/Stragglers?

For the first time with this deck, two cards didn't get shuffled in during my shuffling process for my Daily Draw. (You can see my Daily Draw for 13 Nov if you're interested in the exact cards.) I put the two cards under the CI, over it and next to it and interpreted the five cards all three ways.

I know how I would've handled this in a non-transparent deck, but I'm not sure how to handle it in a transparent deck. How would other people handle cards that jumped out or that got left behind when forming a CI since additional cards will almost always have an effect on the CI?

Rodney
 

Shadow213

I would like to join this study group if you don't mind although I don't have my deck as I will not be able to afford it until after the Christmas season but I would still like to join if I may
 

Marli

rwcarter said:
For the first time with this deck, two cards didn't get shuffled in during my shuffling process for my Daily Draw. (You can see my Daily Draw for 13 Nov if you're interested in the exact cards.) I put the two cards under the CI, over it and next to it and interpreted the five cards all three ways.

I know how I would've handled this in a non-transparent deck, but I'm not sure how to handle it in a transparent deck. How would other people handle cards that jumped out or that got left behind when forming a CI since additional cards will almost always have an effect on the CI?

Rodney
Click to expand...

Rodney, the same thing happend to me in one of my 1st spreads, I was doing a 4 card spread and exactly 8 cards "jumped out" - so I did a CI spread with just those 8 cards from the bottom up - layering the last 4 over the 1st 4, and when i relayed the info to the person - she told me it was dead on accurate!

Hope this was helpful.

Marli
 

Barbaras Ahajusts

Making sure...

Just to make absolutely sure...

Its ok to post groupings of cards. But is it ok to post just one card?

I know these cards can't be reproduced as in making a bootleg copy as they have to be on plastic to be see through, and they can't be used for layering on any tarot software for the computer. (No I haven't even tried to do it for the Orphalese program.)

I want to make absolutely sure before I post anymore! ;)

Barbara
 

rwcarter

Shadow, welcome aboard. With the weekend approaching, I hope to be posting a lot more about this deck.

Barbaras, whether you're talking about attaching pics to your posts or discussing the cards, both are OK whether you're talking about one card or 10! Post away! :D

Marli, thanks for that info. I'll have a better idea tonight how/if those stragglers worked with the other cards.

Rodney
 

Sidhe-Ra

Barbaras Ahajusts said:
Just to make absolutely sure...

Its ok to post groupings of cards. But is it ok to post just one card?

I know these cards can't be reproduced as in making a bootleg copy as they have to be on plastic to be see through, and they can't be used for layering on any tarot software for the computer. (No I haven't even tried to do it for the Orphalese program.)

I want to make absolutely sure before I post anymore! ;)

Barbara
Click to expand...

Fine by me, hon. I've already posted them all over the creation forum anyway! :)

Thanks for starting this thread Rodney, I look forward to sharing all your discoveries.

I've just got hold of a small lightbox. It was only about £7 and it really adds to the deck. There's a really interesting effect when you layer a large pile of cards on the lightbox- they really start to come to life. I am considering layering the whole major arcana and scrying from them...

Re the cards leaping out, I would read them as a seperate CI first, and then see what they added to the spread/exisiting CI. I would consider including them as 'things your guide needs you to know', which may not directly relate to the question asked, but will prove to be very relevant. The thing is, it's an organic process. Just interpret them according to what feels right in any given instance.

Em x
 

birdsong123

Em, can you possibly post a link to where such a lightbox can be found, or do you have a picture of the one you're talking about? I am having a hard time imagining it. I keep thinking of the big ones that architects use.

This sounds like it would make readings spectacular. Especially in a dark room! I'd like to try it.
 

rwcarter

Craft stores would be a good first place to start. Around here, I've seen them at Michaels and Beverly Fabrics. Here's a link to a fairly large one at joann.com http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat3356&PRODID=prd2192 . I've seen them smaller and cheaper too. But that should give you a visual idea at least of what to look for.

Having light behind the images really does change them. With enough cards, the CI takes on a 3D effect. And with many-layered images, you can see hidden details better.

HTH,
Rodney
 
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