Lo Scarabeo minimal borders

[Soothsayer]

I got LS's Tarot of the Dream Enchantress recently and was very pleased with the minimal borders on the face of the cards. (I have never been a fan of the multilingual borders that LS favour). So I contacted Ric and asked if LS had any plans to make this a regular feature on future releases. Some of you may be interested in his response, so I have posted it below:

it's not easy to answer to Your question.
Is there a *rule* for graphics?

I can say that the number of pure graphical decks (no titles) we are producing is steadily increasing. Still it depends on a deck by deck case. In 2009, about half of LS deck had been done without titles. In 2010... we still have no idea.

(I did get Ric's permission to quote him, by the way).

 

[Le Fanu]

Funny, but the LoS border issue bothers me less and less. I just think that what they try to do with tarot - the way they break down the comfort zone and make us think, pushing the limits - is so admirable that borders are now the least of my worries. And I did think a while back, "is it me or are the borders diminishing?" Plus Ive now got used to the 6 languages and don't even see them anymore.

There have been quite a few recent decks which haven't had multi-lingual borders (Dame Fortune's Wheel, Tarot of the Secret Forest - is that recent?). Also, Ive noticed that when the borders are not white - like the Klimt, the Medieval, the Etruscan - the multi-lingual titles are unintrusive. The historic decks without the borders (but these are early Lo Scarabeo) are just stunning (let's not mention Tarot of the Master)

I just think so much else in their decks is great, I don't mind. Im definitely much more of a Scarabeo fan than I was one year ago, and with more Scarabeo decks among my favourites than one year ago.

 

[gregory]

Funny, but the LoS border issue bothers me less and less. I just think that what they try to do with tarot - the way they break down the comfort zone and make us think, pushing the limits - is so admirable that borders are now the least of my worries. And I did think a while back, "is it me or are the borders diminishing?" Plus Ive now got used to the 6 languages and don't even see them anymore.

Me too. I have always loved their decks, and the titles are indeed becoming invisible !

 

[Soothsayer]

I understand what you're saying, LF, but I still very much see the titles. It doesn't bother me enough to put me off buying a LS deck (not by a long shot) but I just prefer the minimal borders. But then I am not a seasoned tarot enthusiast, so perhaps in time I will come to feel the same as you and gregory.

 

[Hemera]

Ive noticed that when the borders are not white - like the Klimt, the Medieval, the Etruscan - the multi-lingual titles are unintrusive..

This is so true. I have found this recently with the Sweet Twilight. It is the first LS deck that I have not felt like trimming instantly. I might get a second copy some day and trim that but it is amazing how little the purple borders distract compared to white ones.

 

[Aerin]

The advantage of being short sighted. The words blur as long as I don't look closely (I have v. good nearsight).

Seriously I don't notice anyway and never have. I like looking at the different languages sometimes as it has been known to give me a different spin on a card.

I'd rather symbols than just one language. Unless it was Italian, since that's where the decks come from. Lots of languages seem more inclusive somehow (or symbols).

Aerin x

 

[Le Fanu]

But then I am not a seasoned tarot enthusiast, so perhaps in time I will come to feel the same as you and gregory.

When I look at some of the rubbish which is cast before the public; shoddy production, cost-cutting cardstock, lazy Minors, and decks which are - lets's face it - conceptually flimsy, I look at a Scarabeo deck - even the ones with artwork which doesn't appeal to me - and still think that multi-lingual borders are a small price to pay.

And I have so many LoS decks in my collection which must mean something

 

[thorhammer]

I agree, Fanu - they must be doing a whole lot of somethings right. LS decks are the stalwarts of the market, I think; they are a regular, reliable releaser of decks, and every year sees a mixture of topics and subject matter that pushes so many boundaries. And even had they muffed every other deck, I could forgive them anything for their release of the Liber T. I think it's the most important deck since the Thoth.

That having been said, I do love the emerging trend within the LS design shop to tailor borders to the deck. The Secret Forest and Dream Enchantress* decks stand out within my LS sub-collection as the ones that feel more "finished", I suppose. It's the attention to detail - like specially-designed backs! - that makes an LS deck rise above its stable-mates.

\m/ Kat

*I always want to type Cream Enchantress . . . bad porn name

 

[sapienza]

I'm much more a fan of LS decks now than I once was. I think they won me over with the historical decks I actually don't mind the borders on the Tarot of the Master, being green makes the titles less of an issue....for me. I do really prefer the cards without the titles though. Dame Fortune's Wheel is a great example of LS at it's best. The card stock, as always, is divine, no titles, gorgeous backs. In fact, it's often the backs of the LS decks that annoy me more than the titles. The backs with the reversed picture of one of the cards are just awful. And going back to the Tarot of the Master, the back, which is just the Magican in a greenish tone, amost spoils the deck for me.

But like others have said, some of those things are a small price to pay. LS has my absolute favourite card stock, and I credit them with my newfound love of historical decks. If their 'Ancient' range didn't exist, I'd have a lot less decks in my collection.

I also love that Ric is so happy to discuss ideas here on the forum. He listens to what people do and don't like and balances that with commercial reality, and I think the result is a growing body of tarot enthusiasts who rate the LS decks highly.