Gaston D.
I've noticed that more and more these days, there seems to be a trend in indie Tarot decks towards minimalist design and imagery.
The Mesquite Tarot was the latest to catch my attention:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1661022957/mesquite-tarot
The Mystic Mondays deck is another example:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/graceduong/mystic-mondays-tarot-cards
There's also the Dark Exact ...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/263531492/the-dark-exact-tarot-deck
... and the Golden Thread ...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/267035991/golden-thread-tarot-deck-tarot-cards
... and several others, both recently published and currently being funded, which make the Wild Unknown (which in my opinion jump started the contemporary minimalist Tarot trend a couple of years ago) look positively baroque by comparison.
The creators of all of these seem to have in common a desire to somehow reduce imagery to the "essence" of each individual card, and/or to make the process of reading Tarot simpler, clearer, and more intuitive.
From a design perspective, I do find many of these decks quite striking. And since I'm all for making Tarot as accessible to as wide an audience as possible, I appreciate the fact that decks like these aren't as intimidating to neophyte readers as much as a traditional Rider Waite or (obviously!) a Thoth deck might be.
But as someone who has always been drawn to Tarot precisely for its wealth of symbolism and associations, I have to say that many of these decks leave me cold. I can't help thinking that much of the nuance, subtlety, and true essence of the medium is lost when Tarot imagery is pared down so starkly.
To those who are fans of minimalist decks, may I ask why you prefer them to more "traditional" or more fully detailed ones? Do you feel you get the same depth from a reading with a minimalist deck as you do from a more traditional deck (assuming you have experience with both)? And of the current crop of minimalist Tarot decks, which one is your favorite?
The Mesquite Tarot was the latest to catch my attention:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1661022957/mesquite-tarot
The Mystic Mondays deck is another example:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/graceduong/mystic-mondays-tarot-cards
There's also the Dark Exact ...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/263531492/the-dark-exact-tarot-deck
... and the Golden Thread ...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/267035991/golden-thread-tarot-deck-tarot-cards
... and several others, both recently published and currently being funded, which make the Wild Unknown (which in my opinion jump started the contemporary minimalist Tarot trend a couple of years ago) look positively baroque by comparison.
The creators of all of these seem to have in common a desire to somehow reduce imagery to the "essence" of each individual card, and/or to make the process of reading Tarot simpler, clearer, and more intuitive.
From a design perspective, I do find many of these decks quite striking. And since I'm all for making Tarot as accessible to as wide an audience as possible, I appreciate the fact that decks like these aren't as intimidating to neophyte readers as much as a traditional Rider Waite or (obviously!) a Thoth deck might be.
But as someone who has always been drawn to Tarot precisely for its wealth of symbolism and associations, I have to say that many of these decks leave me cold. I can't help thinking that much of the nuance, subtlety, and true essence of the medium is lost when Tarot imagery is pared down so starkly.
To those who are fans of minimalist decks, may I ask why you prefer them to more "traditional" or more fully detailed ones? Do you feel you get the same depth from a reading with a minimalist deck as you do from a more traditional deck (assuming you have experience with both)? And of the current crop of minimalist Tarot decks, which one is your favorite?