Cult of Tarot Forum

Recently I have been experimenting with altered tarot cards. This is not a process that comes naturally to me so I have started doing it digitally rather than doing things to an actual card. Some while ago I altered some books and found the process quite liberating. Before this I had not even written in a book. So I am wondering how this will work with tarot cards. My first efforts are using the Klimt Tarot.

I've seen this done with photographs, the old-fashioned kind, photo prints, where you draw on them directly with markers or paints.

Altering a book feels like the biggest of no-no's, so I can really see how doing it would feel liberating.

Benebell Wen offers on her website a printable version of the Major Arcana of her Spirit Keeper's Tarot in Black & White that is intended for you to color in. (tip: you have to scroll way down to get to the actual download file. There is a lot of extra info there.)

This is interesting what you are doing here with the Klimt deck. I'm assuming it's photoshop or something?

I'd be interested to hear more about what/why you are doing this especially if you progress to doing it with an actual deck. I would imagine you'd have to choose wisely.

This is interesting what you are doing here with the Klimt deck. I'm assuming it's photoshop or something? Joan Marie

Photoshop comes into the process. I am trying to use an idea from genetic programming. I set some graphic processes that the computer applies to images that it pics at random from a file of images that I have set up. I examine the results and pick the ones I decide should survive, modify some with photoshop and then feed the results back into the process. It is a combination of me and the computer and chance is allowed into the work.

The combination of man and computer is a powerful one. Kasparov has pointed out that though the computer can beat any player at chess a combination of player and computer can beat any computer. I am interested in applying this idea to art.

I am thinking about your other questions.

an altered knight of cups. I have generated a complete deck with this modification. It has become very easy to persnolise your decks.

That's a really cool image!

These come from a repeated process of change taken to the edge of abstraction. I find this area interesting. The images are no longer Tarot cards but they are still related to them.

The idea for these started from a stained glass effect.

Please sir, I want some more. - (Oliver Twist)

Truly stunning. Seriously, show us more. They're a real treat to the eyes and soul.

Thanks for the comment. Feedback is important with these things.

The design came from the idea of the majors as cathedral windows. I wanted to make images that used the nature of the computer screen as opposed to the nature of print. The computer image is painted with light and stained glass seems to fit this. It is very much a work in progress and when the majors are finished I will make them available as a free download.

Oh, the one with La Papesse more in the shadows (on the left) is gorgeous. She needs to be in shadows I think. The darkness befits her to perfection.