Ian Bryant WIP

[ianbryanttarot]

I do have a question. My painting of La Muerte as depicted here is not "published". I am selling prints and stickers of it on Society6, however. This originally was going to have stars throughout the cloak but I never wound up adding them. I always intended to update this to include stars, however. Not that I'm trying to stretch out this one image, of course, but considering it has a couple versions out there already (plain painting and Loteria card style), could it still be considered for the deck if modified with the stars in the cloak? The card could represent "Mortality" or some version thereof. I'm still going to work on a fresh design but wanted to ask before making any changes to this piece!

For the fresh design idea I'd be going with a more pen & ink style. This drawing here is an idea sketch for Le Pendu in a Marseille-style tarot deck I'm designing, but it's a good example of what I like in terms of a starting point for this oracle, with a posed skeleton wearing a crown and surrounded by stars with some scenery tying into the theme of Mortality as well. I rather like the way this looks on parchment, so may want to do something similar for the background to invoke an old and dirty 16th Century sketch or playing card.

Thanks!

[Joan Marie]

could it still be considered for the deck if modified with the stars in the cloak?

I honestly don't see why not. It's your original work, so if you'd like to contribute it (in any form) to this deck, I think that's perfectly fine.

[ianbryanttarot]

could it still be considered for the deck if modified with the stars in the cloak?

I honestly don't see why not. It's your original work, so if you'd like to contribute it (in any form) to this deck, I think that's perfectly fine.

Thanks, Joan. I'll definitely do another piece as well, but it's good to see if I can translate the energy that went into the painting to an oracle card!

[ianbryanttarot]

After giving considerable thought to the cards, I decided to go with one style as attached below. While I like my painting, it's not the direction I plan to go with my tarot deck design and if ever there was a time to establish a signature I guess it's now! I would like to put the entire scene for each card on a parchment background but let me know if that is too much of a variation from other cards. This is just a test sample for Ascension - I'm going to redo the pose a little and tilt the head more so we can see the side view of the face and the crown the skeleton will be wearing.

So, moving forward I will be working on two cards for consideration (I think that's all I have time for, but if I can squeeze in a third I will) with the following "working title" themes:

1. Mortality / Death
2. Ecstasy / Ascension

I've been looking at a host of oracle decks and I think this is a safe place to work from (the images can have variations on these themes and still work).

I anyone has thoughts I'm open to hear them! Thanks

[ianbryanttarot]

I decided I needed to solidify the text before finishing the art and once I did, the rest of the card design revealed itself.

Title: Passing Through Nature to Eternity

Artist Statement: The eternal human struggle to understand the acceptable course of mourning for those who have passed away will always be one unresolved. Each culture, religion, and philosophy has differing views and practices related to the reaction of human mortality and the absence of those for whom we care. Here we are asked not to behave in a specific manner but rather to observe death through the lens of all nature, to meditate upon the passage of life as a common cycle throughout all lifeforms. Where death is common, we crown it and celebrate the noble path of our earthly cycle from nature to the celestial. Where we see our deceased loved ones in dust, here we find the ascension of humanity to the afterlife. With no judgement against those wrapped in mourning we are yet reminded the dead may have their own perspective, their own journey to accomplish on which our sorrows are not of value but perhaps our support for their experience may give them wind. Here we understand that death is Universal, all things animal, vegetable and human shall succumb to it. Yet in the stride of this figure of death, the pose and gait of mortality, there is more hope in it than the trap of unresolved grief. The dance of death calls us to find consolation and prepare our own place in the cycle of passing through nature to eternity.

[Joan Marie]

I'm speechless Ian.

[ianbryanttarot]

OK, so I finally got the skeleton right, and it is the centerpiece of the oracle card, so now I'm on the last leg of the journey.

I have three main elements to complete (will very carefully touch this one up with a little more white throughout). The second one is a stylized reference to As Above, So Below which will frame the skelly from behind and establish the furthest edges of the card and the third element is a crown of stars.

I guess technically the parchment I'm doing this on is a fourth element since the texture and color it lends is pretty cool! Since the card title is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet, I like the feel the parchment lends to the card's story.

[ianbryanttarot]

I have a question for the folks here regarding my assembled card design. I have two versions, one with the Hebrew Kether (crown) worked into the image, and another with it at the top. Joan Marie noted some familiar with Kabbalah may expect to see it at the top as that is its place in the Sephirot.

Additionally, if I place it at the top I had thought to place Yesod (foundation) below (not pictured here) for its representation of transition.

Appreciate any suggestions or thoughts on the design!

Thanks so much.

[Pen]

I feel that it should be at the top, more because it's the crown rather than for any other reason, but maybe having Yesod at the bottom might be a bit top and bottom heavy aesthetically - if that makes sense...! I guess it depends on what's most important to you - meaning or the way the finished image looks (although I'm only visualizing that, so I could easily be wrong).

[Nemia]

Hm, first of all, you're the artist so you're the king and you get to decide

It's indeed confusing to see כתר written anywhere else but as crown. I'd go with it at the top, it really crowns the figure. Great card! Personally, I wouldn't need יסוד on the card, although I appreciate the idea, yesod as foundation. But yesod is not the last sephirah so I would ask myself: just a second, why yesod and not malkuth? Yes, it's the middle pillar but... etc, it would dominate the card for me, this part of the middle pillar appearing like a riddle. I think it might minimize the figure which would be a real pity because it's so brilliant and expressive.

This is only my personal opinion but you asked for it so here it is. The written word tends to dominate our visual perception too often. I'd keep kether as crown on top, it's perfect. And I'd love to see another card with yesod But putting both words on the card would be too much for me.

Wow, this is going to be a brilliant oracle. I'm totally impressed with everything I see! I LOVE it. Just imagine having a whole deck and reading with it! So free, so open, wow, I don't think there is a comparable oracle deck.

When we started out, I thought "structure, structure, structure", but now I'm totally converted and think "creative freedom, creative freedom, creative freedom".

I love this card and the whole deck already.

[ianbryanttarot]

I feel that it should be at the top, more because it's the crown rather than for any other reason, but maybe having Yesod at the bottom might be a bit top and bottom heavy aesthetically - if that makes sense...! I guess it depends on what's most important to you - meaning or the way the finished image looks (although I'm only visualizing that, so I could easily be wrong).

Thank you! Much to mull over...

[ianbryanttarot]

This is only my personal opinion but you asked for it so here it is. The written word tends to dominate our visual perception too often. I'd keep kether as crown on top, it's perfect. And I'd love to see another card with yesod But putting both words on the card would be too much for me.

Thanks so much for your input! And, I think you just gave me the theme of my second card I will also write the description carefully to express my reasons for choosing it rather than simply finding some other crown symbolism.

Much appreciated!

[ianbryanttarot]

I think these two cards are almost ready. Maybe just need to add a few light lines here and there for contrast. Haven't decided if that's needed, though.

Oracle Card #1 - Passing Through Nature to Eternity - Card includes a rising skeleton representing movement into the afterlife, the Hebrew for Kether ("crown") from the Tree of Life, and a version of "as above, so below" with two pyramids made of bones adorned with stars. (Description text in progress...)

Oracle Card #2 - The Vision of the Machinery of the Universe - Card includes a skeleton contemplating the Universe, behind the skeleton is a version of a Sri Yantra mandala. I say "version" because the coloring done to it technically changes the design, but I may tweak it later to restore the appearance of the original 4 circles that were merged into two, and the original 3 outer lines merged into two. The coloring of the triangles to make them more "star-like" is also my "version". At the top is a Crown Chakra. (Description text in progress...)

The third one is a hot mess with none of the crown and star sketches I did working in the end with the image below. I may scrap the card but I like the idea of an alchemy-themed card.

Oracle Card #3 - Alchemy of the Eternal Human Star - Two skeletons presenting/honoring the Stone of the Wise/Philosopher's stone in a pseudo-as-above-so-below form. (Description text in progress...)

[ianbryanttarot]

Alright, I finally stopped redrawing, highlighting and various other tweaks These are my three final designs. Each card has a different theme: Kabbalah, Hinduism, Alchemy. Thanks to all the talent here I was very inspired.

Now I need to finish the text for each...

Passing Through Nature to Eternity - Kabbalah

The Vision of the Machinery of the Universe - Hinduism

Alchemy of the Eternal Human Star - Alchemy