A word of explanation
Still working on Temperance and the Emperor, and worrying about the cards to come...most of the remaining cards had given me problems in the sketch phase of the project, and I've been avoiding them on purpose. Not a good idea, as it may take some extra time to get them right.
In the meantime, there has been a lot of discussion in other parts of the AT forum that has focused on the Deck Creation area...including some presumptions being made about why some of us post our work here, what we expect, what we shouldn't expect...and some suppositions about my motivations have been quite surprising.
So, I wanted to explain to the (relatively small) group of people who have taken the time to look at my deck in progress on this thread a little about why I enjoy this Creation Forum and how much I appreciate their interest. I actually started this deck BECAUSE of this forum. I had been trying to find a way to begin drawing again after many years of focusing my creativity solely on my professional design career, and this forum provided a great motivation. I could work on a long term project, and there was an opportunity to share my work with an interested audience whenever I had something new to show. That is a rare opportunity indeed! And frankly, I really didn't see any point in creating a bunch of drawings and piling them up in a drawer. Artists like their work to be seen.
I've also enjoyed seeing other decks in progress, by professionals and so-called "amateurs." I believe that creating art is a positive thing. It's good for people. Period.
Now, regarding my expectations. Some of the discussion in the other threads has been focused on the dangers of encouraging artists here to publish....let it be known that I have had NO plans to seek out a commercial publisher for my deck. My plan has always been to self-publish a small run of cards for my friends, and also as a means to see the deck through to its final form...in the intended size, as cards with borders and titles, etc. It seems to me that to leave them as a stack of drawings would be to leave them unfinished.
But no one needs to worry that I harbor some deep down wish to have these commercially published. As a professional graphic artist, I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to express my creativity without commercial concerns...I am well aware that this deck is not going to make me rich. Really.
I've made some great friends in this area...and I truly appreciate every comment and word of encouragement I've gotten in the last year and a half. I invite people to continue to freely express their comments about my work, whatever they may be. Within the visual arts, feedback has always been an indispensable part of the creative process. To characterize this as a lack of artistic conviction or ability is, quite frankly, simplistic.
So I'll continue posting my cards until I'm done (assuming the Tarot Creation forum isn't shut down or something).
Thank you, thank you for all of your support.
Sincerely,
MrsOnePotato