Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot

Diana!

I have to admit right now that the pips are illustrated
heavily

So - yes, we dress the cats up - it takes ages to train them all.
(Skytwig is giggling, I can tell - and Kim's cat's hair is standing on end).

In fact I have a wonderful story about our student intern last summer, who offered to dope all the cats and tie them to sticks (she was a lovely girl - from New Orleans in fact - but I don't think she was thinking about what she was saying - Alex and I nearly passed out! She was very sweet and I hope didn't mean it.)

So - the truth!
We use models. We spent ages perfecting the technique. Alex makes the models (he is wonderfully skilled at that kind of thing - partly because he once worked in film studios). Anna (Finnish friend who is a textile designer) does the miniature costumes - whcih she bases on real baroque patterns (! - yes I know). I do the trimmings and putting together each individual costume. I am also quite good on backgrounds (well I think I am ;-) ) I was also responsible for finding the cats in the early days, but now local cat breeders are all helping out and we have no shortage of models.

So, that's how it's done. We've learnt a lot and had a lot of fun with this one. We've also been scratched a lot - but mostly from the pins in the costumes.

God, I can be dumb sometimes. But what do you mean by models? Do you mean they're stuffed cats? I suppose not.... stuffed cats don't scratch.

no no no, not stuffed cats. Honestly, we wouldn't do anything like that - though I know the Victorians did.

No the models are actually made of wire and foam. Then we photograph real cats and do all the artwork digitally. We've developed techniques of making the fur and shadowing look more real.

A rather sniffy professional photographer friend here referred to it as "playing around with toys dressed up". When you see the individual parts it does look a bit like it would never work - but in fact, it does.

____

ps Siberians - the cat kind. Yes, one of our girls is a Siberian. They are very popular here (good in the snow!) The Empress is Siberian, so is the girl in the Two of Cups. So is the Knight of Wands. We promise there won't be this proportion of Siberians across the whole deck, but well, we started with them partly because they do photograph beautifully. The also tend to be fun to work with - lively and intelligent (more than you can say of every Hollywood star I'd guess lol).

we do have an Angora - but that's for later.

Ah...... the book is going to be great, too, I just know it!

Crossing the days on my calender 'till april!

Karen:

Just curious....will you be featuring any black-and-white (tuxedo) cats in this deck??? I'm thinking maybe THE DEVIL???

Karen

Oh yes, Tuxedo's would be great! (Or as a friend here calls them - Paintwalkers). I've got one, he's half Siamese & hell on wheels. I think he's 12 years old now...no wonder he's getting cranky!

You said you didn't have any connection to people with a sphynx cat though? Too bad, they're VERY strange looking cats.

All this talk of wondrous kitties has provoked my maternal pride. Here's a photo album of all my kitties, including the Magnificent Maeve:

http://homepage.mac.com/atalantaix/PhotoAlbum4.html

Kim

really lovely cards ya got here. i was actually gonna suggest ya make a cat image with that "puss in boots" feel, but then i saw the fool card! lolx. these cards really do remind me of that nursery story puss in boots. perhaps ya can draw some more inspiration from it with the minors? and yes, there really should be mice when there are cats around (perhaps one of the cards may have the "when the cat is away (or asleep), the mouse will play" effect in them [seven of swords, maybe]). just toying with the images goin on in my head right now.

good luck. i hope ya do finish this soon. do not follow my example (of procrastination). LOLx

Hey Hudson!

My tuxedo is also 12 years old, and believe me, she owns the whole damn house and everyone in it!!! Her nicknames are Brat and Psycho; I originally named her Medusa (sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy I'd say) but now we call her Bebe or Baby. We have a long-standing joke in our family that she isn't really a cat, but an alien cyborg in a cat suit trying to destroy all of humankind...

Yep, Tuxedos are definitely in a class by themselves.

Hope Karen and Alex will feature at least one tux in their deck...

Luna

Baba- I read your Blog. Please don't tell me you let one guy with hate venom stop you from posting about this deck over here for so long? Look at your first post, it sounds like you didn't think the work was good enough to show anybody. (NOW look at how many pages of response you've gotten!). People love cats. So what if one guy was an idiot. Post here & on your blog to your heart's content & let Mr. Hateful live in his own little world. It doesn't have to impinge on yours! This deck will be great!