Nine Lives Playing Cards a new little deck

frejasphere

I meant odd. Haha Me and my smartphone typos - autocorrect is turned off because that would lead to even odder typos. Haha

Oh, thank you for that laugh and for enlightening me :) Another one to avoid is voice to text (at least on my phone, which doesn't understand even mild Australian accents) :D

*wave*
 

frejasphere

Ooh, that's great news, frejasphere! That makes it affordable for those of us far, far away from your 'island in the south' :D

I so wish I could send my decks via magic carpet :heart:
Still, I'm glad that this little one will be cheaper to send :)

*wave*
 

frejasphere

Playing the waiting Game :)

Still waiting for the decks to arrive from the printer ... (a slight delay moved the ETA forward a few weeks) though I've been assured they won't be long now. :) :)

Waiting is a challenge (for anyone impatient, like myself) - though with the artwork completed, it's all about the anticipation (not so much the creative process).

While different, I do see similarities to other media where the final result remains elusive until the end. Maybe I gravitate towards anything with a 'ta-da!' element... the possibility of an 'oh-no!' moment tends to make the roller-coaster real and the (hopefully) good results so much more exciting :D

There's a waiting game involved in working with Black & White Photography (I have spent many hours in darkrooms)... Once the paper has been exposed and put through developer, stop and fix baths - the photograph needs to remain in the rinse bath for at least 30 min, before it can be brought out and examined properly in daylight...

OR Ceramics ... a delightful media all about transformation and 'final reveals'... where the firing process is not one to rush ;)

Instead of heading into new projects (or tackling the 'to do list'...) I tend to distract myself with things to do with the project itself... which, I suppose, is productive in a different kind of way ;) The last few days I've been preparing my website for the playing cards... which led to designing a whole set of new images (both for my tarot deck and the playing cards). Most images are yet to go live, but here are a few I put on my blog:

First up, the box (for the cards) :)
http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ninelives-playingcard_box.jpg

http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/bl...2015/06/ninelives-playingcard_box3_aa2015.jpg

... and the Joker
http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ninelives-playingcards-joker.jpg

... and latest post: http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/blog/playing-cards-the-box-the-joker/
where you can read the story about the Joker (and some other bits and pieces)...

*wave*
 

blue_fusion

Congratulations! I like your take on the courts - they reflect your unique art style. (didn't see them the first time I viewed the deck - I think maybe I focused more on the little details you added to the suits). :)

ETA: the cats on the backs are great too! It (the back design) has a non-traditional (i.e. something that looks like a carpet lol) design but still goes well with the card faces and is also very appealing.
 

Padma

These are beautiful, Frejasphere! I ***love*** your courts! I hope you are one day inspired to illustrate the rest of the cards - I don't do well with plain pips :( Good luck with your deck! :love:
 

frejasphere

Congratulations! I like your take on the courts - they reflect your unique art style. (didn't see them the first time I viewed the deck - I think maybe I focused more on the little details you added to the suits). :)

ETA: the cats on the backs are great too! It (the back design) has a non-traditional (i.e. something that looks like a carpet lol) design but still goes well with the card faces and is also very appealing.

Thank you for your kind support :) :) It's funny, because it was the courts started me on this deck in the first place - I know, it makes sense in a deck of playing cards ;) though I really enjoyed spending more time with these enigmatic and (to me) talkative characters ... *I do think a lot of the inspiration comes from all the hours I spent day-dreaming over cards as a kid* :)

Glad you like the cat on the backs (I'll have to tell my model :)), and what cat doesn't love a good carpet? :)

*wave*
 

frejasphere

These are beautiful, Frejasphere! I ***love*** your courts! I hope you are one day inspired to illustrate the rest of the cards - I don't do well with plain pips :( Good luck with your deck! :love:

Thank you Padma, that is so kind :)
 

frejasphere

AT Listing :)

This deck of playing cards is now listed on Aeclectic:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/nine-lives-illustrated-playing-cards/

These collaged images of the courts highlight the main colour and symbolic meaning of the royal outfits:

  • Hearts = Red – the colour of blood, symbolising matters of the heart and emotions
  • Clubs = Orange/Yellow – the colour of fire, symbolising free spirit, passion and innovation
  • Diamonds = Green – the colour of growth, symbolising foundations, prosperity, home & hearth
  • Spades = Indigo – the colour of midnight sky, symbolising clear thought and the wisdom of the mind

http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/bl.../2015/07/ninelives-court-detail_hearts_aa.jpg
http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ninelives-court-detail_clubs_aa.jpg
http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/bl...015/07/ninelives-court-detail_diamonds_aa.jpg
http://www.ninelivestarot.com.au/bl.../2015/07/ninelives-court-detail_spades_aa.jpg

*wave*