The Transparent Oracle

So the situation is that Schiffer don't want to publish the Sidhe just yet, as they are more keen on building on the excitement around the T.T. with another Transparent deck.

I have decided the logical follow-up has to be an Oracle deck...so here we are from the very beginning of the process, as i was only asked to do this yesterday!

I am thinking a Nature/Shamanism/World Spirituality theme, and am waiting to find out from Schiffer whether I can make it CIRCULAR, so the cards can be any way up you want, so YOU choose how they combine...(yes, we're getting beyond thinking outside of the box and getting into orbit somewhere!)

So- what do you want out of an Oracle deck?

Em xx

That sounds great, congratulations!

'Nature/Shamanism/World Spirituality' sounds like a hard thing to achieve in a sense. Personally I'm not keen on decks that mix a lot of different traditions, although I know not everyone feels this way. Are you thinking of something more 'universal' that doesn't necessarily reference any particular tradition? Sounds tricky, but intriguing

I like Oracles that have a sense of coherence, where all the cards fit naturally together. While I don't mind decks that have 'suits' or similar (e.g. Fairy Ring), my favourite ones don't, like Froud's Faeries or the Druid Plant Oracle. I like the simplicity, it gets the intuitive juices flowing.

Round sounds good, too, rather liberating. I guess one of the things I'm looking for in an Oracle (apart from symbolism that speaks to me of course) is freedom from all the 'learned' stuff that's in my head when using tarot. If that makes sense...

Also, a deck that will teach me something, 'academically' and/or through the experience of working with it.

A lot of people like to draw a card from an oracle to complement a tarot reading, so I could see that working very well with the transparents! Of course it could make things really complex if you tried to make them compatible, so perhaps not...

Just thinking while typing here, just my own opinions.

Have fun creating it, I'll be looking forward to it!
elv

circular! Thats ingenius if they could do that! Although I had liked the idea of having an oracle thats the same card size as the TT so we could combine the two... but no reason we cant layer circles and rectangles.

But id love it! Im intrigued about the mandalas because I dont usually get on well with them, but your take would be amazing!
One of my fave oracles is the Madame Endoras, which has lots of lovely beasties and fabulous things hehe

But whatever you come up with will be fab

Thanks guys!

It's tricky for me, because normally I work through direct inspiration, OR I have a set thing which I can base my illustrations on. I am trying to be inspired to order!

I'm thinking KIND OF mandalas, but not as abstract...

I'll get some concrete ideas down as soon as I know what format I'll be working in.

Simple...intuitive...aesthetically appealing...spiritual...fun...nature based...universal...these are my key words so far!

Em x

I like your thinking. I'm not aware of any circular oracles. And I think your theme is good, too. Make sure at least one card has antlers on it.

When I use the Transparent, though, I have a tendency to turn all the cards the right way and read it that way. So I'd probably do that with a circular deck. But I think it's cool to have the option of doing something a different way.

I don't know if this will help, or be too rigid:

Have you thought about whether you would want the circle divided by 8 like the festivals of the year? Not that any specific lines should be printed- just as a way to sort the various components/symbols to be included.

Sidhe-Ra said:

I'm thinking KIND OF mandalas, but not as abstract...

Click to expand...

Great idea, that would tie in with the form, as opposed to regular drawings on circular cards that will leave people looking for the 'right' up side. It would also be a great match with more primitive geometric designs in a shamanic way (think Ironwing or Tarot of the Four Elements).

Sidhe-Ra said:

Simple...intuitive...universal...

Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I was thinking too: simple universal symbols that everyone understands intuitively without needing to study a book.

Way cool!!!
I am so into the Oracle thing right now. This would be awesome.

Simple one word/image ideas. Maybe modeled slightly after the Lenormond style decks. Maybe with more nature theme?

Can it have a lady bug in it?