The Ladies' Coleman Smith

Hello everyone,

This goes out to any other readers who read with the Rider-Waite, but are turned off by it's masculinity and bad coloring.

I want to try to make a more feminine Rider-Waite, tentatively titled "The Ladies' Coleman Smith." It will be a clone deck for those of us who aren't afraid of a bit of sparkles and fashion!

I'm thinking of something like a dark, soft and mystical theme. Something like the Illuminated Tarot but with textured fills. For skin color, I was thinking of using a marble fill to make the figures look like carved stone.

I don't have much artistic skill, if any at all. Any advice on colors, textures, ect will be greatly appreciated.

BEFORE POSTING FEEDBACK:

1. Keep in mind that my resources are limited. I'm limiting myself to public domain textures and the resources I am using don't have the exact shades and colors I'd like to use.

2. This project was supposed to be collaborative, meaning that I was hoping to work with like minded posters toward creating a Major Arcana deck. Even if that doesn't happen, I'm still interested in seeing what other people want to see with regards to colors and themes. Links to specific textures and public domain resources would also be welcome.

3. If you aren't interested in feminine decks per se, I am still interested in whether you are interested in texture-themed decks (as opposed to flat color) that may be masculine or neutral in nature.

4. This project is supposed to be FUN and POSITIVE, artsy and creative. My end goal is to put the 22 Major Arcana on my blog as a PDF file for people to print at home. I will post credit to Aeclectic posters and public domain artists that help make the project possible.

Overall, I am interested in constructive and creative input that is helpful to make progress for the deck.
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I'm going to respectfully ask ***all posters*** that if you're going to respond to what I say, please be aware of what I've said so I don't have to keep repeating myself.

Thanks!

Who exactly is turned off by its masculinity and bad colouring ? (the colours aren't great - but nor are those in a whole lot of older decks...)

This isn't a challenge; I'm just interested - no, fascinated. As a lady person, its "masculinity" had never occurred to me as a problem. But fashion on my cards might actually bug me. I'm not afraid of bling, but even so...

OMG! SUCH A FANTASTIC IDEA!XD I luv!^^ looking forward to see your experiments!XD
btw I picked on some lineart project recently to improve my *coloring style! and discovered easy way to get fantastic color lineart!XD so imo you could try that out n experimenting with different layer styles?!XD btw don't know what program you use PS should be best and I only know GIMP!X,X LOLZ

gregory said:

Who exactly is turned off by its masculinity and bad colouring ? (the colours aren't great - but nor are those in a whole lot of older decks...)

This isn't a challenge; I'm just interested - no, fascinated. As a lady person, its "masculinity" had never occurred to me as a problem. But fashion on my cards might actually bug me. I'm not afraid of bling, but even so...

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ha ha! I agree!) never bothered by colors until now I WANT PINK CANDY CREAM VERSION!XD btw is RWS lineart free to color?x,x don't want US Games on your back?x,x )

I never thought of the RWS or its coloring as masculine. To me it's neutral. Flat, bright colors yes, but not gendered at all. Of course, gendering of colors isn't universal by any means. Even the blue/pink boy/girl division has only been a thing in very recent history and only in some parts of the world.

That said, I think you should go for it! Remake it in a palette that pleases you. You won't be the first to redo the RWS, just look at the multiplicity of clone decks I'd love to see what you do with it.

Laura Borealis said:

I never thought of the RWS or its coloring as masculine. To me it's neutral. Flat, bright colors yes, but not gendered at all. Of course, gendering of colors isn't universal by any means. Even the blue/pink boy/girl division has only been a thing in very recent history and only in some parts of the world.

That said, I think you should go for it! Remake it in a palette that pleases you. You won't be the first to redo the RWS, just look at the multiplicity of clone decks I'd love to see what you do with it.

Click to expand...

Yes indeed. I didn't mean don't go for it - just I was fascinated by the idea that people were turned off by its masculinity !

I like girly decks, I'll be excited to see some sample artwork when it comes out!

I'm not an artist so, sadly, no advice from me. I'm here to add my support of your idea, though! I've never thought of the RWS as "masculine", but a clone with fashion and sparkles sounds divine! And, "something like the Illuminated Tarot"?? Yeeesssssss!!! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Dark, soft and mystical theme, excecuted with sparkles and fashion? Done by someone without artistic skill?


My advice: take an art course first and learn how to express ideas with artistic means.

And you might wish to check the topic of gender stereotypes.

mabcosmic said:

This goes out to any other readers who read with the Rider-Waite, but are turned off by it's masculinity and bad coloring.

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As someone with a self confessed lack of artistic skill asking advice on colouring can you really consider her colouring *bad*?

I'm with Nemia on this - but hey - we have to be encouraging, although I had never thought of the artwork as Pamela Colman Smith as masculine (so I'm obviously not the target public).The fact that it has stood the test of time makes me think it isn't actually anything in particular, which is why it has had such widespread appeal.

A bit more information regarding this project:

It is true that I have no artistic skill, which is why I'm asking advice regarding color schemes or themes. Plus, I want this project to be bigger than myself. If I wanted to make a deck that was only pleasing to myself, then that's what I would do without asking anyone else's opinion. I would like to create a deck that other people with the same preferences will find useful.

With regards to "gender stereotyping," anyone of any gender or sex is free to participate. Like I said in my post, it is for ANYONE who isn't afraid of sparkles and fashion (male, female, trans, ect). "Lady" is used in the deck title as a colloquial term for presenting femininity, not necessarily a reflection of biological sex. However way you lean toward the feminine, I hope this deck appeals to you.

This project is supposed to be fun and positive, so feel free to post what color schemes you like or themes you enjoy (Victorian, Goth, ect).

Funny footnote: I found a reptilian skin texture that would be super neat to try out just for fun BUT if you are interested in having a Reptilian themed deck, I might do up a card or two just to see what it looks like.