Be part of the Nicolas Rolichon Tarot restoration.

Igor

Happy new year !

After restoring the Nicolas Conver Tarot, I am now working at the Nicolas Rolichon Tarot. If you don't even know it, it is a type I from the XVIIth century.

Even if the restoration technique is not similar, the making will be exactly the same as the cards will be glued together with three layers as the ancient card were.

A big part of the job is done and I now have to find what the colors will look like in two terms : palette and pattern.

So if you are an expert, historians or a tarot fan, you may have ideas or suggestions.

At this time, I preview six ways for the colors, which are explained with pictures on this page :
http://www.tarot-artisanal.fr/enquete-tarot-de-rolichon-projet.htm
(explanations in french only, but the images are labeled P1, P2, C1, C2, etc.)

Please let us know which color(s) you prefer... and why.

Don't hesitate to suggest anything else you would like to say about it.

Igor.
 

Bluefeet

I vote for C1! Personally I prefer the colors of Payen TdM, but it makes more sense that Rolichon had a unique color combination.
 

Igor

C1 ?

Thank you EnchantedShadow for your point of view.

Of course the C means much better work to me, because I will have to find out the "right" pattern, but in another hand, the job will be more interesting to me and the images of this tarot more unique.
 

Igor

Nicolas Rolichon Restoration - 2nd part

Hello,

Thank you for your participation !
The choice has now been made and is the "compositon" : C1.

As I previously said, if the C version was choosen, there would be sub-versions to come.
I have done them and have named them Traditionnal (T), Reinforce (R) and Finish (F).

You will find more explanations here :
http://www.tarot-artisanal.fr/enquete-tarot-de-rolichon-projet-2.htm
There is a link to have a look at the 22 cards in each of the 3 versions.

Please let us know which one you prefer...
You can answer on Aeclectic forum or email me there : contact (at) tarot-artisanal.fr

Thank you for your participation.

Igor.
 

Amanda

I think you've already made your decision... but I will tell you that I like C2 the best anyway. :D The bold and darker colors of the lady contrast with the lion the best, giving it more balance visually (to me, anyway).

Edited to add: I like the Reinforce version.
 

OnePotato

Hello Igor.

Very nice work.

I like the traditional version best.
While your efforts to differentiate the masses of the figures by blocking colors (In "R" and "F") are interesting, I don't think that approach fits well with the concept of the original woodcut design.
I think that when the forms become more "obvious" or "clearly defined", (As in "R" and "F") they also become more static.

Just as woodblock prints are designed and conceived to be cut in wood, their coloring is designed and conceived to be applied by stencil.
Of course there are countless variations across decks, but ALL of those variations are calculated according to the medium they are produced in. (In other words, they are not entirely random choices, and they do not necessarily follow an aesthetic value that we might presume they would have wanted.)

Anyway, nice work, and good luck!
 

Bluefeet

I prefer the traditional version as well, it seems that too much green has been used in the reinforced and finished versions, especially on Le Monde and L'Empereur cards, the change in colors makes the cards look a bit "busy". The traditional version has preserved the nice and clean woodcut look, which is very appropriate for this deck.

All three versions are wonderful, great job, Igor! :thumbsup:
 

Igor

Hello to you all,

Thank you for your ideas, it seems that this project is going well...

I agree with you, Onepotato and Enchantedshadows: It's probably better to keep the feeling of the antiques woodcut design. The "Traditionnal" version keeps more the spirit of he XVIIIth century.

You are right Amanda, the C2 palette has a better contrast on the the Force. But for other reasons, the C1 has been more choosen by email and through the Aeclectic and FFT forums.
However, the Lion could be painted in pink (like the Dodal) instead of blue (like the Payen). So there would be a good contrast between the lion and the character.

Don't hesitate to tell us more about the Rolichon restoration project...
 

Bluefeet

Igor, do you plan to publish an artisanal edition for Rolichon TdM as well? ;)