Pros and Cons Thread #2 - Enabling and De-Enabling

rwcarter

This is the new thread for asking for and providing both enabling and de-enabling for one or more decks. Please keep posts on-topic. Overly chatty posts will be removed.

The old thread can be found here.
 

GlitterNova

Old English Tarot

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/old-english/

I haven't really seen this one mentioned in the forums here. I quite like the art style and coloring of the cards. Also the small illustrations on the pips remind me of the marginalia of actual old English texts. Anyone have any opinions on it?
 

Dee Ell

Renaissance (Brian Williams) and Universal Waite

Wondering if I can get some insight on either (or both) the Renaissance (Brian Williams) and Universal Waite...?

I'm looking for a somewhat more traditional deck, but can't stand the garish colors of the RWS and both of these caught my attention for different reasons...
 

Nemia

I have the Renaissance deck by Brian Williams - I bought it many years ago and I admire Williams' scholarship (I bought the book just now but didn't read it yet, but I heard much good about it). I'm an art historian specialized on medieval and Renaissance art so the idea of the cities (Florence, Venice, Milano, Rome) resonates with me strongly, and I can identify deities and mythological figures easily. Williams' hand is very light and elegant, his colour scheme gentle and unobtrusive. His work is beautiful, and even if it's more of a neo-neo-classical style than Renaissance, that doesn't disturb me, because he is a contemporary artist and his art reflects the changes the Classical tradition underwent.

So all this is lovely and satisfying. You are waiting for the BUT? But. Huge but. The deck doesn't speak to me. At all. The faces are bland, the compositions and colours resemble each other, and so do the figures. It looks as though a bunch of beautiful, slender, wistfully looking young people said: now let's pose for the queen of wands, now for the wheel of fortune... for the king of coins, for chariot... A bit like a charade. I don't feel the power and energy of the cards. They are hinted at, they are there, yes, I know they are - maybe I lack the senses and sensibilities to see and feel them?

I can't really connect to it, and I can't read with it. I tried what I could. I trimmed off the borders and gilded the edges and made a nice bag for it and handled it again and again, but I still find the golden oval frames oppressive and monotonous. Maybe I'll be able to connect to it after reading the book. I so much wanted to love this deck, I admire his creator and understand, I think, what he wanted to do. But the result leaves me cold-ish.

Obviously, this is my personal experience. I don't regret that I bought this deck - it's unique and intelligent and gentle and very beautiful. It's a part of my collection and I would never let it go. But I haven't been able to hear its voice clearly. That may be wholly my mistake and shortcoming.

(I bought also the Light and Shadow tarot in whose production Williams was involved, and it speaks to me much more strongly - actually, the two complement each other well, and I will maybe try a reading combining the two - that's an idea.)
 

Dee Ell

Thanks for the in-depth answer Nemia -- it's so difficult to tell from (what appear to be bad scans of) the art online if they are bland or just low-res, so it does help. I'd be curious to know how your opinion changes once you read the book, however!
 

magpie9

I have the Renaissance deck by Brian Williams - I bought it many years ago and I admire Williams' scholarship (I bought the book just now but didn't read it yet, but I heard much good about it). I'm an art historian specialized on medieval and Renaissance art so the idea of the cities (Florence, Venice, Milano, Rome) resonates with me strongly, and I can identify deities and mythological figures easily. Williams' hand is very light and elegant, his colour scheme gentle and unobtrusive. His work is beautiful, and even if it's more of a neo-neo-classical style than Renaissance, that doesn't disturb me, because he is a contemporary artist and his art reflects the changes the Classical tradition underwent.

So all this is lovely and satisfying. You are waiting for the BUT? But. Huge but. The deck doesn't speak to me. At all. The faces are bland, the compositions and colours resemble each other, and so do the figures. It looks as though a bunch of beautiful, slender, wistfully looking young people said: now let's pose for the queen of wands, now for the wheel of fortune... for the king of coins, for chariot... A bit like a charade. I don't feel the power and energy of the cards. They are hinted at, they are there, yes, I know they are - maybe I lack the senses and sensibilities to see and feel them?

I can't really connect to it, and I can't read with it. I tried what I could. I trimmed off the borders and gilded the edges and made a nice bag for it and handled it again and again, but I still find the golden oval frames oppressive and monotonous. Maybe I'll be able to connect to it after reading the book. I so much wanted to love this deck, I admire his creator and understand, I think, what he wanted to do. But the result leaves me cold-ish.

Obviously, this is my personal experience. I don't regret that I bought this deck - it's unique and intelligent and gentle and very beautiful. It's a part of my collection and I would never let it go. But I haven't been able to hear its voice clearly. That may be wholly my mistake and shortcoming.

(I bought also the Light and Shadow tarot in whose production Williams was involved, and it speaks to me much more strongly - actually, the two complement each other well, and I will maybe try a reading combining the two - that's an idea.)

What she said, so eloquently. Such a shame....but so far I've met no one who connects to this lovely deck.
 

Rhinemaiden

Old English Tarot

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/old-english/

I haven't really seen this one mentioned in the forums here. I quite like the art style and coloring of the cards. Also the small illustrations on the pips remind me of the marginalia of actual old English texts. Anyone have any opinions on it?

I have this deck, the art is delightful.... I don't use the deck often, but I like having it in my collection. My only dislike is the overly plastic cardstock. The deck is available, often quite reasonably, I see one on Ebay now under $10 plus shipping. For that price, go for it! :thumbsup:

Here's more information on the deck and artist, Maggie Kneen...

http://www.maggie-kneen.com/Maggie-Kneen-Old-English-Tarot.aspx
 

Aeric

The Universal was the Waite deck I used for years. I find the softer colours and rich shading much more conducive to meditation than the harsh, flat colours of the RWS. RWS' predominant colours are a bright yellow and a bright cyan, that clash. The starry backs are much more beautiful than the hideous playing card-style tarotee.

Compared to the Radiant Rider Waite, the colours aren't as rich, but Universal's character faces are much softer. Radiant's Empress looks positively bored, and the High Priestess looks like she's smelling a fart in the air. Universal also preserves Pam Smith's drawn titles where Radiant uses typeset.

The natural con is that details aren't always as clear on Universal as on versions coloured with solid, flat tones. It also doesn't depict the darkness of some cards' night skies as well as Radiant owing to the choice of gradient blue shading. The Hermit, the Star, and the Moon look like hazy afternoon or pre-dawn skies rather than night.
 

Debra

I found the Old English to be great for work-related readings.
 

Citrin

I used to read quite a lot with the Old English a couple of years ago. But it takes some time getting used to it what I can remember. The minor arcana, at least some of the cards, are quite different from the RSW and its clones, I know that annoyed me a little sometimes. I like clear scenes on the minors arcana cards, and some of them in this deck are lacking that kind of images. But otherwise I like it and I'm definitely keeping it. :) So for a good price: go ahead!