Great LWBs?.

[wooden-eye]

As I draw closer to the conclusion of the art work I find that the LWB is beginning to encroach on my thoughts. I have plenty to say about the deck, but not being a collector ( I own 4 decks) I have not had my hands on many of these handbooks. I would be eternally grateful if any one has a mo to give me a few pointers on dos and don'ts.
Anything that comes to mind will be fine. I am looking forward to writing it and am keen to compliment the deck.
I wonder if there is anywhere where one can view LBWs?
Are there any really great examples?
I haven't had much joy researching this online, but you peeps with the giant collections must have seen and read it all!
Please enlighten me.

 

[wooden-eye]

Well, in many ways I guess this is as good a response as any.... A silence which speaks volumes, if you like. I will simply put in as much as I feel is necessary and not a word more.
Still if anyone does have anything they would like to point out I am open to hints; while on artistic matters, I tend not to solicit advise ( being a thin-skinned inadequate) with things like printing and the hand-book I can be steered around by the nose.
- I'm guessing this is not a real thrill of a thread, but there must be some proud pedants out there, or rather those keen to maintain high standards.
I hear some folk put the LBW on a PDF- come on what do you think about that?
Much love ( I'm in a better mood than yesterday ((minor creative block, now cleared)) )
Woodyxxxx ( in real life this is not my moniker, but right now I'm feeling it man).

 

[jema]

I know there are at least a few LWBs you can download from LoScarabeo. Try the Dame Fortune's Wheel.

As for other excellent LWBs I quite like the ones that at least note a little something for all the more unusual symbols.
I suggest just scrapping the whole tarot history bit that most LWBs start with, if someone really want some tarot history they are better off buying a book. Just focus on the cards, why you included some details and what they mean.

 

[elvenstar]

Just had a look at your website, I really like your deck!

I pretty much agree with everything jema said. Looking at the deck now, things I'd like to see in the lwb would be, briefly what your influences were and some stuff about recurring symbols, what it means and why it's so prominent (bones, diamonds, playing cards, apples...). Then for each card, again what does it mean, why is it there, especially when it's an original element (e.g. why is the woman in the 4 of swords only wearing one shoe? love this card btw what type of flower on the 5 of coins? i always get frustrated when it doesn't say and i can't figure it out).

I wouldn't bother regurgitating stuff if I were you. People appreciate it when it's clear they're hearing the artist/author's own voice

Re. pdf, I suppose it's more of a practical/financial issue? I like having a physical thing, but if it was going to drive the price up, a pdf would be just fine.

Hope this helps

 

[wooden-eye]

Thanks heaps Jema and Elvenstar.
I'll look up the Dame fortunes wheel LWB.
I was wandering how much detail to put in about the symbolism as so much of it is traditional and archetypal. Some of the imagery is a departure, but I interpret the meanings as I do the RWS , so I guess there is plenty I can say about these cards. When I get a mo I might write up a couple of the cards and post them for appraisal.
You have been greatly helpful in identifying what might need to be explained in the LWB.
Elvenstar, you are quite right about the flowers and plants, particularly in the suit of coins, They have been picked for different reasons; some allegorical, some for their medicinal benefits and others for folk or traditional meanings, this will all need some explanation. An example, the knight of coins is placed under a Chestnut tree, traditionally is a tree of protection and as a child we sang to the poem, " Underneath the spreading Chestnut tree,".
That song became my Knight of Coins. This maybe whimsical for some tastes, but to some extent that is how the individual cards have taken shape. The broader system I have used is not at all like that, I have tried to forge my links. Sorry, difficult to explain and even harder to
achieve, I will sit down and attempt to make this accessible to minds which are not my own.
The reason I love symbols and pictures and indeed the tarot is my lack of clarity in the written form. I can write and write, or waffle and waffle, but extracting what is interesting or important is not my forte. I shall need some ruthless editing!

 

[greatdane]

Hi Wooden-Eye and great luck to you!

To be honest, I have seen few lwb's I thought added much to a deck. The Anna. K (which if you go to her website, you can see a lot of, or perhaps all, of what's in her lwb listed) lwb is the best I've seen. There are books I thought were great like Robert Place's for the Vampire Tarot, but as far as a comprehensive lwb to go with a particular deck, I loved Anna's and thought perhaps just looking at her site and the info there might prove useful. Blessings and again, GREAT LUCK TO YOU!

 

[wooden-eye]

Thanks greatdane

Thanks for that tip in the Anna K. Strange, I was looking at that deck online and never thought to look for the LWB. I love the deck though, the cards seem to show a lot of movement and direction, I imagine it gives really good intuitive readings. Might be one to buy, especially if the book is good too. I really appreciate your good wishes.

 

[akirafist]

My LWB will be a flash video set, on a DVD. You click on the card you want, and get a video of me making the card, along with the keywords/discussion on meaning. To my knowledge, that's 100% original and definitely qualifies for "great LWB".

 

[Tarot Orat]

I like LWBs where the artist goes into some detail on why s/he chose the images on each card. I'd rather not see a standard, stale card meaning, I can get those anywhere, but some insight on why THIS deck and THIS card are unique and meaningful is great.

I like actual physical LWBs. I'm not always near a computer when doing readings! Of course if I would splurge on a working printer that would be less of a problem but then it's no longer a LWB, it's a BWP (Big White Printout). Harder to keep with the deck that way.

 

[baylys]

I loved the LWB that came with the NZ Naturally deck. It features flora and fauna of NZ. It was just an A4 sheet of paper with a quick description of the characteristics of the critters on it.

You could sort of do similar, the symbolism in the card, why you chose each image and the details of the flora/fauna in each card.

Off topic, but have you come up with a name for your deck yet or are you sticking with animal/nature tarot?