The latest printing of the Universal Waite

[Deana]

Over and over again, people call the Universal Waite "washed-out" and "pastel." I've always liked it and continue to like it. But for the people who've been feeling it was too washed-out, I've noticed in several stores in the last few weeks that the newest printing is much more vibrant. Maybe the last printing came out funny and looked paler than it was originally colored, or maybe this printing is deeper than it was intended, but it is definitely clear and vibrant, not pastel (compared to the one I bought in spring 2005).

 

[Azarial]

I got my first Universal Waite deck in Spring 2005 as well. But recently, my two year old ruined the deck. I had such a connection to the deck because it was my first deck, so I went ahead last week and ordered a new one. I haven't got it in the mail yet, but now I'm kind of concerned about what it's going to look like.

-Pamela

 

[FearfulSymmetry]

Someone recently gave my daughter a new copy of the Universal Waite and it was a lot brighter and richer in color than my older copy. I think it loks much nicer.

Marie

 

[Myrrha]

Thanks for posting this. I am looking for a copy of this deck but if the new printings are a bit richer-looking I'll get a new one rather than trade for it.
--Myrrha

 

[Parzival]

Latest printing of Universal Waite

Is the back design the same as the earlier printing? Sounds like the colors are stronger/more saturated than the older one, like the small box edition.

 

[Little Baron]

If the new printings are anything like the more modern versions of the RWS and Giant RWS, I would be worried. I bought the Giant deck and looked at the new printing of the standard, and they were dreadful. The pictures no longer looked like paintings, but as though they had been 'filled' by photoshop. Alot of details were lost and the handwritten fonts had been replaced by typed ones. I don't imagine this is what has happened here, of course, but it does worry me how decks are transforming with each new print.

LB

 

[FearfulSymmetry]

Its the funniest thing, I got out my old UW to compare the two and my old one had never been opened, the deck was still shrink wrapped. I couldn't find an open version and don't remember having 2.....hmmmm.

Anyway, yes the difference is in color saturation. When holding the cards side by side the difference isn't huge but when using the cards for a reading, or looking the deck over as a whole, the difference is much more apparent. It gives it a way more vibrant appearance instead of that pastel look. It seems to be a mch nicer deck in my opinion. I never cared for the Universal Waite before but now I could stomach it.
The backs are the same. I noticed some difference in the shading in the title area. There is no pixelation of the colors, of that old printing dots like you see in some of the other RW variations. All in all I would say if you were going to get a UW to try and find this new version which is in a dark blue box where the older one is in a gold box. I would also check it out even if you have the older version because you miht like this better.
Marie

 

[ZenMusic]

I have many versions of the Waite, I think almost any "improved" versions are better than the original.. The original is crude.. I agree that

"in the original version of this deck, there is an emphasis on the black outlining of the art, which to me takes away the ability to connect with the cards"

My favorites: the Universal Waite ..
"Rider-Waite with artwork in the style of the Hanson-Roberts deck. The Universal Waite Tarot is quite a pretty version (or clone) of the Rider-Waite, with more appealing, softer artwork"

or the newly released Radiant Rider-Waite (beautiful)
"Compared to the original, these cards are much more luminously coloured and three-dimensional. " "the intense black lines have been discarded"
"The back of the cards, carrying the image of a starry sky, is also far preferable to the diamond pattern of the standard Rider-Waite deck."

examples displayed in the reviews at aeclectic.net .. if you're looking for a different version....

 

[Michael]

I bought the Universal Waite a couple of months back and find it very beautiful. I much prefer the pastel shades to the full on colours of the original Waite deck.

 

[nexyjo]

i guess i have the "older" version in the gold box - it's labeled "universal waite tarot deck & book set". they really should start indicating the date of publication on these decks, especially if they're going to be publishing variants over the years.

this sample's only date reference would seem to be in the companion book "the pictorial key to the tarot" which states "this american edition published in 1998", though the publishing date may be different from the actually printing date, and may not be different from the newer printed versions. the deck itself only indicates the "printed in belgium" and "copyright ©1990 by u.s. games systems, inc."

i don't have a different version of this deck, but compared with my "the original rider waite tarot pack", the deck and book set packaged in the dark blue box, the universal set features much thinner lines and softer coloring. according to the documentation, the coloring was done by mary hanson-roberts, and those familar with her work would easily recognize her influence in the universal set.

granted, my eyes are not as keen as they used to be, and over the past few years i've started wearing glasses - bifocals in fact. but to me, i do not see any of the pixelation that some complain about, and i much prefer the softer look of the universal to the original.

i may also be somewhat biased - i started my study of the tarot with the universal deck, and it was the only deck i used for serious study over the first year or so. so to me, the universal deck *is* the original tarot - at least in my personal experience. so much so, in fact, that when i look at the "original", it seems so poorly done, like a cheap imitation. kind of ironic when you think about it. and in the original, i clearly see the pixelation in the images.

i would be interested in comparing my version of the universal version to the newer one, though i am not interested in paying for a new deck. i'm hoping some wonderful soul would post some images on the internet with side-by-side compasisons in a decent resolution for us older folks

anyway, that said, i love my universal deck, pastel and all.