1909 RWS- The Sawyer’s Redux Edition

Update: 10/1/22: Deck is now available in the shop! 

UPDATE: 7/16/22

I will be having my regular printer create this deck for me.  The card stock will be the same as the Sawyer’s Path Decks, 350gsm with that lovely butter finish. in a simple Tuckbox.  I’ve already been collaborating with Moonlit Faye for matching clutches.  Stay tuned and be sure to sign up for my newsletter for when the deck becomes available!!!

 

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It was bound to happen.  
I finally made an actual clone of the Rider Waite- Smith Tarot Deck. 

“1909 RWS Tarot: The Sawyer Redux Edition” 

After I finished the artwork for the Out of Hand Tarot, I missed the morning routine of waking up and creating a card within the guidance of the Muses.  What started out as a way to stay connected to that conduit and perhaps create a little buzz over on my Patreon —turned into my own version of this iconic classic. I shared all 78 line drawings with Patrons in case they wanted to color a version that speaks to them.  I can’t even begin to tell you the magic you can embed into a deck when you add your own touch and connection.  It’s a thing, trust me. 

I learn through creation, I always have.

Starting with the Fool, I approached the  artwork as if a tattoo client had given me a photo for reference.  For you see, in the tattoo world, a drawing sometimes need to be “cleaned up”— meaning drawn in a way for it to be able to breathe and age with the body.  While the artwork that Pamela Coleman Smith created under the instruction of A.E. Waite back in the early 1900s is still amazing and iconic… It doesn’t translate the same in the foundations of tattooing— which is the roots of my style.  The original card image lines are too bold and would bleed together if actually made “as is” into a tattoo.

So, again using what skills I have honed over the past 20 years as a tattoo artist, I looked at The Fool through my lens.  Refining the lines, simplifying the clothing a little (while keeping the symbols intact).  Then knowing that I wasn’t going to be actually tattooing the image, I set forth to coloring it in the same style/technique I’ve used for Pocket of Peers and Out of Hand Tarot.  Here’s the side by sides:

 

I also really love a borderless and untitled card.  For some reason the words seem to distract me a tiny bit.  (This is why Sawyer’s Path tarot is not titled) So since I have more variants of the RWS deck than I’d like to admit, I decided my version had the space and permission to shed the titles. The colors, body positioning, clothing and key elements have all remained the same for my Redux version, however I did add elements as I felt called.  Each card now has a mandala in the background that has elements of the astrological or elemental correspondence radiating from within.  Also some of the cards’ actors have been updated to reflect the diversity of our world. 

I have learned so much in my deep-dive-draw of this deck.. Noticing little things I never saw before. Also seeing where random shapes come together due to the printing process that I’m sure people have seen underlying meanings in through the years. (Although my skeptical woo and artistic mind wonders what was intentional and what was just images created out of crosshatching and shadow lines). One thing is for certain, that by actually revisiting each line and then adding the colors, updating the faces to make them crisper and  reflect the world around me… this deck “talks” on a new level.  

Side thought:
I also often wonder what this deck may look like today if Pixie had access to the resources and technology we now take for granted.  I bet there would be some amazing add-ons to the cards! 

Tarot Tiles, yes and always: 

If you have been paying attention to my world, then you know that when I create a deck it’s more often than not bc I want the tile set…

The tiles are now available in the shop and can be found HERE.  

How can you get version as a Deck?

(Please see above— I deactivated the MPC shop version)

 

I’ve launched the MPC shop as a place to have those decks that I desire, but won’t commit to doing an actual full printing of… it allows me to have them available to you without having to go through the process of ordering at least 500 copies and then warehousing them… With MPC, I only get a small percentage of each deck, they handle all the printing, shipping and anything else… I literally just upload it and trust knowing that they have a decent output when it comes to the end result.

But wait there’s more!!! 

(Isn’t that always the case with my creative mind?)  I am also making a Hexagonal Variant of this deck which will be available at MPC once finished …. After exploring the ways my Hexagonal lenormand tiles like to click together… I simple NEED it with a tarot deck.  So I currently am in the process of widening all the backgrounds in order to fit the hex shape.  There will be Tarot Tiles as well as a print on demand version, so please be sure to bookmark my webpage or subscribe to my newsletter for when those will arrive in the shop! 

Here’s a sneak peek of the format!  Now doesn’t that just activate your hive mind?  I know mine is a buzzing!  (Ok ok I’ll stop with the puns, just Bee patient… Ok now I’m done. hahaha!)