Friday, October 26, 2012

Tarot Decks: InContro Tarocchi (Tarot Encounter)

InContro Tarocchi, which was created by 46 international artists, includes 46 cards. Each of these cards was designed and illustrated by a different artist, hence the variation in the appearance of the individual cards. Some look very like the Tarot cards we're used to. Other are abstract or otherwise unique. The Tarot Encounter includes 22 Major Arcana cards, 16 court cards, and 4 elemental cards, making it an alternative Tarot deck instead of a standard one. When it was first created in 2006, there were only 500 decks produced, each numbered.

Because it is an alternative deck, traditional interpretations are difficult to apply. Though you can use standard interpretations for the Major Arcana, the other cards should be read in accordance with the enclosed leaflet (written in Italian). If you're not fluent in Italian, you can look at each card individually and try to find a corresponding card in the traditional tarot, but InContro Tarocchi is really meant for either a collector or someone interested in a slightly alternative take on the Tarot.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Tarot Decks: Il Sentiero dei Tarocchi

Il Sentiero dei Tarocchi (The Tarots Paths) is a poetic photo Tarot deck conceptualized by Giovanni Pelosini and Santini Del Prete. This deck, consisting of only the 22 Major Arcana cards, depicts two men traveling through Tuscany as railway men. They share key experiences of the human condition with human and insight. Both men are present on all cards except for The Fool, which is also the only card to really imitate traditional Tarot symbolism. This is an Italian deck, so all descriptions on all cards are written in Italian.

There were only 500 decks produced, all of them numbered and signed by both artists. Il Sentiero dei Tarocchi was created in 2006 and was published by Museo dei Tarocchi (Hermatena). It's a whimsical Tarot deck that is aimed at collectors and enthusiasts. It can, however, be integrated into your own standard deck if you so desire.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Tarot Decks: Il Gioco dei Tarocchi: Gli Arcani Maggiori

Il Gioco dei Tarocchi: Gli Arcani Maggiori Tarot deck, featuring the 22 cards of the Major Arcana, is a whimsical collection of images that are both playful and sometimes a little disturbing. The cards are generally sepia-toned, but there are splashes of blue, pink, and even a little green thrown in for color. Only 100 copies of this deck were made available, all of them signed by the artist.

You can tell by the artwork that the artist approached the deck with a slightly irrevent attitude. The cards themselves are printed on a slightly-textured matte cardstock, and the backs are blank. They're really more for Tarot deck collectors than for actual reading, but they could be incorported into your own deck if you wanted to remove the Major Arcana and replace them with these. Both the words on the images and the accompanying leaflet are written in Italian, just so you know.

Il Gioco dei Tarocchi: Gli Arcani Maggiori is a cute little Tarot deck that is designed for collecting and for any Tarot art enthusiasts out there.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Tarot Decks: I Tarocco Balocco (The Toy Tarot)

Unlike many modern decks, I Tarocco Balocco was not created by drawing traditional Tarot cards. Instead, the artist, Morena Poltronieri, took pictures of darling little toys, most of them old fashioned, invoking a feeling of nostalgia. You should be aware that the 22 cards of the Major Arcana are numbered and titled, but in Italian. Also, only the major Arcana is included here.

Published in 2006, this deck had an original run of 500 decks, each numbered and signed by the artist. The Toy Tarot is a cheerful deck featuring adorable pictures of wind-up toys, tin sand pails, roller stakes, porcelain dolls, and many other items from days gone by. Despite their unique appearance, these Tarot cards are interpreted using the symbolism associated with the Rider-Waite deck. I Tarocco Balocco (The Toy Tarot) is available, but you usually have to order it online.