From Tarot to Playing Cards
Nine Lives Playing Cards (bridge and poker size) are visually related to Nine Lives Tarot. The playing card courts (royals) have a lot in common with their tarot ‘cousins’, which when joined by the aces and the ‘back-of-card’ design, connect the two decks through symbols and visual clues. This page explores some creative inspirations and comparisons between the two decks.
Each suit deals with a different realm, which also gives the court characters their distinctly different identities. I did a lot of ink drawings exploring the court personalities, drawings that then shaped the direction for the court (royal) card illustrations transitioning from tarot to playing cards.
Aces and Jokers have important roles to play. From the powerful beginnings of tarot aces, to the winning charms and superstitions of playing card aces and jokers. Nine Lives incorporates both tarot and playing card symbols, with Jokers depicted as signature cards, representing artist with house cat ;).
Not only did the royal characters require new outfits for their appearance in the deck of playing cards… they also had to be flipped on their heads (mirrored), so that players at opposite ends of a table would be able to admire and appreciate their royal panache.
78 illustrated cards filled with life-affirming symbolism and female archetypes.
