To create a tarot deck scion, I wanted to meld the Rider-Waite Smith and the Thoth to create an offspring. The deck is physically more similar to the Rider-Waite Smith deck. However, in terms of its feel, reading, personality, and emotional values, the SKT deck feels more Thoth.
Crowley, and others, agree that the Major Arcana Keys should be written in Roman numerals. Here, I have chosen to use all Arabic numerals to number the Major Keys. This is partly in tribute to Leonardo de Pisa (175-1250), who is often remembered for popularizing the Arabic numerals in Europe.
He’s also known by his nickname Fibonacci. This is the name of the Fibonacci numbers that form the spiral sequence. It is also a foundation in sacred geometry. If you look at the whole picture, the Hindu-Arabic number system was historically used in a wider area of the world than the Roman numerals. So, while this seems minor and insignificant, I am taking a very specific stand.
Each card was based on Waite’s pictorial Key and Crowley’s Book of Thoth. I did this to make sure I included their intentions while designing them in a way that I felt expressed me.
The artwork was created, as best I could, in the spirit of a Renaissance artist creating a hand-crafted deck of tarot cards. Every illustration was drawn at the actual size of a tarot deck. Each original pen and ink drawing measures approximately 7cm x 12cm, while the entire card, including handwritten captions, measures approximately 7cm x 16cm.
Waite and Crowley were wildly different on how they interpreted many keys of the tarot. It wasn’t easy to harmonize both their approaches. Some of the cards that I have drawn may end up alienating one or both sides.
However, basic knowledge of the RWS and Thoth is required to operate Spirit Keeper’s Tarot. Take your tarot reading approach and apply it to the cards.
The science of the occult that the Seeker seeks to understand is hidden in allegory, from the ancient Egyptian and Greek mystery traditions through the ages to Freemasonry, and even the reconstructionist mystery tradition of the modern era.
Symbolism embedded in rituals, the tradition’s religious iconography, religious texts or grimoires or religious and alchemical texts, and parables are all designed to instruct an initiate on the tradition’s teachings. In other words, occult and esoteric teachings are not based on the literal transmission or practice of ideas, but rather through symbolism.
The mind’s darkness is illuminated by pictorial keys.
The complex or “busy art” styles of medieval and Renaissance times were symbolic and meant to transmit esoteric wisdom. Illustrations of lions and eagles, as well as serpents, eggs and other creatures, are classic examples of alchemical texts. The interaction of the two were symbolic of alchemical instructions and processes. Because a lot of information was being communicated through a single leaf illustration, the illustrations were necessary detailed and intricate.
The Spirit Keeper’s Tarot was created with this spirit: to amplify a tarot reader’s psychic power by symbolism.
Spirit Keeper’s Tarot is a fusion of Christian mysticism with paganism. Its artistic style is reminiscent of Renaissance humanism. This deck’s imagery is heavily influenced by Hermeticism, Western astrology, Platonic Philosophy, Alchemy, and Kabbalah. The historical art styles that inspired Spirit Keeper were in turn inspired and inspired by Byzantine and Islamic, Viking and Carolingian, Celtic and Romanesque art styles.
I attempted to recreate medieval woodblock print art. This deck contains original pen and ink drawings that I have created. They are not based on historical woodblock prints. These cards were drawn using only pencil, pen and a straight edge.
Of course, there are instances when what I have drawn was heavily influenced from an older woodblock print. However, this is not a digitally cut-and-pasted or multi-media collage deck. These illustrations were not drawn digitally on a tablet, where I could hit the “undo” button if I made a mistake.