Interrobang Tarot
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Spreads
  • PATREON
  • Shop
  • Ebooks
    • Wicked Queer Tarot Spreads
    • Eight Useful Tarot Spreads
  • Decks
    • Black Ink
    • Spirit Vertigo
  • Art
  • Contact
  • Contents
  • Freebies

Introducing The Black Ink Tarot

3/2/2016

21 Comments

 
I have an exciting announcement, my loves. I’ve been working on a project in secret that I think (I hope) will be of interest to you, and it’s finally time to unveil it. Meet the Black Ink Tarot:
Picture
If you follow my blog, you know I’ve been toiling away for months now at my first original deck, the Spirit Vertigo Tarot. It’s nutty enough for an illustrator to take on one tarot deck, but two at a time is bananas, and frankly, not something I’d planned.


How long has this been going on, and why am I doing this?
​
​
The Black Ink tarot flowed so naturally from the Spirit Vertigo project that I couldn’t ignore it. While drawing the Spirit Vertigo majors, I couldn’t shake the thought of working on a smaller scale and cutting down to simpler forms with minimal details. In December, I finally let myself doodle out some compositions at the size of a standard, printed tarot card. I was surprised by how many images I got, and what a nice change of pace it was to work smaller and quicker.
It felt like my cutting-room floor had a mind of its own, and all those little elements and symbols that hadn’t made it into the Spirit Vertigo deck were queueing up, forming their own full deck when I wasn't looking. The Black Ink Tarot was born, and I’ve just been waiting until I had a finalized set of majors to tell you all.
​

Because the Black Ink style is small and spare, it’s much faster to work on, so I felt okay about taking on both decks at once. In three months, I’ve finalized all the major cards and begun sketching the minors. I’ve bumped it ahead of the Spirit Vertigo deck for two reasons: I can finish it faster, and the simpler images will work perfectly to illustrate new tarot spreads, both on the blog, and in an ebook I’m putting together. That said, I’m still chipping away at the big deck, and I’ll still have updates every couple weeks or so on that. The two decks are playing off each other so well from my end. Each gives me ideas for the other, and each can do things the other can’t. Here’s a side by side comparison of the techniques, specs, and goals I have for each deck:

Picture

Black Ink Tarot

Started: December 2015
Projected Finish: By August 2016
Medium: Pen and ink, digital media.
Color: White on black, with option to DIY color in.
Technique: 1-1” Scale. Stark and minimal.
Format: Full bleed. Full standard size or mini-size options possible. May release as a print-at-home digital download.
Titles: Numbers, but no titles on cards. LWB includes traditional titles, and alternative gender-neutral titles.
Suits: Matchsticks, Drops, Arrows, and Gems.
Symbolism: Loosely based on Rider-Waite-Smith system. Mostly North American (particularly New England) flora & fauna. Influenced by antique printer’s ornaments and Yankee folk art.
Inclusivity: Blank-canvas. Non-figurative. 100% Genderless. Minimal hierarchy. Just don’t ask me what I’m doing for the courts yet!
​
Picture

Spirit Vertigo Tarot

Started: July 2015
Projected Finish: By July 2017
Medium: Pen and ink, digital media.
Color: Black line-work on white. Grayscale.
Technique: 1-2” Scale. Tons of textures and tiny details.
Format: Bordered. Final border TBD
Titles: Traditional titles on cards. Final font TBD. LWB includes traditional titles, and alternative gender-neutral titles.
Suits: Traditional. Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles.
Symbolism: Loosely based on Rider-Waite-Smith system. Mostly North American (particularly New England) flora & fauna. Plays with macro vs. micro, and upper-world vs. underworld. Lots of stars. Lots of dirt.
Inclusivity: Diversity within a traditional tarot structure (includes hierarchical courts). Large cast of characters of different races, genders, gender presentations, ages, and body-types. Characters with multiple and ambiguous identities. Some non-figurative cards. Some cards ambiguous due to lighting and scale.
​
As a queer artist, QTPOC inclusivity is a top priority. Yet as a tarot reader/enthusiast of over fifteen years, I find it important to reference and connect to the traditional tarot structures, symbols, and titles, even as I make departures. That’s why there are no titles on the Black Ink cards, and the accompanying guides for both decks will include both traditional titles, and alternative, gender-neutral titles (final alternates still TBD).
​

I hope you like what I have so far! I would love to see both these decks published in some form or another. If you’re interested in the Black Ink Tarot, I need your input. Would you like to see this deck released as a mini-size, print-at-home digital download? Or a full-size deck, crowd-funded, self-published, and pro-printed on matte card-stock? Both? Let me know in the comments! And if you love it, please take a minute to share this post with someone you know who might love it, too. If I get enough interest, we could make it happen within the year.
21 Comments
Beastnessa
3/2/2016 05:01:44 pm

Ohhh these are so awesome!! I feel like this is the minimalist B&W genderless tarot I have always searched for to no avail.. haha that's just me though. I love how you've distilled each Major down to instantly recognizable symbols. I look forward to seeing what you do with the courts, indeed ;)

I'm sure I would be unable to resist a full-size printed version of this deck if that's the route you take. I will be behind it no matter what you decide to do with it though!

Reply
Evvie
3/2/2016 07:53:08 pm

Ah, that's so great to hear! Thank you!!! :D

Reply
monica stark
3/3/2016 03:11:35 pm

I would buy this printed deck in a heartbeat. I think I'd prefer that to printing my own, as I would want to use this with clients, and think it would look more professional. I love this so much so far, and I am eagerly anticipating the rest!

Reply
Stephanie Hanson link
3/3/2016 04:51:40 pm

I would prefer a full size pro print deck. I'm know that increases retail cost but I'm ok with that. I appreciate the effort and talent put into indie decks so paying extra is no big deal. That being said if you go the other route I'll still buy it because I just love it! Beautiful work, love!

Reply
Mary L
3/3/2016 05:39:02 pm

Love this, and as others have said, I would slightly prefer a printed version. I think the antique-inspired look would be great on professional weight cardstock.

Reply
Bella
3/3/2016 06:23:51 pm

These are such incredible decks!! I would love to see them as a full-size printed deck.

Reply
Rhea
3/4/2016 11:15:02 am

I am so excited about this project! I hope you decide to do both a print at home and a professionally printed option.

Reply
Evvie
3/4/2016 11:50:08 am

Thank you all so much for weighing in! You guys are the best. I've been hearing unanimously between here and my social media pages that you want a printed deck or both, so we'll have to make that print deck happen. Very exciting! And thanks for your support. It's made my whole week hearing so much interest for this already. :D

Reply
Kelley
4/16/2016 07:36:48 pm

These are so beautiful! I'd love to have a deck personally since I don't have access to a decent printer of any kind. And I just prefer decks in general. Great job, can't wait to see more!

Reply
Evvie
4/16/2016 09:04:42 pm

Thanks, Kelley! I'm definitely going to try for a printed, published deck at this point. Here's hoping I can make it happen!

Reply
Kestrel
4/28/2016 11:52:26 pm

Both your decks-in-progress are some of the best I've seen in a while and I would buy them in a heartbeat, I'm literally swooning in my seat.

Reply
Evvie
4/29/2016 09:33:38 am

Thank you, Kestrel! That's such a joy to hear! Stay tuned. I'm hoping to launch a Kickstarter campaign for the Black Ink one this coming fall. Not sure if I'll have all my ducks in a row by then, but that's the plan so far. Cheers!

Reply
Buckley link
4/29/2016 05:29:05 pm

I love your Black Ink Tarot. I just posted your deck info on my Tumblr site. I think your work will be both meaningful and popular.

Reply
Evvie
4/29/2016 09:04:20 pm

Thank you, Buckley! And thank you for sharing my work - it means a lot. I just followed your Tumblr. You've got some wonderful decks posted there. I'm delighted to see mine among them!

Reply
Kelly
5/13/2016 05:45:01 am

I would love to see a published mini of this. This looks like a great deck to have on you when you're out and about. :)

Reply
Angel Mesas
1/23/2017 06:16:27 am

Me Encanta el BIT, lo siento no hablo ingles, es posible comprarlo impreso?. he conectado con el simbolismo y me encantaria utilizarlo en mis lecturas.
gracias

Reply
Evvie Marin
1/23/2017 10:53:43 am

¡Gracias! No hablo español, pero trataré de responder a tu pregunta con la ayuda de un traductor. Estoy tan feliz de que te guste el arte. Todavía estoy dibujando los diseños. Espero publicarlos más adelante este año. Si lo deseas, puedo enviarte un correo electrónico cuando estén listos. Puedes enviarme una nota a través del formulario de contacto, y luego tendré tu dirección de correo electrónico. (http://www.interrobangtarot.com/contact.) ¡Gracias y que tengas un buen día!

Reply
lynD
12/8/2017 07:01:25 am

I feel I'm late to the party, but I hope both the Black Ink tarot AND the Spirit Vertigo tarot get produced. I'd prefer a printed, 78-card deck, but I'd buy any size.
Best wishes for your continued success.

Reply
Evvie
12/8/2017 11:15:05 am

Thanks so much lynD! I appreciate your input, and I'm hoping for the same thing. Stay tuned, because I plan to kickstart the Black Ink Tarot in 2018. The plan is to do a full printed deck on matte stock that people can color in if/as they choose. As of now, the first round of artwork is almost completed and I've started writing the book. The Spirit Vertigo deck will follow, hopefully in 2019-2020. I'll be posting another full update once I have all the Black Ink minors artwork scanned.

Reply
Marrok link
8/16/2019 02:27:55 am

hello.
oh wow - i love these designs!
your artwork is exquisite.
please let us know the moment we can order these in hard copy cards?
they blow my mind.

Reply
Evvie
8/16/2019 05:09:23 am

Thank you much! I will keep you all posted here! Following on Instagram or signing up for the Project Updates newsletter is the best way to find out when projects drop. <3

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    My name is Evvie Marin. I'm an artist,  writer, and ever-loving sucker for the woo arts, especially  tarot. I have a B.A. in fine art and theatre and I've been reading tarot cards for about nineteen years.

    Picture

    Newsletter

    Check off at least one interest when you sign up so I know what to send you! 

    Tarot:
    Secret Spreads
    ​

    Original, quarterly tarot spreads just for subscribers.


    Art​​
    ​

    Weekly-ish roundups of my multimedia process in painting, writing, tarot, and music. Works in progress, creative process tips, media recs, and quick news.

    Subscribe

    * indicates required
    Interests

    Picture

    Contents

    Full blog index. Includes links to each post, by topic, with hand-picked highlights.
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Autumn & Halloween
    Blog Hop
    Crafts & DIY
    Decks
    Dreaming
    Faces & Facets
    Fluff And Fun
    Interviews
    Journaling
    Majors
    Music
    Myths & Misconceptions
    News
    Philosophy
    Queerness
    Spreads
    Style
    Tarot 101


    Follow

    RSS Feed


    Support

    If you'd like to support my work, including this fine blog, there are plenty of ways to do that! With money, you can join the art & tarot club on Patreon, donate through Paypal, or buy yourself something nice in the shop. For free, comment on posts, share links with your friends, and follow me on Instagram and like and comment on posts there. Thanks so much!
    PATREON
    DONATE
    SHOP
    INSTAGRAM
Picture

HOME

BLOG

Spreads

CONTENTS

EBOOKS

FREEBIES

ABOUT

SHOP


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Unless otherwise credited, all works on this site are by multimedia artist Evvie Marin (they/them/she/her). Check out my sibling site, www.evviemarin.com, for interdisciplinary art inspired by folklore, natural history, and subconscious fantasy. Join me on Patreon to support my work and receive rad, exclusive content! © 2023 Evvie Marin. All Rights Reserved.​