Playing cards arrived in Europe in the late 1300s, travelling from Asia through the Islamic world. They quickly spread, evolving into the familiar suited decks we love today. I took inspiration from their journey and the cultures they passed through. Tarot cards appeared in northern Italy in the mid-1400s as a variation of playing cards, created for a game with extra illustrated trump cards. Their use for symbolism and divination came several centuries after - becoming one of the best tools for divination and meditation. With this project, I want to celebrate both of these journeys. Introducing Shuffled Stories Vol. 2 - Arcane
Standard Edition
- 56 Hand-illustrated, fully-custom art poker playing cards
- Tuck box with painted-effect rose gold foiling
Made for shuffle and play, Arcane is a whimsical deck inspired by Tarot. The Tarot suits and symbolism weave through each piece of hand-drawn artwork. The two way courts have a light and shadow side and are dripped with symbolism (such as their paired tarot suits, the associated element and the name of each card written in runic), whilst the pips each tell a symbolic story—there is a narrative thread designed for you to reflect on and interpret.
Use your cards, play with your cards, read your cards. Shuffle with a clear question, deal a simple spread (like past–present–future), and read the suits as themes and the numbers as timing and intensity, letting intuition do the rest. Or deal a hand of nomination whist (a family favourite of ours at the moment)! The pips combine playing card suits and Tarot suits into symbolic narrative scenes inspired by the original Rider Waite Tarot deck.
