Hello, soul friends!
Today's review is covering a deck that caught my attention as soon as I saw it in a Swap group. I couldn't find a lot of pictures or information online, so decided to risk it and buy the deck from Etsy, after checking out the owner's Instagram account, as I figured it would be something different than the other 15 or so Tarot decks I own. I am eclectic and don't like to purchase similar decks. Plus, I love seeing other Indie decks, and checking them out!
I hope you enjoy my review and generous pictures!
Shades of Magick Tarot
I purchased this deck directly from Etsy, after seeing a few posts on Instagram showing these gorgeous cards. I found it to be an intriguing and interesting deck. After seeing a few pictures here and there, I knew I needed to get a set and check it out for myself. Loved the simplicity and also the fact that it is an independently published deck.
Her Etsy Description of the Shades of Magick Tarot Deck:
All of the designs are 100% done by me! Deck is inspired by crystals, insects, skulls, and magic! 78 cards, comes with a brief 8 page booklet and in a box!
About the author
Jess Gore is an artist living in a little town in Pennsylvania. She loves to sculpt and paint and also do a lot of photography!
Her Etsy Shop:
Her Instagram:
@mothmagick
My Personal Review
This 78-card deck is meant to be used as a traditional Tarot deck. I wasn't really aware of what to expect with this deck, so upon opening it up I was a bit surprised at the artwork and the details in each card. I loved the simple black and white palette, as I found that it did add a new layer of depth to the cards.
Initially, I was a bit disappointed with the lack of a meatier little white book, but the beauty and detail in the artwork completely made up for the lack of in-depth interpretations by Jess. After all, Tarot is beautifully flexible as you don't have to adhere to just one meaning or interpretation of the cards. There are various sources and books out there to help you understand the meaning behind the Tarot.
The artwork was something that had called me with this deck, as I stated above and why I was excited to get my hands on a set. It was variously different from anything else I have seen and I loved the unique approach to the whole deck.
Jess Gore's artwork is absolutely magical. The images are whimsical, evoking a sense of true mysticism, and also embrace some of the lovely symbolism from Pagan and Wiccan practices. Magick, so to speak. I loved the details on the insects, the crystals, bones, and of course the beautiful cohesion of all of these elements.
The Major Arcana has titles, and the minor just has roman numerals. Although, some of the Major Arcana images didn't always remind me of traditional RWS tarot imagery, the cards were easy to pick up and use, and also I enjoyed seeing her interpretation of some of the Major cards from a different lens.
The card stock is not very thick, semi-matte finish, smooth to shuffle, and allows you get a nice bend without cracking the card stock. The finish really helps make the artwork truly stand out. All of the cards are on a black background with white artwork. The size of the cards was an average tarot size. Not too large, and not too small. The cards also came with a nice and thicker tuck box than I have seen for most indie decks.
The backs of the cards have a wonderful art piece that allows you to pull reversed meanings, as well. Each of the various suits are wonderful and have some fun symbolism. Crystals as wands, Pentacles are the traditional symbol, cups have lovely chalices, and swords are an easily identified sword. I enjoyed her addition of different insects to the suits.
As stated above, the interpretation booklet is a little on the thin side, with quick keywords and not much else. Given that this is a Tarot deck, I don't typically get too bent out of shape without a good guidebook. Sometimes just having a beautiful deck to do readings with is enough to satisfy my curiosity.
Here are some extra pictures of this beautiful creation:
Overall, I think this was a beautifully executed deck. I even think it is currently on pre-order through her Etsy shop, so if you would like to get your own set, I highly recommend it!
My overall opinion is that this deck is a 4 star choice.
Artwork - 5 stars
Card stock - 4 stars
Ease - 3 stars
Guidebook - 2 stars
I hope that you enjoyed my deck review, and also enjoy other deck reviews that I add to this site. I have a passion for exploring new decks and also finding various ways of connecting to my intuition. I appreciate you checking out my site and taking the time to read my review.
Happy Reading!
