A Closer Look at the MXTX Tarot Cards

December 23, 2023

Illustrated Cards So Far…

Thank you for signing up to receive newsletter updates for my MXTX inspired Tarot Deck! With this update, I’m going to start sharing the illustrations I’ve created for some of the cards within the deck and talk a little bit about my approach to those illustrations.

While I’m not completing them in chronological order, the cards I’m illustrating first are those in the Major Arcana. After I’ve completed the Major Arcana, I will start working through the Minor Arcana one suit at a time. So, let’s look at some of cards I’ve completed illustrations far…

The Fool (0)

This is the first card of the deck and marks the beginning of the journey. In the traditional depiction of this card, we see a young man walking, unaware that he is about to step off the edge of a cliff. In my MXTX inspired interpretation of this card, I have illustrated Luo Binghe as he is falling from the cliff. This marks the beginning of a new arc in his story, just the same as the character we would traditionally see. In my illustration, Luo Binghe is also crying, releasing a white lotus from one hand, and holding a hand over his heart and bloodied chest. All of these gestures come together to also suggest a reluctant acceptance of this fate as well as accepting the idea of “being made a fool” in the moment that he is cast over the cliff by Shen Qingqiu.

The Emperor (IV)

The Emperor is a leader representing authority and stability. In the upright position, this card reads as a symbol of power, Law and Order, and as a father figure. As his clan’s leader and the man to raise his nephew, this fits Jiang Cheng well. I used the strong pose of his body, the repeating lotus flowers, and an infant Jin Ling to emphasize those points. In the reversed position, this card is a symbol of a inflexibility, rigidity, and being a “control freak.” To elude to the complexity of his character and the emotions and frustrations that contribute to Jiang Cheng’s situation and harder exterior, I intentionally gave him sorrowful eyes as he looks on, clutching Jin Ling in his arms.

The Sun (XIX)

The Sun is Xie Lian and The Moon, Hua Cheng. Upright, The Sun is symbol of positivity, warmth, and success. Reversed, this card is a symbol of depression, performative/false expressions of joy, and loneliness. Xie Lian is a warm character who was very successful, ascending first at only 17 years old and with many worshipers. It is through his commitment to his values against great odds that he fell out of favor. In the many twists and turns of his life and his effort to maintain a positive outward presentation, he embodies the message of this card. To illustrate him in a way that most literally likens him to the sun, I used the structure of is hat to create rays beaming from his head and a halo effect around him.

The Hierophant (V)

The Hierophant is Lan Wangji. Upright, The Hierophant symbolizes spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, conformity, and tradition. Reversed, this is a symbol of personal beliefs and challenging the status quo. Lan Wangji is a very righteous man, who only learns to make exceptions for himself or deviate from the rules and expectations of his clan for the sake of his love for Wei Wuxian. So on this card, Lan Wangji is playing his guqin and tearfully seeing a vision of the deceased Wei Wuxian. He has a very poised posture as he is playing his guqin to show him as righteous, proper, and continuing to use his cultivation without deviating from tradition for practices that are demonic or forbidden. But his sorrow and desire for Wei Wuxian clearly weigh on him.

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As I continue to work through more cards, I will share more about the art that is going into the deck. And as I get closer to being ready to print this deck, I will be sharing updates on launches and production!