The sad Knight of Pentacles

Okay, I have to admit to a touch of Hogwarts influence here. Then again, the headless knight just seems such a stock character of Gothic (early Gothic perhaps more than Gothic revival) that we have to include him. We're working on a kind of Dr Frankenstein scene now (probably the Three of Pentacles). This deck is hard but also good fun to make.

A very quiet card - the Eight of Cups

The Sun - The Bohemian Gothic Tarot

Even through these last very difficult weeks the deck has progressed. It's actually been very helpful to have work to focus on. For those who have emailed, thank-you - I appreciate it very much and I will write back. Right now I'm finding I either say nothing or far too much. I need to let it sink in a bit more and find some balance in how to talk about it all. There is quite a lot that I want to say at some point, but for now I'd like to just go back to the deck and all the other things in the pipeline. I'm trying to do the book, the websites and get jewellery going right now, so much to think about. Here is The Sun - an interesting card to do in a Gothic deck - we tried quite a few things before coming up with this boy:

Five of Pentacles, Bohemian Gothic Tarot

So, a card, the Five of Pentacles which is one that I always feel needs care. All comments - positive and negative and "not sure" - very welcome, but any specific proffered design solutions will probably not be acted on as we ideally want to hear issues not solutions if possible. Oh, okay, I sound like "Design Management 101" and the truth is we probably won't change much of anything to be honest, but knowing that, please do still comment if you'd like to. By the way, I have lightened this card considerably to show on screen as there is a real issue with the way the cards come out very, very dark on screen (they will look different when they are printed in CMYK). At least this way you can actually see some of the details.

Okay - the history! The House at the Two Golden Bears

I feel shamed into actually finding out more about The House at the Two Golden Bears (in my defence I am up to my ears in Victorian Gothica right now, though I suppose that's a poor excuse.) so here is an article. The house is described as "Baroque" but like so many houses here, I'd guess it's originally much earlier. Our house is 14th century but makes a very good job of looking 1930s modernist - someone's idea of stylish no doubt. Anyway, here is the whole story - okay, a very little bit of it - of the possible link with alchemy. I should add that I don't find the explanation of the bears at all convincing, but that's another conversation I suppose.

Doors of Prague - from inside!

If you remember the (medieval) house with the amazing Renaissance door (edited - thanks for catching it - see below) with the bears (see below) you may be interested in what's inside. We were walking past on Monday and went in to take a look:
Detail of the archway above:
and stepping inside, here we're inside looking out:
these are the other doors you find in the courtyard/corridor (it's a bit of both) inside :

(don't you just love the doormat?)
A detail from the same door.

The Bohemian Gothic Tarot

I've decided that I won't post more cards over at Aeclectic Tarot Forum for now - it was fun and the enthusiasm and feedback was good to have - but in the end I found it just too time-consuming and tiring, and somehow it took away from my focus. I just need to concentrate on making the deck and book at this point rather than have to do too much explaining. But I'd still like to show just a few cards here from time to time. Reactions and comments very welcome, but please be aware that we probably won't launch into making any major changes or trying to please everyone. The deck just needs to be how it is, and I know that in some places it will be disturbing. This one probably still needs a bit of tweaking, but personally I'm pleased with it. If it was a film I'd go and see it!