No one should see this.

Friday, June 13, 2014

The Legend of Zelda Tarot deck

What? TWO sets of posts in one month? This is crazy talk!

But I love making nerdy tarot decks! And since I wasn't worried about theme, this one was much easier than the others. The main restriction I had was just try to get as many characters in there as possible. Obviously it was going to be very Link/Zelda heavy, but that's okay. At one point for the suits I thought about making the king and queen of each suit different incarnations of Link and Zelda, but that made it REALLY Link/Zelda heavy, and made it difficult to get a few others in, so I scrapped that idea. And this is what we got.

For anyone who might want to print their own copy of the deck, this is my Mediafire link for the files:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/a5p59m3h71k7v/ztarot

And this is the site where I got them printed:
http://www.makeplayingcards.com/design/design-your-own-tarot-cards.html

Please remember, this artwork isn't mine, so it isn't yours either, and you may not print these decks for commercial use, personal use only! If I find that happening I will notify every artist who's art I used and we will stop you.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Last Final Fantasy Tarot post

And last of all, here's the card back.

Source:
card background: http://zueuk.deviantart.com/art/Daedric-34178140
frame: http://diza-74.deviantart.com/art/Silver-frames-255490608

That thing looks really cool printed. And is perfectly reversible, like my Sailor Moon back. I had some problems making a base for this deck, I made like two other versions, and when I started putting artwork in the frames, I really hated it for some reason. Turned out I needed a more neutral color scheme. One was orange and flame-y, the other was gold and teal and burgundy and it was just a mess. This was perfect. And I don't know if you noticed, but the Roman numerals in the major arcana were done using the same font used for the Final Fantasy logos. It was actually cut from one of the logos. I'd have liked to use a Final Fantasy font for all the card titles too, but I was using free browser based photo editing, so I couldn't really download a custom font to it.

I'm very pleased with both my decks. And just so you know, I am doing a Zelda deck. But after how hard it was to match up artwork to each suit's Final Fantasy for this one, there's no theme for the suits. I'm choosing whatever art I feel works best. My only rule is trying to balance out character appearances, and no in game screenshots. I straight up took the card base from another artist that was giving it away for people to make Zelda tarot cards with, although I did make a few modifications. I can't wait to show you the card back I created though, I'm super proud of it. The only hesitation I have is that I'm about to play Wind Waker for the first time, and I feel like I should slow down in case that makes me decide I want to add Wind Waker art to the deck. I don't think I really will, because it was the art style for that game that's kept me from playing it until now. I don't like it. But you never know. I might get really attached to some of the characters, or find some really pretty art. I have a few pieces already, and I haven't even played yet.

I guess we'll see. I'll post again when that's done...

Swords

The Swords suit. I had difficulty getting Quina and Amarant in here. I never had much use for either character, and while there is little fanart for Amarant, there's almost none for Quina. I almost skipped him/her altogether, but I felt bad so I fixed it.

This was the suit where my main couple just didn't fit in the king and queen slots. So they got to be knight and page. I wasn't too disappointed though, cuz I really like the ones I did pick. Steiner is the perfect king of swords, and Beatrix is perfect for queen, plus she's my favorite character in IX, so I was glad to give her a good spot.

Sources:

ace. http://johndevlin.deviantart.com/art/Day-22-Quina-205947062
2. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=17142656
3. http://saimain.deviantart.com/art/FF9-Loss-of-Kuja-8461069
4. pixiv art removed
5. (Unknown)
6. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?id=4133539
7. http://sarrus.deviantart.com/art/FF-Tribute-Amarant-Coral-371648262
8. http://ayashiroi.deviantart.com/art/Garland-s-Puppets-257931113
9. http://pupukachoo.deviantart.com/art/Do-I-Even-Exist-186248816
10. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28462213
page. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=21464653
knight. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=20328292
queen. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=31216873
king. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=20745440

Pentacles

The Pentacles suit. This was an easy choice, because the first thing I thought when picking suits was, "Aerith is the Pentacles Queen." She's so perfect for that earth mother type personality. I had some difficulty getting Yuffie and Cait Sith in here, since I was never really fond of those characters. However, I am very proud of the card with Cait Sith and Reeve on it, because the actual artwork ends at the base of Cait Sith's ear, so I drew the rest. With a mouse. It was not easy. But it looks good, I think.

Sources:

ace. http://gretding.deviantart.com/art/Yuffie-Final-Fantasy-VII-Official-Wallpaper-291245362
2. http://crimson-sun.tumblr.com/post/43284565230/go-get-em
3. http://eeriefaery.deviantart.com/art/Three-253716334
4. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=29702316#_=_
5. http://iscariotic.deviantart.com/art/lamb-380762628
6. http://crimson-sun.tumblr.com/post/67457061633/ill-take-care-of-marlene-wrong-arm-eh-no
7. unknown
8. http://arvalis.deviantart.com/art/Vincent-Valentine-67360165
9. http://silverflight.deviantart.com/art/Nanaki-at-Sunrise-197832526
10. unknown
page. http://www.pixiv.com/works/31943327#_=_
knight. http://vtas.deviantart.com/art/FFVII-AC-Cloud-Strife-189402677
queen. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=24480874
king. http://mcashe.deviantart.com/art/Final-Fantasy-VII-Brave-Zack-Fair-fan-art-291633115

Wands

The Wands suit. This one went very smoothly. I didn't even remake a single card. Plus it had a nice small cast of characters, so it was easy to get everyone in. I'd have liked to get Seymour in, but there was a surprising lack of good fanart for him. I also included FF X-2 in this a bit, and I'd have liked to get Payne in, but she also suffers from a lack of fanart.

god, I love that picture of Wakka and pregnant Lulu...

Sources:

ace. http://chop-stuff.tumblr.com/post/81277383531/yuna-and-kimahris-relationship-is-something-i
2. http://aureta.deviantart.com/art/FFX-Sea-Hibiscus-281164893
3. http://zhepgig.deviantart.com/art/The-Jecht-Shot-156730381
4. http://chop-stuff.tumblr.com/post/81288404026/i-love-how-ffx-2-is-all-like-use-your-imagination
5. http://bangbez.deviantart.com/art/Lulu-and-Moogle-Doll-FFX-198902270
6. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=big&illust_id=40776743
7. http://dasaod.deviantart.com/art/Kimahri-on-the-Attack-39410766
8. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=21758908
9. http://abishai.deviantart.com/art/Sir-Auron-8008928
10. http://stellab.deviantart.com/art/Calm-Before-The-Storm-309104550
page. http://sodz.deviantart.com/art/rikku-206471807
knight. http://amylrun.deviantart.com/art/Wakka-248061671
queen. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=17656556#_=_
king. http://nerkin.deviantart.com/art/Listen-to-my-story-440132187

Cups

The Cups suit. I think I've mentioned before, Cups is my favorite suit, and Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite Final Fantasy, so it seemed like an obvious combination, but man, did I struggle with this. It seemed like no matter what I did I could never find good artwork to convey the meaning of the card. I don't know why this one was so difficult. But I managed.

each Final Fantasy was matched up with each suit based on how I felt the main couple of the game fit in to the royalty of the suit. Preferably King and Queen, but that didn't always work out.

Sources:

ace. unknown
2. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=31276494
3. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=39789791#_=_
4. http://smallthingsdefine.tumblr.com/post/33570662450
5. concept art
6. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=16836104
7. http://suaveli.deviantart.com/art/Quistis-Trepe-199521152
8. http://salayanara.tumblr.com/post/57458669106/rinoa-heartilly-from-final-fantasy-8-yep-im-in
9. http://djok3.deviantart.com/art/Zell-vs-Hotdog-214075203
10. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28650985
page. http://cetramagic.tumblr.com/post/20952687685/selphie
knight. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=11229347
queen. http://crimsonsky.iza-yoi.net/framepagea.html
king. unknown

The Final Fantasy Deck

Yeah, I like designing tarot decks with nerdy things. So I made a Final Fantasy one.

Coming up with themes was easy, finding art to fit my self imposed restrictions was not. The rule here was fanart only, no game screenshots. The theme for the Major Arcana was any Final Fantasy but VII, VIII, IX and X, as those were each going to get their own suit. I stuck to ones I've played, and VI is pretty heavily favored, since that's my favorite pre-VII Final Fantasy.

The World is probably my favorite card in this whole deck, because it looks badass printed. (Yeah, I've already gotten my actual deck. I'm gonna get some good pics of the actual decks for this and the Sailor Moon deck and post them. They look amazing.)

For anyone who might want to print their own copy of the deck, this is my Mediafire link for the files:

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/1dmashk7biy9p/fftarot

And this is the site where I got them printed:

http://www.makeplayingcards.com/design/design-your-own-tarot-cards.html

Please remember, this artwork isn't mine, so it isn't yours either, and you may not print these decks for commercial use, personal use only! If I find that happening I will notify every artist who's art I used and we will stop you.

Sources:

0. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=8425821

1. http://airasan.deviantart.com/art/Balthier-01-69702047

2.http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=27494685#_=_

3. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=31882978#_=_

4. http://nisa-art.tumblr.com/image/56073762135

5. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=33672552

6. Artist koutoubu, no longer online

7. http://randis.deviantart.com/art/Moogle-riding-Chocobo-164458152

8. http://saprophilous.tumblr.com/post/62838645496/sabin-figaro-for-mclau-d

9. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=28454725

10. http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=19977752