I wasn’t sure about this idea at first, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
In the Tarot, there are opposing suits. Swords Staffs and Cups Coins. I wanted to illustrate that within my set, and I thought the three’s would be a good place to do that. Every three will be based upon the concept of reflections, with the model being garbed and styled in the opposing suit, while they are reflected in a mirror (or some other reflective surface) with their true nature.
This one stars Laurie. More shots of her coming later.
EDIT: Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m wondering if I should drop the left bar altogether and just let people wonder if it’s a mirror or two different girls. Opinions?
Love this idea, but I didn’t realize it was a reflection until I read your description. I thought it was 2 girls. Can you do something to make it more evident that she’s looking in a mirror? I don’t know for sure, but maybe a frame around the mirror that’s more evident? Maybe I’m the only one that will have this issue… if so, then… nevermind 🙂
@lrayholly: yeah, I was afraid of that, she’s actually standing directly in front of the bar on the other side of the mirror and I was afriad people wouldn’t get it. I could fake a frame further outside if people think it will help, but I was hoping it would seem more natural without it.
I will say that I was really impressed by Laurie’s ability to look like a different person. I asked her to look like a preppy mall chick and then like a punk club girl, and I can hardly tell its the same person and I was standing right in front of her.
I really thought they were different people. In fact – while I see it – I’m having to force the "oh, yeah…" because, well, they/she looks different.
Maybe it’ll be clearer when the other threes are done? Or maybe if her hair was the same color? I got nothing, but I like the idea! I’m just – apparently – blind.
@Princess Diablo: at one point, I did consider using the person who was starring on the opposite card, but decided against it, mostly because it would be too much work, but also because I was going for a duality kind of thing, where the mirror is reflecting your own true nature. Maybe the others will help. We’ll see. Do you think I should redraw the mirror as my mom suggested?
Oh and her hair is the same color. Its just that the staff processing does something different to it than the sword processing does. But I kind of like that its more vibrant in the sword reflection.
Regarding your idea of letting the viewer wonder. I don’t think anybody would wonder, they would just assume it’s 2 girls… without the description you wouldn’t think about it being a reflection. They are just too different… THAT’S good, but I think you need to do something to reinforce the mirror idea.
@lrayholly: I dunno. That’s what I’m saying. Maybe I’ll drop the mirror idea. Do it more like clones. I dunno. I was thinking about some of the other cards, and I’m not sure I want it to be strict reflections. On the other hand I could draw a really ornate mirror in there. I dunno.
Yeah, I think you need to make it clearer that it is a mirror. The clones thing – while cool – I’m not sure fits with "sorrow." Looking into a mirror and seeing something else, someone else with their eyes downcast, seems fitting somehow. Just a different dressed clone I’m not so sure about.
And you don’t need to be stuck with mirrors. Your cups could be a water reflection (and maybe the reflection in the water being the only color on the card.) But as it is, it is unclear. I honestly didn’t notice the line on the side of the card was the mirror until you pointed it out…I thought it was there to take away the straight lines of the rest of the card and give more of a disjointed mood.
I like it, but as it stands now, I didn’t get that it is her reflection.
@Princess Diablo: yeah. Maybe I will try adding a more ornate mirror sometime soon. If I do, I’ll upload a new one in a few days.
And the cups card is going to be water. That’s actually what I was practicing for with this pic.
Added a revised one here: