Day 518 of 365 More.
One of my professors back in school used to tell me that the secret to good writing was to kill your darlings. It’s a good lesson, but its one of the hardest things to do. The same seems to be true for art.
With yesterdays’s posts, I’m halfway through the Tarot deck. Only as I’ve mentioned the last couple days I’m kind of unhappy with my Page of Cups. I love the way the card looks, but it just doesn’t fit in thematically with the other pages. It’s been bugging me for two days. I’ve come up with a better idea, so now I think I am going to reshoot it. But the problem is what to do with the card I have now. I’m thinking of making it the nine of cups, which means Happiness, and I think she fits very well there. Of course, I’ll then need to photoshop some fire into the glass, as flame is the theme for the nines, but posing wise, she more or less fits what I wanted to do with that card anyway.
Once I got over the feeling that its ok to change a card, it made another decision easier. When working on the Stu and Jameel pictures, I was really drawn to this shot which honestly, is about perfect for my Lovers card. The problem here is that I’ve already used both of them on other cards, Wheel of Fortune and The Tower respectively. I was never quite happy with the Wheel card. I just thought it looked too artificial. I kind of like the Tower card, but it just isn’t quite as nice as I’d prefer it to be either, and certainly not as nice as they would be together on the Lovers card. So I’m thinking of switching things out. It’s a big step, and I haven’t done it yet. But that’s the way I’m leaning.
So, how do people think those cards will look? Will the Page look good as a 9 with fire? Should I come up with new concepts for the Tower and the Wheel? (I have even been considering having no people on those cards… but that just seems crazy).
You know, I was really rejoicing at being half done. It’s going to suck taking a step backward. But maybe its for the best.
Revise and edit. It is part of the process. If that means coming up with new concepts, so be it. Do you love what you’re doing? Do you want it to be the best it can possibly be? Of course you do. So go ahead and revise the cards.
@marmal8: Love what I’m doing… sure… just very very very tired of it. 🙂 But yeah, I think that’s the right thing to do.
Go ahead and revise the cards. You happened upon something that works better, so go with it.
The people have spoken!
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Seen in my contacts’ photos. (?)
I know my photos will never be as interesting as yours are, but I figured I would join and maybe by forcing myself into a picture a day I will get better. I just wish I had joined on the first of January. Oh well.
@MegaBee: I actually did go ahead and do the lovers card. Haven’t gotten around to changing the page to a 9 yet.
@lrayholly: yep, it seems they have.
@lacychenault: well, you’re plenty creative. you always have been. That’s a good start. I’m just glad to have you aboard.
Revising is a good and healthy part of the creative process. If one of the cards just doesn’t call out to be a card in the deck… well.
That reminds me of an art teacher I used to have who after doing my tarot cards said he was scared of me and would never talk to me again. In all seriousness… something about my aura 😉
@adayinthelife: Yeah, I think its gonna work out well.
@Tyla _1975: So did he actually not talk to you again?