RenTarot(COMPLETED!)

[yummy]

*faints*
Lordcloudx, you're really good now with coloring. I like all the little details too (especially the earring, even if it's what you know XD )
I'm going to post for the sun!

Swimsuits ftw.

[mikey]

Edit: while talking to FIA and yummy in irc, FIA suggested making her hair purple just like Misato's. Coz mikey likes Misato.

Oh my god! That's amazing, thank you all. You're so nice. I'll finalize and release my LSF@5 game today as a thanks. (EDIT: It's released.)

[Kikered]

I really like the idea of an OELVN-themed tarot deck, and all of the artwork submitted so far is good. =)

If nobody minds, I'd like to take a gander at the Judgement card...

[Kikered]

Here we go!

http://kikered.deviantart.com/art/RenTa ... t-76061560

Time to lurk for another year before posting again.

[Ignosco]

These are looking amazing so far .
I think I want Aleksandra as my death

[herenvardo]

I'm not an artist (technically, I'm sort of, as I've had relative success on writting, but for the topic at hand, I'm not a graphicall artist), so I cannot contribute too much to the project, I've been somehow involved in tarot for a while, and would like to post some comments. Note that I haven't played all the games taken as sources for the cards, so I cannot comment on every card, but here is what I think of some.
Note: I'll be using the Rider Waite tarot as reference because it's the "simplest" one: each card is designed in a way that each symbol on it will stand out for any arbitrary observer.

1) The Magician: Tokho? Sorry, but I cannot agree on that, despite she's the first one I went for when playing the game . She's a magician, of course, but I'd say she's not the tarot's magician. This quote:

On the table in front of the Magician are the symbols of the four Tarot suits, signifying the elements of natural life, which lie like counters before the adept, and he adapts them as he wills.

illustrates my point: Tokho is too close-minded about her own element to see the interconnection of them all, and I think this sight is the basic point represented by the card. Tokho would be a perfect match for a knight of staves, from the symbolic perspective.

2) The High Priestess: Asilana. 100% agree, although I should point out

her role as ambassadour is not as important as her mysticism, or her connection to life itself. In addition, the "spreader of knowledge" role is actually demonstrated during the "tour" through the elven town, isn't it?

. So, while with different reasons, I also think she matches the card.

3) The Empress: Eileen. I don't see this as clear as the previous one, but still agree. I also want to point out:

[...]the card of the Empress signifies the door or gate by which an entrance is obtained into this life[...]

Eileen is indeed the "gate by which an entrance is obtained into this life" of game-making, at least for many of us .
Anyway, while maybe not perfect, and jokes aside, being literally "a teacher about creation" is a solid enough boost for her to take this slot.

5) The Hierophant: Yurika. Long story short: she IS the hierophant .

Her role in the game as the only adult amidst these young and quite childish people, and as the ultimate voice of maturity, makes her the perfect candidate for the slot.

7) The Chariot: I don't know the character, but I'll mention my opinion about the art posted: the background works, but I can't see in this shy-looking girl the meaning of the Chariot card:

An erect and princely figure carrying a drawn sword and corresponding, broadly speaking, to the traditional description which I have given in the first part. On the shoulders of the victorious hero are supposed to be the Urim and Thummim. He has led captivity captive; he is conquest on all planes--in the mind, in science, in progress, in certain trials of initiation. He has thus replied to the sphinx, and it is on this account that I have accepted the variation of Éliphas Lévi; two sphinxes thus draw his chariot. He is above all things triumph in the mind.

The artwork by itself is quite good, but I don't see it as fitting the card's idea.

13) The Death. Once again, I don't know the character, but I disagree on the choice of "The secretary of Death". I mean, being the secretary of death doesn't mean anything; and the art doesn't match the meaning of the card (but I guess this is mostly because the character herself probably doesn't). In a simplified explanation, the tarot's death is not to be taken as a literal death, nor as the end of something, but as the required step to be reborn again, or something that is not right "dying" to evolve into something better. Someone carrying a scythe is simply not enough to represent this idea. As a positive thing, it's worth saying that even the Rider Waite cards, while being the most accepted and spread in the world, also fail in representing the concepts behind this card.

14) The Temperance: Katja: I'd have used different words to justify her choice, but 100% agree. As good a match as Yurika on the hierophant slot

15) The Devil: once more, I don't know the character; but since there is an art piece already posted for her, I think I should at least comment on. I'd say it's barely an ok. The background and the red lighting do a lot, but the girl doesn't look tempting or dangerous enough fot the Devil card. (mugen, note that I'm not trying to judge your art, but just opining on how does it suit the card it's intended to represent).

18) The Moon: Mary: I would completely disagree with the choice, but Qu-ko's wonderful artpiece has been able to change my mind. Are you familiar with tarot? Your drawing is the very essence of the card plasted on the screen. As plain as this.

20) The Judgement: once more, I don't know the character, and I can only base my opinion on the posted art. But before this, I have to point out that this card is the toughest one to interpret in the entire tarot (including the 56 minor arcana that this project is leaving out). If you take two random sources about tarot, explaining this card, chances are quite high that their explanations will counter each other. The only common point is that the card generally has something to do with choices and/or with the consequences of such choices. I guess the art can properly fit that point.

21) The World: Selena: if this project were titled "tarot parody", that would be the perfect match, but for a minimally serious tarot (ie: a real attempt to depict the meaning behind the cards), I must disagree on this choices.

Selena is, from my PoV, an example of absolute failure: her "plans" to rule the world fail completely, and she's even taken by crazy on some endings. The card, however, is suposed to represent the absolute triumph, or the final understanding of the universe. If Selena ended up ruling the world, maybe I could consider it, but it would stil be quite forced.

So, that's what I think. If somebody has a different opinion, I respect that; I was just sharing mine.

[lordcloudx]

There! Happy Now?

[mikey]

if this project were titled "tarot parody", that would be the perfect match, but for a minimally serious tarot...

Hmmm, I'm quoting this a bit out of context, but I think this is the point - it's not a parody tarot, but it's probably not aiming to be all that exact either - it's more or less creating a tarot deck with the (original) characters from all the games made - and in the process remembering the stories and trying to see what fits and so on (a bit nostalgic as well) - plus creating fanart... I think it's a great idea - and the way to understand it is probably that the main focus isn't primarily tarot, but the ren'ai girls. Like... cosplay, I guess, dressing up characters as tarot cards... if this theory makes any sense

[herenvardo]

Actually, I'm not sure what the goal of the project is, maybe F.I.A could post around and clarify it. As I understood it, the idea would be to represent the 22 major arcana of a tarot deck using girls from the games that have poped up from these forums. With so many games around (the Archives show 94, I bet most of them came out from or through LSF), there must be enough girls to fit the 22 cards, and maybe even for an entire tarot. And, beyond any shade of doubt, there is talent enough within these boards to make this a reality. I think I was a bit harsh with the way I refered to Selena's choice, and also with the death and the chariot.
Before going on, I've to remind you that both my previous post and this one express only a personal opinion, and it won't be more valid that someone else's: I'm only one among 979 people in this forums; my opinion shouldn't be taken above others'.

For the case of my comments on Selena as the World card, take it lightly: I didn't think Mary would make a good fit for the Moon as well, but Qu-ko proved my opinion wrong even before I had expressed it. So, who knows? Maybe someone is capable to capture the card's essence in a piece that features her.
About the death, I already pointed out that most tarot decks fail to depict the idea. Actually, my words

Someone carrying a scythe is simply not enough to represent this idea.

were refering to all these cases as well, although re-reading my post I realize that it might easily be taken as if I were refering only to lordcloudx's work. Anyway, I don't understand lordcloudx's last post: this image, while quite abstract, could be able to transmit the meaning; but, imo, taking the character out doesn't seem to fit the overall idea of the project. Maybe someone carrying a scythe is not the way to represent the idea, but it at least shows someone, and that someone can clearly be associated with the card. I think that maybe that girl "passing someone away" could catch the essence while depicting the character... anyway, it'd be good to know what F.I.A thinks about... in the end, who was that started this whole thread?
Finally, about the chariot: I already said that the background works very well with the meaning of the card, but I can't say anything about the character: I haven't played the game, and the girl as depicted doesn't show the essence of the chariot. Maybe, depending on the whole story behind the character, she might be a good match for the card; if so, people who have played the game would see the meaning when seeing her. Since I don't know, I'm downloading the game now; I'll update after I get to know her better

Before finishing, I'd like to ask to their artists: are these images based only on the characters they feature, or do they take the meaning of the card in account? I think that keeping both things in mind could lead to a great result; although that's entirelly up to each of you.

[dreamer]

Alexsandra is death.
The male protagonist is her secretary.
That last image wasn't meant to be taken seriously.

[F.I.A]

If anything, I first thought up of this tarot card idea after seeing some symbols in some of the girls(The World, The Moon, etc). And thus I went and tried to relate characters to certain cards, and had to say I was rather amazed by the result. As written in the first post, I meant it as a 5th anniversary project for me to the forum, but time did not allow that.

One of the reasons for this tarot card project is to make us remember the games made in the past few years(And to introduce them to the newer gamers). For example, why is Alexsandra, such a good looking girl spots a place in [13]Death? Or why is Mary related to [18]The Moon? Those who are curious will try and find the games they are from, and will soon say "Oh, now I get it! She is a...."

Unfortunately, this idea still has a shortcoming. While there are more than 90 games of current, there are some which I cannot really relate to one of the major arcanas. It is rather sad, especially when I wanted to have a piece for each gamemaker.

Of course, if you find the character(s) unfitting, you can always suggest a different one which you think will suit the card. My list is only there as a cooking booklet of sort.

@: mugenjohncel: From your last post in that thread, it seems like you want to take in Marivel as well. Unfortunately, PrettySammy09 beat you to it....

EDIT: Updated the first post with more volunter, and links to finished work. Good work to everyone involved.

[Guest]

So what about this one...

Justice - Framboise(Magical Boutique)

Can I?...

"POOF" (Dissapears)

[Jake]

Before finishing, I'd like to ask to their artists: are these images based only on the characters they feature, or do they take the meaning of the card in account? I think that keeping both things in mind could lead to a great result; although that's entirelly up to each of you.

As it goes, personally, when I get to the drawing part I was intending to go look up what the card 'meant' before starting, at least to bear in mind; if nothing else, it'd be nice to capture a similar 'feel' to existing tarot cards.

But that said, I was under the impression that the illustration didn't really matter all that much for any of the uses of tarot cards, and so long as the viewer could make out which card it was supposed to be it would be fine regardless?

[Vatina]

Finally! *Gasp*

My Yurika card is done. I think. It took me a couple of days work to finish, I think I went a little overboard on this one -_-;; Well, here goes:



I tried to add as many of the symbols from the link FIA gave as possible ^^ (Which made it really hard to draw.... blasted throne and pillars... )
I'll fix her size when there are borders available (and remove my ugly name in the corner - sorry about that)

Before finishing, I'd like to ask to their artists: are these images based only on the characters they feature, or do they take the meaning of the card in account? I think that keeping both things in mind could lead to a great result; although that's entirelly up to each of you.

Well as mentioned I originally wanted to bring some of the symbols along, since I thought it would look good I even tried to dig up some of my mother's tarot cards to look at, but they were so abstract and weird that I discarded them in the end ^^;

[monele]

Woaah ^___^... She looks stunning