Friday, 15 February 2013

The Enchanted Lenormand Oracle

  
Look into my crystal balls. Let the Enchanted Lenormand Oracle tell your fortune!
 This has been my most recent commission- to illustrate a set of 39 divination cards in the style of the petit Lenormand method. It is named after the fortune teller Marie Lenormand in early 19th century France, who famously used it to give readings to Nepoleon and other notoriety of the time. Linked to cartomancy its popularity was widespread throughout Europe but has only recently become popular in the English speaking world. The appeal is in it's simplicity of use. Unlike the tarot where the cards are multi-layed and metaphorical in meaning, the symbols of the Lenormand are basic and can be interpreted in a more literal way. It differs from tarot in many other ways and there is plenty more information about it on the web if you'd like to know more.
The instigator of this project and expert on the Lenormand method is the marvelous Caitlin Matthews who has written a book that accompanies the cards explaining the method, its history and the meaning of each card. There are no other Lenormand decks on the market at the moment that can boast this.
 Here are a set of cards that I printed myself, spread out in numerical order along with close ups of a few of them 


Along with the cards and book there is a large diagram which has numbered places for the cards to be spread out on. I designed this intricately woven tableau so that when the cards are placed they all link up...

 like this-

I predict that The Enchanted Lenormand Oracle will be published by Watkins and released into the world in October. 

Happy divination!


15 comments:

  1. These are STUNNING! Make sure you let us know where they can be bought when they're published! ;)

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  2. Oh my good lordy V!
    These are just beautiful, incredible, delectable!
    You are an inspiration!
    What patience and care. I know how hard you've worked on these, so it's wonderful to be able to see them at long last :)
    Thousand bravos! You should be very proud :)
    xxx R

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  3. these are so gorgeous! I love all the magical and profound details you have created and how they all look together. I look forward to them being published. Congratulations on this huge project!

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  4. The Enchanted Lenormand Oracle is published on 10 October in both UK and USA. There will be a launch day in Glastonbury with workshop so that you can learn to use the cards or sharpen your skills. Www.hallowquest.org.uk will have details at the beginning of March.

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  5. your art in this deck is beyond stunning. I love the way the branches intertwine with each other. Congratulations.

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  6. Oh, these are just lovely! It's so intriguing how you've linked them all together. Painting knotwork is one of those things I can lose myself for hours in.

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  7. Wonderful! Well done, indeed!! I'm looking forward to purchasing this deck. Thank you!

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  8. I dreamt about these the other night. I can't wait to play with them!

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  9. These are lovely...satisfying as little objects too :)

    xxx

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  10. Oh my....this is so beautiful, mystical, magical work you have done here, I want to have it too..!

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  11. I just bought your cards. the artwork ist very beautiful and they would be a delight to work with - if the company making the cards had not chosen to make them so thick. I have shuffled and layed them out maybe six times since I have them, and alredy the rims are destroyed and the pictures are coming off of the thick cardbord underneath. I sincerely hope that they will be re-printed, this time on sturdy playing card material.

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  12. I NEED this deck! LOL! its gorgeous! youre very talented.

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  13. This deck is just soooooo beautiful! Just purchased it as my very first Lenormand deck and found out you have been working with the Hobbit-trilogy. Explains why the imagery spoke to me in the first Place...

    Thank you so much for this gorgeous deck <3

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