print / thesis / illustrator, photoshop, indesign
2022
plutonian tarot
A non-binary tarot deck for my senior thesis/capstone. This project was presented at RISE Northeastern 2022.
Abstract
How can a three-century-old divination practice be updated to be more accessible, universal, and used for personal metamorphosis? As we enter an age where spirituality and healing generational trauma are increasingly valued, updating this traditional practice to accommodate everyone across the spectrum can be transformative for a wider audience. By diving into visual interpretations of tarot throughout history, collecting physical materials to digitally collage, and re-imagining the “little white book”, this project seeks to highlight the power of externalizing our subconscious and introduce a ritual that has been deeply cathartic and enlightening for many.
process
As a queer person of color with a personal tarot practice, I wanted to create a non-binary and non-figurative deck that would be more accessible and universal.
We kickstarted our projects by designing a poster to capture the essence of our project and updated it throughout the semester.
creating the major arcana
I looked into card meanings, associations, and included elemental symbols to help with memorization. I also looked at other queer and contemporary decks for inspiration—I adopted some of the Numinous Tarot’s non-binary names—changing The Empress to The Nurturer and The High Priestess to The Diviner.
The second step of my process was collecting collage materials, whatever reminded me of each card—both traditional and contemporary associations. Designing the cards was an iterative process—after starting with the first three cards, I decided to create a more consistent system to keep the cards cohesive, including a color palette.
The second step of my process was collecting collage materials, whatever reminded me of each card—both traditional and contemporary associations. Designing the cards was an iterative process—after starting with the first three cards, I decided to create a more consistent system to keep the cards cohesive, including a color palette.
the guidebook (work in progress)![]()
process presentation
next steps
Moving forward, I hope to complete the rest of the deck—the minor arcana—as well as the guidebook via Kickstarter so I can sell and distribute the deck.
I also want to focus on accessibility for vision impairment—that could include braille or adding foil/other textures on the cards.