Hudes

Hudes Tarot Deck
Susan Hudes (U.S. Games Systems Inc. 1995)

Review
That's not the best scan I've managed yet, which is a shame as this is a deck of lovely delicate detail.

At first glance it might not be apparent what's so special about this deck, until some of the more obvious cards show that the artist has sympathetically mixed conventional painting with old maps, both of earth and sky, as well as engineering diagrams, pre-Gutenberg texts, and the marbled designs found inside book covers on the Victorian era.

The layers are used are not terribly varied, but often appropriate. For example, the Star barges serenely under a map of the constellations. Then again, the use of only a few textures means that the cards of each suit are subtly tied together. And in all fairness, the textures aren't the only artistic skill on display. Perhaps the Minors are a little too simple, and could use a bit more symbolism, but the carefully built-up washes of watercolour, and soft line work are also worth a closer look. It's not a world-shaking deck, but it's beautifully done, and it would be a very lucky or tasteful beginner that learnt with the art of Susan Hudes.