Deviant Moon Tarot [Cards]

Patrick Valenza (Author)

Product Details

• Cards: 78 pages
• Publisher: United States Games Systems; 1st edition (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572816112
• ISBN-13: 978-1572816114
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age > Divination > Tarot

More About the Author

Tarot of the Deviant Moon was created using various forms of photographic manipulation. Each card starts with a complete drawing. The work is scanned into the computer where I apply various photographic textures. Nineteenth century tombstones provide most of the clothes worn by the citizens of the Deviant Moon. I bent, twisted, and reformed my photos to become capes, boots, hats and trim. One of the best parts of creating the deck was "hunting" for specific textures as I respectfully tiptoed around the graveyards of eastern Long Island, N.Y. Background buildings were created with photographs I took from a local abandoned insane asylum. Rotted doors, windows and walls became castles, factories and cities.

My character stylization was influenced by ancient Greek art, yet I gave them a slightly abstracted twist. I chose to draw them in a flat, playing card style, rendering them with heavy light and shadows. The figures were then placed in a shallow background.
As I worked, different styles emerged, and before long the characters evolved into the moon-faced beings seen in the cards.

Symbolism for the deck comes from childhood dreams and imagination that carried itself into my adult world. I have always seen the melancholy side of life and have sought to express my visions through the characters I create. The moon has always been a psychic friend to me. As the sentinel of the night, it feeds my dreams and casts a strange glow on the way I see the colors of reality.

Nothing has had a greater influence over my art then the tarot itself. I first discovered the tarot at the age of nine. I was captivated by the unique characters I saw on each card and studied the artwork intensely. My favorites were the old 19th century and medieval decks. While my classmates where drawing what children normally do, I was busy making my own little pictures of the fool or the magician. Over the years I have made many attempts to create my own deck, but never completed more then a few cards each time. I held the ideas of my early random creations and revitalized them here in the Deviant Moon.

Physically, this deck has taken over three years to complete, although it is at least thirty years in the making. It is not only a testament to my art, but a record of my life.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Deck With Sumptuous Textures, Masterful Artistry and Utter Originality, June 9, 2008

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Deviant Moon Tarot (Cards)

"While the physical deck has taken over three years to complete, from an inspirational standpoint, Deviant Moon Tarot has been at least thirty years in the making. It is not only a testament to my art, but a record of my life." - Patrick Valenza, from the LWB (Little White Book)

I've seen hundreds of Tarot decks over the years, and I can honestly say there is nothing on the market that rivals the sumptuous textures, masterful artistry and utter originality of the Deviant Moon Tarot.

For months now, several images of the Deviant Moon Tarot were posted to the web, capturing the imagination of Tarot enthusiasts worldwide. Many were clamoring for news, more card images and a definitive release date with an almost desperate excitement.

Tarot fans, rejoice! U.S. Games has now unleashed the highly anticipated Deviant Moon Tarot upon the world! And let me tell you, if the exquisite, highly-detailed online images whetted your appetite, the actual deck goes above and beyond expectation! (After my deck arrived in the mail, I was almost shaking trying to unwrap the cellophane.)

As Patrick revealed in my interview with him a few months ago, he created each image made by manipulating digital photographs taken of 18th century tombstones. He noted:

"I would explore cemeteries and abandoned buildings, taking many photos of textures or objects of interest to blend into my drawings. Rotted doors and windows became buildings and structures, while tombstones parts were fabricated into clothes, accessories, or even the citizens themselves. I like to think the photos contain some of the `spirit' found in the places I have visited, and that perhaps some of their energy will reflect in the cards I have made."

As you can tell, the Deviant Moon Tarot blows me away. One of the reasons is Patrick's ornate and captivating rendering of the Aces. In most Tarot decks, the Aces are relegated to a singular suit symbol with minimal artistry; however, in the Deviant Moon Tarot, the Aces are lavishly illustrated.

Replete with arresting beings with unusual bodies, moonlike faces combine with anatomy reptilian, humanoid, mechanic and alien. The King of Pentacles wears a crown of smoking black industrial chimneys while the King of Wands shepherds playful children with tree-like heads.

In the amusing Five of Cups, a nagging wife reams out her husband for presumably spilling three of the cups while her hen-pecked husband holds his ears against her shrillness. In the Five of Pentacles card, a milky three-fingered and toed creature with pendulous, pointed silver-tipped breasts creeps around a building housing a giant peering eye. (According to the LWB, she is a woman of ill repute).

The Deviant Moon expands on Rider-Waite imagery with a gloriously twisted perspective, reflecting common associations in dazzling patterns, striking colors, and surprising juxtapositions (e.g. a tree that bleeds red, a Page that has created himself out of spare parts and a sharp-dressed masked armless woman with a wheel for a left "foot"). The 9 of Cups, usually deemed the "Wish Card", aptly depicts a genie who's just emerged from a child's magic lamp.

Surprisingly illuminating, the 41-page LWB provides upright and reversed meanings as well as a brief commentary on each card (which is especially helpful for some of the puzzling depictions). Some of the meanings I hadn't heard before, such as the 5 of Wands indicating "conflict with neighbors", the 8 of Swords can pointing towards censorship and the 5 of Cups revealing marital strife.

The slick, glossy cards measure approximately 5 ¼ x 2 ¾ inches with a rather muted moon motif in earth tones comprising the reversible backings. This Premier Edition of the Deviant Moon Tarot also comes with a custom 17 x 20 inch spread sheet with Patrick's comprehensive 10-card Lunatic Spread.

I knew I'd love the deck when I got it, but I had reservations if such a bizarre yet stunning offering would "read" well. I'm pleased to report that not only is the Deviant Moon Tarot a solid reading deck, but also unexpectedly insightful. Even when I first began looking at the cards, phrases would pop into my head describing possible meanings for what I saw.

So despite the unusual characters populating the world of the Deviant Moon, they still speak messages relevant and purposeful to discerning individuals. This would make a great journaling deck, too, as well as one for comparative Tarot studies.

Art deck aficionados will want to have the Deviant Moon Tarot for their collection as well as those in the market for a decidedly offbeat deck. As reluctant as I am to say it, I don't think this deck will appeal to *everyone* nor would it necessarily be a good first deck for those wanting to devote themselves to studying the Tarot. However, the Deviant Moon Tarot contains amazing gifts for the beholder and the LWB is better than most for explaining card meanings.

Patrick Valenza's illustrations are so magnificently dramatic and unique that I hope U.S. Games comes out with a coffee book version of this deck, as well as an array of related giftware and art prints. I know that I'd definitely be in line for all things Deviant Moon!

(To see 16 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this deck-----, July 10, 2008

By 

Anonymous (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deviant Moon Tarot (Cards)

Most RW clones leave me cold--how many times can you repeat the same themes? It seems to me that with each derivation of the RW deck, the symbolism gets watered down.

NOT SO with this deck. Under the watchful eye of the moon, the tarot story develops. This deck also depicts the duality of existance, with the combination sun/moon faces. The graphics are somewhat unique (the Empress has 3 breasts, and on the Lovers card the snake bites the female on the leg.) The different symbology on the cards adds extra depth and meaning. Conventional wisdom usually states to use your own intuition and not use the LWB (little white book) that comes with the cards. . .but in this case the LWB is useful for explanation of some of the imagery.

I've done some test readings with the deck and the results were on point. If you want to check out more images of the cards check out Patrick's website. Well done.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take A Walk On the Dark Side, August 30, 2008

By 

Thomas "tomsde" (Newark, DE, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Deviant Moon Tarot (Cards)

To say The Deviant Moon Tarot deck is just another deck in Rider Waite Smith tradition would be an understatement. The deck takes you into another world of ying/yang insectoid creatures populating a bleak industrial landscape. Patrick Valenza subliminally inserted images from cemataries and an abandonded insane asylum into the images. My first impression upon my receipt of the deck that it was too dark for me to do readings with for people I ordinarily would read for; but for those whose tastes lean to the unusual I'm sure it would work fine. The symbolism of the images maintain traditional interpretations in most cases, but give it a new twist. I think this is an excellent deck for collectors as well as those whose tastes and insights gravitate towards dark imaginings. Valenza is a talented surrealist, and more than just in a deck of cards, the images belong in a museum as each are a unique work of art, making the old new again and reinterpreting it for our times.