drawing – CatMystic

I am participating in the #tarot78days challenge which is being hosted by The Bookish Fox – instagram here and weblog here. You can read the first post in this series here.

X – Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune represents the ever-changing cycles of life, like a wheel these cycles are unending. This card reminds me of the medieval poem “O Fortuna”. The poem speaks of fate being a ‘monstrous and empty whirling wheel’.

“O Fortune, like the moon you are changeable, ever waxing and waning; hateful life first oppresses and then soothes as fancy takes it”

Carmina Burana, from where O Fortuna comes, was set to music by Carl Orff, it is a wonderful piece of opera.

Wheel of Fortune drawing

I experimented with different paper and pencils with this drawing. I still need to pick up a couple of proper lead pencils for sketching rather than a standard pencil, however for colouring I used a set of Derwent Rexel Cumberland watercolour pencils that my husbitect gave to me. The paper I used was from a sketch book I found at a local dollar store, it was only $2.50 but very nice quality. I really enjoyed the shading I could do with the watercolour pencils. I felt quite proud of this drawing!

In writing this post I cam across Derwent’s website and discovered their fabulous video tutorials.

Tarot Deck used: Cat’s Eye Tarot by Debra M. Givin. Website: Cat’s Eye Tarot

I am participating in the #tarot78days challenge which is being hosted by The Bookish Fox – instagram here and weblog here. You can read the first post in this series here.

Cat's Eye Tarot - The Lovers

VI The Lovers

I took some in-progress shots with my drawing of The Lovers card:

I used a proper sketchbook this time as I think the loose leaf A4 paper I had been using isn’t good for drawing or colouring. After a lesson from my husbitect in shading, I feel a bit more confident! This is the most drawing I have done in years.

The two main figures on this card, the feline lovers, are reclining inside a house on a plush, purple window seat. The richness of the fabrics suggests luxury and comfort. The body language of the cats also suggests comfort; familiarity and love.

The female cat gazes ahead while the male cat appears to be gazing off to one side and through the window. Behind them, through the window we see green grass, trees and a sleek black cat running along a stone wall. Is the male cat gazing at the black cat outside? Is he perhaps debating between his world of luxury & comfort and the freedom of the natural world outdoors?

In Rachel Pollack’s ‘Tarot Wisdom’, I read that the Golden Dawn linked this card with Gemini, the twins, and the idea of choice and possibilities. The main feeling I get from this card is similar – the contrast between the plush domestic world indoors and the wild freedom of nature.

Link to my Instagram post: The Lovers

Tarot Deck used: Cat’s Eye Tarot by Debra M. Givin. Website: Cat’s Eye Tarot
Book Referenced : Tarot Wisdom by Rachel Pollack.