Elemental Strength Tarot

This is a 78-card tarot deck that features the energy of colors and the symbolism of the four elements as a formula for interpretation.

From the Elemental Strength Tarot Deck product description

Sometimes, all I want from a tarot deck might be color and visual impact. Something that catches my eye and won't let go. The Elemental Strength Tarot deck offers just that: vibrant colors and beautiful images. It's fun to look at, but that's not all. The individual cards together also form a bigger picture showing the connection between the tarot cards.

The creator of this tarot deck explains that it was developed through thorough research and personal reflection, capturing the process of self-healing during life's challenging times. The goal was to design a visually appealing, easy-to-use, emotionally powerful and straightforward deck of cards. The cards' bright colors and soothing images are meant to give readers hope when facing difficulties. In my opinion, the deck succeeds at this goal.

I'll have to admit that some part of me thought this deck would be a hoax, considering how little information is available online about the artist or the studio. It didn't help the feeling that their Kickstarter page said that they were based in Canada, but everything else was heavily Chinese. Or that the project was created by Deck Chi and did not match the studio or the artists. Boy, I'm glad to be wrong. The quality is amazing, and everything was delivered as promised.

Pros	Cons
+ Beautiful art full of colours	- The guidebook could be more extensive
+ Available in two different sizes	- Sketchy background
+ Good quality paper stock

About the Creator

I could not find much information about the artist of the deck. However, according to the deck's Kickstarter page, her name is Lynne. Lynne is said to be an experienced visual designer in the tech industry and a personal illustrative artist. She says that her venture into the world of tarot design marked a significant personal breakthrough for her as a tarot reader. The company behind the deck seems to be Montrio Studio (or Deck Chi, according to their Kickstarter page), but not a lot of information about them is available either.

Cards and the Artwork

The kit is available in two different sizes: normal and pocket. The standard size is 70x120mm and uses 350GSM art paper. The cards have a poker oil finish, which makes them easy to shuffle. In addition, the standard-size cards have gold foil accents on the backs and laser black edging.

For those who prefer a more compact option, the pocket-sized cards are a practical choice that fits collections perfectly. Measuring 56x104mm, these cards are printed on 310GSM black core paper and feature a matte black edge. They also have a poker oil finish, ensuring easy shuffling. While they do not have gold foil accents on the card backs, both sizes come in a flip-top magnetic box, making them easy to carry and use wherever you go.

The backs of the cards are not just a design; they're a window into the elemental world. They feature a six-pointed star composed of the four elemental symbols, surrounded by radiating colorful flames of energy. This unique design fits the overall theme of the deck and makes it fun to read. The deck box also shares the same symbol but is instead gold foiled, adding a touch of elegance to the set.

The Elemental Strength Tarot deck draws inspiration from the ancient Greek theory of the four elements—fire, water, air, and earth—and their associated colors and meanings. This creative mixing of elements and colors gives the Major and Minor Arcana an exciting perspective. In the Major Arcana, characters have been transformed into pure concepts of elemental energy, reflecting their underlying energies through skin color and external identities represented by clothing and adornments.

The Minor Arcana uses elemental sprites called "Salamanders," "Undines," "Sylphs," and "Gnomes" to represent the elemental forces and characteristics of the respective suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. These elemental beings are deeply connected to the tarot's imagery, symbolizing passion and energy, emotional depth, intellect and thought, and material prosperity, respectively. The colors and elemental symbolism make it easy for beginners to use the deck.

One of my favorite features of this deck is that when put together, all the suits' cards form a single picture. This reminds me of the Fool's journey and the transformations that tarot is all about.

The Guidebook of Elemental Strength Tarot

The guidebook, presented in both Chinese and English, is 37 pages long. While the space may seem limited, I was pleasantly surprised by the content despite my initial expectations.

The guidebook caught me off guard because it doesn't just provide generic information about the cards. Instead, it offers beautifully crafted, card-specific snippets that read like engaging short stories about the elementals depicted on the cards.

Engaging descriptions are rare in short guidebooks, in my experience. However, including some keywords would have made the guidebook better for beginners and wouldn't have taken much effort, either.

Conclusion

Elemental Strength Tarot is a good deck for beginners and those who like elemental powers. The cards are colorful, and the art style is beautiful. What surprised me about this deck was its quality. The cards are durable and easy to shuffle, making this one of my favorite decks this year. The pocket-sized edition is a fun addition to any collection, but the standard size makes the art really pop.