HP Tarot thumbnails - The Devil
I didn't expect to feel so satisfied with a composition that I had to redesign and re-think several times over since that usually leads to stagnation, but then I drew a big black blob and suddenly it worked. Please feedback to how well it works, because I want it to have an emotional impact a little bit.
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"... [Riddle] sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognisable." - Albus Dumbledore *
The Devil warns against being trapped by ignorance, overindulgence, materialism, and all those corruptive things. Rather than using Voldemort, I chose to depict young Tom Riddle, when he still had a chance at breaking out of his unfortunate mold, but chose to follow the path of egotism and hatred instead.
Notable art bits:
1. This is a very different layout from the previous version of the card. I still like the original concept a fair amount and would have used it, but I don't want two green Dark Mark cards in a row. So instead I went with the Creepy Horror Movie Child version. The style guide for this card shall be attributed to Linda Bergkvist, in particular this picture but also others. I can only HOPE that I'll live up to it.
1.5. This is kind of an intricate card so let me explain. I did still want to have the Dark Mark in here, so I imagine it as one of several doodles little Tom drew (burned??) on the wall next to his bed, as kids are wont to do, in designing his trademark identity. (I'm also thinking of this scenario that I saw posted somewhere about Riddle doodling his name in his books like a teenage girl:
Tom Riddle
Tom Marvolo Riddle
Thomas Riddle
T.M. Riddle
T.M.Revolution
Lord Thingy
*~* Lord Marvolo *~
and so forth. But I digress.) However, in the course of playing with his powers he also discovered that he could make the little snake come alive, and perform as he wished. Which leads to...
2. The traditional Devil is holding loose chains around the necks of a male and a female figure, symbolizing that they are enslaved by their greed and materialism and other base wants, but they are also free to escape if only they made the attempt. In both this and the old concept, this is represented by Riddle allowing himself to be wrapped up by the snake coming out of the Dark Mark - his own power-hungry thinking. The larger shadow on the wall is like the consequences of "playing with matches" - it's on the verge of snapping him up.
3. I quite liked, and was tempted by, the concept I saw in one other HP tarot deck that shall go unnamed, where Voldemort is holding the chains enslaving Bellatrix (lust) and Wormtail (weakness). The symbolism is strong, however I ultimately feel that it's off-track, because I don't think Voldemort himself is THE higher, conceptual driving force of corruption - rather, he himself is the victim of it, then drew followers who were already predisposed to violence and prejudice. On the other hand, Pettigrew and particularly Bellatrix aren't particularly representative of the corrupted souls who could save themselves - they are actually more one-dimensional stereotypes than the characterization Voldemort's been given. Can you imagine Bella at any point slipping off the chain and redeeming herself? Don't think so.
3.5. One might argue that Tom Riddle was born a psychopath and never had much goodness to corrupt to begin with. The characterization is apt, however I quote from the creator herself: "[Merope's love potion] was a symbolic way of showing that he came from a loveless union - but of course, everything would have changed if Merope had survived and raised him herself and loved him." There are some kids who are psychopaths no matter how you try to raise them, but I feel that all Riddle needed was some knowing attention and guidance at a much younger age while he was developing his powers and identity. As to whether Merope was a strong enough woman to do that, well that's a bit more questionable.
4. In my mind, Riddle is left-handed because it's the sinister hand. No offense to you lefties out there, I love southpaws really :P
5. You also can't really make this out at all but under his bed, along with his slippers, are his trophies won from the other orphans - a marble, a harmonica, Billy Stubb's rabbit or some other poor pet who met a similar fate. I've done my share of lurking on the tarot forums and have heard the more sensitive readers complain of blood or disturbing imagery in some otherwise normal decks, and I'd hate to alienate anyone that way with my artistic vision, but then again, the Harry Potter series isn't exactly all fluffy rainbow cakes. So onward ho!
5.5. However, I do kind of feel like this picture came out of a different, more gothic-type deck. It doesn't deviate too much from my style does it guys? Especially if I give it a little more color (it's not grayscale or sepia-toned)?
* I like this quote quite a bit:
"The time is long gone when I could frighten you with a burning wardrobe and force you to make repayment for your crimes. But I wish I could, Tom... I wish I could..." - Albus Dumbledore
But it doesn't really describe the concept of the card with the excess, materialism, closemindedness etc...
Heh, from this point on, I've got 4 more character cards, two of which I'll probably be doing next, and then all the rest are scenes from the last book. Maybe I subconsciously didn't want to get to them because they're not quite as ingrained into my HP-mindscape. :P
-----
"... [Riddle] sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognisable." - Albus Dumbledore *
The Devil warns against being trapped by ignorance, overindulgence, materialism, and all those corruptive things. Rather than using Voldemort, I chose to depict young Tom Riddle, when he still had a chance at breaking out of his unfortunate mold, but chose to follow the path of egotism and hatred instead.
Notable art bits:
1. This is a very different layout from the previous version of the card. I still like the original concept a fair amount and would have used it, but I don't want two green Dark Mark cards in a row. So instead I went with the Creepy Horror Movie Child version. The style guide for this card shall be attributed to Linda Bergkvist, in particular this picture but also others. I can only HOPE that I'll live up to it.
1.5. This is kind of an intricate card so let me explain. I did still want to have the Dark Mark in here, so I imagine it as one of several doodles little Tom drew (burned??) on the wall next to his bed, as kids are wont to do, in designing his trademark identity. (I'm also thinking of this scenario that I saw posted somewhere about Riddle doodling his name in his books like a teenage girl:
Tom Riddle
Tom Marvolo Riddle
Thomas Riddle
T.M. Riddle
T.M.Revolution
Lord Thingy
*~* Lord Marvolo *~
and so forth. But I digress.) However, in the course of playing with his powers he also discovered that he could make the little snake come alive, and perform as he wished. Which leads to...
2. The traditional Devil is holding loose chains around the necks of a male and a female figure, symbolizing that they are enslaved by their greed and materialism and other base wants, but they are also free to escape if only they made the attempt. In both this and the old concept, this is represented by Riddle allowing himself to be wrapped up by the snake coming out of the Dark Mark - his own power-hungry thinking. The larger shadow on the wall is like the consequences of "playing with matches" - it's on the verge of snapping him up.
3. I quite liked, and was tempted by, the concept I saw in one other HP tarot deck that shall go unnamed, where Voldemort is holding the chains enslaving Bellatrix (lust) and Wormtail (weakness). The symbolism is strong, however I ultimately feel that it's off-track, because I don't think Voldemort himself is THE higher, conceptual driving force of corruption - rather, he himself is the victim of it, then drew followers who were already predisposed to violence and prejudice. On the other hand, Pettigrew and particularly Bellatrix aren't particularly representative of the corrupted souls who could save themselves - they are actually more one-dimensional stereotypes than the characterization Voldemort's been given. Can you imagine Bella at any point slipping off the chain and redeeming herself? Don't think so.
3.5. One might argue that Tom Riddle was born a psychopath and never had much goodness to corrupt to begin with. The characterization is apt, however I quote from the creator herself: "[Merope's love potion] was a symbolic way of showing that he came from a loveless union - but of course, everything would have changed if Merope had survived and raised him herself and loved him." There are some kids who are psychopaths no matter how you try to raise them, but I feel that all Riddle needed was some knowing attention and guidance at a much younger age while he was developing his powers and identity. As to whether Merope was a strong enough woman to do that, well that's a bit more questionable.
4. In my mind, Riddle is left-handed because it's the sinister hand. No offense to you lefties out there, I love southpaws really :P
5. You also can't really make this out at all but under his bed, along with his slippers, are his trophies won from the other orphans - a marble, a harmonica, Billy Stubb's rabbit or some other poor pet who met a similar fate. I've done my share of lurking on the tarot forums and have heard the more sensitive readers complain of blood or disturbing imagery in some otherwise normal decks, and I'd hate to alienate anyone that way with my artistic vision, but then again, the Harry Potter series isn't exactly all fluffy rainbow cakes. So onward ho!
5.5. However, I do kind of feel like this picture came out of a different, more gothic-type deck. It doesn't deviate too much from my style does it guys? Especially if I give it a little more color (it's not grayscale or sepia-toned)?
* I like this quote quite a bit:
"The time is long gone when I could frighten you with a burning wardrobe and force you to make repayment for your crimes. But I wish I could, Tom... I wish I could..." - Albus Dumbledore
But it doesn't really describe the concept of the card with the excess, materialism, closemindedness etc...
Heh, from this point on, I've got 4 more character cards, two of which I'll probably be doing next, and then all the rest are scenes from the last book. Maybe I subconsciously didn't want to get to them because they're not quite as ingrained into my HP-mindscape. :P