The Ink Witch Tarot is a unique and captivating tarot deck that combines the art of tattooing with the symbolism of tarot. Created by a talented tattoo artist and tarot enthusiast, this deck offers a fresh and modern perspective on the traditional tarot readings. What sets the Ink Witch Tarot apart is its intricate and highly detailed artwork, which is reminiscent of the fine line work and shading commonly found in tattoo art. Each card tells a story through its vibrant colors and delicate lines, making it a feast for the eyes and a pleasure to interpret. The deck consists of 78 cards, including the 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Major Arcana cards feature powerful archetypes and universal themes that can provide deep insights and guidance.
Ink Witch Tarot by Eric Maille
A while back I reviewed the book The Cards: The Evolution and Power of Tarot by Prof. Patrick Maille. Eric Maille is his son, an artist, and the creator of the Ink Witch Tarot. Maille is an Oklahoma-based artist and illustrator whose works explore “the irony that we as humans often feel poorly equipped to live out that experience, struggling against our environments, the people around us, and our own emotions” (per his artist statement). And you’re going to find that theme at the heart of these beautiful illustrations.
The art style here reminds me of haboku, a form of traditional Japanese ink brush painting that’s done in monochrome, expressing depth through sharp uses of contrast, an art style that tends to be impressionistic, soft, and flowing.
What is so compelling about the Ink Witch Tarot is the storytelling, and Maille’s artistic interpretations of each tarot card. In Key 0, I see The Fool as the bird, who appears to be in a precarious position, but the way that cage is about to fall off the tabletop, the door will swing open and that bird will be freed. If you view The High Priestess illustration as an in-process chess game, either the other side’s pawn is about to take the bishop or the bishop is about to take the other side’s king. Meanwhile both sides’ queens are side by side in the foreground, reminiscent of the traditional High Priestess’s twin pillars.
The stories span a vast timeline of human memory. Some feel more recent, like how the Strength card and Justice are depicted, while others evoke mythology. I love that The Hanged Man is Odin with his ravens, and Death reminds me of Persephone with the pomegranate from Hades.
Speaking of that pomegranate, it is the only instance of color in the entire sepia-toned deck.
The scene in The Devil card connects it back to The Lovers and that Tower card gives me such pause– what’s the story there? How is that figure in the card going to get out of that situation? Assuming it’s set in the United States, or a country where the driver’s seat is on the left, that figure is sitting passenger.
In the above photo I arranged The Star (a shooting star surrounded by the seven sisters), The Moon (showing the moon phases), and The Sun (a view of our solar system) side by side as a triptych because I love how the three cosmic landscapes connect. Anubis is Judgement and that’s an emotional depiction of the world tree in Key XXI.
The illustrations in the Wands suit are my favorite. I love the juxtaposition of magic and science in the Ace of Wands and Two of Wands.
There are some cards where Maille has gone with an interpretation of the themes that I’m not as familiar with. In the Five of Wands, for instance, I tend to read this card as strife but also opportunity presented in that strife. There’s also some sort of a competitive spirit underlying that strife. In Marseilles decks, if you follow Mathers’ card interpretations, the Five of Wands indicates gain, while the Papus interpretation is that of victory after confronting your opposition.
Here, in Maille’s Five of Wands, that imagery evokes in me migration, seeking opportunity in pastures beyond. That feels more faithful to a synthesis of the numerology for Five and the adventurous, exploratory spirit of the Wands.
Classically, for the Six of Wands, the keyword that comes immediately to mind is victory, and therefore some sort of advancement, i.e., steps forward. Here we see a carousel, so while positive emotions are inspired by that imagery, I also think of progress that’s ultimately going to be circular. The thing is– that’s an accurate, true-to-life divinatory result I often get when the Six of Wands comes up as a prognostication of the future. So this works for me. I might call it a non-traditional interpretation, but it works nonetheless.
I found Ink Witch to be a chatty deck, which just means that the artist has given me, the tarot reader, so many plot points to work with in each work of art. There’s an agape Love that I read into that Ace of Cups, while the Two of Cups feels like a romantic date. The Four of Cups is adorable and a fun play on the familiar RWS imagery for this card– instead of rejecting the offering of a fourth chalice by ignoring it, here the cat is rejecting the fourth chalice by knocking it off the table.
The Five of Cups is another non-traditional interpretive approach and I’m here for it. My edition of the deck didn’t come with a little white booklet, and while these cards are easy to read with because Maille has already given you so much to work with, I do find myself curious about the artist’s interpretations for specific cards.
Maille does not shy away from challenging imagery, and that’s most prominent here in the suit of Swords. That Eight of Swords is so clever, though, isn’t it? It brilliantly conveys the sense of being stuck, restrained in place, but it’s illusory, and there is a way out, if you apply reason. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such ingenuity in interpreting the Swords suit as we see here in the Ink Witch Tarot.
I love the Arthurian vibe of that Ace of Swords, and I’m intrigued by this more aggressive interpretation of a stalemate in the Two of Swords.
For this Nine of Pentacles– before seeing the “IX” or counting the number of pentacles in the sky– I intuitively assumed was the Ten of Pentacles. Oops. =) Whereas, if you look at the Ten of Pentacles (below), its imagery reminds RWS readers of the Nine of Pentacles. I wonder if that was an intentional play by the artist.
How Maille has reinterpreted the Three of Pentacles as an artist demonstrates why I love this deck so much. I get a fresh perspective of the tarot. As an artist, Maille is very much inspired by comic book art, where a single frame has to tell a multi-layered story, forwarding the main plot, implying sub-plots, expressing emotion, with dynamic energy in the lines that will reinforce the dialogue. And all of that comes through in Maille’s illustration work.
By the way, check out Maille’s online art portfolio, especially the page of his full-color bird illustrations, where each work is titled after a deity, like Icarus, Prometheus, Pandora, Medusa, Ariadne… (. ) I want a bird-themed oracle deck featuring those works of art, where the birds are messengers of gods and goddesses! How amazing would that deck be!
Are you getting a Horned One Cernunnos implication in that King of Wands, or is that just me? And I think of a fairy godmother when I see that Queen of Wands. And love how the Knight of Wands is taking a selfie with a camera phone!
The depictions on the courts expand my approach to interpreting tarot courts, but still make perfect sense to me. For example, when I see the imagery on that Knight of Wands, I think of conceit, both in its Renaissance etymological roots of wit and fancy and the sense of self-admiration. Once you think that through, it makes sense for the Knight of Wands, even if that isn’t my typical first thought about the card in the original RWS.
The fish surfing on a wave in a teacup that is the Page of Cups conveys eccentricity, so when that card comes up in a reading, that’s going to be the key personality trait in play. The starry sky pattern on the cloak of the Knight of Cups expresses the court card’s elemental chemistry: Air (Knight) in Water (Cups).
There’s something altogether intriguing about the Kings from the active suits (Wands and Swords) centering on a personality, while the Kings from the passive suits (Cups and Pentacles) center on an object and its landscape setting. And a Joan of Arc reference in the Queen of Swords? You got me. I’m now irreversibly partial to this deck. (Though personally, I’ll just say that I tend to see Joan of Arc as more Page of Swords-y than Queen, but in terms of her status in the collective consciousness today? Yah, definitely Queen of Swords.)
The Ink Witch Tarot is a hand-drawn deck in pen and ink that spell-crafts with a pen. Maille’s Etsy shop describes his work as “witchy and queer-friendly art,” to which I’d also add covers an eclectic range of cultural iconic references.
Maille’s art is at once both cohesive in theme yet far-ranging in tone. The above card of the maneki-neko cat as the Knight of Pentacles is full of charm, and yet tones range into the poignant and heartbreaking, especially in the suit of Swords.
The Ink Witch Tarot tugs at my heartstrings. I can just cycle through these cards and admire the artwork meditatively for hours. The deck also reads beautifully. RWS readers will have no trouble at all.
Buy the Ink Witch Tarot on Etsy
FTC Disclosure: In accordance with Title 16 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 255, “Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising,” I received The Ink Witch Tarot from the creator for prospective review. Everything I’ve said here is sincere and accurately reflects my opinion of the deck.
Ink Witch Tarot
The Ink Witch Tarot Deck is a lovely deck rendered with a vivid spectrum of warm and cool grey tones, with rare and subtle hints of color scattered throughout.
It is loosely based on the Rider-Waite-Smith featuring traditional themes and symbols found in many tarot decks, with a few modern twists. You’ll encounter illustrations that reference Norse and Greek myth, pagan witches, fairy tales, Arthurian legend, as well as the subtle but powerful magic of every day life in the 21st century.
The Creator
Eric Maille says " I didn't necessarily set out to make an explicitly queer deck, but I think that any time you make art and really put your heart into it, your identity will show up; whether that's your gayness, or the stories and folktales you love, or in my case both. In general, m y work is an exploration of the challenges of the human experience and the discovery of the “self.” It describes the irony that we as humans often feel poorly equipped to live out that experience, struggling against our environments, the people around us, and our own emotions. My art celebrates the simple but noble action of living out a human life, and criticises the ways we impede the lives of others."
You can find Eric on his website or Instagram
The Specs
- Standard sized 78 card deck
- Beautiful vibrant grayscale illustrations with subtle hints of color
In addition to the base deck, the Ink Witch Tarot Extension cards, which are sold separately, can be found here.
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The Ink Witch Tarot
The Ink Witch Tarot is an eclectic deck that draws inspiration from the Rider Waite Smith tarot, Greek, Egyptian and Norse Mythology, Arthurian legends, European folk stories and fairy tales, and the magic to be found in every day life and experiences. It combines all of these ideas, yet it feels like a coherent, well thought out, modern deck that manages to add new viewpoints and ideas whilst still honouring tarot traditions.
The Major Arcana cards feature powerful archetypes and universal themes that can provide deep insights and guidance. The Minor Arcana cards offer a more specific and practical perspective, addressing everyday aspects of life such as love, career, and relationships. One of the strengths of the Ink Witch Tarot is its ability to evoke strong emotions and connections.
The Ink Witch Tarot Deck
I love the ink and watercolour artwork and the clever use of warm and cool grey tones. For a long time this has been one of my favourite colour palettes. It definitely contributed to my interest in The Ink Witch Tarot. The simplicity of the colouring combined with uncomplicated art work looks great in a spread and encourages you to pause and reflect on every detail. Take the 2 of Cups pictured below.
No people are present yet their presence is felt. You know they’re getting together, and you can imagine both their similarities and their differences. Depending on the other cards present, additional inferences can be drawn from the fact that one drink is hot, the other is cold. My first reaction was the drinks were a coffee and an iced coffee and the idea of “same, same but different” came to mind. The more I looked though I had to recognise that they could just as easily be a Coke and a chai latte.
Message to me – don’t jump to conclusions or hold unnecessary expectations about get togethers with others or indeed other’s relationships. Bam!
The lighting suggests a celebratory mood which indicates that the meeting/union will have a positive outcome. I appreciate that the cold drink has warm tones suggesting that regardless of how things started, things warm up. So much can be drawn from such a simple drawing.
Memories of catch ups and questions about the various reasons for getting together and who the people may be are worthy of consideration. So much can be drawn quickly and easily. Therefore this card aligns with traditional meanings whilst also being open to multiple interpretations. For me, many of the experiences associated with my morning so far are all representations of possible meanings. As such, the memories and thoughts from today may well be triggered when reading this particular card from now on.
Let me explain. I am currently writing this review with my cards spread on a table in a café while I wait for my car to be serviced. I rang a friend to try and organise a catch-up on my way here and this morning I was mentally revisiting a past friendship and what it meant to me. Our friendship was mainly experienced through catching up for coffee. We intentionally don’t do that anymore.
Then, when the barista brought me my coffee she was excited by the presence of the cards on the table and called another lady over and thus affirmed my decision to follow my guidance and open up more about myself and what I do. Due to the type of readings I do, I often interpret this card as connecting with your higher self. Because of the enthusiasm of the girl who brought me my coffee and her willingness to share her love of tarot, combined with the messages I received in my morning meditation, this has been reinforced. Tarot encourages us to view our lives and experiences from different perspectives and our lives help us draw meaning from the images we see. It is very much a symbiotic relationship.
The rendering of VIII Strength, pictured above, as approaching conflict, both inner and outer, with a sense of peace, kindness and gentleness rather than aggression is so powerful. How often do people confuse strength with dominance and physicality rather than inner strength and the ability to diffuse situations. There are many ways to “fight” for a cause. And oftentimes attack isn’t the best form of defence. This morning I was reminded of this when I was thinking about my past friendship and looking at this card affirms the message I received on how to handle the fall out. I love that even though I am not actively doing a reading, the cards continue to speak to me.
In my experience, rarely are swords people’s favourite cards in a deck. But, they are brilliantly depicted in The Ink Witch Tarot. The 6 of Swords pictured below, shows the woman is taking action to leave a situation. She is using the swords, whatever they may be referring to – conflict, negative thoughts and/or ideas, arguments etc – to propel her. This might not always be ideal but she is at least using her negative experience to drive her away from the situation/s and towards the possibility of something better. They are empowering her. This is an important distinction. How our thoughts and our words and the words of others impact us is up to us. Choose wisely.
Looking at the 8 of Swords, pictured above, through this lens is invaluable. The feeling of being trapped is an illusion we create. No-one else can control our thoughts and way of seeing things. Influence yes, but it is up to us what we choose to focus on and direct our energy towards. Some people can feel miserable even when surrounded by things/experiences etc that would be another’s dream reality. Other’s are happy with what some would perceive as nothing. Regardless of the situation, rarely are we as powerless as we may feel. That being said, nor are we truly privy to the thoughts and experiences of others so it is always better to be kind. Judgement is easy; sometimes empathy is not. Nevertheless, that should never be a justification. Afterall, we are all dealing with something that lurks beneath the surface. Hence my love of shadow work, but I digress. Back to these highly thought provoking cards.
Researching narwhals added another dimension to the 3 of Swords, (pictured below). When I first looked at this card I thought the narwhals were trying to spear the dove. I had very limited knowledge about narwhals and thus my thinking was tainted. The idea of peace being pierced without warning is representative of the loss this card is often associated with so it was an easy, yet lazy, assumption to make. When I discovered that the narwhal horn, which is actually a tooth, is a sensory organ, not a weapon, this became one of my favourite cards in the deck. Rather than trying to attack, this card suggests seeking and striving to understand what you can do to return yourself to a state of peace rather than rehashing the hurt. After all, the swords cards refer to thoughts, ideas, communication, conflict and the head space rather than the emotions and the heart.
There is an expansion pack available that provides 3 additional Lovers cards, 3 versions of The Devil, and alternatives for The High Priestess, Justice, the King of Swords and the King of Pentacles. I haven’t purchased this pack because I’m happy with the versions I have. If you’re interested you can view them all on the creator’s Etsy store.
I understand the recreation of the King of Swords to someone a bit older but my love of all things Arthurian makes the original still feel appropriate and I like the message portrayed. The alternatives for The Lovers may be a result of pressure since the depiction on the card that comes standard in the deck is of a homosexual couple. I find that in many ways this adds additional layers to the card that are really worth exploring. The revamped High Priestess is more traditional in appearance but again I’m happy with the one that came with the deck (pictured below). It made me look for hidden meanings behind his choice to represent her in the way he did. This in itself is apt for the card. I find myself looking at the moves available for each piece based on my view of the board and yet I’m aware there is much that I can’t see.
Overall I find The Ink Witch Tarot is a great deck to work with. I really enjoy animal decks and while I wouldn’t classify this deck in that way, over a quarter of the cards feature animals rather than people. Another third of the deck feature either no people or just a hand or two. For me, when there is no-one already present, it is easier to place yourself in the scene. Plus, I find it makes the people stand out when they do appear and I naturally focus in on what they’re doing and why they’re there.
One issue that I find though, is that as great as the cards look in a spread, the Major Arcana don’t stand out. You can see they are there easily enough through their titles and once you are familiar with the deck, but there are no distinguishing features that separate them when you glance over a full spread. All cards feature Roman numerals for the numbering and the numbers are all located at the top of the card in the centre of the picture. Some numbers are in black, others are in white, but that is based on the background colour not the suit or whether they are Major or Minor Arcana.
That being said, The Ink Witch Tarot is an easy to use deck that feels original whilst still predominantly adhering to the Rider Waite Smith system that most people are already familiar with. Even if you’re not, in maintaining the typical Major Arcana titles and the standard Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles suits with Kings, Queens, Knights and Pages as the court, ensures that for the most part introductory tarot books align easily.
The imagery and symbolism used in the cards are thought-provoking and memorable, allowing the reader to dive into the depths of their subconscious and unlock hidden truths. Whether you are a seasoned tarot reader or a curious newcomer, the Ink Witch Tarot offers a fresh and captivating approach to divination. Its fusion of tattoo art and tarot symbolism creates a powerful visual language that speaks to the heart and soul. **With its unique aesthetic and profound insights, the Ink Witch Tarot is a must-have for any tarot enthusiast or lover of art.**.
Reviews for "Enhancing Your Tarot Readings with the Ink Witch Tarot Deck"
1. Emma - 2 stars - I was really excited to try the Ink Witch Tarot, but I found it to be a bit underwhelming. The artwork is beautiful, I'll give it that, but the interpretations of the cards fell short for me. I felt like many of the card meanings were too vague and didn't provide enough guidance or depth. The guidebook that came with the deck didn't provide much additional insight either. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of substance in this tarot deck.
2. Mark - 2 stars - As someone who has been using tarot cards for many years, I was really disappointed with the Ink Witch Tarot. While the art style is unique and intriguing, I found that the cards were too abstract and didn't provide clear interpretations. The symbolism used in the deck also felt disconnected and confusing. Additionally, the quality of the cards themselves was not the best, with the edges starting to fray after just a few weeks of use. Overall, it did not meet my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it to experienced tarot readers.
3. Sarah - 1 star - I regret purchasing the Ink Witch Tarot. The artwork looks nice in pictures, but in person, it looks cheap and poorly printed. The colors are washed out and the lines are not crisp. It feels like a low-quality mass-produced deck. In terms of the interpretations, they were vague and lacking depth. The guidebook was also disappointing, providing little useful information. I expected more from this deck, especially considering the price. Save your money and find a better quality tarot deck elsewhere.
4. Michael - 3 stars - While the Ink Witch Tarot has some unique and interesting artwork, I found it to be difficult to connect with. The illustrations are a bit too dark and abstract for my taste, making it challenging to interpret the cards intuitively. The symbolism used in the deck also felt overly abstract, making it hard to understand the intended meanings. Additionally, the cardstock quality could have been better, as the cards are a bit flimsy for my liking. Overall, it wasn't a terrible deck, but I personally found it difficult to connect with and use effectively.
5. Emily - 2 stars - The Ink Witch Tarot didn't resonate with me at all. The artwork is certainly unique, but it feels more gothic and edgy than what I was looking for in a tarot deck. The imagery and symbolism used in the cards were not relatable to my personal experiences and the guidebook didn't offer enough clarity or insight. I struggled to find meaning in the cards, and it left me frustrated and unsatisfied. I ended up giving this deck away as it just wasn't my cup of tea.