Heaven & Earth Tarot Set - greyscale tarot with hidden symbolic layers
Some decks stay close to Rider-Waite-Smith and simply apply a new drawing style. This one goes a step further. The structure stays intact, but there is a layer built on top of it that only becomes visible the longer you look.
Jack Sephiroth works in greyscale with subtle colour accents, concentrated mainly in the Major Arcana. The style is digital but reads almost like painting. Jaymi Elford writes the 160-page guidebook, with an extended description for each card that goes beyond standard keyword lists.
What you see on the cards
The imagery is quiet in tone but rich in detail. Many cards contain hidden figures or symbols that only appear after a second or third look. This comes from the way Sephiroth constructs shadows and textures.
Colour is used sparingly. When it appears, it stands out: a red cloak, a golden cup, a green vine. Everything else stays monochrome, which keeps the focus on shape and line. The result is a dreamy atmosphere that never tips into vagueness.
The symbolism stays true to RWS tradition. The High Priestess sits between two pillars, the Fool stands at the edge of a cliff. Anyone familiar with Rider-Waite-Smith will recognise the framework immediately, but the execution is distinct enough to give the deck its own character.
How you work with it
Jaymi Elford's guidebook gives each card a text that covers both the traditional meaning and the specific visual symbolism Sephiroth has added. This makes the deck useful for anyone learning the RWS structure, as well as for more experienced readers who want to get more out of the imagery.
The hidden details also make the deck well suited to slower, more meditative work. Pull a card, set it in front of you, and notice what appears after a few minutes that you missed at first glance.
Look at a card for a full minute before you open the guidebook. Search the shadows for what is hiding there. Your own reading often gains more direction that way.
About Jack Sephiroth and Jaymi Elford
Jack Sephiroth works as a digital artist focused on spiritual themes. His style for Heaven & Earth combines realism with a soft, hazy texture that gives the images a dreamlike quality.
Jaymi Elford is a tarot author who has written multiple guidebooks. For this deck, she wrote a text for each card that links classical meaning to the specific symbolism Sephiroth has built into the imagery.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78 (22 Major Arcana + 56 Minor Arcana)
- Card size: 80 x 125 mm
- Guidebook: 160 pages
- Language: English
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Card stock: Sturdy, with a durable finish
- Artist: Jack Sephiroth
- Author: Jaymi Elford
Questions we often get
How does this deck differ from a standard Rider-Waite-Smith?
The structure and symbolism are largely the same, but the visual language is different. The greyscale palette, colour accents and hidden details give it a distinct atmosphere. If you know RWS, the layout is immediately familiar, but the execution feels new.
What exactly are the hidden images?
Figures, faces or symbols that Sephiroth has worked into the shadows, textures or backgrounds of the cards. They do not jump out at first glance, but they become visible the longer you study a card. It is less a trick than a way of adding extra layers of meaning to the imagery.