The Dreamkeepers Tarot Set - photography and paint in Rider-Waite format
This is not a classically painted deck. Liz Huston photographs models, digitally edits the images, and paints over them with oil, watercolour and acrylic. The result is a set of cards that look as if they emerge from a dream, yet follow the traditional tarot structure.
The set contains 78 cards and a 180-page guidebook. The cards have a matte finish and come in a sturdy storage box. The book is illustrated and describes both the light and shadow side of each card.
What you see on the cards
The images are not bright or colourful like many other decks. The atmosphere is dark, dreamlike, sometimes slightly blurred. Figures seem to float in an in-between space, between waking and sleeping.
The combination of photography and painted layers gives the cards depth. The symbolism is based on Rider-Waite, so the main lines are recognisable. The execution is different: more surrealist, focused more on feeling than on clear delineation.
The format is 70 x 120 mm, similar to many standard tarot cards. The matte finish means you see no fingerprints on the surface.
Who this deck works for
This deck is made for people who want to examine their unconscious. The guidebook describes each card from two sides: light and shadow. That makes it suitable for shadow work and self-reflection.
The images speak directly to emotion. Anyone who prefers clear and unambiguous symbolism will find this deck too vague. Anyone who values feeling and personal interpretation will find room here.
The book is extensive enough to work with even without prior knowledge. The language is English.
Draw a card and look only at the image first. Which colours stand out? Where does the figure stand? What does that do to you? Only then read the text in the book.
About Liz Huston
Liz Huston is a self-taught artist from Los Angeles. She has studied shamanism, tarot and various healing traditions. Since 2012 she has exhibited her work in her own gallery.
Her work centres on making the interior visible. The Dreamkeepers Tarot is a direct translation of that: photography as base, painting as layer in between, symbolism as connecting element.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Guidebook: 180 pages, illustrated
- Language: English
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
- Card size: 70 x 120 mm
- Finish: matte
- Packaging: sturdy storage box
- Artist: Liz Huston
- System: Rider-Waite
Questions we often get
Is this deck suitable for beginners?
Yes, provided you have no difficulty with more surrealist imagery. The book is extensive and describes each card clearly. The structure is classic Rider-Waite, so anyone familiar with that system will find their way quickly.
How does this deck differ from a classic Rider-Waite deck?
The symbolism is comparable, but the execution is not. Where Rider-Waite is clear and graphic, this deck is dark and layered. The images invite personal interpretation rather than fixed meanings.
