Vox Arcana

Vox Arcana Tarot - 80 cards, 80 different artists

Most tarot decks have one style, one maker, one visual language. This deck does the opposite. Vox Arcana brings together dozens of artists, each responsible for one or more cards. The result: a deck in which every card has its own signature.

Compiled by Jaymi Elford and Sally Rose Robinson, published by Lo Scarabeo. The deck contains 80 cards: the usual 78 tarot cards plus two additional element cards.

What you see when you go through the cards

The styles shift from card to card. You find realistic portraits next to abstract shapes, warm earth tones next to bright colours, digital techniques next to watercolour. No overarching aesthetic, but a common starting point: the traditional tarot structure remains recognizable.

The Major Arcana, Swords, Cups, Wands and Pentacles follow classical meanings. That makes the deck usable for anyone familiar with Rider-Waite-Smith or another traditional system. The symbolism varies by artist, but the essence stays intact.

The two extra cards are element cards. You can use them at the start of a reading to determine which element plays a role, or you set them aside and only draw them when you need a clearer answer on an energetic level.

How this deck behaves in practice

The cards are printed on glossy cardstock, sturdy enough for daily use. They glide smoothly, which makes shuffling easy. The size is standard: 82.5 x 127 mm.

Because each card speaks a different visual language, this deck asks for a different way of reading. You lean less on fixed patterns and more on what the image itself evokes. That can be refreshing, especially if you are used to a deck in which everything is visually coherent.

Draw a card without looking at the name. Look at what you see for half a minute. Only then check which card it is. The style differences force you to look at the image elements themselves rather than at your memory of what a card is 'supposed' to mean.

Who this works for

This deck is suitable for beginners. The guidebook explains the cards clearly and the symbolism stays close to the traditional tarot structure. The visual contrast between cards also makes the deck attractive for people who write, draw or work therapeutically. The images leave room for associations that fall outside standard interpretations.

Collectors value this deck for its diversity. It is both one object and a small art gallery.

About Jaymi Elford and Sally Rose Robinson

Jaymi Elford has worked with tarot for more than thirty years. She has written several books on divination and guides readers in developing their own practice. For Vox Arcana she sought artists who could each give their own interpretation of a card, without falling into loose randomness.

Sally Rose Robinson coordinated the project together with Elford. Her role was to bring together the different contributions into a coherent whole, despite the diversity in style.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 80 (78 tarot cards + 2 element cards)
• Card size: 82.5 x 127 mm
• Material: Glossy cardstock
• Language: English (cards and guidebook)
• Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
• Authors: Jaymi Elford, Sally Rose Robinson
• Artists: multiple (each card by a different artist)

Questions we often get

Does the changing style make it harder to read?
That depends on how you read. If you are used to reading a story in the visual coherence between cards, the style break may take some getting used to. If you look at each card on its own, it is actually an advantage: you are forced to look at the symbolism with fresh eyes.

What do the two element cards add to a reading?
They give an extra layer of information about the energetic tone of a question. You can draw them at the start of a spread to see which element sets the tone, or you use them as an additional card if a spread remains unclear.