I’ve finally gotten to painting the decans of the Disk cards. This is where we most start to see the flecked colors which show the mixed and shattered colors inherent in the suit of earth. Tiphareth is the only sephira that does not have a flecked (or rayed) color in the Princess, or Empress, scale. I guess as the middle sephira at the heart of the Tree, the colors can still be pure. Tiphareth of Assiah is a solar golden amber. The other colors are all flecked through the Nine of Disks (Yesod) then at the Ten, Malkuth, the color is quartered into four colors which are rayed: the circle quartered, connecting to Kether with rays.

Most recently I’ve been working on the three decans of Capricorn, the Two, Three, and Four of Disks; the Cardinal decans of Earth. They each have a different flecked color for the Princess Scale, but they all have the colors of the Devil (Capricorn): Indigo, Black, Blue-black, and cold, very dark Grey.

For the Two of Disks, the Chokmah of Assiah, or the Two on the Princess scale, the color is White, flecked Red, Blue, and Yellow.

One would think that this color might be difficult to incorporate into any old illustration without planning for it’s placement. But the Tabula Mundi Two of Disks has the hourglass of the Devil, with sand being churned by two wheels from Fortune. The sand in the card is painted white, with tiny flecks of red, blue and yellow. This provides an optical effect, especially when seeing the painting in person.

Besides the white with red, blue, and yellow flecks of the Chokmah of Assiah scale, the card has the colors of Capricorn (those of The Devil) combined with the colors of Jupiter (those of Fortune).

 

The Three of Disks has the DNA of the Devil card paired with the lightening flash of the Tower. For the Three of Disks, the Binah of Assiah, or the Three on the Princess scale, the color is Grey, flecked Pink. If you look closely at the three alchemical spheres within the three twists of the DNA strand, you will see that they are grey with small flecks of pink. Like a speckled egg. It is hard to see on a backlit monitor, but it will show in the printed cards. Besides the grey with pink  flecks of the Binah of Assiah scale, the card has the colors of Capricorn (those of The Devil) combined with the colors of Mars (those of the Tower).

 

For the Four of Disks, the Chesed of Assiah, or the Four on the Princess scale, the color is Dark Azure, flecked yellow. You’ll see it on the horizon behind the pylons on the card. Guarding the pylons is the Green-man face on the Devil’s belly, with four coins with emblems from the Sun card and the cult of Sol Invictus. Besides the azure with yellow  flecks of the Chesed of Assiah scale, the card has the colors of Capricorn (those of The Devil) combined with the colors of Sol (those of the Sun).

 

So those are the decans of Capricorn. Since my last post on December 2, which featured the Eight of Cups, I’ve made it to here. I haven’t had time to both post and work on the cards, but to make it up I should post something about the Swords as I can’t believe I did not post anything at all about the decans of Air! Counterintuitive, as that is the suit of communication.

So for now I’ll at least show you the last card of the Swords suit, the Ten of Swords or Yetzirah. It actually was the first decanic card to have anything flecked, as it is the last card or Malkuth of Swords and so gives us a glimpse of the pass into the next suit of Disks. The Malkuth of Swords is quartered into the four colors Citrine, Olive, Russet, and Black, and they are flecked with Gold. Not sure how well the flecking shows up at this size, but it is there. Besides the Olive, Russet, and Black, flecked with Gold, of the Malkuth of Assiah scale, the card has the colors of Gemini (those of The Lovers) combined with the colors of Sol (those of the Sun).

 

Next up maybe I’ll post about more of the Swords suit that you missed, because I was painting instead of posting. Or maybe just continue on with the card-of-the-moment.