The Fountain Tarot: Illustrated Deck and Guidebook

“The Fountain Tarot” has become a go to deck for readings befitting a contemporary mood. Solidly ensconced in the Rider-Waite tradition it, like the “Linestrider’s” deck, takes a gentle, clever artistic style and mixes it with a graphical vision that leaves a true thinking experience on its readers—one that definitely fuels intuition. Oh this deck, with its focus on contemporary dress styles and wabi-sabi settings, is gorgeous. Unlike “Lindestrider’s” though, “The Fountain Tarot” is almost a completely human-focused—and geometric—art package replacing the former’s stunning white space with pictorial background ooze. It definitely encompasses the author’s interpretation of the Rider-Waite story and offers just enough curiosity to lead readers neither one way or the other in determining a meaning at hand. Manufacturing-wise, the deck uses a robust matt cardboard stock with silver edging. Now, his did result in a concave rim forming around the circumferences of my cards sufficient to hamper table fanning and an easy hand shuffle. Yet, a tumbled rose quartz crystal run over these rims flattened them out—and while being a great way to spend time with the deck, it’s now fully responsive to touch! The only downside for me, is the deck box. Merely large enough to house the cards themselves and their instructional booklet, it too is built of a very sturdy card stock. But being high gloss and silver/black toned, it glaringly shows up any imperfections—and my box had a bumpy ride from Amazon. I’d strongly recommend a box-in-box manufacture were the publishers to ever arrange a reprint. That said, I’m absolutely enamoured with the artist’s vision in these cards (my cards arrived un-dinted by the way) making reading with them, both a pleasure and a breeze. Highly recommended for experienced readers, fans of Rider-Waite, and those new to Tarot with a flair for imagination.

This tarot deck is truly a work of art! The product is exactly as shown in the photos, and it’s even more stunning in person. As someone who was raised with tarot cards and sage, I felt it was time to step away from using my mother’s decks and find one that I could truly call my own. The moment I discovered this deck, I knew it was the one for me. The artwork is absolutely breathtaking—every card feels like a piece of art in its own right. The guidebook that comes with the deck is equally impressive; it provides clear, insightful information that complements the cards perfectly. I’ve done numerous readings for friends and family, and without fail, everyone who experiences the deck is in awe of its beauty. I’ve never had anyone leave a reading without offering compliments on the deck’s stunning design. It’s clear that a lot of care and intention went into creating this deck, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase.

This deck is absolutely stunning and I suggest everyone, whether they're newbies or pros, to buy it; especially when it's on sale! First off, there are a lot of complaints about cards sticking, but all it took was a couple of days of using the deck until it stopped. The glitter does come off when you first use the deck but, again, that stopped within 2-3 days for me. However, please keep in mind the card stock isn't the most durable and riffle-shuffling risks damaging the cards. I use overhand-shuffling so this wasn't an issue for me. As for the design of the cards, this is one of the most beautiful decks I have ever seen. The art is grounded enough for beginners to have a solid grasp on a card's meaning without reading the included guidebook, and it is abstract enough for more intuitive readers to take advantage of. It's common for decks to only include white people, so I was delighted to see that several people of color were included in this deck! And though I rarely care for boxes or containers, this tarot deck comes with a VERY sturdy and protective magnetically-sealed box that is named with a holographic "FOUNTAIN" on the cover and it captures the aesthetic of the deck. There is even a string tied to the box which allows you to lift your cards out without the need to throw them onto the table! Even if you can't connect to this deck for readings, it's stunning and beautiful, and it's well worth the cost just to own as a collectible.

Oh Gosh. Well, to start I'll say straight up that this is a biased review. I love this deck. I have a copy of the self-published version, so of course I had to buy this one! (If only to have a copy I'm not afraid of getting dirty!) So parts of this review will compare to the self-published deck, which is of wonderful quality. Packaging: It comes int a self-contained box, that has a magnetic closure. It's probably my favorite box. The deck and book both fit in there perfectly, and there's a ribbon to help get it out. No messing around with giant boxes and cardboard inserts. It's the size of the deck, and absolutely gorgeous. Book: I'll admit, I haven't really gone through the book. I'm assuming that the meanings given are the same as the self published version. Assuming that--I love the creators interpretation on the cards. The meanings given add unique little insights and different perspectives I wouldn't always consider, but they don't really deviate from the standard, either. The book itself is small, the size of the deck. The contents are basically the same as the self-published version, though they are presented in a different order. A brief comparison of the Table of Contents show that this version added "Sample reading and interpretation" and lost the "Bios" section. It might still be in there, I'm just not seeing it in the contents. Overall, I have to say this is probably my favorite "LWB" to come with a deck. Artwork: Absolutely gorgeous. You should be able to look up the cards online, but these pictures are stunning. I will say, I can notice a slight difference in the colors when compared to the self-published deck, but *this* deck seems to be more vibrant--the darks are darker and the brights are brighter, if you will. But yeah, the images are breathtaking, and there is nothing I can criticize on those. (Remember, I did say biased!) Card stock: So, the cards themselves have silver gilding. I will say, picking them up right away, my hands did get a bit sparkly. I'm sure that'll go away with use. They aren't stuck together--at least not that I noticed--as is common with some gilded decks. The card stock itself is nice--I wouldn't call it *quite* as nice as the self-published version though. These feel a bit stiffer, a bit more cardboard-y. Though, and I will say this clearly, that could very easily be just from use. This is a brand new deck vs one I've used regularly. Of course the cards aren't going to be as supple. It does feel a bit thinner than the self-published version to me, but I'd say it's still far above the standard LoS or Llewellyn card stock. Overall: Should you get this deck? If you like the style--yes, yes, a thousand times yes. It's probably one of my favorites, if not my favorite. I liked it enough to buy two versions--and this is the *only* deck I own two copies of. So if you're even remotely tempted, go for it. I have a feeling you won't regret it!

I love the cards. The images are great and I love the foiled sides

The art for The Fountain Tarot is exquisitely beautiful, ethereal and honest. I’m new to tarot and my heart lit up like a Christmas tree the moment I laid eyes on this deck. The imagery is much softer than the traditional RWS deck, which I like. Subtlety and minimalism are my jam. Over the course of getting to know this deck and the tarot in general, I have been comparing the imagery of each card to the original RWS cards. I’ve found that doing so has bolstered my understanding of the tarot as a whole while witnessing how The Fountain has interpreted the traditional symbolism. If I could, I would purchase multiple large scale prints of certain cards from the artist in a heartbeat. My only complaints with this deck are the card stock and the way the cards were cut. The card stock on this edition is thick (imo) and matte, making it difficult to thoroughly shuffle the cards. Lots of sticking and clumping unfortunately. That problem might be remedied by breaking the deck in more and using magician’s powder if necessary. But the worst part is how the cards were cut, at least in my particular deck. The edges seem to be pushed back from the cut, leaving a tiny lip around the backside of the cards which exacerbates the clumping issue tenfold. However I found a solution that will probably make most people cringe which is filing that annoying lip down with a fine grain nail file (and if you’re really insane, smooth out the rounded corners that are badly botched). I’m personally so head-over-heels for this deck (and borderline ocd) that I will put whatever amount of effort into it to make it work. But ultimately it would’ve been nice if I didn’t have to, hence the 4/5 stars.

Probably my favorite deck. I loveeee the art work.

This tarot is an extremely well done, photo-manipulated, modern take on the traditional Rider Waite Smith, which makes it easy to read and very appealing. Each card is a work of art. The vibe of the deck is light, artsy, and modern. I have both the original artist version of this deck and also decided to pre-order this mass market edition. I have to credit the publishing company Roost Books because this deck was completely on time and the deck was delivered on it's actual release date. That's so unusual with Tarot/Oracle decks, and I was super impressed that it was released and delivered on time. When it arrived, I unboxed the deck so I could look it over and compare this edition with the original. This mass market edition is so close to the original! The box is the same high quality magnetic box. The book is a proper book with a spine and nice quality cover. The cards themselves are good cardstock with a matte finish and soft silver gilding. The color saturation and image clarity is identical to the original artist version - which is really beautiful.

Amazing artwork, the feel is the perfect mix of eclectic modern art which stays true to the traditional Rider-Waite, yet adds layers of meaning by imagery. It is one of those things you'll be glad you went ahead and got because it is one of a kind and the messages flow much more fluid.. Cardstock is pretty robust with silver gilding which has stayed - it's been three months now. The booklet of card meanings has been thought about too, to really contribute and not just be for the sake of being.

Soy fan de este tarot desde que lo anunciaron hace algunos años como proyecto de kickstarter, pero en esa ocasión no pude apoyarlo, sin embargo siempre estuvo en mi "Wish List". Encontrarlo en Amazon fue una bendición, tanto por su costo, como por el ahorro del envío gracias al servicio Prime. El diseño de este tarot me encanta por su sobriedad y belleza. La combinación entre arte figurativo y abstracto en estilo contemporáneo, casi minimalista es muy atractivo. Además, el diseño de la caja tiene cerradura magnética y está forrado con un papel de fondo holográfico tornasol impreso muy bello. El librito también tiene un diseño muy bello, alineado con el de la caja, con información muy interesante sobre los significiados y desarrollo de este tarot como proyecto. Las cartas son de cartón grueso y están bordeadas en plateado, lo cual fue una grata sorpresa, pues creía que habían de dejado de bordearlos por la complicación de dicho proceso, pero realmente le da un hermoso plus al diseño, no suelta partículas ni nada, es muy lindo. El diseño posterior de las cartas está basado, supuestamente, en el diseño de las cúpulas de las catedrales coloniales en México, esta noción me pareció también interesante y atractiva, aunque definitivamente las cartas tienen un diseño más bien abstracto, aún así, muy bonito. El estilo del tarot sigue la tradición del tarot Rider-Waite-Smith, incluye una carta adicional, llamada "la Fuente" que me encanta como símbolo del poder Divino, representando aspectos o situaciones que están fuera del alcance propio o que son parte del destino Universal.

I absolutely love the ethereal artwork! The silver gilded edges are very pretty to look at. The Strength (XI) and Justice (VIII) card are reversed for those who need to know. It's tricky to riffle shuffle due to gilded edges that are sturdy. Decent cardstock and standard size. Pentacles are "Coins" instead. Follows the Rider-Waite system!

The Fountain Tarot is an exceptionally elegant and light deck. When I bought it, it was the last one available. I waited quite a while for it, about three weeks, and it arrived in a damaged, broken box. But the cards resonated with me immediately. They feel so light, and when you’re in a certain state and want to do a reading, they flow beautifully. I even changed my mind about returning them. I bonded with them so quickly that I thought, fine, the box is broken, but I don’t want to part with the deck. I didn’t want to exchange it, and I didn’t want to wait another two or three weeks for a replacement. Overall, the design, the guidebook, and the cards themselves are all excellent. And despite the damaged box, I’m not going to lower my rating.

Dieses Deck hat sich innerhalb kürzester Zeit zu meinem Lieblingsdeck entwickelt. Wenn ich nur ein Deck besitzen dürfte, mich entscheiden müsste, wäre es wohl dieses hier. Hier die Begründung: 1. Die Bilder folgen dem Rider Waite, lassen aber auch noch Raum für eigene Interpretationen. 2. Die Macher dieses Decks haben die ursprüngliche Reihenfolge (Tarot de Marseille, Thoth Tarot) beibehalten (Justice VIII und Strength XI). Dies begrüße ich persönlich sehr. 3. Die Abbildungen sind „entstaubt“, ein sehr modernes klares Deck, passend zur heutigen Welt. Dabei kommt es ohne jeglichen Kitsch daher, wirkt strukturiert, eher kühl, ist dabei aber voller Licht. Ein sehr luftiges Deck. Kühl und klar wie die Luft eines ersten schönen Herbsttages. 4. In meinen Legungen zeigt sich dieser luftige Charakter des Decks, durch sehr klare Aussagen die schnell auf den Kern des Themas kommen. Energetisch würde ich es als sachlich, ruhig, klar, kühl und trotzdem Tief beschreiben. Geistig und emotional sehr Kräfte schonend. Wahrscheinlich ist gerade dies der ausschlaggebende Punkt, warum dieses Deck zu meiner Nummer eins geworden ist. 5. Die Kartenqualität ist sehr gut, das Aussehen fast schon edel. Das englisch sprachige, kleine Booklet ist kurz gehalten, kommt aber direkt zur Kernaussage der jeweiligen Karte. Kurz, knackig, auf den Punkt, also qualitativ genauso luftig wie die Karten. Die Karten haben ihre eigene stabile Box mit Magnetverschluss. Fazit: Rundum gelungen. Meine anderen Favoriten: Druid Craft Tarot, Thoth Tarot, The wild Unknown Tarot, und ganz neu das herzerfrischende Tarot De Maria Celia (Marseille Deck) teilen sich den zweiten Platz. Aber auch diese Decks sind richtige „Arbeitsmaschinen“. Natürlich habe ich auch noch Decks die ich einfach optisch wundervoll finde, aber mit denen ich selten arbeite. Gefolgt von ein paar Fehlkäufen und Decks die irgendwie uninteressant geworden sind, trotz präziser Aussagekraft (z.B. Smith Waite). Trotz meiner Begeisterung für dieses Deck der Hinweis an den blutigen Anfänger mit dem Rider Waite zu beginnen. Auch müssen Tarot Decks dem persönlichen Geschmack entsprechen, um gut zu arbeiten und Aussagekraft zu haben. Ich kann hier YouTube empfehlen um sich alle Karten des gesamten Decks anzusehen. Die Beste Methode um seine persönlichen Decks zu finden.