Number seventeen is DONE! I feel like this little baby pink star moth is so whimsygoth, and I absolutely love that for her! I took some liberties with the pattern of the actual moth, pushing them into stars rather than the true, circular shape they are in realit,y and I think it really gave this card a lot of personality.
Here is the actual pink star moth, next to the Rider Waite inspiration for my buggy version.
In the traditional Rider-Waite deck, this card represents balance, renewal, intuition, hope, healing, connection, optimism, calmness, and purpose. There is so much symbolic imagery, too, but that can be said about all of the cards in the Rider Waite deck, really. The water being poured into the lake and the land is balanced, and the five little streams that break off from the water pooling on land represent the five senses, which is why for my stars I went with the five-pointed version. There is also one large star that acts as the north star or the guiding star, as well as a sky filled with stars.
In mine, my moth is still following that guiding star, but instead I incorporated those whimsygoth stars on the wings and threw a few other stars behind my moth to represent the senses and chakras.
I am thrilled with how this one turned out, and for me, my buggy tarot interpretation aligns pretty closely with the traditional one. It’s a pink star moth finding the light of the big north star and just making its little way on its little path. The moth is in tune with her senses, and she knows that whatever is meant for her is already hers. She is following her inner voice and confidence and just keeps gliding in the starlight to where she needs to be.
Some Behind the Scenes of Number Seventeen:
A look at the sketches and planning that went into this card. I take a lot of time to research the cards and their meanings, and try to find a creature that fits that vibe in terms of metaphor or spirituality. Sometimes, I do lean into a bug’s color and pattern or its common name.
A final look at The Star with the other completed cards, as well as a solo view.
Thanks for joining me for the reveal of THE STAR! I hope you liked the added peek into the process on this one. See you next time!
— R