This is an update for those who’ve pre-ordered the second printing of SKT: Revelation. I’ve just been notified by the printers that production is complete.
Continue reading “Deck Production Complete; Awaiting Shipping”
The current version of SKT open for pre-orders is the second print run of the full-color Revelation Edition. For ordering information, please click here.
Also, there continues to be confusion around the editions, print runs, etc., so I’ll try to clarify again.
In 2018, I printed a limited edition black and white SKT, with a print run of 1,000 copies. After those copies were sold, that’s it. Hence, limited edition.
In 2019, I printed a limited edition sepia-toned SKT Vitruvian, with a run of 2,000 copies, where each and every one of those 2,000 decks was given a name.
Both the black and white First and the sepia-toned Vitruvian are out of print. If and when you see them on second-hand markets going for astronomical prices, that’s not me. That has nothing to do with me.
In 2021 I released the third and final full-color Revelation edition of SKT. The Revelation is open edition. That means there will be various print runs. A first print run of 3,507 copies came out in 2021.
Now in 2023 there is a second print run of 3,168 copies.
Continue reading “Comparing the First and Second Printings of SKT: Revelation”
On our production milestones, we’re at the stage of cutting. The uncut sheets have all been printed. After cutting, the next stage will be gilding.
Our factory informed us that they are projecting May 7 for delivery outbound, which means we hope to receive it on our front doorsteps by July 15.
Interspersed throughout this status update post will be photos our factory sent to us. They’re really good about keeping us in the loop and providing full disclosure of the process, so for that I’ve been grateful.
Just love catching the partial glimpses of the printing machinery!
Continue reading “SKT: Revelation 2nd – Printing Status Update”
Our printing company in Shenzhen heard our concerns crystal clear and immediately kicked into action to address those concerns. We got new samples printed and they’re great.
I’ve already approved them and production has commenced. We received the physical samples yesterday on the March equinox and production begins today with the new moon in Aries.
Continue reading “SKT Revelation 2nd Print Run: Production Begins”
I’ve decided to change the card back design to the one you see above center. The really ornate one runs a higher risk of looking chaotic after printing. From trial and experience, I learned that the ornate one looks pretty cool on screen digitally, but after printing at standard tarot card size, I dunno why, it just looks too busy…even for me!
That said, I still took a risk with the addition of the gold filigree borders, which is something I had said I wasn’t going to do.
Above right is what I had intended on for this second print run, without the gold filigree border because there’s a risk of uneven cutting, which would result in uneven borders. That was something we experienced with the first print run, and so I had resolved to take out the border.
But the border looks so much better that, in my view, it’s worth the risk. Looking at my first print run, even when the borders came out slightly uneven, it still looks better than the card design without borders.
Above center was the card back design on the certificates of authenticity from the first print run. Above left was the card back design for the Vitruvian SKTs.
Here’s a comparison between the first print run card back design (left, the blue one) and the the one I’ve chosen to go with for this second print run (right, the gold one).
Click on the above image file to download and use freely (but reverently, please). The image file is in 400 dpi and should print okay at 9.5 inches x 9.5 inches. So don’t go much larger than that, but you can go smaller. Actually 11″ x 11″ should still be fine.
All the extra border is to allow for bleed margins.
Continue reading “Kuan Yin art print with Great Compassion Mantra dharani”
Please anticipate more delays to delivery of your pre-ordered decks.
(I feel a bit awful that I’m always leading with that in every status update…)
But I’m gonna be pushing back the estimated delivery dates even further now.
The physical proofs of the printed cards have arrived. And I have questions.
Like why are these proofs cooler-toned than the previous printing when I used the same 600 dpi digital files for both?
I need to backtrack and assess what I did for the 2021 first print run to get those warmer and brighter tones and why these 2023 proofs look cooler, fuzzier (does it? is it just me or do you see the fuzz too?), and like no seriously what is happening.
Continue reading “SKT Revelation Status Update – Proofs Redo”
Digital proofs are here. Next step would be physical proofs to be mailed to us for final review, but there are a few details that need tweaking.
Continue reading “SKT Revelation 2nd Printing: Status Update”
Here’s the box design for the second print run of the Revelation deck that I’ve decided to go with. Thank you, everyone, for your input in the previous post and on Facebook!
I posted the poll on here yesterday at 3 pm and closed it to count the results this morning at 6:30 am. There were only 74 votes total. Option B (the new one, with no SKT or brand identifiers on the box) won with 56.75% of the votes (total of 42) while Option A, which is this one you see here, received 43.25% of the votes (total 32), so very, very close!
I was going to go with the majority vote, but J raised a good point. The total number of input is too low compared to the total number of people who pre-ordered the second printing, so it’s not actually going to be an accurate gauge of what the pre-order people want.
Also, said J, the people who would be able to jump in and vote in less than 24 hours on a blog post I didn’t even publicize or my Friends-only Facebook share are people who already have a copy of the deck and who are already really used to my Stuff, so they don’t need brand identifiers on a box cover.
But, he said, since he’s the one doing intake of all pre-orders, he knows that most of the second print run pre-orders are new people. So it wouldn’t be fair to totally change the box design from the first printing when the whole point of the second printing is for people who didn’t get the first to still snag a copy.
Meanwhile, most of the people voting (according to him) are names he recognizes as people who’ve ordered other stuff from us. They can’t speak for the people who have never even heard of me and are buying the SKT for the first time.
And then I was like, dang. Good point.
This blog post is going to be a walk-through of the box design. Since I took out the Book of Maps chapter on the card back and box design, I’m going to put that info here on the blog and point people here in the delivery e-mail you’ll be receiving.
Continue reading “SKT Revelation 2nd Printing: Final Box Design”
If you pre-ordered the 2nd printing of the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot: Revelation, then your input is requested. And… so sorry… I need it, like, in the next 24 hours because I’m about to submit to the factory and start the production process.
UPDATE: Visit here to see the final proofs for the second print run box design.
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