Through insights from Juliette Føgra, TAROT Classic is revealed as a reinterpretation of the Major Arcana shaped through layered photomontage, Renaissance references, and contemporary fine art techniques. The project moves tarot away from mysticism into a more refined visual and conceptual language, balancing symbolism with editorial clarity.
Project Overview
TAROT Classic is a reinterpretation of the Major Arcana developed by Juliette Føgra. The deck combines digital collage, painted detail, and historical visual references into a cohesive art object.
Built around a distinctive color system and typographic structure, the project redefines tarot as a contemporary collectible that merges storytelling, symbolism, and fine art design.
- Winning Project: TAROT Classic
- Winning Category: Best of Best in Print & Books (Art & Culture Book)
- Firm: FØGRA
Lead Designer: Juliette Føgra
Interview with Juliette Føgra
1. What was the brief or challenge behind your award-winning project, and what key goals guided your approach?
Juliette Føgra: This tarot deck is my take on a Classical Major Arcana deck and is my passion project. My approach quickly shifted from the expected mystical to classy and sophisticated.
2. What sparked the initial idea for the project, and how did that concept evolve into the final design outcome?
Juliette Føgra: The tarot cards’ universal and archetypal elements have prompted many people to design their own 78-card deck. Salvatore Dali’s cards are a good example. The purpose of tarot cards is to force people to consider the situation’s advantages and disadvantages. I found myself in the appropriate waters, at the time, to investigate my own deck.
3. Can you describe your design process for this project, from early exploration to final execution?
Juliette Føgra: The challenge I placed in front of me was producing Renaissance-inspired collage-based paintings while utilizing the unconventional color palette found in the ancient Book of Thoth (Etteilla Tarot card). The aftertaste from the cards represents an amalgamation of Renaissance painting and an illustrative application of color.
4. What were the main challenges you faced during development, and how did you resolve them while maintaining clarity, usability, or visual strength?
Juliette Føgra: The primary difficulty was to produce visuals that are simultaneously familiar yet utterly novel. Working in the junction of this place was a new unexplored territory for me.
5. What do you consider the most distinctive or successful aspect of the project, and why?
Juliette Føgra: The color palette developed is the most distinctive aspect of the deck, and its success in conjunction with the rest of illustrative decisions surprised me.
6. If you had to explain this project to someone outside the design industry, what would you say is its true value or impact
Juliette Føgra: Do I think that pieces of cardboard can predict the future? No, that’s not what they are for. The value of the tarot is that it makes people weigh the pros and cons of the situation. A visual aid. It is a sophisticated present for someone you care about deeply and rooting for their success.
7. Looking back, what is one decision you made during this project that significantly shaped the final result?
Juliette Føgra: The utilization of type and design significantly influenced the final appearance of the cards.
8. What does receiving a Design MasterPrize mean to you, and how do you see it influencing your future work or direction
Juliette Føgra: Recognition is an invaluable and priceless treasure for any artist. For me, it is an indication that it is visually relatable. My goal is being the master of my craft and to develop as a more well-rounded individual as a consequence.
ConclusioN
By combining Renaissance-inspired imagery, experimental color palettes, and contemporary digital craftsmanship, TAROT Classic offers a fresh interpretation of one of history’s most enduring visual systems. Juliette Føgra transforms familiar archetypes into a sophisticated artistic experience, demonstrating how tradition and innovation can coexist within a single deck of cards.
