Review: Modern Witch Tarot — Style & Power

First impressions

Modern Witch Tarot is a deck that gets an instant reaction. You either fall in love at first card, or you think “too trendy.” I fell in love. Because Lisa Sterle accomplished something rare: she took Pamela Colman Smith’s classic system and transported it to the 21st century without losing a single symbol.

The Fool here is a young woman in a floral kimono stepping off a cliff with a phone in one hand and a flower in her hair. A small dog bounces alongside, city skyscrapers behind her. The pose is identical to the Waite original. But the spirit is entirely different. This is tarot for people who read cards in coffee shops, not dark rooms with candles.

About the deck

Artist: Lisa Sterle, an American comic illustrator whose style combines clean lines, bold colors, and retro charm. Publisher: Sterling Ethos, 2019. The deck quickly became a bestseller and one of the most recognizable modern alternatives to the Waite.

78 cards in the standard structure. The key difference: inclusive representation — characters of diverse races, body types, and gender expressions. The Magician is a young Black woman. The Emperor and Empress are dark-skinned. The Hanged Man is renamed “The Hanged One” — gender-neutral. Some cards feature same-sex couples.

Standard cardstock, smooth printing. Includes a compact guidebook by Vita Ayala.

Visual style

Sterle works in a style close to comics: clean outlines, flat fills, a limited but expressive palette. Interestingly, the color scheme echoes Pamela Colman Smith’s originals — the same golds, reds, blues, greens. This creates a sense of nostalgia alongside thoroughly contemporary imagery.

Characters wear current fashion: sneakers, ripped jeans, oversized coats, fishnet tights. Backgrounds feature cityscapes, coffee shops, parks. But classic symbolism is preserved: the infinity sign above the Magician, the lion beside Strength, the star above the Star.

Core themes

Modern Witch is a manifesto for contemporary witchcraft: diversity, self-expression, feminine power, and confidence. The deck says: tarot belongs to everyone, not just white women in linen dresses.

Central motifs:

• Inclusivity — characters of all races, sizes, and genders
• Modern magic — witchcraft as part of urban life, not escape from it
• RWS faithfulness — same symbols and poses, fresh presentation
• Confidence — every character radiates strength and dignity

Favorite cards

The Magician (I)

A young Black woman in a red coat over a white dress, one arm raised with a wand. The infinity symbol overhead. Wisteria and flowers draped behind her, elemental tools on the table — pentacle, cup, sword. The classic Smith composition, but with new energy: this Magician is a young woman, and there’s not a trace of uncertainty about it.

Strength (VIII)

A dark-skinned woman in a white dress with a rose crown and the infinity symbol. Her hand rests gently on a lion adorned with a garland of roses. Warm golden background. One of the warmest cards in the deck — tenderness and power in a single gesture.

The Hanged One (XII)

A young woman hangs upside down from a tree — red pants, teal top, fishnet tights, white sneakers. A golden halo around her head. The Hanged Man becomes the Hanged One — and instead of martyrdom, this is a voluntary pause, an upside-down meditation. She’s not suffering — she’s vibing.

The Empress (III)

A dark-skinned woman with a crown sits on a couch among tropical plants. Red background, Venus symbol, flowing white dress. She’s relaxed and regal at the same time. This Empress doesn’t need a throne — a couch will do.

The Star (XVII)

A nude woman with long dark hair kneels by the water, pouring from two vessels. A large golden star overhead, a white ibis nearby. Green landscape. The classic Waite Star, but with a dark-skinned woman — and the image of healing and hope gains new depth.

How to work with this deck

• Daily spread — Modern Witch is ideal for a card of the day. Contemporary imagery connects easily to real situations
• Waite parallel — draw a card and compare with the classic Waite. What changed? What stayed? A powerful exercise for understanding symbolism
• Social spreads — the deck excels at questions about relationships, career, and self-expression — these themes resonate strongest here
• Reading for others — bright, clear imagery. Querents easily identify with the characters

Who is this deck for

If you’re looking for your first deck and want something contemporary instead of medieval Waite — Modern Witch is an excellent start. All symbols are in place, just packaged in a familiar visual language.

If representation on cards matters to you — this is one of the best decks for inclusivity. People of various races, sizes, and genders, same-sex couples, androgynous figures.

An honest downside: some cards look like the Waite redrawn in new clothes — same pose, composition, and symbolism. That’s convenient for learning, but may feel too derivative for those seeking an original vision. The Minor Arcana particularly suffer — many look like fashion illustrations for a Waite guidebook.

Deck pairings

• Light Seer’s Tarot — if Modern Witch feels too “glossy,” Light Seer’s adds atmosphere and depth with the same contemporary approach
• The Wild Unknown Tarot — the complete opposite: minimalism, animals, abstraction. Together they show two poles of modern tarot
• Halloween Tarot — when you want humor and lightness instead of style and seriousness

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