Illustrating the Justice card
A very cool mug I saw at my local tea shop recently.
The theme of the Justice card is, well, justice. The Justice card appears when we are called to fight for justice, or when we are dealing with injustice in our own lives.
Given the current political landscape in the US where I am, this card is having a moment. Never before in my lifetime have we had so much to lose, so fast, in the multi-generational fight for justice.
It is for this reason that I decided to illustrate the Justice card the way I did.
Examples from other tarot artists
Traditionally, the Justice card is illustrated with scales of justice, hanging in the balance. Other artists use black and white or other contrasting colors as a metaphor for the binary ideal of right vs. wrong.
Justice cards from my collection of tarot decks, see footnotes for artist credits.
The moral arc of justice
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I have to believe he is right, though that arc feels very, very long indeed.
When I searched my heart for meaning of this card, I thought of all the years I worked as a racial equity program manager. As a white, cisgender, straight person, I had a lot to learn, and my learning continues. I believe that my unlearning is lifelong work, including socialized patterns of white supremacy, heteronormativity, and internalized gender oppression.
Today, one of the most oppressed and marginalized communities in the US are queer and transgender people, especially youth and trans people of color. These communities face a massive campaign of anti-trans legislation and sentiment. Their rights are being systematically stolen, but the fight for justice continues.
While I don’t identify as queer, the Pride flag carries important meaning as a symbol of pride, equity, and justice for queer and trans people. I wanted to include this flag to show solidarity and support for my queer friends. In this illustration, it is also the flag of justice, envisioning the scales of justice in balance.
Drawing justice
I decided to go with a theme of power balance for this card. In one side of the scales are all four of the elements (earth, air, fire, and water). On the other side are all four of the suits or tools of the tarot (Pentacles/coins, swords, wands, and cups).
Here is my original sketch for this card (left), and the hand-drawn linework from Procreate (right). I printed the linework on watercolor paper and painted it (see below).
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The final illustration
Below is my illustration for the Justice card. I used black ink on wet watercolor paper for the stormy background. The flag and elements are painted by hand with Ecoline watercolor paint pens.
The Justice card illustration from my forthcoming Tarot of These Times deck, anticipated 2026.
© Registered copyright Molly Chidsey, all rights reserved.
Get involved: The Equal Rights for All Oregonians campaign
Justice, IRL.
The fight for justice is ongoing, and the Equal Rights for All Oregonians campaign is a great way to show your value of reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ rights.
I am volunteering for an important campaign for justice here in Oregon, where I live. The Equal Rights for All Oregonians ballot initiative proposes to amend our state constitution to protect rights we currently enjoy, but which could be taken away by a conservative state government in the future. These include reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ equality.
If these issues are important to you, please check out the website for more information on how to get involved.
Justice doesn’t just happen, we have to fight for it. I hope you will join me.
Next up: The Hanged One
The next card in the Major Arcana I am illustrating is The Hanged One. 🍏
What do you think of this card?
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Footnotes
Materials notes from this post
Blick Hot Press 100% cotton watercolor paper; EcoLine liquid watercolor paint and brush pens; Winsor & Newton masking fluid; Winsor & Newton walnut ink (tree). I used masking fluid on the snowy areas before painting to preserve the white of the paper (there is no white paint in watercolor!)
I use an Epson Workforce Pro printer to print my drawings onto watercolor paper, using their water-resistant Durabrite ink.
Other tarot artists featured in this post
Clockwise from top left: Rider-Waite Tarot, illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith; Modern Witch Tarot Deck by Lisa Sterle; The Wild Unknown Tarot by Kim Krans; The Gentle Tarot by Mari in the Sky; Rainbow Heart Tarot by Rachel Rosenkoetter; and The Reclaimed Tarot, ReClaim it! PDX, collage by Melissa Evans.
Learn about tarot
Want to learn more about tarot? I highly recommend the book Modern Tarot: Connecting with Your Higher Self through the Wisdom of the Cards by Michelle Tea.
A note about Ai and this project
I do not use Ai (artificial intelligence) to write any of the content for this blog, my other blog Behind the Scenes, or this website.
