If you designed a deck what would you center yours around?

[citrinepeacock]

I've had an idea for a long time to make a deck based on all the different industries I've worked in, but I don't work with representational art much and that sounds like years of work

[gregory]

Making a deck IS a lot of work. I took about 8 years on mine - maybe it was longer; I forget now. If you really want to create a deck - resign yourself to a LOT of hard work. Unless you want to turn out some schlock like the one I picked up for a fiver in The Works a few weeks ago. Plonk a random animal on each card, job done. That's not a tarot deck.

[citrinepeacock]

1 hour ago, gregory said:

Making a deck IS a lot of work. I took about 8 years on mine - maybe it was longer; I forget now. If you really want to create a deck - resign yourself to a LOT of hard work. Unless you want to turn out some schlock like the one I picked up for a fiver in The Works a few weeks ago. Plonk a random animal on each card, job done. That's not a tarot deck.

Congrats on your deck! 8 years is an accomplishment 👏 

 

I think I would have to feel more comfortable with drawing people and that's not my Forte. But it's fun to think about

[gregory]

I can't draw AT ALL. So mine is photo collage, from my own photos. If you desperately want to do a deck - that could be an option ? (I wanted to do one for my own learning process; you sound as though you want to do one for artistic reasons !)

[citrinepeacock]

1 hour ago, gregory said:

I can't draw AT ALL. So mine is photo collage, from my own photos. If you desperately want to do a deck - that could be an option ? (I wanted to do one for my own learning process; you sound as though you want to do one for artistic reasons !)

You know....I love this idea 💕 I have this really specific idea in my mind but there's no reason I can't do like graphic design for it or take photos like you said. Omg. That would be such a great deck

[DanielJUK]

There is a difference in making a tarot deck and an oracle deck. A Tarot deck has a formal system, the best decks have an artist / creator who at least has some understanding of what the cards mean. Like it has to represent the 2 of Cups, whatever your theming. With an oracle deck, it can be anything you want! It has it's own system.

 

If you are struggling with artwork, why not make a divination oracle out of whatever you want. People use stones. rocks. crystals, junk around their house, kids toys. You just need to give each thing a "property" to read with.

 

Here are some threads from the past of members who have made "junk charm oracles", really easy and fun to make -

 

 

 

There are centuries of history of people using different ways of divination, you don't have to just make cards! You can even make cards with stick figures on, it's whatever you want to make 🙂

[Bodhiseed]

I would do it on something that greatly interests me or something that I care deeply about. I've done two oracles, one based on recovery (drawn) and one based on lojong - buddhist slogans (photos).

[citrinepeacock]

I think I'm so hung up on doing a tarot deck, just cuz I had this artistic idea. But I didn't even think of making an oracle deck that's really brilliant, I think that's going to be my next project. 

 

Ps @Bodhiseed both of those sound really cool

[Grandma]

I designed a deck years ago using open access art work from various museum websites. No one has seen it besides Grandpa and me. It still reads amazingly well.  

 

And by the way, @gregory's deck is a masterpiece!

 

 

 

[Mi-Shell]

On 5/29/2023 at 8:31 AM, Bodhiseed said:

I would do it on something that greatly interests me and something that I care deeply about.

I am with @Bodhiseedhere! 

I have toyed with the idea of creating a deck about indigenous Siberian lore, legends and Spirits.....

But, like gregory, I can not draw at all  😞

[RaynaDark]

I Think it would be fun to create a musical/frequency deck. Assign each card a genre of music, frequency or binaural beat.

[citrinepeacock]

On 6/13/2023 at 11:44 PM, RaynaDark said:

I Think it would be fun to create a musical/frequency deck. Assign each card a genre of music, frequency or binaural beat.

Ooh! I'm really into this 

 

And right on @Xavier!

[Xavier]

A few years ago on a late spring of a Saturday evening my friend drew an oracle that came out of nowhere, probably due to sudden inspiration.  I write from Italy and although it is all made up of minimalist black & white images is written in Italian on all 60 cards. Since I like to combine tarot cards and oracles cards, in reality my friend should also draw for me a tarot deck of the same style for completeness but in the meantime I also like to use it alone. It is very intuitive, the only instruction is: to follow only one's instinct in looking at the cards that are extracted and draw on the information according to one's personal experience to make an interpretation. The drawings are really very simple and everyone can do this very well, without any difficulty.

 

Instead I who am totally denied in drawing had invented another oracle that I still use today for my work as a life & work coach, it is all based on the colors and on the book of symbolic cromo therapy that I wrote years ago after much research on double triad of fundamentals of colors therefore of light and matter precisely. Obviously it is already all in color and also is written in Italian but has only 33 cards.

 

I think we can all invent oracles and draw tarot cards, according even to our style and experiences. This is nice to do and then good to share and I think this is also a great way to help ourselves and others. When you are not able to draw you can use the photos, shades contained in software such as Paint, or make collages using different materials!

[Xavier]

@citrinepeacock since we are talking about various alternative graphics to the classic illustration: while in the first deck of my friend is present a freehand pen graphic in the second by me the realization was done with a paint software on the computer and many related nuances. Anyway, I'm really convinced that every stylistic technique can be used and everyone's creativity has no true limits but the important thing when you create a deck of cards for yourself like my friend and I did (regardless of the type or theme you choose) remains the fact that you have to do some experimentation to get it produced by a graphic printing site. The "resolution" of the image must be even very good and also the scan of the work if this is done by hand, furthermore the colors may vary slightly in tone depending on the type of paper and the quality of the ink selected. These little tricks are worth it if we really can then use our personal deck created according to our inspiration, our divinations will be better!

[Teemu]

Hi,

 

my theme would be an engineer's deck. The main work would not go intothe actual design of the cards - I do have a good CAD prgram - but the underlying principles prove much harder. Assuming a RWS symbolism as starting point, it will not be easy to envision proper altered meanings. I admit I do have some ideas - it would be a complete gender neutral deck. But it will have to wait until I am retired from work.

[Scandinavianhermit]

I wouldn't centre a tarot deck of my own around anything.

 

Instead, I would attempt to fuse several more or less traditional styles into a hybrid semi-traditional deck, like this:

 

1. Only three legs of the table visible. The angle of his wand carefully considered. A flower sprouts from the ground under the table.
2. A pillar on each side. Open book. Only two crowns on her tiara. Chequered pavement. Will her facial colour diverge? Perhaps a peacock?
3. Wings, rather than a support for her back. Crescent by her feet. Twelve stars around head. A sun in the upper left corner. The exact heraldic colour scheme of her shield carefully considered before choosing: Ought the white eagle devour a red lion, but have its wings eaten by a green lion? The angle of her sceptre carefully considered.
4. Sea in the background. A flower sprouts from the ground, as per Gassmann (1840).
5. Perhaps a backdrop behind the cathedra, reminding of the Supreme Being.
6. The exact angle of Cupid's bow carefully considered.
7. Some consideration given to the heraldic crest and the colours of the four pillars carrying the chariot's canopy.
8. I'm not sure if wings or a support for her back is the best option. Some consideration given the shape of the capitals. Perhaps make the hint in some marseilles-decks explicit, and make her wear a masonic square from a collar?
9. I'm not sure if his cloak will be lifted or not. Also, not sure if a snake and/or an hourglass ought to be included or not.
10. The exact nature of the three creatures ought to be considered.
11. Ought a pillar be included? Is the purpose to close or open the lion's maw?
12. Six branches cut from each tree trunk, leaving red cut marks. Coins falling from his pockets. Consideration given if there will be water at the bottom of the scenery?
13. Untitled. The angle of his scythe carefully considered. No nose.
14. Is the fold of her dress actually a snake? Is one feet in water or not? Sun sign in the genius' tiara. Red and blue dress. A flower sprouts from the ground. Which colour does the fluid have? Is the colours of the two vessels important? Ought the angle of the fluid be 'realistic' or not?
15. A Payen Devil (or similar), but some leeway given to a 19th century esoteric interpretation, by making the left imp a Baphomet, the right imp an imprisoned Adamic-Evic creature. This opens up for several layers of interpretation, instead of restricting to just one.
16. Retain ambiguity concerning the direction of movement of flames. Arrange the ten dots according to the tree of life, seven dots on the other side. One of the human figures falling into water, the other one through air, presumably towards the ground. Consider inclusion of drummer imp.
17. Pregnant androgynous creature with a knee on the shore, a feet in the water. Give intense consideration regarding the exact nature of the creature in the tree: Diurnal bird? Owl? Butterfly?
18. A Payen Moon.
19. Twin males under Sun, presumably Memnon and Emathion. Ought elements from some traditions be included? Klotho? Monkey with mirror?
20. The shape of the angel wings and trumpet ought to insinuate a swan-like shape. A Jerusalem flag, not a Swiss one or an English one.
21. Unnumbered. A tiger behind him (following Mellet's creative liberty), a crocodile before him (following Paul Christian's creative liberty) and a butterfly at eye height following Piedmontese style (1820). He has dropped a jingle to the ground, as per Chosson (1736). He strides a narrow brook. A flower sprouts from the ground, as per Gassman (1840) and Vergnano (1830). Will his facial colour diverge?
22. A world genius as per Tarot de Paris and the Belgian tarot style, but with crescent on her brow as per Piedmontese style, adding some ambiguity. Ezechelian Zoas. The exact arrangement of the wreath deserve deep and extended consideration.

 Colour scheme as per reconstructed Conver, unless Oswald Wirth or Paul Marteau argues very convincingly for another choice.

[Raggydoll]

8 hours ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

I wouldn't centre a tarot deck of my own around anything.

 

Instead, I would attempt to fuse several more or less traditional styles into a hybrid semi-traditional deck, like this:

 

1. Only three legs of the table visible. The angle of his wand carefully considered. A flower sprouts from the ground under the table.
2. A pillar on each side. Open book. Only two crowns on her tiara. Chequered pavement. Will her facial colour diverge? Perhaps a peacock?
3. Wings, rather than a support for her back. Crescent by her feet. Twelve stars around head. A sun in the upper left corner. The exact heraldic colour scheme of her shield carefully considered before choosing: Ought the white eagle devour a red lion, but have its wings eaten by a green lion? The angle of her sceptre carefully considered.
4. Sea in the background. A flower sprouts from the ground, as per Gassmann (1840).
5. Perhaps a backdrop behind the cathedra, reminding of the Supreme Being.
6. The exact angle of Cupid's bow carefully considered.
7. Some consideration given to the heraldic crest and the colours of the four pillars carrying the chariot's canopy.
8. I'm not sure if wings or a support for her back is the best option. Some consideration given the shape of the capitals. Perhaps make the hint in some marseilles-decks explicit, and make her wear a masonic square from a collar?
9. I'm not sure if his cloak will be lifted or not. Also, not sure if a snake and/or an hourglass ought to be included or not.
10. The exact nature of the three creatures ought to be considered.
11. Ought a pillar be included? Is the purpose to close or open the lion's maw?
12. Six branches cut from each tree trunk, leaving red cut marks. Coins falling from his pockets. Consideration given if there will be water at the bottom of the scenery?
13. Untitled. The angle of his scythe carefully considered. No nose.
14. Is the fold of her dress actually a snake? Is one feet in water or not? Sun sign in the genius' tiara. Red and blue dress. A flower sprouts from the ground. Which colour does the fluid have? Is the colours of the two vessels important? Ought the angle of the fluid be 'realistic' or not?
15. A Payen Devil (or similar), but some leeway given to a 19th century esoteric interpretation, by making the left imp a Baphomet, the right imp an imprisoned Adamic-Evic creature. This opens up for several layers of interpretation, instead of restricting to just one.
16. Retain ambiguity concerning the direction of movement of flames. Arrange the ten dots according to the tree of life, seven dots on the other side. One of the human figures falling into water, the other one through air, presumably towards the ground. Consider inclusion of drummer imp.
17. Pregnant androgynous creature with a knee on the shore, a feet in the water. Give intense consideration regarding the exact nature of the creature in the tree: Diurnal bird? Owl? Butterfly?
18. A Payen Moon.
19. Twin males under Sun, presumably Memnon and Emathion. Ought elements from some traditions be included? Klotho? Monkey with mirror?
20. The shape of the angel wings and trumpet ought to insinuate a swan-like shape. A Jerusalem flag, not a Swiss one or an English one.
21. Unnumbered. A tiger behind him (following Mellet's creative liberty), a crocodile before him (following Paul Christian's creative liberty) and a butterfly at eye height following Piedmontese style (1820). He has dropped a jingle to the ground, as per Chosson (1736). He strides a narrow brook. A flower sprouts from the ground, as per Gassman (1840) and Vergnano (1830). Will his facial colour diverge?
22. A world genius as per Tarot de Paris and the Belgian tarot style, but with crescent on her brow as per Piedmontese style, adding some ambiguity. Ezechelian Zoas. The exact arrangement of the wreath deserve deep and extended consideration.

 Colour scheme as per reconstructed Conver, unless Oswald Wirth or Paul Marteau argues very convincingly for another choice.

Sounds like a carefully thought out plan! So what are you waiting for? 😁 

 

[Scandinavianhermit]

3 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Sounds like a carefully thought out plan! So what are you waiting for? 😁 

I'm not good at drawing, I'm afraid. 

[Raggydoll]

14 minutes ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

I'm not good at drawing, I'm afraid. 

Ah. Well you could perhaps edit the different pieces of original art together digitally and then print out and trace the linework? Or maybe you’ll find someone that shares your passion and who can help you do it. I do think it is so rewarding to make one’s own deck, even if it doesn’t end up being as perfect as we would have liked. It’s the process that matters and we learn so much from it! Anyway, I hope you’re able to create your dream deck at some point! 

[Scandinavianhermit]

1 hour ago, Raggydoll said:

Ah. Well you could perhaps edit the different pieces of original art together digitally and then print out and trace the linework? Or maybe you’ll find someone that shares your passion and who can help you do it. I do think it is so rewarding to make one’s own deck, even if it doesn’t end up being as perfect as we would have liked. It’s the process that matters and we learn so much from it! Anyway, I hope you’re able to create your dream deck at some point! 

Thank you. I will take your suggestions under consideration. That's very kind of you.

[gregory]

Photographic collage  Worked for me. IT also makes you think REALLY hard about what you are trying to get across in each photo.

[Sar]

I would try to draw something simple. Take out the essence of each card.

[Guest]

I read somewhere that someone tried to create an Anne Rice Tarot in the nineties or early oughties but that the project was scuppered. If I had the artistic wherewithal to create a deck, that's the one I'm going to make.