Getting a second deck.Which one?

[hierophant]

Which deck would you recommend as my second deck?

 

I am currently now using a standard RSW, and it is great. It works with the little handwritten book of all my mum's tarot secrets. But I think perhaps I would learn from getting a second deck. Do you have any recommendations?

 

I see that Wildwood is very popular, and it is very instagram friendly so it would look good on my etsy listings, but I just don't feel the imagery. I also think the Lumina Inner Hue deck very photogenic, and it is sooooo pretty, but I am very unsure about it.

 

I looked at the Linestrider Tarot deck, and I LOVE their queen of cups. But I am very uncertain about the rest of the deck :P

 

I have also looked a bit at Shadowscapes. But I am not 100% sure. Can anyone recommend it? Or not?

 

Or do you have some other deck you think I should consider?

[Penthasilia]

Have you looked at Ciro Marchetti's decks? Since you have worked with the RWS it would be an easy transition.

 

His new ones are lovely- but the older ones also are beautiful and easy to find such as the Gilded and Legacy of the Divine.

 

Though- if you want to move to a completely different system, the Thoth would also be a great choice.

[hierophant]

Have you looked at Ciro Marchetti's decks? Since you have worked with the RWS it would be an easy transition.

 

His new ones are lovely- but the older ones also are beautiful and easy to find such as the Gilded and Legacy of the Divine.

 

Though- if you want to move to a completely different system, the Thoth would also be a great choice.

Thank you, I'll google Circo Marchetti :)

 

[Penthasilia]

Also- I would check out Baba Prague- as their decks are sublime. Depends on your price range and all- but these are also RWS based and should be easy to transition- plus they are just gorgeous.

 

https://baba-store.com/

 

I have the Tarot of Prague and Bohemian Gothic- just ordered the 3rd edition Victorian Romantic.

[ilweran]

Shadowscapes is lovely, it's one I use and it's beautiful.

 

Wildwood doesn't follow RWS,  it has it's own system, so you'd need to be prepared for that. You could check out the Druidcraft by the same artist.

 

Of the Ciro Marchetti decks I really like the Legacy of the Divine, it reads well for me.

 

What sort of things do you like? What are your interests? You might there's a deck that ties in.

 

Oh, and beware. It's a slippery slope. You have two and are happy and then suddenly you have 200 and don't know how it happened  ;D

[hierophant]

Lol. I don't think I need that many decks  ::)

 

I think I'll stick to rsw for now. So it's good to find decks I can read :)

[hierophant]

I realize I did an error in the first post. I had looked at the wild unknown, not at wildwood :)

[DanielJUK]

I didn't think I would like the Wild Unknown imagery for a long time and the lack of humans concerned me. I also don't like the internet sort of hipster community worship around it. However I bought one that was on sale and never regretted it. It's wonderful! So it's really a deck that has beautiful art, well made cards and it is really readable intuitively or not. I was put off for 2 years from getting it but you have to have it for yourself, shake off the preconceptions!

 

If you know anyone who has it in person or at any local tarot reading shop near you, I would really try to see it in flesh. It's so different to what you think it will be!

 

My top tip is to pick a deck with themes you like or artwork you like, go with your interests and loves. If you like celtic art (as an example) and themes look through that or anything you like. There is a deck for every theme or artistic interest :)

[PathWalker]

You can check out the artwork of a lot of decks at Aeclectic Tarot, or at Albideuter. That might help you find a deck that speaks to you.

Enjoy

PathWalker

[Ratty]

Did you look at the "What Tarot Deck Are You" thread? There's a US games quiz link http://www.usgamesinc.com/qz/quiz.html that tells you what deck it thinks you should get. It's a bit of fun.

 

Also someone posted a link to all the cataglogues from all the major manufacturers of decks. Perhaps inspiration will strike as you loo through the piccies.

 

[hierophant]

Did you look at the "What Tarot Deck Are You" thread? There's a US games quiz link http://www.usgamesinc.com/qz/quiz.html that tells you what deck it thinks you should get. It's a bit of fun.

 

Also someone posted a link to all the cataglogues from all the major manufacturers of decks. Perhaps inspiration will strike as you loo through the piccies.

I did! I got one I didn't like :P

 

I am very particular, and a bit weird. I am picky, I guess?

[ilweran]

I just did it. It recommended the Chrysalis,  but I already have it. It appears my bank account is safe for today.

[PathWalker]

 

I am very particular, and a bit weird. I am picky, I guess?

 

That's why I and others suggested ways in which you could see some or all of the cards from different decks. No-one else can really choose for you!  :)

[hierophant]

 

I am very particular, and a bit weird. I am picky, I guess?

 

That's why I and others suggested ways in which you could see some or all of the cards from different decks. No-one else can really choose for you!  :)

Yes, I really appreciate it  <3

And for all the suggestions I have gotten. The Baba Studio decks are so beautiful, for example.

[odd_soul]

I have both The Wild Unknown and Shadowscapes and they are both fantastic! A lot of people find the Shadowscapes cards too small for the level of detail in the illustrations, though, so be aware of that if you decide to go with that one. It never really bothered me, but it would be amazing if they did a special edition with larger cards! And if you choose The Wild Unknown, you might benefit from this archived deck study on Aeclectic, since the images are so different: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=187087 It's been helping me a lot!

 

There are also a lot of great indie decks out there, though they do tend to be more expensive. https://littleredtarot.com/product-category/all-cards/ has a nice collection. You can also see some others featured on the Indie Deck Review Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiedeckreview

 

Good luck in your search!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EmpyreanKnight]

I have both the Wild Unknown and the Linestrider, and I can't recommend both enough tho I have a slight preference for the former. The WU has a magnificent production value, while the system of the Linestrider resonates with me. It may be apples and oranges tho - if you make me choose between them I'd hem and haw before grabbing both lol.

 

If you're really curious about the card images, aside from the sites that Pathwalker mentioned, you may want to look them up in some YouTube Tarot deck unboxing/review videos. I remember how excited I was when I chose my second deck. Have fun, hierophant! ^-^

[Page of Ghosts]

It's OK to be picky! I own the WU and was pleasantly surprised with it. I'd seen it all over instagram and on blogs and felt it was the ultimate hipster deck but I also really liked the simplicity of the art, hip as I am, so when it got a commercial release I eventually bought it. It relates well with the RWS-tradition but gives a lot of room for intuitive interpretation as well, and even though I feel like this is a deck "everyone" owns and raves about it didn't take away or get in the way of any connection I felt with the deck.

 

One deck I really, really adore is the Sasuraibito Tarot by Stasia Burrington. The court cards are so good and again, works with my preferred RWS tradition but does a lot of interesting things on its own to make it suitable for developing more intuitive skills as well. The art is really nice and ranges from semi-realistic to more cartoony and there are a fair bit of nude people in it. It's my first indie deck so it's a bit more pricy (36£ + shipping on Little Red Tarot) than something from a major publisher, so there is a risk to take there. I didn't dare to buy any indie decks untill I was more certain of my own taste in both art and tarot decks, because it's so disappointing to spend that amount of money on something that doesn't work out and have to re-home it. But if you're open to it I can't recommend the deck enough! The court cards are especially good and not as stiff as I think the RWS-people can be.

 

I think the question also is what kind of art you like in a deck. It can be tricky when you don't have a good shop nearby where you can look at decks in the cardstock ("flesh", haha) so I know I took a while to really realise what it is I like in a deck. I like them to be RWS-derived, but not a complete clone, and to have whimsical or fantasy-esque art. I prefer traditional mediums to digital artwork for sure as well, and even if the art is a little weird it need to be my personal kind of weird, if that makes sense :))

[Jewel]

I have also looked a bit at Shadowscapes. But I am not 100% sure. Can anyone recommend it? Or not?

Of the decks you mentioned the only one I own is the Shadowscapes.  It is beautiful and does spark intuition.  The book that comes with the set is nice too. The backgrounds are vast (intentionally) which makes the characters and scenes on the cards a bit smaller.  I do believe there is a German version of this deck which was cropped so the scenes are now larger, honestly I would love to have that version of the deck but with the book that comes with the regular mass market deck/book set.  But overall I found the deck good to work with and fluid.  It is RWS based so that would not be a problem for you either.

 

I do not know the style of decks you like or dislike, but if you like faeries at all I have to say one of the decks that most impressed me when I got it this year was the Victorian Fairy Tarot.  The book that came with it was also really good.  Do not let the title or the colors fool you, the deck is really good and not "fluffy".

 

What style of decks do you like?

[hierophant]

Oh, what style do I like? I don't know yet, I guess.

 

I like pretty things, so it helps if I find the cards pleasing to look at. Pretty illustrations and colours are lovely. But the symbolism is more important than pretty. I think some of the very pretty and minimalistic decks could loose some of the symbolism and meaning of the cards.

 

I don't mind nudity or such, but it sometimes irks me a bit if all nudity is there just for the sake of it, then it could disturb the meaning of the card for me. (Did that make sense?) Like the lovers, yes, of course they are bare and naked, and something else could look prude in my mind. But cards where the meaning makes more sense for them to be dressed, then they should be dressed.

 

And I don't want a very specific theme, like a TV show or cats or something.

 

The first time I looked at the RSW deck I found it horribly ugly! But the symbolism is good, and the aesthetics of it is growing on me ;)

 

So, I am a bit vain and want something pretty. But I also need substance :)

[Page of Ghosts]

Aren't we all a little vain? :)) I feel similarly about minimalist decks. I love the visual design of many of them but I worry about the readability since I personally need more from a tarot deck to latch on to than just a very simple symbol or name on the card. So far I just have the WU that I consider "minimalist" and while I have a few on my radar I want to have a small collection decks that are 100% readable to me... so no plans on expanding my selection of minimalist decks for now.

 

The Shadowscapes is also in my little box of current decks I wanna work with and while I haven't had any huge issues with it yet, the cards are very detailed for the tiny size (tiny as in regular tarot card size, but I imagine they must have been painted very large to add all that detail). I also wish the guidebook was in full colour to accommodate for that, and the cardstock is Llewellyn's typical choice, which is not very thick. It's nice to riffle shuffle, but I like mine to be a little thicker, ideally. Otherwise it is very pretty and I think you could easily transition to it from the RWS.

 

I don't know if you're interested in the indie deck I mentioned but I went through it to get a better impression on the nudity in it and I think it's very.. casual, kinda artful nudity. Not like porn or otherwise very graphic or full-frontal. Some of the nude cards have people sitting in positions where you can't see any crotches or breasts, or something in the scene is obscuring them. In those where you can it isn't on Mary-El level of nudity. Not sure if you've seen that deck but the naked people in there are kind of... intense. Some of the guys in there are not shy at all, haha!

[hierophant]

Thank you Page!

 

The shadowscapes is on the top of my list atm :)

 

I don't mind full frontal on some of the cards. It just gets a bit redundant and looses its meaning if it's on all the cards.

 

I'll look at the indie deck again :) But I have decided to be very picky, and not end up with hundreds of decks  8)

[Page of Ghosts]

Good plan! My quest for "the perfect deck" combined with my appreciation for pretty art ended up with me owning probably twice as many decks as I can see myself actually using. I'm working on downsizing but it's hard, to be honest. Better to be proactive about it and be super conscious when you decide to get another deck. I think the Shadowscapes could be a good choice for you! I was very positively surprised by that one too since I had heard so many rave about its beauty but also many complaints about the size of the cards. It's something you need to see for yourself, I think, and hopefully it works for you if you decide that's the one for you :))

 

I don't think I am a total prude, but I prefer any nudity to express something that has to do with the symbolism and meaning of the card, not to be there because the artist likes to draw naked ladies >:D I picked out 8 cards that were more naked people-ish than shirtless men, people in nightwear or underwear. It might be double as many if I add those in. No worries if you choose something else though! Indie decks are fun and special but I at least need to believe I will absolutely love it if I decide to get one.

[Jewel]

I like pretty things, so it helps if I find the cards pleasing to look at. Pretty illustrations and colours are lovely. But the symbolism is more important than pretty. I think some of the very pretty and minimalistic decks could loose some of the symbolism and meaning of the cards.

I also like pretty decks that have some meat to them.  So thinking down the lines of the Shadowscapes I would recommend the Joie de Vivre, the Victorian Fairy Tarot, and the Fey Tarot.  They are pretty and have depth.  The Victorian Fairy Tarot even includes Victorian flower symbolism.  The Fey Tarot was the first deck (that I am aware of) that included illustrations that so encapsulated the meanings of the cards without having to put 10 actual coins to convey the meaning of the of the 10 of coins.  Amazing deck.

 

If you like pagan themed decks there are some amazing ones out there.  The Green Witch Tarot, the Druid Craft (some of the best court cards you will ever work with). The Everyday Witch is also really nice and has a very hip modern vibe to it.

 

If you like surreal art and like bright colors I would recommend the Tarot of the Sweet Twilight.  Not bright but not as dark as some people think is the Deviant Moon.

 

If you want to be really vain (which I would encourage  >:D), and have the money I would HIGHLY recommend The Victorian Romantic, Fantastical Creatures, Bohemian Gothic, and Baroque Bohemian Cats (do not let the fact that they are cats fool you!).  Magic Realist Press (Baba Studios) creates AMAZING tarot decks, both beautiful and ohhhhhhhhhh so readable.

 

I don't mind nudity or such, but it sometimes irks me a bit if all nudity is there just for the sake of it, then it could disturb the meaning of the card for me. (Did that make sense?) Like the lovers, yes, of course they are bare and naked, and something else could look prude in my mind. But cards where the meaning makes more sense for them to be dressed, then they should be dressed.

OK this recommendation is probably not one you will go for, but hey you said nudity did not bother you so I am going there.  The Cosmic Tribe.  It is a cross between the RWS and Thoth, with a techno pagan theme and bright psychedelic colors.  Nudity is not gratuitous nor sexual in nature, but is a key symbolic element of the deck (no masks, no shame, just humans as we were brought into this world and as part of this world).  This deck is full of symbolism, and is the first Tarot deck to present 3 options for the lovers card.  It also boasts some of the easiest to understand court cards.

[Leucrota]

Tarot Mucha is a very beautiful art nuveau deck and is fairly faithful to the RWS imagery; save for a few cards that have their own unique vibe (The Lovers and Judgment are two which are surprisingly intense / foreboding to me, but they still match the concepts of the cards). Some of my favorite card art ever is from this deck.

 

I have a Shadowscapes deck; it is very beautiful but I had problems reading it as a newbie -- it may just be those cards don't mesh with me. When I am more confident with Tarot I will give them another try, but for now I'm focusing on more RWS-based decks.

 

 

[Lionsdaughter]

How about Tarot De St. Croix, or The Everyday Enchantment Tarot?  Both have lovely artwork. I quite like Anna K.  The Golden Thread Tarot is one I have been eyeing for a while, but haven't yet bought.  Deck of the Bastard is pretty cool too.  Circo Tarot is pretty colorful.

As mentioned before Baba decks are fantastic.  Good luck finding the one!