Love at First Sight Decks

[Avalon]

I'm really curious about the appeal of the Stick Figure Tarot - I know a lot of people like it, so I must be missing something!

I don't sure about others, but I am a K Grad(pls see avatar).  Stick figure drawing is pretty much the extent of my drawing skills and my drawings NEVER look as lively as the artist's.  Most importantly, it made me laugh.  I naturally love things that do that ;D

 

*Putting it out into The Universe...wish the artist could have a 3rd edition in black ink  :D

[Siavahda]

Love at first sight decks for me would have to be Children of Litha and TrueBlack. Both of them are/were Kickstarter decks but I was only able to back one of them (TrueBlack) I’m hoping that I will be able to get my hands on the other next year after my wedding when I have a bit more spare cash.

 

To be completely honest though, nothing quite comes close to the way I feel about the TrueBlack deck. From the moment I first saw artwork in a thread on AT I was blown away. For the first time here were images I didn’t need a book to interpret. I knew what each image was trying to express and if there were things I didn’t understand, once the creator Arthur had given his reasoning for the image choices I knew exactly why he’d made that decision.

 

I was lucky enough to get in on the Kickstarter for TrueBlack and have been kept thoroughly up to date with everything along the way. One of Arthur’s updates was to introduce us to his Devil card... omg... breathtaking! She’s currently the background on my phone lol

 

*sigh* I could seriously wax lyrical about this deck from here until kingdom come!

 

The TrueBlack is absolutely one that just claims you heart and soul when you're exposed to it. Strongly seconded!

[Siavahda]

I fell head-over-heels for the Dreams of Gaia way, waaaay back, when it was just a few cards on DeviantArt. In hindsight it's kind of magical to realise that I came into tarot years after seeing those first few images (as a child), just as Dreams went into publication. Hee!

 

But as TheFeeLion[/member] said, the TrueBlack and Children of Litha were both love at first sight for me. As were the Numinous and Blood Moon tarots, and Yoshi Yoshitani's Fairytale deck. All pretty different decks, but I absolutely belong to all of them.

[Portia]

Paulina Tarot - I love every single card. It's like stepping into a fairy garden -- with hints of Mardi gras and a Tim Burton movie. It reads beautifully for me. I have a print of "The Hierophant" on my mantle.

 

Rosetta Tarot - So vibrant and thoughtfully crafted. I knew it was special from the second I saw the first card.

[Debirutchi]

The Illuminated Tarot by Carol Herzer.  I love what she made for me. It is beautiful and the iridescence and colors are so wonderful.  Almost 10 years later, I still sometimes just flip through the cards to admire her work. 

[Guest libra]

There have been probably too many, leading to a lot of purchases that were either impulsive or careful, depending on how I'm feeling about myself when I think about them...but then I've always been a girl/old lady who gives my heart away.

 

Oh gosh do I ever resonate with this! I'm sooooo ad for falling in love with a couple of images, then going out and getting the deck, and too often the whole of the deck falls a bit flat. I've had to reallllly pare down my shopping because I feel so sad for decks that sit unused!

 

Another that springs to mine is Raven's Prophecy.  Two of my grandsons, brothers who are 24 and just turned 21 this week, gave it to me for my 70th birthday last March.  Even if the deck had not suited me I would have loved it.  The anticipation on their faces as I opened it, their happiness that I didn't already have the deck, their excitement at my excitement, and their deep love for me, would have made it a wonderful addition to my collection even if the deck had not spoken to me.  But it did.  I truly loved it at first sight.  It's spooky and gorgeous and reads like a charm.

 

That is a very evocative deck! Have you read The Raven Cycle books? Maggie Stiefvater has a real way with words, it's a great book!

[Guest libra]

*GASP* Omg how could I forget??? Froud’s Faeries Oracle!

I originally had his Good Faeries/Bad Faeries book so when I found out there was a deck that had even more faeries I got it as quick as I could. It was my very first deck and I love it even more now than I did all those years ago :D

 

When I saw your username and this deck not mentioned, I was scratching my head a bit! That wmy very first deck as well, and I feel like it really did set the tone for me as a diviner. Every card isn't just an image, it's an entity with a message, like the faeries of Froud's decks. It means my readings are a bit unconventional sometimes, but I'm ok with that!

[bastetly]

Hi all!  May be my first post on here (as I don't do intros well).  But really wanted to express some love for several older decks, one which has already been mentioned.

 

Frouds' Faeries is AMAZING, and is still available used like mine is.  Was missing THREE cards, but years later I obtained another deck for free so we're good now lol.

 

Morgan-Greer was my 2nd deck in the 90s and it still is such a great beginners deck in the RW style.  Saturated colors, BORDERLESS and Courts in close-up <3

 

The Etruscan Tarot by Lo Scarabeo 2002.

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

The first time I saw the Golden Klimt, I knew that it's going to be a deck that I'd cherish for a long time.

[Queen of Nothing]

I fall in love with a lot of decks, and I enjoy most of them once theyre in my hands. But my Ritual abuse is absoltely one of my "love at first sight" decks. For those who don't know about it, it's a deck inspired by the illustrations Stephen Gammel did for the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books.

 

When I was a kid, those pictures would draw out visceral, primal fear in me. I could only look at them through the periphery of my vision, I was so horrified. But I loved reading and rereading those books, and I got such a childlike thrill when I gathered up the courage to look at the illustrations.

 

I fell in love with the deck as soon as I found out about it, and I loved it even more once it was in my hands, and is by far one of my favorite decks to read with. Its so delightfully horrifying.

 

 

[DanielJUK]

My first ever deck at about the age of 12/ 13 was a standard RWS and it still has some of my favourite artwork and symbols I have seen in a deck so far.

 

My next favourite is the Pearls of Wisdom. A long time ago, I started a thread on AT in the Tarot Decks section and asked for recommendations for bright and colourful decks (my fave type of artwork) and there was so many suggestions that I kept as a list! Pearls of Wisdom came up a lot and so I got it and love it! Each card is so busy in the artwork and it's my fave deck for intuitive reading.

 

I loved both decks as soon as I saw them :)

[Asher]

After nearly a year (!) of not buying decks, I just got Ciro Marchetti"s Retrospective tarot. It's a deck with his personal favorite images from all the decks he has done over the years. I'm a huge Ciro fan, but this one is undoubtedly my favorite (it's edged in silver!).

 

Just used it for the first time at our Meetup on Saturday and it reads beautifully, and elicits many oohs and aahs. Shuffles like a dream too.

 

Definitely love at first sight.

[popmygoddess]

I feel like I talk about this deck all the time on here, but the Tarot of Delphi! I saw it after it had funded it's Kickstarter and knew I had to have it when I saw Circe by Wright Baker was the Strength card.  A cheap print of that painting used to hang over my bed when I was college.

 

The other one was Britt's Third Eye Tarot. The artist posted her WIP on tumblr and I knew I loved it before the deck was even finished.

 

I didn't realize it, but these are my two favorite decks to work with, bar none.  So maybe I should pay attention to that feeling more instead of picking up more decks that I don't use.

 

[Guest Night Shade]

The other one was Britt's Third Eye Tarot. The artist posted her WIP on tumblr and I knew I loved it before the deck was even finished.

 

Thank you for sharing this!  I love the manga-style look of this deck.  <3

[Lantana]

Slow Holler is my big one. I saw the Storm card (Tower) after reading what it was about and I fell for it, hook line and sinker. It’s still my “soul” deck.

 

Most of my other decks either grew on me after seeing them again and again, or didn’t live up to the hype but are still precious to me.

[Day Soleil]

Paulina Tarot - I love every single card. It's like stepping into a fairy garden -- with hints of Mardi gras and a Tim Burton movie. It reads beautifully for me. I have a print of "The Hierophant" on my mantle.

 

Oh. My. God. I just freaking fell in love at first sight. Thank you for sharing!

 

I really wish I would have seen this thread before treating myself to 2 new decks off Amazon yesterday. Ack! I love the look of this deck so much. Sighhhhhhhhhhh. It's in my cart for next time.

 

I fell in love with Linestrider when I first looked around for a deck and I feel a strong bond with it. I like how calming, peaceful and uncomplicated the artwork is.

 

I just purchased the Nicoletta Ceccoli deck because I fell in love with the funky style. I also bought The Good Tarot b/c I liked the positive aspect. Will be interested to see if I connect with these decks once I cleanse and begin learning them.

 

I also just discovered the Sakki Sakki deck and am promptly smitten. Out of my reach price-wise for now, unfortunately.

 

[HermitWriter]

I have a Grimaud TdM with titles in Spanish and German, and the LWB in those languages as well. It wasn't my first TdM, but we bonded instantly, and it was the one that made me fall especially in love with that type of deck. The Conver Ben Doav was also a "love at first sight" deck.

 

I thought Kat Black's Golden Tarot - which is definitely gorgeous - was going to be love at first sight, but we still haven't clicked yet. Moore & Fell's Steampunk Tarot maybe wasn't exactly love, but we've gotten along well from the get-go. I usually read for others with that deck, rather than myself.

[zurgles]

Mine were the Shadowscapes and Sakki Sakki deck. I’ve told the story of how I fell in love with the Shadowscapes before so I won’t repeat myself. The Sakki Sakki is a bit of a blur in my memory. I know I saw it and immediately wanted it, I don’t remember the circumstances around buying it, and I remember receiving it but not unboxing it other than a feeling of excitement. It kinda feels like I’ve always had it! Which is fun because it sort of feels like an inner child deck for me. I’ve always loved colors and colorful things, and I remember seeing it online and always double taking and being like YES! So, I’m glad I have it. Definitely love at first sight 🙂

 

edit: I was really charmed by the box when I got it but it’s gotten frayed so I bought an etsy bag for it. But I couldn’t bring myself to throw the box away so it’s in my closet haha

Edited January 5 by zurgles

[Tanga]

The Gendron Tarot  - Ferguson

That Fool Card - reflecting my 1st pagan love of Egypt in high colour & mystery...

 

Halloween Tarot - Kipling West

That Fool Card - just made me laugh. And the whole deck still just makes me LOL.

 

Superlunaris Tarot - Superlunaris

The Magician card - just WOW!  And then I saw a photo of it sometime later in a magazine (the original photo before it was rendered into the art style of the deck). Wish I'd kept that photo.

 

Tarot Apokalypsis - Dunne & Huggens

YES!   Mythology galore in this deck. So vibrant, so captivating, and some of my favourite stories. It makes reading 

so much more fun!

 

Paws Tarot - Wyspell

Here's another deck that just make me LOL 😄 😄 

 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Tarot - Gilly & Mountford

I loved it even more once I'd gone through it - as I was wonderfully surprised to find the authors actually

know Buffy really well and perfectly matched up the characters and themes with the cards.

 

Craft Felt Tarot - Lucci

So simple yet somehow so captivating. Again in high colour!!!

I haven't received it yet in the post - I am waiting patiently.  

Hmmm - perhaps I should get a 2nd copy already...  (most of my absolute favourites have a 2nd copy - just in case,

or if I decide I want a separate one for Magickal use only).

 

[Nemia]

Oh dear oh dear, there are so many! The Thoth - before I even knew its name, a friend of mine from school did a reading for me with the Thoth, and the images haunted me. Ten or more years later, I bought my first deck on a whim - I didn't know what was inside and didn't know how to use the Internet - but there it was, my Thoth! I'll never forget my excitement, and the Thoth has been my greatest tarot love EVER. 

 

The Tarot of the Abyss - when I saw it, I knew that I had to have it. And it's wonderful. The better I get to know it, the more I'm in awe. It's a wonderful deck. 

 

All my decks have sparked something in me. Long-standing friends are the Haindl, Cosmic and of course the Tabula Mundi Tarot. That magical feeling when you open a deck for the first time and discover that it's actually even better than you imagined it to be! I fell in love with the Cosmos Tarot and Oracle and was not disappointed, and I still love my Golden Botticelli and Touchstone Tarot! And the Etruscan! 

 

Tarot decks, like books and works of art, have a personality, and that's why we relate to them like that. All my decks together are like a council of sages, and even if right now I don't work with one of them, it doesn't mean I love it less. It will come to the fore again when I'm in the mood for it. 

 

My regular practices of keeping a tarot calendar and doing weekly readings mean that all my decks go through my hands regularly. That's my way of giving back the love. I touch them, I shuffle them, and I put them back in order again. Shuffling them regularly until they feel warm keeps them awake for the moment when I need them 😉 

 

 

 

[Natural Mystic Guide]

On 10/24/2018 at 11:47 AM, Debirutchi said:

The Illuminated Tarot by Carol Herzer

I have 3 of these now.  They are my favorites.  All with custom painting and add-on glitter.

[TinySpark]

tbh... I find it easier to fall in love with tarot decks than people. 😉 I trust them more... heh.

 

My first love "at first sight" was the Wildwood deck - it was the first deck I've owned where animals were represented in the minor arcana cards.

 

I jumped on the fan-wagon for the Victorian Romantic - love drunk on the imagery and even treasured the lovely "little" white book. 

 

But the deck that had me looking back again and again was the Anna K. Not as startling pretty but so very meaningful. A lovely companion to come back to at the end of the day. 🙂

[Chariot]

I have many tarot decks that I use, but these five are the ones I fell in love with instantly ...and all five have proved to be reliable and informative readers:

The Druid Craft Tarot - by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm/Will Worthington illustrator  
   This one is a very accurate reader for me, although I did have to trim it, as the original was too large for my hands.  Excellent book comes with the deck

The Anna K Tarot

   So unique in her choice of images, and easy to use - Good, comprehensive book as well 

Tarot Grand Luxe - Ciro Marchetti

   A very powerful 'reader' for me. He wrote the book himself, and his explanation for his choices of imagery is enlightening

The Everyday Enchantment Tarot - Poppy Palin 

   I LOVE the British-oriented, modern-day images in this deck, although I find the cards are impossible to shuffle as the card stock is incredibly thick and clingy ...but I have found ways around that. Excellent, detailed book, written by the author

The Allcento Tarot - Michael J Auger

   I saw this newish deck on a flip through and HAD to have it.  It's fantastic.  Quirky, but so easy to read with.  The images make me smile, every time.  It tells me what I need to know, but with tongue firmly in cheek.  Impressive book and extra cards as well ...but I prefer to interpret only the normal 78 cards without referring to the book, which I find a bit 'vague' ...unlike the sharp images on the cards themselves 

Edited January 15 by Chariot

[Sar]

On 1/5/2026 at 8:40 PM, zurgles said:

Mine were the Shadowscapes and Sakki Sakki deck. I’ve told the story of how I fell in love with the Shadowscapes before so I won’t repeat myself. The Sakki Sakki is a bit of a blur in my memory. I know I saw it and immediately wanted it, I don’t remember the circumstances around buying it, and I remember receiving it but not unboxing it other than a feeling of excitement. It kinda feels like I’ve always had it! Which is fun because it sort of feels like an inner child deck for me. I’ve always loved colors and colorful things, and I remember seeing it online and always double taking and being like YES! So, I’m glad I have it. Definitely love at first sight 🙂

 

edit: I was really charmed by the box when I got it but it’s gotten frayed so I bought an etsy bag for it. But I couldn’t bring myself to throw the box away so it’s in my closet haha

Sakki Saeki was my first "designer" deck, and I had a lot of trouble getting my hands on it. Monica is an angel. ❤️

[DanielJUK]

I bought the Sakki Sakki when Monicka was selling off some last stocks. For some reason I have never explored it or used it. Must one day ❤️ 🙂