Trimmed Borders/Altered Decks Index

Bhavana

Don't the rough uneven edges bug you guys? One thing i love about a deck of cards is the feel of the smooth clean edges of the cards when the deck is stacked.
 

AJ

The edges aren't rough. Cards aren't multiple pieces of paper sealed around the outside edges. The only reason a cut might be raggedy would be if the cutting implement were dull...and I'm not sure even that would cause odd edges.

Sometimes members have taken very fine sandpaper to the sides though.

As far as uneven, that I guess would be a matter of personality and perfection. None of my decks are uneven in my observation.

Someone deliberately cut their deck down in a wavy matter, I'll see if I can find them and add those samples here.
 

Bhavana

I guess what I mean is that once a deck has been trimmed, the edges will never again line up as they would on a factory cut deck. (Obviously!) Or at least I don't think they would. I have only seen photos, and sure it would depend on the person cutting and what they use, how meticulous they are...but I have never actually held a trimmed deck in my hands, so i don't know.
 

AJ

Images from the old threads are all caught up, I'll start on the new ones in this thread tomorrow.

Bhavana, Chronta's link in Pirates above has wavy sides and I'm working on getting the other one I know of. Not what you asked but 'same only different' :)
 

Penthasilia

I suspect people are in shock that you took scissors to a Greenwood :laugh:

LMAO- oh they sure are. :D But it is the deck I use all the time. For me, it is not a collector's deck, it is my main reading deck. So why not improve it? I would never sell it anyway. I am sure some tarot purists have clutched the pearls on this one, but it is SO much more beautiful without the borders- especially the darker photos.

Glad you guys liked it!
 

Penthasilia

I guess what I mean is that once a deck has been trimmed, the edges will never again line up as they would on a factory cut deck. (Obviously!) Or at least I don't think they would. I have only seen photos, and sure it would depend on the person cutting and what they use, how meticulous they are...but I have never actually held a trimmed deck in my hands, so i don't know.

Bhavana, it is actually pretty simple to get them to line up well. I use a guillotine-style cutter for my decks, and the grid that it is attached to has markings every millimeter. The first card is my prototype, I cut it and measure it well, then use the measurements for the additional cards. They line up perfectly every time. Once I cut off the sides, then I use my corner cutter to finish them off. They line up beautifully, with no rough edges and honestly look so professional you would not know that anything had been done.

Do what I did- buy a cheap deck that has awful borders (so you would never use it), for the first one, make sure the borders are crisp (not bled into the picture). Then hack away with abandon! It is your practice deck to get used to how your particular cutting device works and work out any kinks in how you do it. Then, you feel more comfortable doing the ones that count.

Once you try it- you will be cutting borders off everything, LOL, nothing can hide!

})
 

Bhavana

Bhavana, it is actually pretty simple to get them to line up well. I use a guillotine-style cutter for my decks, and the grid that it is attached to has markings every millimeter. The first card is my prototype, I cut it and measure it well, then use the measurements for the additional cards. They line up perfectly every time. Once I cut off the sides, then I use my corner cutter to finish them off. They line up beautifully, with no rough edges and honestly look so professional you would not know that anything had been done.

Do what I did- buy a cheap deck that has awful borders (so you would never use it), for the first one, make sure the borders are crisp (not bled into the picture). Then hack away with abandon! It is your practice deck to get used to how your particular cutting device works and work out any kinks in how you do it. Then, you feel more comfortable doing the ones that count.

Once you try it- you will be cutting borders off everything, LOL, nothing can hide!

})

yeah, I would imagine using good tools would give the best results - and working slowly and carefully.

Now, I love using smaller decks - not the little Llewellyn minis, but a size like the pocket Goddess, which is just tad bigger than the RW pocket decks.
However, there is this "wince" factor, I actually have a physical response watching people do this - almost like watching someone rip up a book. I know that is silly, but that's how it affects me! So, if I were to do this, I would have to have a spare deck, as most of my beloved tarots are precious to me in their "virgin" form. I have always figured that if I wanted a smaller deck, I would just choose one of the tarots that already comes that way - but then, here I am in this thread, admiring the way a lot of the cards look without the borders - for example, the Celestial - a deck I love, but dang are those blue borders ugly! And the Place Vampire Tarot - I am crazy about the cards the way they are, and would never touch my original deck - but the cards are big, and awkward to read with. A trimmed deck would be much more comfy to use....and as long as I had my un-trimmed deck to admire from time to time, I might be able to handle it....

but...I don't think I am ready yet...plus, I don't have the funds lying around to start doubling up on my decks....so, don't think I'll run out and buy the cutter tomorrow...

Here is a video on someone trimming and personalizing a Thoth, in case anyone is interested...it's probably been posted here before, but what the heck....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBVYY0jLiU

Also, I saw that some of the decks listed in the beginning of this thread are not just trimmed but have additional altering, such as embellishments with glitter glue, etc - I am an artist and was thinking of trying something like that. I like the Illuminated decks, but they are way out of my price range...and I have Golden acrylic paints that contain very fine glitter. I am sure I could create a deck similar to the Illuminated decks, only more my own...I have no interest in copying the Illuminated Tarot. The questions I have are about lamination. I don't want to buy a machine - does anyone have experience with spray or paint on lamination that leaves a glossy, quality finish that will last?
 

AJ

I think BelovedK's work on embellishing FAR outstrip the Illuminated, by a million miles. A zillion.
I think some of hers are in the Rider Waite group. Or click on the Kissa link in the first post and then do a search within that thread for BelovedK
I expect Rodney's came out just as illuminating :)
The problem is those cards are just impossible to photograph to show them at their best.


For our trimmers, I'm wondering if there is a particular color we just don't like for borders that outweighs the size of the borders or how those borders affect the image?

I'd have to say purple/lavender or blue.
 

Penthasilia

I think BelovedK's work on embellishing FAR outstrip the Illuminated, by a million miles. A zillion.
I think some of hers are in the Rider Waite group. Or click on the Kissa link in the first post and then do a search within that thread for BelovedK
I expect Rodney's came out just as illuminating :)
The problem is those cards are just impossible to photograph to show them at their best.


For our trimmers, I'm wondering if there is a particular color we just don't like for borders that outweighs the size of the borders or how those borders affect the image?

I'd have to say purple/lavender or blue.

I think that all the sickly pastels make it horrible- unless the drawings themselves are pastel. I also don't like white borders around dark cards. For me, the image should fill the entire card- and if a border is wanted, then make the border fit well with the picture. The problem with most publishers, is that they have an artistic ability equivalent to an anteater- so they just do not see how some of these borders detract from the cards. One of my friends was devastated by the ugly border that was placed on her cards before selling them. Just my 2 cents :D