This is an interesting thread. I guess I am way different than some of you all in some ways, but exactly the same in others
JOdel hates working in "analog". By that, I guess you mean, on paper/canvas/real Malkuth material world substance, as in, not digital. Correct me if I'm wrong in what you meant by analog. I so prefer working with mundane world old school art materials. I love paint and ink and brushes and markers and papers. I do geometrical shit with a compass and ruler and have all sorts of cool phi rulers and stuff. I reverse shit with a window, hahaha though I know a computer does it perfect and that is like 14th century. While the process is indeed incredibly time consuming, and frustrating, I still like it. I don't like the 'puter as much, though there are some things I like about that too. And there is something about the look of what you call "analog" that I like so much better than digital images. It is like when in Islamic art for a rug they build in a mistake purposely to let God in. Except I don't need to do it purposely haha.
The bad part is, as you say, take so much time. And unforgiving. Make a mistake - start over. No "undo" button. Especially my current deck project. It is drawn on frosted mylar with pencil then a permanent marker then painted with india ink. Then, more marker to enhance outlines. Then, scan etc. So, step one is the pencil sketch, well, fine, work shit out but do not overwork it or you will damage the mylar. Then go over the pencil with permanent marker. DO NOT MAKE A MISTAKE AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE NO DO OVERS. So, HOLD YOUR FRICKIN" BREATH and do not move while you make that permanent line. Over and over and over. Then, erase the pencil. If you effed up step one too many times and overworked it and have to erase too hard, guess what: you just made it so the colored ink does not want to stick to the mylar since you damaged it. To correct pool up layers of ink, baby. Takes time.
But, I prefer that than to working in digital. Not that I *can't* do digital; I'm not a dinosaur exactly. Unless you are a Millennial in which case everyone else is one
. I taught myself, with freeware (Gimp) to do the basics. Digital art just feels, and to me looks, sterile.
I take my original scans and only tweak them the bare minimum for printing (scan, resize, crop, take out the cat/dog hair on the scan, haha, convert files to what printers want, add bleed, etc, for the most part). I know how to do what ever else is needed, or I can figure it out in a pinch.
And then Tarotbear, I hear you saying you are starting with your black and white deck, and coloring it, and how much you dislike that process. To me, that is the best part, in a way. For me, getting the idea down in pencil is the hardest part. Getting what is in my head on paper is so hard. Then, drawing the permanent ink lines over the pencil is stressful as that is the "no mistakes part". But once that is done, I rather enjoy getting out my paintbrush and painting the image in with ink. Though my partner will tell you, there comes a point about 80% into the process where I agonize over the color choices, and despair and wonder if I "ruined it", and then when there is *one* more color to paint in, I can agonize over it so bad, as that last color is like The Dude's rug, that ties the whole room together
It does not help that I am trying to follow the Golden Dawn color scales for each card. Or maybe it does, lol, not sure.
What I "wish I had known when starting this deck" is, how long it takes to get to a finished deck from the art completion to when it is truly done! I finished the Majors in mid June and here it is late August. Had to copyright and get print quotes and box quotes and samples. Just sent print files to printer. Had to turn raw scans into cropped files, make a card back, add borders and titles, make a box design, make dies for the box, make dies for the foils, turn into pdfs etc etc and on and on. Once I get the boxes, must stain and add the liners. Once I get the cards, have to add my special handmade packaging touches and sign the signature cards. Have to make images for the web, take pics to capture the foil, take pics of the finished boxes, set up the pics on a website, make a web store if you are gonna sell them. Write a LWB or a full sized book! Takes so much time...