Tarot Deck Creation Study Group

I'd love to join and see different decks being shaped by different aeclectic members - personally I've made about 6 cards of the major arcana, with a buffy theme. This was only really to try out making a theme deck I'd be interested in, and also to see what it is like to make a deck in photoshop 6. I'm an art student, so I can draw and paint cards, and I can use photoshop so yeah..that'll be useful.

I cant wait to see what other people come up with for their personal decks, and how peoples opinions differ between cards..it'll be interesting to see what cards mean to what to who.

Great to have you on board Tempest Fire!

There is a thread started by Divinerguy in 'Tarot Decks' called "What makes a tarot deck perfect for you?" that is worth checking out as it answers all of you questions. This link should work: http://www.aeclectic.net/forum/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=3&TID=2519&SID=125721

I look forward to your contributions!

Hi all,
I would like to do a deck with a space theme. I haven’t really sat down and done a lot of planning yet. I can't quite get some of the details worked out. Hubble Telescope/NASA pictures would be nice for many of the Majors, but I hit a brick wall when I try to think about the Minors. The court cards could be famous astronomers (yes, there are some awesome female astrophysicists). I don’t really know what to do with the pip cards. I have some different ideas (fire=spacecraft, air=struggles such as the Challenge disaster) but I can’t seem to bring it all together. I don't want to limit thing to just NASA achievements because the former Soviet Union contributed wonderful research in space exploration as have other countries of Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. I don’t think this is a deck that would have a wide appeal because most scientists probably wouldn’t even pick up a tarot deck but I would still like to do this for myself. So, how do you start? Do you have any guidelines for the planning stage?

Ahhhhhh to create my own deck ~sigh~ ... If there is one thing I would love to do is to create my own deck, BUT I want to paint it. I have no computer skills, and although I cannot draw I seem to be able to paint (granted have not tried human figures yet *LOL*) ~shrugs~ go figure *LOL*. I will be an avid reader of this study group, and if I ever am able to start painting my own deck I will take pics of my paintings and attach them to posts ... I just envy you talented people *ROFLMAO* ... great idea for a study group!

Love & Light,

As Truthsayer wrote above, participating in the F.A.C.T. project inspired me enough that I decided to keep on making cards. I decided, however, to keep things manageable by focusing only on the 22 majors... at least for now. So far, I've finished 12... already over halfway!

The cards I'm creating are strictly for my own use, so I'm not concerned with copyright considerations. I've discovered quite a few interesting images from Victorian-era and Pre-Raphaelite painters which lend themselves remarkably to Major Arcana themes, as well as help establish an overall "look" -- one which satisfies my aesthetic sensibilities, at any rate.

Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are my tools of choice... along with a set of Hebrew fonts I downloaded.

I've done a few minors here and there, but I'm going to need to collect a lot of image source material before i can really jump into those. I'm thinking that when I do take the minors on in earnest, I'll do 'em in groups of four: i.e., do the four aces at the same time, four Kings, Queens, and so on.

I'm looking very forward to sharing the ins and outs, ups and downs of deck creation with everyone here. Thanks Kayne and Major Tom for getting this going!

Playing cards & blank cards

I want to make a deck of playing cards to read with, so I will join as well here.
Anybody knows how to get a blank deck of cards?
This studygroup forum seems to take all my time, there are too many groups that I find interesting.

Kaz

Hi

Im new to the forum, but am VERY interested in this. I have complied 3 ring binders full of "symbolism" and what I think should go into the "perfect" deck. I think I'll have to get more paper for notes after reading here...lol. I have some artistic talent, but mainly doing large scale murals, though I have done some manuscript illumination. I think that I haven't started because , being a gemini, that I'm afraid that I won't have the follow through to keep up the energy for a whole deck. Plus the idea of "paring down" everything that I would want to put into each card is daunting. I think each card would have to be mural sized to cram all the pictures and symbols I would decide to add.
But I do like the idea of being able to follow with others and learn by what they are doing.

Count me in.

Would love to join in with everyone else in creating my own deck. I've been thinking about it for a few months now but wasn't really to sure where to start. Hoping to get some ideas here. I do know that I want to make mine with a "Dark Shadows" theme. Anyone else remember this daytime soap from the late sixties? I was one of those kids who used to rush home from school to watch. I've been hunting out pictures and graphics but not sure how I would put together the Minor Arcana. Probably use basic images for them with characters from the show for the Major Arcana. Really looking forward to this.

Christi

Great idea!
I think i have been creating a deck for like three years now but as soon as i have a few pictures painted i change my mind about what i want on them or i change the medium.
Lately i'm trying to draw them with ink. You can add so much details with it.

BB
Maan

Re: Count me in.

Nightwalker said:

I do know that I want to make mine with a "Dark Shadows" theme. Anyone else remember this daytime soap from the late sixties? I was one of those kids who used to rush home from school to watch. I've been hunting out pictures and graphics but not sure how I would put together the Minor Arcana. Probably use basic images for them with characters from the show for the Major Arcana. Really looking forward to this.
Christi

Click to expand...

i was one of those kids who loved dark shadows, too. it has been showing on the scifi channel for a while in the mornings. perhaps there is some more material you can use on the scifi channel website. they generally have fan sites for most of the shows they use. i used to have nightmares about barnabas collins! it was years before i could sleep w/o my neck covered up! LOL i remember picking out this music box theme on the piano that barnabas' true love represented. i don't think her name was angelique--i think that was barnabas' nemesis but i can't remember. don't worry about the minor arcana. just put the majors together. don't overwhelm yourself w/ too many details. if the minors are to be you'll pull them in eventually. don't forget rome wasn't built in a day.