What moves you to help fund a tarot deck project?

geoxena

Would love your feedback on this!

If you find out about a new deck being created and looking for funding, what would be most likely to prompt you to consider backing the project?

The artwork alone?
The philosophy/perspective of the deck and card meanings?
A creator or artist with whom you're familiar and/or someone you admire?
Recommendations from other members here or from well-known tarot readers/creators?
The publisher/packaging?
A sensible business approach?
Rewards for backing the project?
A certain number of cards finished, or sketches provided for review?

I am thinking mostly about crowd-sourcing, but feedback on other funding option ideas are welcome.

What if it's someone new, creating a deck for the first time? You don't know who they are, but like what they've shared about their deck. How much do you need to know about this person? Do you want to know their experience with tarot? Do you want to know their name or is an alias acceptable? Do you need to see a picture of the creator or are pics of the cards enough? Is it acceptable for a person to use their business name and not reveal who they are?

Thanks in advance, for your input!
 

ematuskey

As someone nobody knew who wanted to crowdfund a deck, this topic is near and dear to me. ;) Here was my thinking:

If you are someone people know, or you're working with a property people are familiar with and interested in (ie, Cthulhu/Lovecraft), then you can tap into an existing fanbase, and stand a good chance of getting interest and funding if your pitch is good enough.

If nobody knows who you are, or you're creating something brand new, then, IMO, you're not going to get much interest or funding unless you can show more than a good pitch--you need to have some of the project already done, so people have a better idea about what they're being asked to back, and can make a more informed decision.

From personal experience, I spent several years self-funding art until I had a little less than 20 pieces done--only then did I turn to crowdfunding to help get the money to finish the project. Not only could people see the completed art and get an idea of what the deck would look like, but in the time leading up to the Kickstarter, I was able to build a small amount of buzz by showing the art at local conventions, and forums like this one.

And even then, I kept my ask on the small side (less than $10k), asking for money to help finish the art, while I took on the task of paying for the printing & distribution myself. Even if people liked my pitch and the cards that were already completed, folks still had no idea who I was, and so I didn't try for tens of thousands of dollars.

Good luck!
 

danieljuk

There is multiple reasons I have I think. I always support people on AT if they launch one on there, but I do have to like the artwork and would want it in my collection. I have also supported my fave artists / publishers with projects on there but the card design / artwork and rewards and extras thrown in are important to me.

Recently I backed a collaborative project where the card design turned out awful from the original plan, I know many other AT folk were disappointed in it. I am more careful about it now, especially with collaborative projects. I am also more careful as an international shopper about where it's coming from because I am wary of buying from America now due to customs charges.

To fund a random project where I don't know the people before, I think it has to have artwork that I really want or it fits with an interest of me. I mostly find the random projects through here on AT. I look at threads of new decks and sometimes if a thread becomes many pages discussing a deck, I will be more intrigued by it. But I would have to like the art and the card layout. I think actually seeing a few cards and the project plan laid out is enough for me, I don't care about the persons previous things or info about the artist or anything like that. It's about the deck for me.
 

VGimlet

I have to like the art, or possibly I have to be intrigued by the idea. Sometimes I'll do it just to support the artist, if it's an artist I know.

I have only not gotten the deck once, and the artist says they are still planning to get the decks out sometime.
 

gregory

  • I have to like the art. that's the big one - though a totally off-the-wall philosophy would very likely turn me off unless the art was SPECTACULAR.
  • It has to be kickstarter unless I "know" the artist. I will not back a crowdfunded project where the creator gets the money as it trickles in, may not get enough to complete, but has spent it, can't complete and you end up with nothing. If it's one I REALLY want on indiegogo, I will sometimes back when it is close to or above the target. I will not go near patreon. "Monthly donations" ? I don't think so. It could go on for YEARS and you still end up with nothing.
  • A sensible target. Not one that clearly won't manage to fund the thing, and not one where the artist will make WAY more than needed. I do know a little about how much things cost !
  • I'm not overly concerned about fancy packaging. I want the art of the deck. I can TOTALLY live without carved boxes and silk scarves. So one that offers me a BASIC perk - ONE DECK ! - shrink wrapped is fine - works for me !

What if it's someone new, creating a deck for the first time? You don't know who they are, but like what they've shared about their deck. How much do you need to know about this person? Do you want to know their experience with tarot? Do you want to know their name or is an alias acceptable? Do you need to see a picture of the creator or are pics of the cards enough? Is it acceptable for a person to use their business name and not reveal who they are?
I'd need to be able to believe they were honest. This is the result of Bad Experiences ! If I like the deck, it will make NO difference AT ALL to see a picture of the artist. I believe Picasso was less than attractive to look at.... Experience with tarot - as long as I can see what they have done, and it makes some sense to me, that's fine. I'd PREFER their real name, so that I don't feel it could be a con - that said,. the worst con I have suffered was on kickstarter and we had his name, so.... (Symbolist, where the hell are you ?)

ematuskey's drew me in :D So listen to him !
 

witchofglass

Artwork is absolutely the biggest draw for me. If I don't like the art (and I seem to be one of the pickiest folks around, whoops), then why should I spend money for it? I wouldn't use it. As a follow-up, I need to see evidence that a good portion of the artwork is completed. For myself, I wouldn't post a deck to kickstarter/etc unless it was all done and the only costs remaining were printing and shipping.

Price point is the next thing, compared to the amount of work/art that's actually going into it. I won't pay as much for a pips deck as a fully illustrated one and I certainly won't pay full-deck prices for majors-only or other partial decks. I also won't buy most ~collector's~ edition decks or anything that I feel is artificially increasing the price.
 

Barleywine

A sufficient amount of completed work has to be shown on-line to be able to demonstrate the artistic talent behind it. I made the mistake before of buying a deck after seeing only one card; as the old adage goes, "Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while." Also, unless its an oracle deck, the symbolic system it follows must be recognizable, with no major departures from the usual themes. Generally, I will only back someone who has a successful track record of doing it before, unless the price is reasonable and I really want the deck badly. Both projects I've backed so far met all three of those criteria, and I have yet to be strongly tempted by a deck from an unknown creator. I take the long view on deck buying, and am happy to wait for a mass-market edition if there is going to be one. If not, no big deal.
 

Luna's Crone

have not received one deck and won't. i think the guy is bi-polar and a bit weird. sad actually.

Now, I funded a project that makes atheletic hijabs for muslim women who want to participate in sports. They have several types for different type sports. They showed alot of pictures info on materials and things. so i felt safe with that one. I think they are moving in to proper clothing that is religious appropriate but makes the sport easier to do.

i got a couple of disappointing decks. where the art was interesting. and then ugh.

MM came thru shinning brightly with that wonderful deck!!!!!!

definitly wouldn't do crowd funding.
 

willowy

I've backed 3 decks on kickstarter,two got funded,the other didn't make it (but it was a higher fund goal and for just the major arcana so I wasn't too suprised).
I have to really like the artwork,some completed cards to view is essential,price has to be reasonable too cause I'm in uk so will have added shipping to pay if its a deck created outside of uk.
Regular updates are important too,I don't need all the details of your life but checking in every couple of weeks to show you're still alive is nice.
I don't need extra perks for higher pledges,as long as I get the deck(and preferably little white book) I'm good.
 

Rhapsodin

Would love your feedback on this!

If you find out about a new deck being created and looking for funding, what would be most likely to prompt you to consider backing the project?

The artwork alone?
The philosophy/perspective of the deck and card meanings?
A creator or artist with whom you're familiar and/or someone you admire?
.............
A certain number of cards finished, or sketches provided for review?
Just these really. I'm not a reader but collect the art and the inspiration behind
a project. The card meanings have to be close to the original Tarot wisdom
even if the symbols vary from tradition.

I am thinking mostly about crowd-sourcing, but feedback on other funding option ideas are welcome.
The problem for me is that I won't do any overseas biz on a credit card - security reasons. I'm okay with paypal as any breaches can only come from the one source - and most crowd funding doesn't work with paypal I've found.

What if it's someone new, creating a deck for the first time? You don't know who they are, but like what they've shared about their deck. How much do you need to know about this person? Do you want to know their experience with tarot? Do you want to know their name or is an alias acceptable? Do you need to see a picture of the creator or are pics of the cards enough? Is it acceptable for a person to use their business name and not reveal who they are?
If the art is captivating it often says a lot about the person. I may seek more info and would come here as a first port of call. My favourite Tarot artist is a member here and I was swept away a) by his breadth of expression, b) his undoubted skill, c) his penchant for the exotic, d) his obvious knowledge of Tarot meanings.

:)