question for deck designers only

Do you end up USING your deck?

I'm a deck designer, and have been posting here on the process of my deck for two years. What I'm learning is very interesting.

I had to make certain design choices, and choices about what system of minors I'd use, and whether or not to include astrological symbols etc etc....

Well, because the project is so strung out, I don't know, maybe it's my inner critic...I can't imagine ever reading with my own deck....which is one of the reasons i started designing it in the first place: "Wow...how awesome will it be to actually read with a deck of my own design?? I'll have such an affinity for the cards..."....yeah...NOT....

I mean, potentially...but the inner critic will always be there..."ya know, ya shoulda used a little more magenta there..."

I guess i won't know till I actually try it.

I created a deck 20 years ago, and didn't like using it.

I'm not sure if it's because of my own harsh criticism, or if it's because my reading style has moved on from what I'm doing in the deck! And it has moved on. Which has made it very difficult to continue with the deck...I"m only TEN CARDS away from being done...that's right....and I second guess myself every few cards...thinking about going back and re-doing the entire minor arcana, because I don't like some of the choices I made for it oh-so-long (seemingly) ago. And yet, the art is pleasant...I'm mostly satisfied with it...it's just not where I am right now....

So I'm wondering...when you have finished a deck...or two, or three...DO YOU END UP USING IT, or are you too close to it?

We are all our own worst critic.

I do read my own books - but they are informational, so sometimes I go back and check things. Sometimes I think now that I've written it all down for the record that my memory circuits no longer 'store' it.

Would I use my Men's deck (provided it gets published)? Probably only if I was reading for men.

I haven't finished any of my Tarot decks yet, but I've made a couple of Oracle decks for my own personal use, including one Lenormand.

With Oracle decks, it's actually much easier, because they take much less time to make and also because their symbolism is much simpler and more direct than that of Tarot. I'm using my Lenormand, despite the fact that it isn't completely colored yet (just couldn't wait any longer ), and I'm very happy with how it looks and reads.

It took me quite a while to shape up the basic concepts for my Tarot decks, so that was the hardest part. I keep reviewing the sketches every now and then, and I'm generally pleased with what I'm getting. But then again, I like my art.

I guess, the main problem is that I was trying to make a perfect, all-inclusive deck, sort of a complicated-simple-symbolic-straightforward-logical-intuitive all-in-one pack. But it's just impossible. So, I've settled for two decks for now, and when I finish them, I intend to actually read with them!

Sometimes, it helps to let it rest for a while. When I come back to the sketches after some time, I immediately see what's good and what needs remaking. The comforting thing is that as I progress, I like more and more things, and fewer and fewer things need reworking. That means, there IS going to be a moment when I stop and say, 'Now it's ready'.

Yeh, I like my art, a lot...I'm very pleased with how it's all coming out....

But like i say, It's been so long since I made certain decisions...and finally had to say, ok, I can't keep changing my mind on this, I need to pick a plan and stick with it. Which I did. 2 years ago...

and my reading habits have wandered into other areas now.

Well, i'll just have to wait till it's done, printed, and then we'll see.

A strange thing happened to me.

Once I finished a deck or two...I still continued to read with my other favorite decks.

And when I came back to my own decks, and read with them...it was like they were completely different entities.. I still had a connection to them, but I didn't feel like they were exactly mine anymore.

I suppose a mother feels this way, giving birth to something that is independent and thrives on it's own.

I am constantly amazed and delighted...and yes...surprised at what my decks tell me. Sometime I even question why something is there...because I can't remember putting it there!
I guess I channeled each one from a source that bypassed all the ego and inner criticism (and I have a really strong inner critic!) and so I can appreciate reading them, but not worry about how they look, or how other people perceive them.

It's a pretty awesome thing...to read your own creation. But it does seem to work better if a little time has passed between the birth and the time you set out to work with them.

dancing_moon said:

I haven't finished any of my Tarot decks yet, but I've made a couple of Oracle decks for my own personal use, including one Lenormand.

With Oracle decks, it's actually much easier, because they take much less time to make and also because their symbolism is much simpler and more direct than that of Tarot. I'm using my Lenormand, despite the fact that it isn't completely colored yet (just couldn't wait any longer ), and I'm very happy with how it looks and reads.

It took me quite a while to shape up the basic concepts for my Tarot decks, so that was the hardest part. I keep reviewing the sketches every now and then, and I'm generally pleased with what I'm getting. But then again, I like my art.

I guess, the main problem is that I was trying to make a perfect, all-inclusive deck, sort of a complicated-simple-symbolic-straightforward-logical-intuitive all-in-one pack. But it's just impossible. So, I've settled for two decks for now, and when I finish them, I intend to actually read with them!

Sometimes, it helps to let it rest for a while. When I come back to the sketches after some time, I immediately see what's good and what needs remaking. The comforting thing is that as I progress, I like more and more things, and fewer and fewer things need reworking. That means, there IS going to be a moment when I stop and say, 'Now it's ready'.

Click to expand...

Would it be possible to see some of your stuff? You said "you like your art". Who on earth could like their art, lol? I mean the art should be really powerful

Good input, Chronata.

I have 7 more cards to do....and I'm averaging about 3 hours per card, so I'm doing an intensive this week to get them all "done". I still have to go back and "tweak" a few, and redesign my Hierophant card (yet again, what is this, pass #5 on that card...) and a card back... and then do all my "post production", preparing the digital files for the printer.

So it's far from "done done". But having gotten thru all the cards will be a milestone, and a shift of gears into another mode for the rest of the work. Maybe I'll have a deck in my hands by fall.

I made my deck only to remember the meanings of the tarot. It took me 3 weeks. Last day itself I illustrated 20 cards. What kind of quality pictures these could be? I kinda enjoy fast, simplified and minimalist projects. I couldn't work on something for 5 years. Anyway, although some of the minor arcana pictures look in a weird sense "cool", I am not sure that "cool" would equal "usable". IN runes (not a rune expert but) they say one has to make its own for them to work. I thought if I can make mine work better, then I'm alright with making my own tarot deck. I was thinking of selling it on my website but at the same time I want it to be readable, not just for fun, so one day I think I'm crazy even thinking this and the other day not. I just don't get it.

Mallah said:

Good input, Chronata.

I have 7 more cards to do....and I'm averaging about 3 hours per card, so I'm doing an intensive this week to get them all "done". I still have to go back and "tweak" a few, and redesign my Hierophant card (yet again, what is this, pass #5 on that card...) and a card back... and then do all my "post production", preparing the digital files for the printer.

So it's far from "done done". But having gotten thru all the cards will be a milestone, and a shift of gears into another mode for the rest of the work. Maybe I'll have a deck in my hands by fall.

Click to expand...

What software do you use for post production and borders? I just have power point.

Aina:
Here's a link to on offsite place where a lot of the deck is posted:

http://photobucket.com/wickwillowtarot

It's a bit messed up there...photobucket changed the way everything works, and my layout got all jacked up. But a lot of it's there. I haven't uploaded the rest of the swords or any of the cups yet. I've been away from a scanner for quite some time...I'll be uploading the rest of it in a week or so.

Here's a link to my deck creation thread....which i also haven't posted to because i wasn't getting much feedback:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=171257