What I actually wanted to do was open a store that offered independently made tarot and oracle decks like the ones I collected, first online and then offline. I would purchase these independent decks from vendors like Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot, and I imagined that perhaps I might create my own small collection to offer to Manila residents (and maybe Asia).
In This Article...
Now I know some of you who frequent this blog do have tarot deck creation goals of your own… so I thought I’d put together a guide that can *fingers crossed* walk you through the creation process the way I did it.
Disclaimer: If you think this piece is going to be about suppliers, printers, and the like, I’m going to warn you right away that it isn’t. I get a lot of queries about those things. Regarding execution, I encourage you to conduct your own research. You can set together your decks just as easily as I did by conducting your own research. Your best friend is Google.
So let this serve as a guide, but don’t expect any spoon-feeding. Open yourselves up to the experience of learning through process, discovering through research, and creating a tarot deck all your own.
Decide what you want. Back in architecture school, we had to begin with a design challenge before we could even begin sketching or discussing aesthetics. You must understand your why. First and foremost, why are you building a deck? Is your deck an outlet for your creativity or an attempt to tackle a problem? Are you making a deck in order to generate income, support a certain cause, or get a little more tarot knowledge for yourself?
Knowing your why will set the tone for your entire creation process. Give this fundamental step time.
begin with a notion. These days, independently produced cards are based on themes. It’s too general to say, “I want to create a tarot deck.” Make your creation worthy. Do you want an animal-themed deck? Why? Do you favor having a “Stranger Things” theme? Eighties soap operas? political leaders
Select a form of artistic expression. If you’re into impressionism, Op-art, or post-modernism, go ahead and do whatever you feel at home with, unless you’re making a deck to broaden your style or portfolio. I selected collage because that’s the medium I’m comfortable with.
Setting your parameters will help you create a visually appealing deck (unless the concept you’re working with calls for a range of art styles, in which case mixing things up might make sense).
You need to accept your own artistic ability at this point. Consider what you can actually accomplish if you have a limited amount of time. Perhaps painting frescoes, photographing them, and then processing each image is not the ideal course of action if you want to complete a deck in a month. Consider whether you can actually complete 78 canvases (and possibly more since you’ll need extras for do-overs and such) if you’re comfortable working with oil on canvas.
Establish your guidelines so that you have a reference point to use when you build your deck.
Make sure you understand what you’re getting into before you even start. I am aware that many artists who have no background in tarot take on the task of creating a deck. But I think their cards have a distinct vibe than real tarot readers. They aren’t as useful as decks created by those who are proficient in spreads, have a thorough understanding of their archetypes, and can read for themselves or others. Even the most accomplished artists are unable to discern tiny elements when using the tarot, despite their skill.
If you are familiar with tarot, make a deck. If you know how to use one, construct an oracle deck. Do your research.
Start working. You’ll just have to put in the effort; that’s the part that the majority of eager beavers are looking forward to. Tarot cards cannot “magician their way into existence.” Get your iPad out, start using Procreate, get some scissors, paint thinner, and brushes.
Be prepared to make a lot of stops and starts at this phase of the process, and be nice to yourself. When you’re ready, display your work to the public. To assess if what you’re doing resonates with both groups, it would probably be beneficial for you to seek feedback from both a non-tarot reader and an experienced reader.
To keep the big picture in mind, remind yourself. Although we occasionally interpret tarot cards individually, we often use pairs of cards and broad spreads. You must have the ability to take a step back from your task and assess how the cards stack up. three, five, ten, and twelve-spot spreads. Lay them all out to check for stragglers, see if any visual or thematic trends emerge (extremely important in a deck! ), and determine whether you like the way they all look when arranged in a formation.
Beyonc staging Bey-chella comes to mind. She had to make sure that everyone on stage appeared flawlessly coordinated.
Make a trial run. The effort isn’t ended once the art is finished, whether you plan to build your deck for sale or just want a copy for yourself. You want to check to see how the tarot cards represent everything. If you want to drive your inkjet printer to the limit, do it yourself at home or look for a printer that can make an inexpensive one-off production on standard card stock. This is to determine whether your art, in any size you decide, works. You can use this to check for border problems, uneven cropping, etc.
Use your test deck as soon as you obtain it. Carry it around and do readings for friends, family, and future clients. Trust me, once you acquire that tester, it won’t leave your hands. Check out how it functions in the wild.
Revision is essential. My least favorite project stage, but one that is absolutely necessary if you want to do things correctly. You’ll know what needs shifting and what needs tweaking once you’ve held the sample in your hands and used it for 10, 20, and 50 readings.
With my initial run of the PM Starter Deck, I saw a few things I wanted to change. The fact that I only had 11 copies printed allowed me to fix any errors I found without incurring significant costs.
Examine the market. If you’re quite certain about your deck, you can have a professional finish it right away. You can either order a task for a small print run for yourself or a large print run if you want to take the plunge. You may relax knowing that you tested your deck, made any necessary adjustments, and took into account everyone’s input.
See whether people are interested in your cutting-edge independent deck. Consider going commercial if individuals appear to be really engaged. Examine your numbers to see if you can feel as like you are taking a calculated risk.
Make a Hail Mary and wish yourself luck if you decide to place a large print order. Who knows, your invention could be the next item to appear on the independent shelves of Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot.
Why were tarot cards created?
Tarot cards also include four suits, but they are different depending on the region: French suits are found in Northern Europe, Latin suits are found in Southern Europe, and German suits are found in Central Europe. Each suit contains 14 cards: four face cards (King, Queen, Knight, and Jack/Knave/Page) and ten pip cards, numbered from one (or Ace) to ten. The Major Arcana, a 22-card part of the tarot deck that is known in the world of divination as the Major Arcana, also includes a distinct 21-card trump suit and a single card known as the Fool. The Fool may serve as the top trump or alternatively may be played to avoid doing so, depending on the game. In parts of Europe, these tarot cards are still used to play traditional card games without any occult connotations.
Tarot cards are mostly employed for amusement and divination in English-speaking nations where these activities are less popular, typically with the aid of specially created packs. Although academic research has shown that tarot cards were partially invented in northern Italy in the 15th century (16 of the modern 22 Major Arcana cards) and combined with a deck of four suits, “the Mamluk deck,” some people who use tarot for cartomancy believe the cards have esoteric links to ancient Egypt, Iran, the Kabbalah, Indian Tantra, or the I Ching. The Mamluk deck of cards was created in or before the 14th century and arrived in Western Europe after paper was produced in Asia (see Playing Card – Egypt and following sections). By the end of the thirteenth century, Europeans were making the Mamluk deck with customized “court cards” and suit symbols.
Although some people think that tarot cards were not used for divination until the late 18th century, there is evidence of an early tarot deck that was “used in divination to determine the querent’s prospects in love” (Fernando de la Torre’s “Juego de Naypes” deck of Spain, 1450), each card having an image and verse.
Tarot cards can you make them yourself?
Tarot cards have been created by numerous people over the years. Ones that are blank and have already been cut and sized for you are available for purchase. You can then design your own artwork to place on them. Alternatively, you may print them out on card stock or picture paper and cut them out by hand. The act of creating itself is wonderful and can be a tool for fostering spiritual development. You may simply incorporate any hobbies or talents you have into your artwork if you have them.
How do I get rid of my tarot cards?
using your own website first
For this, Shopify is a reliable and simple platform. The second is through Etsy, which is competitive yet an excellent location to acquire devoted clients. The third option is through wholesale, which entails selling your own oracle card decks to shops for roughly 30% of the retail cost.
Self-Publishing Your Oracle Deck without an ISBN
The first choice is to get your deck printed in modest quantities and sell it locally without formally releasing it as a book product. If you plan to sell your deck mostly online, on Etsy, or in neighborhood book stores, this is a terrific option.
If you’re willing to handle the majority of the shipping yourself and anticipate selling a realistic number of decks each month, it’s a simple way to get started.
As an alternative, you can have a print-on-demand business like MPC or The Game Crafter produce your deck. Since each of these businesses has a physical location, you can sell your deck there directly, have orders transported straight to clients, and have individual copies made whenever someone places an order.
The benefit of this approach is that you won’t have to handle any of the packaging and shipping yourself, and you won’t have to make any initial outlays of money. The drawbacks of this strategy include very low profit margins per sale and lower-than-expected final product quality due to digital printing instead of offset printing for your business cards.
Self-Publishing with Your Own ISBN
The second option is to self-publish your deck with an ISBN number and have it produced in bigger quantities (beginning at 5001000 copies). You’ll need to conduct study to learn the precise steps to take for your deck because they may vary depending on the country.
The benefit of this approach is that you have the option to publish your deck as a physical book product and distribute it to book stores and online sellers all over the world once you have an ISBN number.
You should ideally work with a business that can store and transport your product for you if you anticipate selling significant volumes of your deck. A prominent choice for this is Amazon FBA. This is a supplemental service that many of the bigger printing businesses provide.
(Note: You might need to publish your oracle or tarot deck along with a guidebook in order to obtain an ISBN number. Playing cards are not officially eligible for ISBN numbers as a stand-alone product. There are, however, some exclusions to the norm. If in doubt, get in touch with your ISBN organization for more details.)
Getting Your Oracle Deck Published by a Publishing House
Finally, you might want to think about submitting your deck to a publishing house that specializes in oracle cards and/or spiritual literature.
Working with a reputable publisher has certain distinctive benefits, though, if you feel inspired to pursue this option.
You won’t have to bother about printing, distributing, or sending your deck to clients yourself, to start. Using the network of booksellers that your publisher already has will save you money up front and enable you to reach a far wider audience. A portion of the promotion will also be done for you by your publisher. (However, you will be required to contribute to the promotion as well.)
To Sum Things Up …
Getting your oracle card deck published can be done in a variety of ways. Ultimately, you must decide what is ideal for you based on your objectives, vision, plans for using your oracle deck to generate money for your company, and the time and resources you are willing to commit both now and in the future.
If I were to make a recommendation to you, it would be as follows:
Develop your vision first. Describe the specifics of your deck, including its subject, number of cards, preferred card size, whether a box and/or booklet are necessary, how you want to use the deck in your business, and other details.
To create the first physical prototype of your deck, work with a prototyping business.
Choose your next course of action once you are satisfied with what you have. If you want to self-publish your deck, print a small quantity (up to 1000 decks, or print them as needed, based on your budget and preferences) and then start marketing your cards to your target market. You can send your prototype to publishing houses together with your proposal if you’re thinking about finding a publisher for your oracle card deck.
Aim higher. Invest in the tools and services you’ll need to reach more people and sell your deck. This could involve employing a warehouse and distribution service, setting up Amazon FBA, printing and publishing your cards with an ISBN number so you can distribute your deck to book stores, etc.
As a general rule, give yourself the room and resources you’ll need to expand into your vision without feeling constrained, honor the trip, and ground your idea as swiftly or gradually as is appropriate for you and your business at this moment.
Want More In-Depth Support to Bring Your Vision of Your Own Oracle Deck to Life?
To learn more about how my team and I can help you with our done-for-you services, check out my DIY course here or send me a note.
Questions you don’t really want answered
Even though it might seem apparent, it’s advisable to refrain from asking the tarot cards questions that you aren’t prepared to hear the answers to. That’s because answers to these questions can reveal information you’re just not quite ready to hear.
“Tarot can definitely come off as offensive if you’re not willing to hear the truth or consider an opposing point of view. Tarot reading Nicole Fortunaso
According to tarot reader and life coach Nicole Fortunaso, “tarot may truly come out as offensive if you are not willing to hear the truth of the problem or look at an alternate viewpoint.” She advises considering why you’re responding the way you are in order to reflect on the best way to address the underlying cause if you ask the question and are unsatisfied with the response.
What kind of religion are tarot cards?
Tarot cards are frequently cited as a component of New Age thought and practice along with astrology, aspects of Buddhism, paganism, and First Nations teachings in the eclectic scholarly approach to the New Age.
Who created the tarot?
The first tarot decks were created in Italy in the 1430s by adding a fifth suit of 21 specially designed cards called trionfi (“triumphs”) and an odd card called il matto to an already existing four-suited pack (“the fool).
After a breakup
Draw one card for each of the following inquiries if you’ve recently broken up with someone and want to know more about the reason or determine whether you’ll get back together:
- How energetic is the partnership right now?
- What caused the divide in the first place?
- What do they really think of me right now?
- What do they intend for me right now?
- What kind of relationship will this be in the future?
- Which action is ideal for me to take right now?
When job searching
You can lay out this spread and see what kind of career guidance the tarot can offer if you’re feeling uncertain about your career path or thinking about a new employment. Draw one card once more for each query.
- How active am I in my career right now?
- What challenge must I overcome?
- What is my calling in life?
- How can I follow this calling more closely?
- What should I do to prepare for the upcoming month?
When deciding between two options
This spread can highlight the benefits and drawbacks of each option, guiding you toward the best decision if you’re using tarot to decide between two possibilities (two job offers, two apartments, perhaps a love triangle???). The deal is this: Per card, pose one question.
- What is the fundamental cause of this fork in the road?
- What is the likely result of choosing option A?
- What is the most likely result for option B?
- What more should I take into account that was overlooked?
- What’s the best thing I can do right now?
When something is off with a friend
You may explore what insights and solutions this spread reveals if you’re concerned about the status of a friendship or feel that something is amiss but can’t figure out why. Ask one question per card, once more, I repeat.
- What makes this friendship so crucial?
- What led to this sudden change in tone, and why?
- What has changed, in my friend’s opinion?
- What can I do to make this matter more urgent?
- What is the next step for this friendship?
- What should I do at this moment?
Step 1: Check Out Other Oracle Decks.
Check out the various oracle decks that other people have made on Pinterest. Which decks do you gravitate toward? Do you like playing card size or larger cards? Which form do you favor? If you prefer circles or triangles, they don’t have to be rectangles! What color palettes appeal to you? Take note of each deck’s objectives. Some are intended for divination, while others are just meant to brighten your day with a little inspiration.
You’ll start to see certain trends after looking around. Topical or character-based oracle decks are the two main types of oracle decks. A topical deck might, for instance, include a different affirmation on each card. Each card in a character-based oracle deck can depict a different animal.
Step 2: Brainstorm Themes for Your Cards.
Take some time to write down ideas for your own deck now that your head is overflowing with fantastic oracle deck concepts. Allow your imagination to run free while you complete this. Without filtering or judging, jot down every thought that comes to you. With the themes you generate, you might surprise yourself.
Consider the aspects of your life that “feel magical and spark something within of you” if you find yourself in a rut. Nature, sacred places (in your neighborhood or throughout the globe), magical objects you use in rituals, shapes, notable figures from literature, musicians, affirmations to stay motivated, food, quotes, or poetry could all be included.
Make a list of all the unique card design ideas you have after choosing a topic. Choose whether you want words or just an image on the cards. Sort through the design concepts and choose the ones that speak to you the most, even if you have no idea why. You can arrange your oracle deck’s cards in whatever number you like. You get to set the rules because this deck is exclusively yours.