I'm having a go!

[trytarot]

I am quite new to the world of Tarot, and I'm loving the learning process! And I've decided to dive straight in and design my own deck. I think the reason for this is that the research I will have to do for each individual card will help me to understand the different aspects of Tarot in a deeper way. I am also keen to see if such a personal deck will provide me with accuracy!

I only own two decks at the moment - RWS and Gay Tarot (Lee Bursten) - so I am relying on books, deck reviews and in internet resources to research the multitude of meanings associated with the cards.

I am going to concentrate on one card at a time. Starting of course with the Trumps, I will try to really portray the journey throughout the cards.

I don't yet have an idea for a theme, so it may be a little while before things get going, but I'm going to begin my research in to The Fool today. Perhaps I will conjour up an image which will suggest a style or theme!

Any ideas or help with research would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you, and I hope I can see this through to some creativity!

xx

[temperlyne]

Congratulations! You have just embarked on a great journey!

I have never learnt as much about tarot as since I started working on my own deck. It is more enlightening than reading to me personally. It plays a major part in my personal development, as well as my development as an artist. (and I didn't really consider myself an artist before I started ...)
I wouldn't worry to much about style or theme, just use what feels good to you. If you are comfortable with your tools, your creativity will have more freedom to blossom.
Before I start working on a card I look up all the different meanings I can find, from Mathers to Crowley, Waite and Eteilla. Than I just think about what that card means to me personally, which images and symbols speak to me most. From their I can start making sketches. I'm not sugesting this is the way you shoud do it, this is my way. I think it is important that you find your own way, because it wil be YOUR deck. The deck that will speak to you and will get its power from being created in your heart and soul.

I'm sure you will love this journey. And make sure to post your images here! I love to see how different people come up with different visions on the tarots archetypes.

[Chronata]

Blessings and well wishes for the start of your tarot adventure...:)
It truly is one of the best ways to learn about the tarot...and yourself along the way!

Enjoy the journey!

I can't wait to see your cards!

[The 78th Fool]

This is the best way to learn! Go for it.

I've just completed my second deck last week (a gay themed deck that Lee Bursten will be writing the book for if we can get a publisher). I can honestly say that I've learned more about myself through this project than any other.

It's not always easy to read with your own decks - sometimes you're just too close to the images. At other times they can be a quite unforgiving mirror !

The research is the best bit - you'll learn far more about the Tarot than you could otherwise, precisely because you have a very specific aim. If you're looking for a really good starting point, have a look at this deck:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sharman-caselli/

This comes as part of a deck and book set that's quite cheap. The book is really thorough in explaining what each element of each card means and the imagery is deliberately traditional. it's geared for beginners but I've found that you return to it again and again, even as an experienced reader.

In the meantime, if you want to see where my deck creation journey took me I've included the link below.

http://www.butlerart.co.uk/Tarot/Son%20Tarot/View-Deck.htm

Good luck and do keep us posted.

Chris. xx

[trytarot]

Thanks a lot guys! Some great advice! And so much suuport! I think I would like to design a deck with imagery based in the modern world, so I'm looking to discover different ways in which to interpret the traditional scenes so that they are recognisable, but applicable to our lives today.

As yet I haven't decided which medium to design the cards in. And believe me Temperlyne, I am genuinely no artist! So to begin with, after I am happy with my research, I will just be making simple sketches in pencil and coloured pencil.

I was discussing the project with some work colleagues today and we got to talking about the different mediums people have used to create decks. (Some that I've found on these threads really). Things like wood and the Tarot Garden and even chocolate!! (apparently!) As I said I'm no artist but I do have basic music skills, so I wonder what peoples thoughts are on the idea of interpreting the trumps musically?! Of course the music couldn't be used in the form of spreads, but once a spread was created, the music for each card as it was turned over could be played in the background to enhance the messages being read?!

Anyway, thanks again, and I hope to have my fool visible, at least in his early stages, within the next couple of weeks!

xx

[orczy]

T As I said I'm no artist but I do have basic music skills, so I wonder what peoples thoughts are on the idea of interpreting the trumps musically?! Of course the music couldn't be used in the form of spreads, but once a spread was created, the music for each card as it was turned over could be played in the background to enhance the messages being read?!



As someone who is composing music for the trumps, may I suggest that you use your intuition to guide you. Images and sounds work ij very different ways, the main being music is a temporal or time based art, whereas an image exists for as long as the viewer looks at it.

There are actually quite a few cds of tarot music, many new age style ones, and a few rock ones. Probably the most interesting rocks ones are "Voyage of the Acolyte" by Steve Hackett (1975), and "Tarot" by Walter Wegmuller. This one is fantastic, and very strange, but the essense of each card is quite admirably portrayed. Mike Batt did an album called "Tarot Suite" in 1979, but it is very MOR and bland, and I don't think he expresses the cards very well.

Good luck with your project, and I look forward to seeing or hearing your work!

[Major Tom]

Creating your own deck is the very best way to learn tarot. I would suggest that rather than literally trying to reinvent the wheel as you learn, you chose a model from which to work. I would recommend you use at least one of these three (if not all three): The Tarot of Marseilles, The Rider-Waite-Smith and the Crowley-Harris Thoth. Using these will insure that your resulting product is a tarot instead of an oracle (if that is important to you of course).

I would also recommend you work in a structured fashion. The 78 Weeks of Study Threads (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=219907#post219907) started by Jmd are ideal. Both CreativeFire and I created decks on our first go through these threads.

Good luck and please do keep us posted. :)

[woodwind bard]

I would really like to make my own deck, but i want to get used to using the ones i have first. I hope you have a fun making them and researching ;)

[temperlyne]

As yet I haven't decided which medium to design the cards in. And believe me Temperlyne, I am genuinely no artist! So to begin with, after I am happy with my research, I will just be making simple sketches in pencil and coloured pencil.

Believe me when I say that didn't realise I was an artist before I embarked on this journey! You never know what you might learn about yourself ;)

As I said I'm no artist but I do have basic music skills, so I wonder what peoples thoughts are on the idea of interpreting the trumps musically?! Of course the music couldn't be used in the form of spreads, but once a spread was created, the music for each card as it was turned over could be played in the background to enhance the messages being read?!

What a great idea! There a some songs that I have come to associate with perticular cards and it is very helpful to meditate on a card while listening to the right music.

[trytarot]

firstly, I don't have any intention of trying to musicalise the tarot myself! especially not at the moment! however, I certainly think it would be interesting for an author, an artist and a composer to work together on a complete set. That is to say, book, deck and 'album' - creating the possibility for a reading to incorporate written suggested meaning, visual interpretation and musical inspiration and understanding, all from the same creative centre.

Anyway, I now have some ideas for my Fool Card. But whilst thinking of these, I find my mind wandering way ahead to the Death Card. I get the sense of the two being intrinsically connected, to the point where I feel it will make more sense to me personally to work on them as one effort, resulting in two cards?!

It had been my intention to work through the trumps one by one in numerical order. But I think that if my instict is telling me to try this other way, I should follow it!

Thoughts?!

xx

[rota]

Glad to hear you want to try illustrating the tarot. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

And don't worry about settling on a 'theme' before you start. Just start, and after about a dozen cards or so, your own personal approach will become obvious... and that when you'll find out what your 'theme' is.

Best of good fortune!

[trytarot]

I can't believe it. Whilst thinking about my Fool Card at work today, I suddenly had a clear vision in my head of what the image should be!

I have therefore just finished the first draft design for The Fool!

Right now, I have no access to a scanner, so I will continue to develop the image whilst I try to locate a nice friend who does!

For now, here is a simple description of the image and why I have chosen it.

The Image:

The image is of a person (un-determined sex as the person is facing away from us and is wearing a hat with shoulder length hair showing under) standing at a roadside in a vast, desolate area (desert like). They are carrying a bag on their shoulder. The person is pointing forward to indicate to the taxi at their side which direction they intend to go. The road leads to the edge of a canyon cliff. In the distance, we can see the road continue at the other side of the canyon.

The Ideas:

The peson pointing indicates they either have some idea of where they are going or what they are trying to achieve, or they feel that a certain direction will lead them to discover this.

The small shoulder bag being carried may indicate a lack of preperation for the journey.

The taxi may suggest a 'need for speed' attitude, i.e. the person is in a rush to begin the journey. It may suggest a persons need for a 'comfort zone' in which to feel safe whilst embarking on their journey. It could even mean a need for guidance and direction whilst taking their first steps. Another interpretation could be that our Fool needs an open ear to vent the difficulties of the journey to - for the taxi must have a driver?!

In choosing to show the far side of the canyon I have added a different dimension to the beginning of the journey, by suggesting that perhaps the end is in sight after all. Or maybe it implies that the journey will be more difficult or dangerous or even down-right scary than first imagined! The Fool may need to find another path to their destination, or even build a bridge in order to cross the obstacle before them.

The fact that our Fool is pointing over the cayon to the rest of the road - effectively ignoring the rather large obstacle! - suggests a naievity in thinking the journey will be simple.

The majority of the card is in fact taken up by the vast space in which the Fool is standing. This could suggest a lonely journey. It could imply a long and tiring journey.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Any thoughts on this image and these ideas is greatly appreciated!