publishing your own deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Jan 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

littlecrow	03 Jan 2002
(I hope this is the right spot to post it, I couldn't figure out anywhere more appropriate) I am an amateur artist whose credits right now only include volunteer work, and I've been thinking for a long time now about designing my own tarot deck, but I have no clue even where to start to get it published. Can anyone give me any suggestions at all? Others have told me that I should contact tarot deck publishing companies, like Llewellyn, and send them a sample of my work or something, but would this really work? Especially since I've never been paid for artwork before?

Lilliana	03 Jan 2002
I don't know the exact process of getting a deck published, but this website might help. http://www.ixpres.com/transformational/makenpub.htm Lilli

Jewel	03 Jan 2002
I would say explore all of your options even if you have not yet been published ... talent has be discovered some how ... ;)

DeLani	03 Jan 2002
Good luck! I am currently collaborating with an artist in Canada to create our own deck. Go to Llewellyn's website (www.llewellyn.com) and they have a page on submissions guidelines, even tarot submissions. They want like 5 cards first, (certain ones like Majors, Court cards, and minors) and they should be within certain size parameters. And don't worry that you haven't been paid yet. If you want to "pad" your resume, list all the volunteer work you've done and how many years you've been studying Tarot (and maybe even how many decks you have, if it's more than 10). Hope that helps, and best of luck, DeLani

AmounrA	03 Jan 2002
Hello Littlecrow. If you are looking to get a deck published a lot depends on what type of taro deck you have in mind. You may need to create the deck first and then seek a publisher. It would be a wise first move to complete selection of 'tasters' to submit to publishers. Is your deck going to represent any specialized group? If so perhaps you could contact them, and seek backing/sponsership. Designing a tarot deck is a process of commitment....as you will discover after doing about 14 of them, thinking you still have 64 to go.......:-) Best of 'luck' to you !

Major Tom	04 Jan 2002
Have a look at Llewellyn's guidelines: http://www.llewellyn.com/tarot_sub.htm But then of course there's more than one way to skin a cat: http://www.majortomstarot.0catch.com Please excuse the shameless self-promotion. :-)

jmd	05 Jan 2002
If your deck is nearing completion, you may also want to check AG Muller's site. They are probably the largest publishers/printers of Tarot, and their site encourages those who have completed decks to contact them (after all, they are always on the lookout for new work).

funkpuss	07 Jan 2002
I found all this info very interesting as I’m also a in the same position as Littlecrow and at present designing my own cards. Without sounding pretentious, I don’t want the big companies changing or modifying the design of my cards to their own taste. I have approached U.S Games and llewellyn regarding submitting my work. I found U.S Games very helpful and they only wanted me to submit 2 cards and a brief outline of the theme of the cards, they also told me that the reason why they only wanted just 2 cards was to save my time and if they do accept my cards they may want to modify them. I also want to do a tarot book with my cards and I need a proof reader and I’m finding it hard to locate a proof reader that covers tarot. Any recommendations?? Thanks again for the info!

The publishing your own deck thread was originally posted on 03 Jan 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.