What makes a Tarot deck perfect for you?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 27 Jan 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

divinerguy	27 Jan 2002
If you could cut and paste together the perfect deck, what elements would it have? Here's mine. First - Quality artwork that's not too busy. No stick figures or no vertigo inducing collages. Whatever the choice of medium, do it right and keep up the quality. Compositional elements, appropriate use of color and respect for the craft are all important. (Voyager is a great deck, but the number of images can be downright dizzying). Second - Keep the artwork consistent with the card meanings. The vision of the artist may not be the archetype for the rest of the world. (Sacred Circle has a picture of a stonehenge-like megalith for "creativity"). Third - No themes. If you aren't creative enough to do it straight, don't try to make a quick buck by catering to passing fads. (Hey - How about a Tarot deck based on Austin Powers?) Fourth - No unreasonable renumbering of cards, additional suits or renaming of cards. The operative word is unreasonable. Princes and Princesses are ok substitutes for Page and Knight. But please, no Papa Bear, Mama Bear and the like. No Ace of Light Sabres, or 7 of Credit Cards. Fifth - Printed correspondences (as in the Thoth) are ok if you'd like, but be subtle about it. Keep the printing small and unobtrusive. (The Rohrig has them written on pieces of notebook paper). Sixth - Nudity is ok, but just like a movie, make it consistent with the concept you're trying to illustrate. Its not necessary to have a nude Hierophant or Fool. On a related note, properly portrayed clothing can be just as erotic as nudity, and older characters can also be sexual. (The Strength card in the Cosmic Tarot has the woman partially obscured behind a piece of cloth - very effective). Seventh - Make the characters diverse and three dimensional in both appearance and personal characteristics. No flat faces and overrepresentation of blonds with pert noses. Some people have brown hair, and some have no hair. Not all women wear diaphonous, gauzelike, see-through gowns. (Apologies to fans of Gene Tierney). Eighth - If you're going to do a Goddess Tarot, please remember that men do exist somewhere in the universe. By the way, the word is woman or women, not wimmin or womyn. Tarot is about archetypes, not politics or sexual preference. (I love the Daughters of the Moon Tarot, but the anti-male prejudice is disappointing). Ninth - Put some thought into the card backs. Consider a back that is reversible. Big staring Haindl eyeballs give me the heebie-jeebies. Tenth - Keep the card size manageable and with good, stiff cardstock. Or, release the decks in different sizes. Some people have small hands. What are your thoughts? Gary

truthsayer	27 Jan 2002
good guide. i can't think of anything to add at the moment except to say that not all theme decks are in bad taste or just out for a quick buck. for example the legend arthurian is one of my favorites. however, i don't really like the lord of the rings deck at all. the imagery isn't true to the nature of the characters--the hobbits wear shoes! GASP!! anyone who's read even part of the books know that hobbits don't wear shoes! since the LOTR movie has been out this one has been marketed heavily at bookstores. i feel like posting a disclaimer beside the ads...

amyel	27 Jan 2002
When I search for a new deck (not very often), I always look at the cards that give me trouble or distress me. In the past, for example, I would look at Death or the Devil. I found that some decks just really focused on the negative aspects of these cards, in particular. Since I don't like to be creeped out unnecessarily when I do a reading (for self or others), this is important to me. This is a subtle thing though. I am not saying that I like a deck with all lightness and godness, but to be balanced in the depiction. For this reason, a deck like "the Witches Tarot" has no appeal to me, nor do decks with fairies and such, and I would never even touch the Vampyre tarot! As an art history major, the quality of the artwork is important to me. I just had a strange thought...what about a Tarot in the style of famous Italian Renaissance painters? Carevaggio, Michelangelo, da Vinci, etc?

Icarus	27 Jan 2002
Fab Guide Divinerguy. The osho Zen are a beautiful set of cards, but as tarot cards their next to meaningless , breaking rules 2,4,5. The best decks I have seen on Aeclectic are servents of light, Thoth, 418 and rider waite. The servent of light cards are sublime. The thoth cards are perhaps the most intelligent ever devised. 418 don't have numbers but the moon card is the best I've seen . Rider Waite I value highly because of the simple , happy aura about them and minor cards beauty.

Geenius at Wrok	28 Jan 2002
Great list, divinerguy.

kayne	28 Jan 2002
That really is a well constructed list Divinerguy. My perfect deck for me would have really modern, contemporary images. The trouble with this, however, is that it would date so quickly... Still. I would like to see this. 8-) K

Greenman	28 Jan 2002
ummmmmm...Gene Tierney! i'm glad you mentioned the Servants of Light deck. that's probably the only 'must buy' deck that i don't already have. but it's really hard to find here in the U.S (is it still in print?)

Pollux	28 Jan 2002
Quote: amyel (28 Jan, 2002 11:38): I just had a strange thought...what about a Tarot in the style of famous Italian Renaissance painters? Carevaggio, Michelangelo, da Vinci, etc? I've heard to talk about one... (I'm going to get my file! Hold on... ;p) "I Tarocchi di Leonardo" by Iassen Ghiuselev Torino, IT - 1992 As far as I get, it's only Majors, made with patchwork and collage from Leonardo's work. So, it' only Leonardo... :(

Jeannette	28 Jan 2002
Quote: I just had a strange thought...what about a Tarot in the style of famous Italian Renaissance painters? Carevaggio, Michelangelo, da Vinci, etc? Amyel: In addition to the Leonardo, there are a number of other decks in which the illustrator has attempted to recreate the style of a famous artist. Here is a list, with links to some scans: Tarocchi di Leonardo (Leonardo di Vinci, as rendered by Iassen Ghiuselev): http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/images/l-decks/leonardocards.gif Tarocchi Dürer (Albrect Dürer, as rendered by Giacinto Gaudenzi): http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/images/d-decks/durercards.gif Tarocchi da Giulio Romano (Giulio Romano, as rendered by Guiseppe Billoni): http://www.tarotgarden.com/boutique/images/romanocards.gif Giotto Tarot (Ambrogio Bondone, a.k.a. "Giotto," as rendered by Guido Zibordi Marchesi): http://www.tarotgarden.com/boutique/images/giottocards.gif i Tarocchi Barocchi di Marina Cirinei (the actual sculptures and archetecture of Pietro Paolo Vasta, as photographed by Marina Cirinei): http://www.tarotgarden.com/boutique/images/barocchicards.gif And even though it's not a Renaissance artist, don't forget the lovely and well-known Omaggio a Erté Tarot (Erté, as rendered by Amerigo Folchi): http://www.tarotgarden.com/boutique/images/ertecards.gif I'd been thinking of setting up a category in the Tarot Garden database (at http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/dbsearch.html ) for this sort of deck -- right now, most are listed only under the "Fine Art" category. However, I haven't been able to decide what to call it. Maybe "In the Style of..."? I'm open to suggestions from the group! Enjoy the scans! -- Jeannette Tarot Garden http://www.tarotgarden.com

Jeannette	28 Jan 2002
Quote: divinerguy (28 Jan, 2002 02:04): What are your thoughts? Gary: Your list of recommended "deck qualities" is very interesting, and brings up some good points. However, it does seem to be oriented toward defining the perfect "reading deck." For those of us who enjoy tarots for reasons other than their reading qualities, there are parts of your list that might be considered unnecessarily restrictive. For example, I can certainly understand why you would find many "theme decks" to be disconcerting -- I imagine that many, if not most, such decks would be difficult to read with. And certainly some were obviously created for no other reason than to "make a fast buck," as you say. But speaking from the standpoint of a collector, theme decks -- if well thought-out and well executed --- can provide a fascinating exploration of the tarot archetypes, and how they are found in the world around us. For example, the two Shakespearean decks that have been published (one by Luigi Scapini, the other by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki) make for an interesting study of correspondences of the universal themes explored by both tarot and the works of the Bard. One may not agree with the correspondences chosen for any particular card by either designer, but that does not detract from the joy of the exercise. Other theme decks can be enjoyable for other reasons. I imagine that the Silicon Valley Tarot would be pretty well impossible for most people to read with -- but, of course, being useable for "serious" readings is not the point of that deck. As someone whose "day job" lies in the computer industry, there is not only a great deal to enjoy in the humor of that deck, but also some real food-for-thought in designer Thomas Scoville's attempt describing a subset of our modern culture in tarot terms. In short, although I'm sure I'd never read with it, I wouldn't dismiss an "Austin Powers" tarot deck out-of-hand. Or any theme-based deck or deck that breaks any of the rules on your list. You've provided a good set guidelines for making a great reading deck, but some of us aren't ready to give up our love of the vast numbers of tarot decks whose intended purpose lies elsewhere. Thanks for a thought-provoking post! -- Jeannette Tarot Garden http://www.tarotgarden.com

divinerguy	28 Jan 2002
Jeannette - an excellent point. And you're absolutely correct. I have decks that I admire, but seldom read. There's a used Dali deck at my local new age store - I'm very close to getting it for that very reason. Gary

Major Tom	29 Jan 2002
Gary - I started out being somewhat intimidated by your list - then came to my senses - it truly is a perfect list for a deck to read. I'd like to think Major Tom's Tarot hasn't broken any of your rules - yet. But then, I always intended it for a deck that I would use! }>

Jewel	29 Jan 2002
I agree 100% with Jeannette, and Gary your list in perfect (in my book) for a reading deck. Like Jeannette I am a collector (actually a compulsive tarot deck purchaser *LOL*). My main work with the Tarot up to this point has been in self development, meditation, and such. Reading is probably what I have used it the least for although these days I am working on improving this skill just for the heck of it. I have decks that are great for reading and meet the criteria on your list and are what I use for that purpose. I have decks that just draw me into meditation, others that inspire story telling, others I just think are pretty ... For me each deck holds something very special to me and they each hold something that I find particularly special to them. The Osho-Zen, although it has renamed and done all sorts of other changes, makes me look at the other side of the archetype so to speak. The strength card is a perfect example. It has a flower growing out of the rock ... that takes strength to me, to grow against all odds. And the Cosmic Tribe (which I did not think I would like) has just amazed and impressed me and is what I am using now for my reading exercises. As they say, it is different strokes for different folks and that is the beauty of our world and of the world of Tarot. I would say one of the most important things to me in a deck is that there be gender balance (as you stated above), I own the Goddess Tarot (because I think it is pretty) but for its lack of balance will probably not be used for anything other than meditation and study of Goddesses. Well I am just rambling now *LOL*. Thanks for making that great list it really helps me in terms of reading decks! Love & Light,

truthsayer	29 Jan 2002
when i buy a deck i generally have multiple reasons for why i choose a particular deck. i can't say i have standards as high as diviner guy. ;) does this make me a tarot slut? rofl! :D :D :p :p 1) i don't have it or b/c it's there. i've been advised it's a good deck even if i don't feel particularly drawn to it. this is why i bought the universal waite. fortunately, i think it will make a good reading deck. 2) i have a driving mindless obsession that i must own it!!!!! I must OBEY! that's how i felt with the nigel jackson but it's another happy purchase. 3) consuming curiosity about what the hubbub is all about. that's why i bought the vertigo but i love the deck. the sacred circle and osho zen are 2 that didn't work out so well. 4) i am drawn to the theme or the art. gendron and goddess. don't really like either for several reasons--mostly the lack of balance of gnders or confusion over changed cards. 5) love at first sight. i see a deck and buy impulsively b/c i am drawn to the art, theme and the cards. legend arthurian. 6) i'm simply blown away by the beauty of the cards. the rohrig. 7) i like the written work of the author and want to experience her cards. the shining tarot by rachel pollack. the book is wonderful but the cards leave something to be desired. 8) i find the deck really cheap and want to add it to my collection whether i like it or not. haindl and the phantasmagoric theater. they're interesting but not really my type. 9) someone offers an interesting trade for a deck i feel ambivalent about. 10) it's a cat deck. tarot of the cat ppl and tarot for cats. i love them just b/c they have cats on them. unfortunately, i don't believe in perfect tarot decks. i find them all interesting and want to learn from them. i have decks that are more special than others and i don't use them like my mini gatti. there are decks that i only read with on special occasions like the halloween. the LA, rohrig, and vertigo are my personal decks. the rws & clones are my reading decks.

Jewel	29 Jan 2002
Quote: truthsayer (30 Jan, 2002 04:10): when i buy a deck i generally have multiple reasons for why i choose a particular deck. i can't say i have standards as high as diviner guy. ;) does this make me a tarot slut? rofl! :D :D :p :p Then that makes 2 of us ;) So what corner are you buying your next deck on? ~giggles madly~ My earlier post was related to how I classify the deck once it is home with me. You see I have several deck categories including the "decoupage" category *LOL*. You so describe me in these points of yours *LOL*: 2) i have a driving mindless obsession that i must own it!!!!! I must OBEY! ---That happens to me at least once a month ... that is what happened with the Osho-Zen deck, and unlike you I was fortunate that the deck and I really click. 3) consuming curiosity about what the hubbub is all about. ---Ohhhhhh yeah! Thanks to finding Aeclectic I am a big victim of this reason ~giggles~. That is how I eneded up getting the Cosmic Tribe ... I must say best darn decision I ever made *LOL*. 4) i am drawn to the theme or the art. This also happens to me a lot. One of these days I will probably even break down and get the darn Unicorn deck for this reason ... would of course go into my "decoupage" category *LOL*. I have made great purchases taht way as well though for example the Old English Tarot, the Celtic (debugh) and Art Noveau (Castelli). 5) love at first sight. i see a deck and buy impulsively b/c i am drawn to the art, theme and the cards. --- The Robin Wood, Tarot of the Old Path, Sacred Circle and Sacred Rose all did this to me .... 6) i'm simply blown away by the beauty of the cards. ---- The Ananda did this to me ... I am such a victim *LOL* 8) i find the deck really cheap and want to add it to my collection whether i like it or not. --- That was how I got both my Mythic and Minchiate Tarots. 10) it's a cat deck. tarot of the cat ppl and tarot for cats. i love them just b/c they have cats on them. ~Giggles~ I have them both ... just love the Tower in the Tarot for Cats *LOL*. unfortunately, i don't believe in perfect tarot decks. i find them all interesting and want to learn from them. i have decks that are more special than others and i don't use them like my mini gatti. there are decks that i only read with on special occasions like the halloween. the LA, rohrig, and vertigo are my personal decks. the rws & clones are my reading decks. I agree with you about there not being a "perfect" deck. I love all of my decks for different reasons and no single one of them is the perfect deck, but in a way I guess they are all perfect for me ;) ... I have an incredibly hard time parting with my decks ... what can I say! I am a silly co-dependent compulsive Tarot deck purchaser that cannot let go of her decks *ROFLAMO* ... I am such a victim ... of myself that is ;) Love & Light,

truthsayer	29 Jan 2002
jewel, tarot co-dependents! yes, that's it! that's what we are! i must find my material on 12 step programs so that we can learn about dealing with this terrible addiction. i know one step goes "admitted we were powerless to control"... our urge to procure more tarot decks. tarot co-dependents anonymous or TCA. now i just need to write the steps to recovery and set up the meeting times... ;) :p gee! i forgot to ask, anybody interested in recovering from tarot addiction? ;D

truthsayer	29 Jan 2002
[quote]Jewel (30 Jan, 2002 05:03): Quote: truthsayer (30 Jan, 2002 04:10): when i buy a deck i generally have multiple reasons for why i choose a particular deck. i can't say i have standards as high as diviner guy. ;) does this make me a tarot slut? rofl! :D :D :p :p Then that makes 2 of us ;) So what corner are you buying your next deck on? ~giggles madly~ Love & Light, Place, some street lamp lit corner in the darkest part of town: a woman in a peasant top, full skirts, and a turban on her head leans against the lamp post nonchalantly shuffling a deck of cards. a man approaches with the bill of his ball cap pulled over his eyes. you can only see the red glow from his cigarette. "hey there, Big Boy? interested in a little fun?" "whassit gonna cost me?" "oh, a hoi polloi tarot deck. if you got the deck, i gotta the time..." the man fishes around in his pockets and pulls out a deck of cards,"do they look like dis"" the woman gingerly caresses the deck and glances at the cards. when she sees they are the hoi polloi, she attempts to snatch them out of the man hand and escape into the shadows but he's too fast. "not so fast, scweethart! do we gotta deal?" she hesistates and looks into his eyes and in a flash decision decides he's okay. she loops her arm inside his and they walk down the street... LATER... the man stands, the vessels on his neck are bulging, his heart raising and he can barely croak out,"whaddaya mean i'm not gonna get the raise and my wife is having my best friend's baby??????" "well, yah see id like dis, the cads, de nevah lie to miz truth. you thenk you kin hide from miz truth bud miz truth she gotta yah numba!" "wh-wh-what d-d-do you mean" he stammers. "az suhn az miz truth see yah walkin down da street she know you ez the king of wands cuz of the ceegarette hangin outta ya mout. when she lays down de cads, fust thing she seez iz dat de queen ov wands comes outta de deck beside da king of cups and dat is by the page of pentacles, she kno yo wife iz pregnant wid yo best frin's baby. da baby gonna be a taurus born in may by da way". "NO WAY!!!!!" "way, babee! ya gotta learn to watch dem king of cups. dem water signz iz horny little bahstards and de knowz how to whine and dine a wo-man. yuh wanna know why id happen?" eagerly, he clutches the table trying to control his shaking legs and continue standing,"yeah, yeah!!! i wanna know!" "id cuz you iz no gud widda da wo-men! ya deserv fuh ya wife to takka off wid yer bes frin. you think iffa i geetta da beeeeeg raze den my wo-man love me more. bud dat not so! da wo=mahn she no wanna beeeg pay-check, she wanna you! she wannah carry ya babbee. well, she did until yuh bez frin step inna da pikcha! (snicker! snicker!) bud she wanna hab yuh bez frind babbee now and she gonna ask yuh fer a dee--vorce! dat is the way widda da womyn. you dun takka da time ta unnerstand dem. et eze yah stoooped own fault!" the man gets on his knees and gestilates wildly,"oh, plez miz truth tell me how to save my marriage!!!!" miz truth twists her mouth one way and another. "okay. miz truth tell you id like dis. she wanna the jungian tarot iffa ya wan miz truth to hep ya feeeeezk dis mezz yuh gat ya sef entuh fuh ya." "the jungian tarot!!!????!!!! oh, no! that might take some time for me to find!" miz truth is now filing her nails very carefully. her eyes are in shadow."yah, miz truth know. bud miz truth be heah to feeeeezk yuh mezz wind you ged it fuh her. so ya see, dat awl she kin dew fuh yuh ride now. miz truth see ya lader, allah-gador!" the man gets off his knees and makes for the door, pulling the ball cap back over his eyes, wobbling as he walks and lights another cigarette. miz truth eagerly goes through her new hoi polloi deck and smiles at the thought of finally getting the jungian deck. a crooked smile stretches across her face...

magdalene	28 Feb 2002
I can't tolerate cute Hello kitty, cutesy, or cat decks. Please. I like tarot decks that are created by tarot readers, not just artists with an agenda. Though I wish more quality artists read tarot. I like a balance of male female imagery, so all the goddess stuff gets on my nerves. Don't mess with the devil and death cards to make them happy cards. I'm fussy about my cards. I may collect many, but only read a few. magdalene

jmd	01 Mar 2002
diviner guy certainly provided an excellent list for a good deck... irrespective as to whether the deck is to be used for readings, collecting or study. In order for a deck to be a Tarot deck and perfect, it would need the following elements to satisfy me: 1 - it would be generally true to the Marseilles designs, Roman numbering and appelations; 2 - it would have quality artwork. A reprint of a 17th century deck is great for study purposes, but it needs to be freshly re-presented; 3 - the style needs to be both consistent, and yet manage to encapsulate the essence each disparate card represents. Thus, though I have many decks I value, I consider each far from perfect. The 1999 Camoin Marseilles deck is the closest yet.

Jewel	01 Mar 2002
Quote: truthsayer (30 Jan, 2002 08:01): jewel, tarot co-dependents! yes, that's it! that's what we are! i must find my material on 12 step programs so that we can learn about dealing with this terrible addiction. i know one step goes "admitted we were powerless to control"... our urge to procure more tarot decks. tarot co-dependents anonymous or TCA. now i just need to write the steps to recovery and set up the meeting times... ;) :p gee! i forgot to ask, anybody interested in recovering from tarot addiction? ;D *ROFLMAO* Where in the world have I been that I missed these two posts of yours Truthsayer ~wipes tears, holds sides and continues to giggle~ ... as for recovering? no thanks, I do not have the will power for such hard work *LOL* ... Your story was priceless I am still laughing. I almost added to it, but why ruin a good thing *LOL*. Thanks for the laughs and the offer to recovery ... like I said I think I will pass, I don't have time, I need to go purchase a Tarot deck ... want to come with? ;P ;P ;P

raeanne	02 Mar 2002
Let’s see, “What makes a tarot deck perfect for you?” Hmmm. Well, it would have to have cards. . . But stones would be OK, like runes, yes, that would be fine. . . Or sticks, like the ogham, that would be perfect. Or, yes! Coins! Like the I Ching. I could use a tarot deck made out of coins. But it would have to have good pictures, I can’t have a deck without pictures. . . Unless, of course, it had good symbols. . . . Well, if there was abstract art that I could assign my own meaning too, that would be perfect, too. But, it would really have to have – Oh hell! I don’t care, I like them all!

VGimlet	02 Mar 2002
In addition to many of the above points, I have to say, my perfect reading deck would have drawn artwork rather than photographs. For me, photographs are of real people and real things, no matter what they are supposed to represent, and I have a difficult time reading them. Also, suit cards that have a picture, rather than pips. Not to say that I don't plan to own a few decks that are either and/or both of the above in the future, but I can't see myself using them for reading.

truthsayer	02 Mar 2002
Quote: Jewel (02 Mar, 2002 04:25): Quote: truthsayer (30 Jan, 2002 08:01): jewel, tarot co-dependents! yes, that's it! that's what we are! i must find my material on 12 step programs so that we can learn about dealing with this terrible addiction. i know one step goes "admitted we were powerless to control"... our urge to procure more tarot decks. tarot co-dependents anonymous or TCA. now i just need to write the steps to recovery and set up the meeting times... ;) :p gee! i forgot to ask, anybody interested in recovering from tarot addiction? ;D *ROFLMAO* Where in the world have I been that I missed these two posts of yours Truthsayer ~wipes tears, holds sides and continues to giggle~ ... as for recovering? no thanks, I do not have the will power for such hard work *LOL* ... Your story was priceless I am still laughing. I almost added to it, but why ruin a good thing *LOL*. Thanks for the laughs and the offer to recovery ... like I said I think I will pass, I don't have time, I need to go purchase a Tarot deck ... want to come with? ;P ;P ;P glad you liked the story and offer of TCA. i like writing stuff like that for fun. i couldn't seriously consider giving up tarot!!!! what blasphemy!!!!! is that offer of tarot shopping still open? i just got to get my shoes on...

The What makes a Tarot deck perfect for you? thread was originally posted on 27 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.