Why are Self published decks different?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

dolphingirl	16 Jan 2003
I have heard alot of people comment on how expensive self published decks are and that got me to thinking.... As I have looked at self published decks I have noticed that they have a different quality than alot of the big publisher house decks. Part of it is that I think with self published decks you have ONE PERSONS visions go into the deck and that there are not others arguing and pushing the deck in different directions and having a different view of what the deck should and shouldn't do. So after this, What makes a self published deck different and special to you? DolphinGirl

faunabay	16 Jan 2003
For me it's alot of what you already said, Sam. It's the artist's true vision of the cards, not watered down by corporations and their "suggestions"! :D Then of course there's that feeling of having something that not a whole bunch of people have. "It's special! It's not mass-marketed! And I have one!" LOL

MeeWah	16 Jan 2003
As an amateur artist, I have some acquaintance with the amount of work that is involved in the creation process. It can be 99% perspiration & 1% inspiration! Knowing what one wants to achieve is one thing. Being able to manifest it is something else. When the two come together & the idea is birthed, there is a sense of accomplishment & wonder. Thus, one cannot help but admire & respect the artist who has the motivation & courage to realize a dream without the financial backing of a publisher. As a patron of the Arts & of Tarot, I believe 'tis important to be supportive of a deck creator, & especially one who takes the road less travelled--the path of self-publishing. Few deck artists realize publication, as few writers do. That fact does not mean what they offer is without merit. At a time when the education systems are scrambling for funds that mean the difference between maintaining or discarding Art &/or Music studies, 'tis even more important to reiterate supportiveness for an art form. It helps to encourage other deck creators & potential deck creators, is supportive of & contirbutes to the field of Tarot. It offers a unique perspective in a limited edition form, which has a strong appeal to the Tarot collectors amongst us.

Khatruman	16 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by dolphingirl What makes a self published deck different and special to you? Ohhh, I just love synchronicity!!! :D. Today, I just received the Portal Tarot by Traci Darin and David Works. The deck is the most expensive one that I have bought, and it is my first majors only deck, but every penny was worth it. First of all, Traci and David kept in touch with me along every step of the process. They create a deck to order, print it from original files on the computer, so it is not a copy, but an original. They laminate, take careful time to dry (takes a few days to dry it properly after lamination), and meticulously cut the cards. Traci was kind and understanding, and offered to take and send me pictures of the deck in progress. She sews her own bag, and actually has been working on a bag design which hid the seam and proudly told me that my bag was the best yet she has created. She took a picture and e-mailed it before sending the deck. In fact, she didn't fan out the cards because she feels, when it comes to the time to send it, that it is no longer her creation, but my deck, and doesn't want to handle it anymore than to slip it in its velvet bag. What I received today is beautiful. I ordered the large deck and am quite glad I did. The deck is definitely designed for meditation, as opposed to reading, and the large beautiful pictures are brilliant. The care they took at each step is apparent in the final product. And I think this whole act of love and care transfers positive energy to the cards. So, in short, there is a care that many self-published decks that may be lacking in mass produced material for those who can afford it. Peace!

Sulis	17 Jan 2003
Quote: [i] Originally posted by faunabay It's the artist's true vision of the cards, not watered down by corporations and their "suggestions"! :D Then of course there's that feeling of having something that not a whole bunch of people have. "It's special! It's not mass-marketed! And I have one!" LOL I think I have the same self-published deck as Faunabay and she echos my sentiments exactly. You know that these cards are just as the artist wants them to be, they haven`t had to compromise their vision for the sake of commercialism. Oh the deck I`ve got is the Stone Tarot and it`s one of my favorites. Love and light crystalmynx xx

moonman	17 Jan 2003
I think it’s good to know that Artists who have published decks come to this forum. The down side is that Artists that have contracts are somewhat limited in what I can say/do without breaching the contract. I think if most Artists had the money they would self publish. I know I would:D On the other hand some artists feel that they one of their weakness is selling and would rather go via a publisher.

rota	17 Jan 2003
It's fairly rare, as everyone here is pointing out, to combine in one person the artistic urge, the spiritual understanding and the stick-to-it-iveness to actually complete a printed deck. To further combine that with an entrepreneurial spirit would make it extremely rare. Support your local Tarot artists!

truthsayer	17 Jan 2003
there's a special energy with self published decks that i like better than commercial decks. self pubs feel more personal. i like that feeling of being the artist's vision instead of commercialized into a publised version. i'm reminded of when we were talking to clive barrett about how the editor made him cut out so much of the book for the ancient egyptian tarot. many of sensed something was missing from the book before he told us. owning a self published deck is like owning original art from a possibly up and coming famous artist that could make that deck more valuable someday. i can't imagine selling or trading one of my self published decks.

Ravenswing	20 Jan 2003
Hi guys-- Self-publishing may very well be the road Laurel and I will travel down in the creation of our deck (you can see what we've got at: 'Tarot > Tarot Decks > in progress: tarot of the four worlds'. we're going to set a website up soon... right Laurel??) Our cards are hexagonal. This might be THE stumbling block for publishing, and there's no way we want to change the shape. None of the cards have any type of title, and we don't want any boarder whatsoevr added. The book to accompany the deck will go deep into the symbology of the cards, but won't give any interpretation-- we leave that to the readers. So... Not that we won't try to get them published. It's just that we refuse to comprimise. standing up on his own two claws ravenswing

HudsonGray	20 Jan 2003
The hexagonal shape may not be the problem you think it is. Hexagon cards are extremely popular & often used in role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Somebody prints these up for them, so the cutting machines are definatly out there. They have a surface protection on them, and they can do full color. Hang on a few gaming boards & ask questions about who prints up the card decks & game pieces there, I think you'll get some connections right off the bat. Also check out the major companies, like White Dwarf, Wizards of the Coast (they bought out TSR's Dungeons & Dragons), etc.

The Why are Self published decks different? thread was originally posted on 16 Jan 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.