Draw!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Sep 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

NeXoRiouS	24 Sep 2004
I don't know if anyone of you has done this or have asked this question before. Anyway, I've thought of a nice and sweet way to understand tarot better. Thus I hope to share it with everyone. Every few months(3 or 6), for one day, keep all your cards and tarot related stuffs in the drawer. Then place paper and pen/pencil(lots of color) in front of you. Draw all the 78 cards based on what you know. Remember, try not to make it a replica of the decks you've seen before. In example, draw The Fool in anyway you want that you understand it the most. Size doesn't really matters. After you've drawn them all, view them as art pieces and examine what you've left out or admire the beautiful sketches you've made. Keep them after doing so and 3/6 months later, draw another set of 78 cards based on your understandings. It need not be a variation of what you've done before. In fact, you can draw the same if you are able to remember. The point of doing so is, humans tend to learn better when you do it yourself. Often find yourself vexing over the meanings and find it hard to adapt to what others mean? What we know about tarot need not be the same as others. We are best suited to what we believe in. Thus, it's ok if we don't interpret as what others mention. Drawing 78 cards every 3/6mths will be a good time to check if your understanding has grown better. You need not be a good artist or someone with vivid imaginations. All you need are your knowledge on tarot and your openness to draw it out. Doesn't matter how ugly they are, it's ok even if you use words in place of pictures. As long as the message has gotten through, your card is same as gold. I would love to see some feedback from the community. Thanks.

Mesara	24 Sep 2004
What a great idea- you obviously must have some artistic talent. While I have none whatsoever I will nonetheless give it a try!

Teranar	25 Sep 2004
That would take me a while. When i draw I draw a lot of detail and when it doesn't look right I erase, and if it doesn't erase right... the trash can gets a new friend....

littlehermit	25 Sep 2004
I think it would take me at least a year to draw a deck that means something to me - even if I cut corners on quality of art. It's something I want to undertake at some point for my own sake, but it would be very labor-intensive!

maria42airam	25 Sep 2004
The idea is an excellent one. Just drawing a card the way it looks in your deck is a good experience. I've done one card so far and it really makes you look at the details and see things that you had not seen before. With my level of drawing skill, I could never sit down and draw all 78 at once! But I think that one card at a time is an very do-able. I agree with littlehermit, it would take me a year to draw a complete deck! Great suggestion NeXoRiouS! Maria

NeXoRiouS	25 Sep 2004
Thanks. I don't mean you have to draw it to perfection. Draw it as what you feel about the card. In eg. the moment I look at the fool, I think of a joker's face, then I draw the joker. It need not be right but as long as it brings a smile to your face, you got it right. Don't refer to any books or ANYTHING for reference. Let your intuition answer and pen down your thoughts. I'm not artistic but in my mind the vivid images surface as I think of how to draw it out. Though the paper only has a sketch, you already got what you wanted. To have a long interval before drawing again is to compare what you know/feel before to what you feel now. I've seen how drastic the difference can be and goes to show how much more I've known about tarot.

The Draw! thread was originally posted on 24 Sep 2004 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.