I'm new to tarot, and have gone on a bit of a spree and bought half a dozen beautiful decks. But I'm curious as to how more experienced tarot users pick their decks. I've been choosing based on the artwork and that ephemeral 'click!' feeling when you find something that meshes with you.
How is it for everyone else?
How I choose:
1) The artwork has to be special (the one I like or the one that touches me in some way)
2) The pictures should be in tune with Rider Waite's meanings (or I will read it as an oracle).
3) The card stock should be thicker
4) The size should be smaller or not bigger that RWS
5) It should be discounted (so I would wait for a year or two until it gets cheaper and buy it)
I usually like multicultural, historical and RWS clones. I have about 100 decks at the moment and I bought them all in a period of 3 years only. Of course, I don't use all of them.
I would really love "the modern classics" like RWS, Aquarian, Morgan Greer, Thoth, Robin Wood, Hanson Roberts, Cosmic Tarot - just because they have a history! Many people know them, use them, talk about them. I love 70's, 80's, 90's art..
I wanted to have them all (and there are still 2 or 3 that I dream to buy), just for the sake of witnessing the history or something like that.
I also love decks that look more hand made, hand drawn or "antique", worn out or lack of that modern new technology feel...Like decks with rusted edges etc...
I also am crazy about multiculturalism. I would buy the deck that is in Spanish, French or German rather than English, because I think it's cooler. And if it's a language that I can't read - then the deck would be even more amazing.
I have Ukiyoe, Chinese, OshoZen, Sacred Indian, Indian tarot...I love nature in decks and realism like in Druidcraft..I love how much detail is in there. So it makes me "Lost" in the deck..
But sometimes I switch to a pictureless mood, where I want to read something like Marseille (because it makes me feel like I'm 500 years ago in ancient France or something), Visconti or Minchiate (I love the feel of church art and all that history). I like Kat Black's "Golden Tarot" too for that reason.
I love very thick decks. The perfect stock is the one of Original Rider Waite (thick matte one) and also Kat Black's glossy hard stock...I like Lo Scarabeo decks for their lightness (when I'm too tired to lift up Morgan Greer)...
I also like stock like Druid Crafts...I trimmed the cards and it got worn out so soon, looking like 20 year old deck after a few months of use...So it's nice too.
I also like art, but I like a super clear poster type of art (ink and watercolor + pencils?). I like the "blocky" art that looks like block prints, rather than "cursive", which I have no idea how else to explain. So I like the folk art in Tarot cards or something that reminds me of it, but then Druid Craft and Osho Zen or Thoth are pretty different.
I also prefer smaller cards, like Hanson Roberts, but I don't mind the big ones too, but shuffling is easier with the smaller ones.
*** When I shop I watch reviews on youtube, photos on google images, check out the card stock (reviewers tend to mention it), then find the best price and buy it.
I'm very "scared" of dark decks (they are thrilling to look at but not own - for me), also can live without animals, except the birds...
I was recently annoyed with some decks portraying people that looked like some ELLE magazine models. So they bring that pop culture into the decks and I feel it's rude! I mean I am not a model and models make me feel as if all the world is models (and you even have to be a model to grow spiritually)...But when I walk on the street, I see people that are of average height, with the pot bellies out...SO I thrive for something I can connect with (some decks put some nice healthy people in them and that's a relief). Likewise, most of the decks focus on European looking people, straight people etc..So maybe it would be more interesting if there was more improvement in that area...I keep waiting for those kinds of decks.
And after buying 100 decks I eventually understood that none of them can beat the Rider Smith deck which is just so strong and amazing when you start studying the symbolism. (I did that just now and thought :wow:!)