Tarot Card Artist for Hire?

moordragon · 07-02-2005

I've a question for you all. I'm a professional fantasy artist who is looking for new avenues to travel with my work. I've noticed there are alot of people publishing their own tarot decks and alot of people who want to but don't have the artistic talent or know anyone who does or can afford to hire a popular illustrator to do the job. I have seen quite a few decks out there that feature some amazing art that probably took a year or more to create, but I have also seen quite a few decks with artwork that would take me no longer to create than your average comic book.

What is the feasibility of hiring out my illustration talents to those who want to create a tarot deck? I wouldn't charge outrages prices (unless of course they wanted full on paintings that take 6 weeks to complete on their cards) and I've mastered enough styles and techniques so that all the decks I create wouldn't all look the same. And I'm very fast. Something I developed after more than 30 years as an illustrator meeting deadlines.

Thoughts on if this seems like something the Tarot community would be interested in?

---MoorDragon

***Alta*** · 07-02-2005

There is a long honourable history of this sort of collaboration in every artistic field. Lee Bursten designed his Gay tarot but a Lo Scarabeo artist actually painted the cards. I know several people here have posted that their head is full of great ideas for decks but they lack the artistic skill to prepare them.

**HudsonGray** · 07-02-2005

I think for everyone it would come down to cost and style. If you've got a web page you can put it into your profile and there'll be a 'web' designation under your posts which people can click on to see what you have out there.

augursWell · 07-02-2005

One major problem always is getting a publisher to take enough notice to be willing to publish the deck once finished. That is one of the major hurdles for anyone creating their own Tarot deck. Which is also why many try to self-publish. A new deck really has to stand out before a publisher will consider it.

In your case it seems that you would be charging up front for your work, makes sense of course, but that might be a barrier to some if they never get the deck published.

I would be interested in seeing some examples of your work. As HudsonGray indicated you can add a website URL to your profile for that purpose.

M-Press · 09-02-2005

Since you are a professional artist, I would suggest that you send your portfolio directly to the tarot publishers, and especially to LS, as they comission many of their decks.

For someone that has a deck in mind, but no set business to produce it and sell it, hiring a professional artist would be way to expensive for them, and way not enough for you...I think...
Good luck!

AnkhGoddess · 13-02-2005

Hrm...

I've been considering doing my own deck for a while now, but wanted to wait until I'd done a bit more studying and delving into the cards on my own before sitting down to make my own deck. Trouble is, as you've pointed out, that some of us (like myself) may have the ideas down for a deck, but not the artistic talent needed for creating a new deck.

A good point was brought up...how much would be charged for something like this? would there be a set price for each card? Personally, my first desire was to jump at your offer when you first made it, as the thought of working with a professional fantasy artist such as yourself on such an endeavour would be really cool....but then the issue of cost came to mind...hahaha...I myself am a broke college student, and the thought of having to pay for 78 different paintings (one for each card) is something that seems a bit overwhelming. So, out of curiosity, what sort of price range were you thinking about placing on each card? And, do you by any chance have links to your work, dearheart? I'd love to see your stuff.

Namaste,
Ankhy

ciliegia · 21-02-2005

I'd love to see your images.I'm very interested.

NightWing · 13-03-2005

Interesting proposal, Moordragon. Do you already have a website with any of your work posted on it? If not, that really would be a good and inexpensive way for you to showcase your abilities and different styles of your work. Then set up some links with here, Tarot Passages, maybe Tarot Garden(which maintains a huge archive of tarot images), and there are lots of other tarot related websites you could request links with.

I suspect you may be just what a lot of imaginative (but artistically challenged) people here and elsewhere may be looking for. Best Wishes!

moordragon Resident Join Date: 07 Dec 2004 Location: California, USA Posts: 2	Tarot Card Artist for Hire? I've a question for you all. I'm a professional fantasy artist who is looking for new avenues to travel with my work. I've noticed there are alot of people publishing their own tarot decks and alot of people who want to but don't have the artistic talent or know anyone who does or can afford to hire a popular illustrator to do the job. I have seen quite a few decks out there that feature some amazing art that probably took a year or more to create, but I have also seen quite a few decks with artwork that would take me no longer to create than your average comic book. What is the feasibility of hiring out my illustration talents to those who want to create a tarot deck? I wouldn't charge outrages prices (unless of course they wanted full on paintings that take 6 weeks to complete on their cards) and I've mastered enough styles and techniques so that all the decks I create wouldn't all look the same. And I'm very fast. Something I developed after more than 30 years as an illustrator meeting deadlines. Thoughts on if this seems like something the Tarot community would be interested in? ---MoorDragon

07-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #1

*Alta* Golden Silvery Dionna Moderator Join Date: 06 Aug 2001 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 23,719	There is a long honourable history of this sort of collaboration in every artistic field. Lee Bursten designed his Gay tarot but a Lo Scarabeo artist actually painted the cards. I know several people here have posted that their head is full of great ideas for decks but they lack the artistic skill to prepare them. __________________ Either the Darkness alters, or something in the sight Adjusts itself to Midnight, And Life steps almost straight. ~ Emily Dickinson

07-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #2

HudsonGray Citizen Join Date: 26 Apr 2002 Location: I childproofed my house but they still get in. Posts: 4,930	I think for everyone it would come down to cost and style. If you've got a web page you can put it into your profile and there'll be a 'web' designation under your posts which people can click on to see what you have out there. __________________ You can give a cat a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Or you can teach a cat to fish, and he'll sit in his boat pouting all day because nobody gave him another fish.

07-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #3

augursWell Citizen Join Date: 29 Apr 2002 Location: Being Here Now, Where The Circle Dissolves. Posts: 431	One major problem always is getting a publisher to take enough notice to be willing to publish the deck once finished. That is one of the major hurdles for anyone creating their own Tarot deck. Which is also why many try to self-publish. A new deck really has to stand out before a publisher will consider it. In your case it seems that you would be charging up front for your work, makes sense of course, but that might be a barrier to some if they never get the deck published. I would be interested in seeing some examples of your work. As HudsonGray indicated you can add a website URL to your profile for that purpose. __________________ My Tarot cards said to me the other day, "Come on, you know what I'm talking about." Wherever You Go, There You Are, And There You Are, Wherever You Go, And There You Go Then, So Be Here Now. If you're not wearing a Fedora then you're not wearing a Hat.

07-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #4

M-Press Citizen Join Date: 02 Aug 2003 Location: Internal New Posts: 804	Since you are a professional artist, I would suggest that you send your portfolio directly to the tarot publishers, and especially to LS, as they comission many of their decks. For someone that has a deck in mind, but no set business to produce it and sell it, hiring a professional artist would be way to expensive for them, and way not enough for you...I think... Good luck! __________________ The SAKKI-SAKKI Tarot--for The Artist in Each of Us *Multitasking on a blanc page...*

09-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #5

AnkhGoddess Resident Join Date: 27 Dec 2003 Location: Bouncing around various parts of glorious England Posts: 19	Hrm... I've been considering doing my own deck for a while now, but wanted to wait until I'd done a bit more studying and delving into the cards on my own before sitting down to make my own deck. Trouble is, as you've pointed out, that some of us (like myself) may have the ideas down for a deck, but not the artistic talent needed for creating a new deck. A good point was brought up...how much would be charged for something like this? would there be a set price for each card? Personally, my first desire was to jump at your offer when you first made it, as the thought of working with a professional fantasy artist such as yourself on such an endeavour would be really cool....but then the issue of cost came to mind...hahaha...I myself am a broke college student, and the thought of having to pay for 78 different paintings (one for each card) is something that seems a bit overwhelming. So, out of curiosity, what sort of price range were you thinking about placing on each card? And, do you by any chance have links to your work, dearheart? I'd love to see your stuff. Namaste, Ankhy __________________ A heretic is a man who sees with his own eyes. ~Author Unknown

13-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #6

ciliegia Citizen Join Date: 30 Oct 2004 Location: .. Posts: 525	I'd love to see your images.I'm very interested.

21-02-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #7

NightWing Citizen Join Date: 16 Nov 2004 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 578	Tarotists Dream Interesting proposal, Moordragon. Do you already have a website with any of your work posted on it? If not, that really would be a good and inexpensive way for you to showcase your abilities and different styles of your work. Then set up some links with here, Tarot Passages, maybe Tarot Garden(which maintains a huge archive of tarot images), and there are lots of other tarot related websites you could request links with. I suspect you may be just what a lot of imaginative (but artistically challenged) people here and elsewhere may be looking for. Best Wishes!

13-03-2005	Ask a Professional Tarot Reader Top #8

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