Altering by covering up - How to?

[ShinyAeon]

I've used the search function and Google, but I couldn't find a thread on altering cards specifically by covering up parts of them. So, I've started one.

The issue: I have some cards with keywords printed on them, and I'd like desperately to cover up the words - they just get in my way when I try to read. But they're pretty cards and I want them to stay that way.

So...how can I go about changing them without making them ugly?

Stickers seem problematic - won't they make the cards "lumpy," get in the way of shuffling, and eventually peel up (and tear the cards)? I want to do the entire deck, so something that makes them "lopsided" won't be worth it.

Permanent markers seem unlikely as well...I can't imagine the result being enough to cover the words without looking like giant unattractive blotches.

Paint could work...but what kind of paint? How much would I need for coverage? How thick would it be, and how prone to peeling? Would I run into the "lumpy card" problem again?

So, I put it to you all who've tried something like this: what's your experience in this area? What's the best way you know of to cover things on a card? Any notable pitfalls and mistakes I should be wary of?

[The deck I want to do this with is actually a round oracle deck (Celtic Messages), but this forum seems to be where all the "deck altering" info lurks. If this is not the right subforum, please let me know which is and I'll blank this out and start it over - thanks! ]

 

[DesertDream]

Can you trim the words off without messing it up?

 

[rwcarter]

Are the keywords written in the border of the deck or within the art of the cards themselves? Do a search for Pimp My Rider! here in Talking Tarot to see images of the blackened borders I put on a RWS deck on which someone had written the Arabic numeral 2-10 on the Minors in blue ink (but strangely enough not the Majors). Knew I'd never use the deck that way, but I actually like it with black borders.

I also used markers, glitter glue and glitter nail polish to augment (and in some cases completely change) features in every card in the deck. I used a spray acrylic sealant on the cards to stop my augmentations from rubbing off and/or onto the backs of the cards.

Rodney

 

[ShinyAeon]

The words are on the edges of the artwork itself, inside the rather thick borders. I actually like the borders - one idea that I forgot to mention before was to scan the cards and Photoshop some segments of the borders and then glue them down over the words.

(I suppose I could scan all the cards, digitally alter them, and replace the entire center panel...though I was hoping for a slightly less labor-intensive solution.)

Thanks, rw, for the suggestions, especially spray acrylic sealant! I also like the glitter nail polish idea. (I once used glitter nail polish to augment some cheap costume fairy wings for a Mardi Gras themed party. I still have blue, purple, green and silver left, heh...)

 

[rwcarter]

Since you have a scanner and software to digitally alter the deck, scan a couple of cards in, digitally make different changes, leave them for a few days and come back to see if you like the change. That way if you don't, then you haven't made changes to the cards that you wish you hadn't.

 

[jolie_amethyst]

The words are on the edges of the artwork itself, inside the rather thick borders. I actually like the borders - one idea that I forgot to mention before was to scan the cards and Photoshop some segments of the borders and then glue them down over the words.

(I suppose I could scan all the cards, digitally alter them, and replace the entire center panel...though I was hoping for a slightly less labor-intensive solution.)

Having just looked at the cards online (now I want them, thanks a lot...LOL), I'd say if you're going to the trouble of scanning, altering, and printing anyway, you may as well go all the way and just print your "new" deck onto good cardstock and cut them out. Gluing paper over the words on every card is going to make things tricky for any kind of shuffling--you're always going to run the risk of peeling up the edges of the glued sections.

I can see your dilemma though, they certainly put those keywords in a spot that's impossible to cut out. I'm not sure that any sort of alteration that hides them will be less distracting than the text is.

 

[ShinyAeon]

Since you have a scanner and software to digitally alter the deck, scan a couple of cards in, digitally make different changes, leave them for a few days and come back to see if you like the change. That way if you don't, then you haven't made changes to the cards that you wish you hadn't.

Ooo, good idea! (Though it will be a learning curve with Photoshop. I've done a few things but never anything nearly as extensive as this...)

Heck, I could print out cards in color and practice making changes on them!

I have located the "Pimp My Rider" thread and am reading through it. This may take a while, lol...

(Although how I missed a thread with an awesome title like that, I'll never know.)

 

[Emily]

The words are on the edges of the artwork itself, inside the rather thick borders. I actually like the borders - one idea that I forgot to mention before was to scan the cards and Photoshop some segments of the borders and then glue them down over the words.

I had to alter one of the Enchanted Lenormand Cards - the wrong playing card insert had been used on one of the cards, it's a fault with all the decks so it was either live with it or fix it so I fixed it. I used normal A4 office paper in yellow to match the colouring of the deck then just cut it to the shape it needed to be and used a good quality craft glue to stick it down. I wasn't sure it would work and worried that the card would stick out or be thicker but it did work and now I have to look for that card if I want to find it.

Altering all the cards in the deck might make it a fraction thicker but you could always try putting a few strips of paper between about half the cards and see if it would make that much of a difference.

 

[ShinyAeon]

Thanks, Emily! Although I do have a further question: do you remember what brand of craft glue you used? (It might not be available where I am, but if I know, I might be able to find an equivalent or order some.)

 

[Emily]

Thanks, Emily! Although I do have a further question: do you remember what brand of craft glue you used? (It might not be available where I am, but if I know, I might be able to find an equivalent or order some.)

I was going to use a wet glue like PVA but was worried about bleed or the glue being too wet so in the end I used a Pritt stick - I have used Pritt stick before on paper crafts and it does do the job - it is easy to handle being a solid glue and dries without problem.