What I actually wanted to do was open a store that offered independently made tarot and oracle decks like the ones I collected, first online and then offline. I would purchase these independent decks from vendors like Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot, and I imagined that perhaps I might create my own small collection to offer to Manila residents (and maybe Asia).
In This Article...
Now I know some of you who frequent this blog do have tarot deck creation goals of your own… so I thought I’d put together a guide that can *fingers crossed* walk you through the creation process the way I did it.
Disclaimer: If you think this piece is going to be about suppliers, printers, and the like, I’m going to warn you right away that it isn’t. I get a lot of queries about those things. I encourage you to conduct independent research on execution. You can set together your decks just as easily as I did by conducting your own research. Your best friend is Google.
So let this serve as a guide, but don’t expect any spoon-feeding. Open yourselves up to the experience of learning through process, discovering through research, and creating a tarot deck all your own.
Have a goal in mind. Back in architecture school, we had to begin with a design challenge before we could even begin sketching or discussing aesthetics. You must understand your why. Initially, why are you building a deck? Is your deck an outlet for your creativity or an attempt to tackle a problem? Are you making a deck in order to generate income, support a certain cause, or get a little more tarot knowledge for yourself?
Knowing your why will set the tone for your entire creation process. Give this fundamental step time.
begin with a notion. These days, independently produced cards are based on themes. It’s too general to say, “I want to create a tarot deck.” Make your creation worthy. Do you want an animal-themed deck? Why? Do you favor having a “Stranger Things” theme? Eighties soap operas? political leaders
Select a form of artistic expression. If you’re into impressionism, Op-art, or post-modernism, go ahead and do whatever you feel at home with, unless you’re making a deck to broaden your style or portfolio. I selected collage because that’s the medium I’m comfortable with.
Setting your parameters will help you create a visually appealing deck (unless the concept you’re working with calls for a range of art styles, in which case mixing things up might make sense).
You need to accept your own artistic ability at this point. If you have a deadline, consider what you can actually accomplish in that time. Perhaps painting frescoes, photographing them, and then processing each image is not the ideal course of action if you want to complete a deck in a month. Consider whether you can actually complete 78 canvases (and possibly more since you’ll need extras for do-overs and such) if you’re comfortable working with oil on canvas.
Establish your guidelines so that you have a reference point to use when you build your deck.
Make sure you understand what you’re getting into before you even start. I am aware that many artists who have no background in tarot take on the task of creating a deck. But I think their cards have a distinct vibe than real tarot readers. They aren’t as useful as decks created by those who are proficient in spreads, have a thorough understanding of their archetypes, and can read for themselves or others. Even the most accomplished artists are unable to discern tiny elements when using the tarot, despite their skill.
If you are familiar with tarot, create a deck. If you are proficient with it, construct an oracle deck. Do your research.
Start working. The part that most eager beavers are anticipating, you’ll just have to put in the effort. Tarot cards cannot “magician their way into existence.” Get your iPad out, start using Procreate, get some scissors, paint thinner, and brushes.
Be prepared to make a lot of stops and starts at this phase of the process, and be nice to yourself. whenever you’re ready, display your work to the public. You’d probably benefit from getting feedback from both a non-tarot reader and a skilled reader, just to see whether what you’re doing resonates with both target groups.
Remember to keep the big picture in mind. Although we occasionally interpret tarot cards individually, we often use pairs of cards and broad spreads. You must have the ability to take a step back from your task and assess how the cards stack up. three, five, ten, and twelve-spot spreads. Lay them all out to check for stragglers, see if any visual or thematic trends emerge (extremely important in a deck! ), and determine whether you like the way they all look when arranged in a formation.
Beyonc staging Bey-chella comes to mind. She had to make sure that everyone on stage appeared flawlessly coordinated.
Make a trial run. The effort isn’t ended once the art is finished, whether you plan to build your deck for sale or just want a copy for yourself. You want to check to see how the tarot cards represent everything. Look for a printer who can produce a single copy at a low cost on common card stock, or if you want to wreck your inkjet printer, do it yourself at home. This is to determine whether your art, in any size you decide, works. You can use this to check for border problems, uneven cropping, etc.
Use your test deck as soon as you obtain it. Carry it around and do readings for friends, family, and future clients. Trust me, once you acquire that tester, it won’t leave your hands. Check out how it functions in the wild.
Revision is essential. My least favorite project stage, but one that is absolutely necessary if you want to do things correctly. You will be able to determine what needs shifting and what needs altering after holding your sample in your hands and using it for 10, 20, and 50 readings.
With my initial run of the PM Starter Deck, I saw a few things that I wanted to change. The fact that I only had 11 copies printed allowed me to fix any errors I found without incurring significant costs.
Examine the market. If you’re quite certain about your deck, you can have a professional finish it right away. You can either order a task for a small print run for yourself or a large print run if you want to take the plunge. You may relax knowing that you tested your deck, made any necessary adjustments, and took into account everyone’s input.
See whether people are interested in your cutting-edge independent deck. Consider going commercial if individuals appear to be really engaged. Examine your numbers to see if you can feel as like you are taking a calculated risk.
If you decide to place a large print order, say a Hail Mary and good luck to yourself. Who knows, your invention could be the next item to appear on the independent shelves of Two Sides Tarot and Little Red Tarot.
Can you create your own tarot card set?
Tarot cards have been created by numerous people over the years. Ones that are blank and have already been cut and sized for you are available for purchase. You can then design your own artwork to place on them. Alternatively, you may print them out on card stock or picture paper and cut them out by hand. The act of creating itself is wonderful and can be a tool for fostering spiritual development. You may simply incorporate any hobbies or talents you have into your artwork if you have them.
What is the price of making a tarot deck?
As an illustration, the production cost for a regular size oracle card deck printed by MPC will be roughly $30.10 USD for 42 cards plus packaging. The printing price drops to $13.70 per card if you can order 100 decks at once. It costs $7.36 each deck for 1000 decks, and so on.
A good place to start is cardstock. It will be more durable than regular printer paper and is about the proper thickness. It is much simpler to create and print your own unique card deck because it can be printed using your home printer.
- Select a smooth or linen card stock for your project.
- Choose how many cards you want, then complete.
- Include a choice box in your deck.
- Here’s our tarot card generator online.
- Upload picture files, then drag and drop them onto the front and back of cards.
- Preview and checkout.
Self-Publishing Your Oracle Deck without an ISBN
The first choice is to get your deck printed in modest quantities and sell it locally without formally releasing it as a book product. If you plan to sell your deck mostly online, on Etsy, or in neighborhood book stores, this is a terrific option.
If you’re willing to handle the majority of the shipping yourself and anticipate selling a realistic number of decks each month, it’s a simple way to get started.
As an alternative, you can have a print-on-demand business like MPC or The Game Crafter produce your deck. Since each of these businesses has a physical location, you can sell your deck there directly, have orders transported straight to clients, and have individual copies made whenever someone places an order.
The benefit of this approach is that you won’t have to handle any of the packaging and shipping yourself, and you won’t have to make any initial outlays of money. The drawbacks of this strategy include very low profit margins per sale and lower-than-expected final product quality due to digital printing instead of offset printing for your business cards.
Self-Publishing with Your Own ISBN
The second option is to self-publish your deck with an ISBN number and have it produced in bigger quantities (beginning at 5001000 copies). You’ll need to conduct study to learn the precise steps to take for your deck because they may vary depending on the country.
The benefit of this approach is that you have the option to publish your deck as a physical book product and distribute it to book stores and online sellers all over the world once you have an ISBN number.
If you want to sell a lot of your decks, it would be excellent if you worked with a business that could store and ship your goods for you. A popular solution for this is Amazon FBA. This is a service that many of the bigger printing firms also provide.
(Note: You might need to publish your oracle or tarot deck along with a guidebook in order to obtain an ISBN number. Playing cards are not officially eligible for ISBN numbers as a stand-alone product. There are, however, some exclusions to the norm. If in doubt, get in touch with your ISBN organization for more details.)
Getting Your Oracle Deck Published by a Publishing House
Finally, you might want to think about submitting your deck to a publishing house that specializes in oracle cards and/or spiritual literature.
However, working with a reputable publisher has certain special benefits as well if you feel compelled to pursue this path.
You won’t have to bother about printing, distributing, or sending your deck to clients yourself, to start. By utilizing the network of booksellers that your publisher already has, you can reach a far wider audience with fewer upfront costs. A portion of the promotion will also be done for you by your publisher. (However, you will be required to contribute to the promotion as well.)
To Sum Things Up …
The process of getting your oracle card deck published can take many different forms. Ultimately, you must decide what is ideal for you based on your objectives, vision, plans for using your oracle deck to generate money for your company, and the time and resources you are willing to commit both now and in the future.
If I were to make a recommendation to you, it would be as follows:
Develop your vision first. Describe the specifics of your deck, including its subject, number of cards, preferred card size, whether a box and/or booklet are necessary, how you want to use the deck in your business, and other details.
To create the first physical prototype of your deck, work with a prototyping business.
Choose your next course of action once you are satisfied with what you have. If you want to self-publish your deck, print a small quantity (up to 1000 decks, or print them as needed, based on your budget and preferences) and then start marketing your cards to your target market. You can send your prototype and proposal to publishing houses if you’re thinking about finding a publisher for your oracle card deck.
Aim higher. Invest in the tools and services you’ll need to reach more people and sell your deck. This could involve employing a warehouse and distribution service, setting up Amazon FBA, printing and publishing your cards with an ISBN number so you can distribute your deck to book stores, etc.
As a general rule, give yourself the room and resources you’ll need to expand into your vision without feeling constrained, honor the trip, and ground your idea as swiftly or gradually as is appropriate for you and your business at this moment.
Want More In-Depth Support to Bring Your Vision of Your Own Oracle Deck to Life?
For more information on how my team and I can help you with our done-for-you services, check out my DIY course here or send me a note.
What elements make up a tarot deck?
The Venetian or Piedmontese tarot served as the inspiration for the typical modern tarot deck. The major arcana, which contains 22 cards and is also known as the trumps, and the minor arcana, which has 56 cards, make up the 78 cards that make up this deck. Moon, card number 18 in the major arcana.
How much does printing an Oracle deck cost?
Most print-on-demand businesses let customers place orders as low as one deck. This is ideal for testing reasons or if your initial printing budget isn’t too large.
On the down side, this printing technique has very high production costs, which means your profit per sale will be modest. Additionally, you won’t have a lot of design freedom, so it would be a good idea to think about some additional options in the long run.
The good news is that almost all print-on-demand playing card manufacturers also provide bulk discounts for larger purchases.
Say you intend to sell each card in your deck for $35: Your profit per deck will only be around $5 if you print your cards on demand. If you purchase 100 decks in bulk, your profit per deck rises to $21.30 after subtracting shipping and other costs. You can make $27.64 per deck after expenditures at 1000 decks. so forth.
This choice works best if you anticipate receiving orders frequently, you feel confident sending the cards yourself, or you want to sell the cards locally but would rather print them in smaller quantities initially.
How can I become an accurate tarot reader?
The first step is to understand the meaning of the cards. The next step is to engage them in conversation. The only way to learn, in Tea’s opinion, is to perform readings for otherswhether they be real people or fictitious ones. “According to Tea, the art of tarot reading involves linking the cards and developing a greater intuitive grasp of how they might interact with one another in a spread.
Tarot reading is compared by Ferguson to speaking a language. “A certain number of classes are allowed. Ferguson advises that the only way to become proficient is to dive right in and that you should let them know you are a beginner if you are reading for them.
Ironically, giving yourself a reading might occasionally be even trickier than giving someone else a reading. “Being objective is difficult, according to Potter. “Be open-minded to whatever comes through before doing a reading for yourself.
Questions you don’t really want answered
Even though it might seem apparent, it’s advisable to refrain from asking the tarot cards questions that you aren’t prepared to hear the answers to. That’s because answers to these questions can reveal information you’re just not quite ready to hear.
“Tarot can definitely come off as offensive if you’re not willing to hear the truth or consider an opposing opinion. Tarot reading Nicole Fortunaso
According to tarot reader and life coach Nicole Fortunaso, “tarot may truly come out as offensive if you are not willing to hear the truth of the problem or look at an alternate viewpoint.” She advises analyzing why you’re reacting the way you are in order to reflect on how to effectively address the underlying problem if you ask the question and aren’t satisfied with the response.
How are Tarot cards charged?
Leave your deck in a sacred location where you can “knead (shuffle) it each hour, giving it your magical power with your hands, for one waking day, much as you would a loaf of rising bread.” The greatest time to use this charge is when you’re taking a day off at home or in a retreat.
How should I maintain my Tarot deck?
While rearranging the cards in the tarot deck is a good approach to purify and clear their energy, there are some circumstances in which you might wish to perform a more specialized ritual. If you’re just getting started with tarot, cleaning your deck can be an excellent place to start.
You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:
- beginning with a fresh deck
- readings for other people
- You think you need to recharge.
- Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
- Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
- Your deck has been handled by others
- You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content
Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?
Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. Consider it as a little spiritual hygiene to maintain a strong and clear connection. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?
This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t stress if you don’t believe it is necessary for your deck. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.
If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.
There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.
