Home Made Tarot Cards?

[SaraSapphire]

Unfortunatly, I don't have the finances to buy a deck myself, but thats okay. I would like to learn to make my own deck, I feel it would be better to use a deck that is connected to me in a way. The thing is, I'm not quite sure how to make a deck of my own, and I belive that the community here can help me out!

Any advice is more than welcome!

[Wolf Heart]

This is a GREAT idea, I myself am wanting to do this sometime soon. I believe anything you create with your own hands has a far higher connection with you than something you simply buy. The best way to do it is to look up Tarot Card meanings/descriptions and pictures of Tarot cards so that you can get an idea of the symbolism. I would reccomend the website:
http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/

I am also working on creating my own webpage with all of my collected knowledge on witchcraft and am starting up a page dedicated to explaining the Tarot, their meanings and why certain images are on the cards and what they stand for. If you'd like a link to this just PM me as I don't want to advertise it fully just yet.

Blessed Be,
Wolf Heart

[[Moondaughter]]

well, I don't know about home made Tarot cards, but I myself have a deck of just regular poker playing cards that I use for divination. There are many sites you can look on for information about spreads and the meaning of each card.

I understand your want for making your own Tarot cards, and I am probably going to make my own someday.

Hope I helped!

[SaraSapphire]

Thanks to both of you! Wolf Heart, the site you posted is a great help.

What type of material should I use for the cards? Perhaps cardboard to have laminated? I'm not a very hands-on artistic person, more into writing, so I'm not quite sure what I should do so that they have a nicer feel.

[jcrowfoot]

Well, using just plain slips of paper is kind of problematic. They don't hold together well, and they tend to fall apart.

However, for a while I used 3 x 5 cards, having the lined side as the back. This kind of paper is pretty limp for this purpose, until you make your cards smaller, say 1/4 the size of the card. It's actually pretty well... If you don't mind smaller images. Mine was a complete crow deck in black and white... unlike the "Crow's Magick" deck which has all kinds of other animals, and you start wondering where the crows are besides on the back.

You can also find stronger stuff, like tag board, or maybe the heavier grades of bristol board. Watercolor paper might work if it's heavy enough.

[amunptah777]

When I made mine, I photoshop'd it first...making sure everything was perfect...I threw out the Rider-Waite model....Death for example was a Blue Door...anyway, print them on photographic paper, then laminate.



Thet

[hedge*]

print them on photographic paper, then laminate.

With the price of photographic paper AND the cost of laminating - this could prove quite expensive.

I LOVE the whole idea of colouring your own Tarot cards - it means you get to spend a lot of personal time with each card getting to know each card and ultimately putting your own energies into each card. All these can only benefit your readings in my opinion.

As well as Wolf Heart's link here's another good one.
http://altreligion.about.com/library/we ... 90502a.htm

[hedge*]

As an after thought - what is the going rate for a pack of Tarot cards in the States?

[Makbawehuh]

Depends on the deck and where you're getting them... A swift look on Amazon reveals that they run (Generally) from $12 to $25 USD. This isn't including shipping..

I've spent a lot of time looking and never found a deck I liked. The best ones I've found might have half the cards that "feel" right, and the rest never really sit right. The worst make me cringe. Perhaps making my own deck is the way to go for me as well.

[amunptah777]

M is right, actually...on Ebay you can get a decent deck for like, 1 dollar.


Thet

[Risingpanther]

Yeah, but on ebay often the cards have been used...my personal opinion is to purchase a deck that had never been used before. I got lucky, my deck I god for $1 at a garage sale....still shrink wrapped and everything. The owners said they had never seen it before but sold it to me....=^.^=

As for making a deck, it usually isnt advised till youve worked w/ the cards for a while, however, the best way to create it is to make a sort of journal of ideas and themes, sketches, card meanings, and expiriences. Compiled up, this can be useful when you actually go to create the finalized deck. I am going to start such a journal soon. Good luck ^^

[Eretik]

One reason the colouring cards,is good is that the 2 decks,to choose from, are richly symbolic and it is a good way to get aquainted with the symbolism/have your personal influence imbued on the cards too.It's fun,another good reason also.lol.

[jcrowfoot]

YOu can use modpodge instead of laminating the cards with a machine, you can use modpodge or a spray fixitive to keep things from smearing while shuffling and the like. Remember that in the old days they used wax to do this