Making Your Own Tarot Cards: Tips and Techniques
The tarot is an ancient form of divination, which comes from the French tarot cards. With the aid of tarot cards and the interpretation of their meaning, people can gain insights into their life and the events that shape it. Making your own tarot cards can be a great way to explore your own personal connection with the cards, as well as to enhance your own divination practice. Here are some tips and techniques for making your own tarot cards.
Tips for Making Tarot Cards
- Choose a theme for your cards: You can choose specific symbols, colors, or even a story to drive your creation of the cards.
- Gather materials: Tarot cards are usually made from paper or cardstock, but you can experiment with other materials. You may also want to consider a special sealant to coat your finished cards.
- Design your cards: Draw or paint your symbolic designs and include any words you feel fit. You can also use die-cut shapes or rubber stamps to enhance the design of your cards.
- Consult the tarot: When you are done creating your cards, consult a tarot book or an online source to learn the meaning of your cards and how they interact with one another.
Techniques For Using Tarot cards
Once you have made your tarot cards, you may want to practice with them to become familiar with the symbols and meanings of your cards. Here are some techniques for using your tarot cards:
- Create a spread: Spreads are the layouts used when reading tarot cards, and can range from simple spreads with three or four cards to elaborate spreads with dozens of cards.
- Shuffle your cards: You can do this in any way that feels comfortable to you, whether it’s cutting or fanning the cards, or just mixing them together in your hands.
- Draw a card: Once you’re ready to begin, draw a card at random and note its meaning and interpretation in relation to your inquiry.
- Reflect on the meaning: Take time to write down your thoughts on each card and reflect on their message in relation to your question.
Closing Thoughts
Creating and using your own tarot cards can be a powerful way to bring greater insight and clarity to your life. With patience, practice, and dedication, anyone can become an expert in reading and interpreting tarot cards.
How can I ensure the readings I do using my handmade tarot cards are accurate?
To ensure accurate readings with your handmade tarot cards, make sure that you are familiar with the meanings of the cards and their traditional interpretations before you begin. Also, take the time to familiarize yourself with any symbols or artwork that you have chosen to use on your cards. Be sure to meditate before each reading to clear your mind and connect with the energy of the cards. Finally, practice often to develop confidence in your readings, and take notes on the interpretations of each card that seem most accurate for you.
What are some of the considerations I should make when designing my own tarot card deck?
When designing your own tarot card deck, it’s important to consider a few things. First, what theme will your tarot deck be based on? Consider culture, mythology, or personal interests that could help bring your tarot cards to life. Additionally, what artwork style will you use? Will you draw them, hire an artist, or use illustrations? It’s important to find a style that you are comfortable with and that story really come alive. Lastly, consider the structure of the deck, such as the major and minor arcana, along with the amount of cards that you would like to include in your deck.
What types of materials are best to use for handmade tarot cards?
The best materials to use for handmade tarot cards depend on your style and creativity. Traditional tarot cards are usually printed on heavy cardstock or paper, to provide durability and an extra layer of strength over the intricate designs and symbols of the cards. You could also look into using cardstock that has a special finish, such as metallic or linen stock, to give your cards a unique look. Other materials you may want to use include fabric, felt, ribbon, or any other material that would add texture and color to your cards.
What methods can be used to assign meaning to the symbols on the cards?
One method is to create associations between the symbols and specific concepts. For example, you could use a symbol of a mountain to represent challenge, or a symbol of a butterfly to represent freedom. Other methods include assigning numerical values (such as 1, 2, 3, etc.) to specific symbols or assigning keywords to each symbol. You could also assign a different color to each symbol for easier recognition. Finally, you could draw inspiration from traditional tarot card meanings and assign those to specific symbols.
What art supplies do I need to make my own tarot cards?
-Tarot card template, or cards with preprinted images and keywords
-Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
-Paints and brushes or paint pens
-Glue or double-sided tape
-Embellishments such as beads, glitter, feathers, or sequins (optional)
-Scissors
-Cardboard or card stock for cutting homemade card bases
-Something to write with (e.g. pen, pencil, calligraphy pen, etc.)
What kind of paper do I need to make my own tarot cards?
Any kind of paper that can hold paint or dye or that can be marked by pens and pencils can be used to make tarot cards. Card stock, bristol board, or watercolor paper are all good options. You could also use photo paper if you plan to print the images for your tarot cards. It’s important to use a paper that won’t wrinkle or tear easily since you’ll be handling the cards when you shuffle.
What tools do I need to make my own tarot cards?
To make your own tarot cards, you’ll need paper or cardstock, stickers, markers, paints, glue, scissors, and rulers. You’ll also need a tarot card template to use as a guide. Optional items include custom-made images of tarot symbols, crystals, and beadwork. Some people also like to use corkboard or foam core board for extra stability when shuffling.
How do I start making my own tarot cards?
1. Purchase blank Tarot cards and/or card stock to start designing your own cards.
2. Research the symbolism associated with the major and minor arcana of the Tarot so that you can create meaningful images that represent the card’s meaning.
3. Sketch out ideas for the imagery to be used on the cards.
4. Select mediums to use such as watercolors, pens, markers, and inks to create the artwork for the cards.
5. Carefully draw or paint each image on the card.
6. Write out descriptions of the card’s meaning and its keywords.
7. Add any finishing touches you may want, such as glitter or embossing.
8. Once you’ve finished, package your cards in a box if desired and share your work with others to get feedback.