Designing and Creating Your Own Tarot Cards is a profoundly meaningful artistic and spiritual experience. Whether you want to create a deck for personal growth, divination, or to share your vision with the world, this guide will walk you step-by-step through the entire process of designing, testing, and creating a custom tarot cards.
1. Define Your Theme and Purpose
Every great tarot deck begins with a clear purpose.
Before you begin designing, it is crucial to define the purpose of your custom tarot cards. What is your deck intended to achieve? Is it for self-expression, spiritual exploration, commercial distribution, or to promote a particular cultural or religious theme?
The clearer your intention, the more defined your creative direction will be. Your initial intention will guide every design choice you make—from color schemes to card layouts, and even the deck’s name.
2. Develop a Concept
A theme is the cornerstone of any independent tarot deck. Don’t just say, “I want to make a tarot deck”—that’s too broad. You need to narrow down your concept:
Do you want to create a tarot deck with an animal theme?
Or perhaps a tarot deck inspired by retro pop culture?
Maybe your deck is inspired by mythology, feminism, or nature?
For example, one creator designed a “Philippine Practical Magic Card” deck to pay homage to 1970s Philippine pop culture—transforming nostalgia into a visual narrative.
Your theme doesn’t need to be complex, but it must be meaningful and consistent.
3. Choose Your Art Style
Once you’ve decided on a theme, you can choose your art style. Whether you’re familiar with collage, painting, digital art, or abstract expressionism, the medium you choose should feel real, natural, and comfortable. Also, be mindful of your skill level. For example, if you’re better at digital art, consider using software like Procreate for illustration.
4. Understand the Structure of a Tarot Card
A common mistake beginners make is designing a tarot deck without understanding how it’s interpreted. If you’re serious about creating a practical and effective tarot deck, understanding the symbolism behind each card and how a tarot spread works is crucial.
If you’re unfamiliar with Tarot, start by learning about the Major and Minor Arcanas and the traditional symbolism associated with each card.
Once you understand the archetypes and traditional structures, your work will resonate more easily with Tarot readers and spiritual practitioners.
5. Start Creating
Now for the fun (and challenging) part—creating your Tarot deck!
Use Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, or Photoshop to sketch and refine your design. Add borders, symbols, and names to each card.
Be patient—creation often begins with inspiration. Give yourself breaks, time to revise, and experiment. Don’t worry, creating a Tarot deck is inherently a process of trial and error.
Once you’re ready, share your work with others: seek feedback from professional Tarot readers and general users. This ensures your design appeals to a diverse audience.
6. Evaluate the Overall Deck
Tarot is not just about individual cards, but also about the interactions between them.
Arrange the cards in spreads of three, five, or ten to see if they harmonize and unify.
Are the images on the cards flowing smoothly together? Are the colors balanced?
Imagine your deck as a musical performance—each card must contribute to this symphony.
7. Print a Test Version
Before mass production, be sure to print a test version. Create a physical prototype using a home printer.
Check for problems: Carefully inspect the test print for cropping errors, color discrepancies, and border issues. Uneven cropping in PM beginner decks has been a major challenge, so be meticulous.
Use the Deck: Carry your test deck with you. Use it for personal readings and to share with friends. Feel the deck’s texture, the cards’ feel, and how the images work in real-world applications.
This stage will reveal flaws you can’t see on a screen.
8. Refine and Launch
Be prepared to make revisions based on your actual testing. This can be daunting, but it’s crucial for ensuring quality. You may need to adjust colors, reposition elements, or even redesign some cards.
Once you’re confident in your final work, you can proceed with professional printing. If you plan to sell or crowdfund your tarot deck (e.g., on platforms like Kickstarter), choose a trustworthy partner specializing in custom tarot cards and oracle card printing—such as a professional printing company like WJPC—for commercial production. First, order a professional sample to ensure the quality meets your standards.
Finally, conduct market testing. Share your deck online, assess market response, and if positive, launch it officially. You’ve completed testing, refinement, and feedback—now you can share your creative masterpiece with the world.