Many of you come to AGR with the intention of creating your own tarot deck. For this reason, we want to offer you some tips to make this process easier. Additionally, we present our Art Nouveau Tarot, which you will be able to purchase as a sample soon at Ludotipia.
History of the Tarot:
The tarot is part of a type of divination known as cartomancy, which involves the use of cards for divinatory purposes.
It´s origins date back to the 14th century in Italy. At that time, it was not used as a tool for divination but as a variant of an Italian card game called "tarrocchi." These early tarots did not have what we now know as the "major arcana"; instead, they consisted of numbered cards from 1 to 10 and court figures like the king, queen, and knights.
The tarot as a tool for divination did not emerge until the 18th century, when the structure we are familiar with today was established. It consists of 78 cards, divided into 22 major arcana, which represent universal archetypes, and 56 minor arcana, which resemble a traditional deck of cards.
One of the most well-known and widely used tarot decks today is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Created in the early 20th century by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrator Pamela Colman Smith. The vast majority of modern decks are inspired by this Tarot, and it has served as the foundation for countless personalized versions adapted to different traditions and reading styles.
What is most common in a tarot deck?
The meaning of the cards is directly related to the symbolism of the illustrations from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. However, nowadays, many of these images are reinterpreted, which causes some of the original details to be lost and, as a result, the way of reading the cards changes.
In these cases, more importance is given to the aesthetics than to the traditional symbolism. The decision to use different illustrations while maintaining a basic idea, or to make a faithful adaptation of the originals, is a personal choice of the creator or the tarot reader.
Usually, we can find versions of decks where not all 78 cards are included, but only the 22 major arcana. This is because the minor arcana often consists of repeated objects, while the major arcana offers more aesthetic and symbolic possibilities.
As for the size, there is no fixed standard. The choice is personal, but in general, the cards tend to be vertically elongated.
What is essential is that the cards have a smooth, glossy finish, as it´s very important for them to slide and shuffle well, ensuring smooth handling during readings.
The design of the back of the cards is completely free, but it´s often designed in such a way that it does not reveal whether the card is upright or reversed. While some people consider the position of the card important for a correct interpretation, others see it as an irrelevant detail. For this reason, it´s more of an aesthetic choice.
The deck usually comes inside a box and typically includes basic instructions with the meaning of each card. Some packs also include a purple fabric bag to store the cards and a purple silk cloth on which to perform the readings, adding a touch of ceremony and respect towards the deck.
Our tarot proposal: Art Nouveau Tarot
For the creation of this tarot, the decision was made to create a deck that includes only the 22 major arcana. The illustrations were inspired by the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, but with a completely new approach in terms of style and aesthetics, inspired by Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau is an international artistic and decorative movement, developed between 1890 and 1914, characterized by inspiration from nature, the dominance of flowing lines, dynamism, and asymmetry.
For the illustrations of this tarot, the main reference was the Czech painter and decorative artist Alfons Mucha. His works, filled with floral details, stylized female figures, and soft colors, have influenced the creation of the cards and the color palette.
You will be able to purchase our Art Nouveau Tarot at Ludotipia.
Create your own tarot:
To do your tarot, you can create a personalized tarot in Ludotipia, or for larger prints, contact us at info@agrpriority.com. In either case, you should keep these keys in mind:
Number of cards: 78 (major and minor arcana), 22 (major arcana), or a custom number
Size
Materials
Type of box
Rules
Other components
You can choose any standard size (70x110, 70x120, 80x120mm) or your own custom size.
In addition, we offer a wide variety of papers that will allow you to give your deck the finish you like best. If you'd like to know more about the materials we offer, we recommend checking out our blog post: What materials do we use in our board games?
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