Making A Book of Tarot Spreads

[Yorin]

I'm currently working on a new project (I've got so many ) and I was hoping for some input from our lovely community, and I'm hoping I'm posting this in the right spot.

The project I'm working on is a book that I want to publish of tarot spreads. Each one is going to have a separate piece of artwork on the page with the spread. The opposite side is going to have what each card in the spread means. Now, my question for any of you lovely people, is simply this: For something like this, how much would you consider paying? Full color or black and white?

The book is going to be a collection of spreads I've found over the years I've been doing readings, or one's I've developed myself, and the artwork will all be my own original works made specifically for each one.

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

That's a great idea. Personally, I like to keep my book buying below $20 a book, cheaper if possible, but if it's well worth it- captivating writing, well edited and appealing artwork- up to $25.

A little more information would be nice, like- the type of art, how many spreads and what kinds. You said original spreads and I think that is an excellent idea. Also, is it for beginners, advanced practitioners or any and all new and old to Tarot? Will there be any history, personal interpretations, uses for magic or just spreads and art work?

On color, black and white is nice as long there is depth (various shades), color is nice as long as it is not overtly bright or overtly opaque (but this depends on my mood)... honestly, either way is a good choice, it just really depends on the type of art. These are also just my viewpoints. I hope this doesn't come off as critical at all, because a new Tarot spread book with original art work and spreads is a welcome addition to any Tarot reader/enthusiasts library.

[Yorin]

The sketchbook I'm working with has 90 pages in it, so the book would have about 180-200 pages total, 90 of them being the spreads with artwork, the opposite side having the explanation on how to do each one. As for what extra things might be in it, I was more thinking of just using the spreads, just because I find it difficult to put out information like that without feeling like I've blatantly plagiarized it from any deck, or book on how to read the cards I've gotten over the years.

As for the type of art, I'll be uploading a few of the pages to my deviantart as I get them done over the next few days, replacing the one's I've got that just has the basic outline of them, so if you've got a way to keep an eye on things there you'll be able to see them. I do a lot of fantasy artwork-mostly being in watercolor, acrylic, and woodburned pieces.

And don't worry, you're not sounding overly critical. You more sound like you're giving a critique or feedback, which is what I was hoping for. If I wanted overly critical, I would've gone and started a thread on 4chan lol

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

I am glad I wasn't harsh! If you send me a link to your art I would love to see it. I am also a Tarot collector as I have at least five decks and am working on getting more (I don't believe you should only own one deck... I am actually against that notion... Viva la Tarot!). Someday, when I improve my art I want to make a my own deck, but that's down the line. Anyway, 90 spreads is a good amount, especially with originals and art. It could definitely be a good sell on the esoterica book/Tarot market, even the gaming market because some people still view it as a game.

[Yorin]

Sure! My deviantart is www.Dark-Crescent-Studio.deviantart.com

I'm working on a contest piece the next few days, but after that I'm hoping to start working on the cards and backgrounds for the spreads I've already drawn up.

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

Good stuff! I like Moonlit Kitty Cat and your skulls. Your dragons are epic. I love dragons.

[Yorin]

Thanks! I like my dragons too. I was tryin to make a dragon out of candle wax, but it turns out that I accidentally managed to create a giant air pocket in the center so that idea went out the door >_<

[Yorin]

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...58742592_n.jpg

Thats the link to the first of the spread pages I've gotten done. I'd post it from my dA but the quality is too low (its from my phone) for me to feel comfortable posting it there

[Bjorn]

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...58742592_n.jpg

Thats the link to the first of the spread pages I've gotten done. I'd post it from my dA but the quality is too low (its from my phone) for me to feel comfortable posting it there

Oooh, what can you tell me about this Rose spread (nice work, too!)?

[Yorin]

Sure! It's actually one of my favorite spreads honestly, especially when it comes to people trying to find love (which is one of the things that I get asked most often to do tarot readings on).

Rose petals focuses on the things you can do to find love vs "omg is ____ my love" or "who is my love" which is why I like it so much. Each of the cards focuses on the following:
1. This is something nice you can do for yourself to help you find love.
2. Something you need to learn (such as a lesson about yourself or whatever the card points to)
3. An issue you need to address (an example being one person I did a reading for his entire spread suggested basically "sit down, shut up, stop trying to push everything to where you want it to go and just let stuff go at its own pace)
4. The step you can take to find love
5. A goal you need to work towards (another example for this one would be a friend of mine who his biggest problem with finding love is self-fulfilling prophesy issues and the goal being that he needed to work towards breaking away from that)

Hope that helps and I'm glad you liked the artwork ^_^ I plan on doing a color version as well with watercolor, but thats definitely going to be the layout for the page itself