Official Instructions for the CoT Deck Project

[Joan Marie]

Hello everybody,

This post is intended to be the complete details for everybody who is creating a card for the CoT community tarot Deck Project.
Any changes or updates will appear in this post.

• Initially, the cards will be posted together here on the forum in a yet-to-be-determined-format. (I’m working on that)
  Additionally, they will be used in a special “Automatic card draw” feature.
  
  UPDATE: All completed cards to date are posted here.
  
  And if things progress well and we complete a whole 78-card deck, we will look at offering a print version, but that’s down the road a ways.
  
  • To begin we will start with the 22 majors. You can choose the card you would like to do. Please check the Major Arcana Sign-up Sheet first and claim the card you want to do. (Instructions are on the sheet)
  UPDATE Aug 8: The Major Arcana are all spoken for. The Minor Arcana Sign-up List is now up. Follow the instructions on the list.
  
  Working title of the deck: CoT Tarot Deck – (we will work on this later)
  
  • Medium
    Any medium is welcome. *
  • Image Specifications:
    
    

    CoT Tarot Card Template.pdf

    (1.42 MiB) Downloaded 234 times

    
    

    

    Click on this image to enlarge

    
    
    You can download the PDF attachment to see the format of the finished card. Your image will sit within a frame. This will give the whole deck a nice consistent look.
    The name of the card will appear on the frame. Frame and text will be added (by me probably) after you submit your work.
  The finished cards, image +frame, will be standard Tarot size cards, however the image you submit will be smaller to sit within the frame.
  
  
  • Your final image should be:
    58mm x 100mm (2,28 “x 3.93”)
    Minimum 300 DPI resolution
    .jpg, pdf or png file formats are all acceptable.
  • Email finished images to: artshare@cultoftarotforum.com
  (If images are too large for email, you can zip them or contact me and I will give you my dropbox, but at 300DPI, they shouldn’t be too large.)
  
  • Do not put the card name or number on the card. Any text information will be added later to the frame area.
  • *Regardless of the medium you choose, your work will need to be submitted as a digital file. If you don’t create it digitally (a painting or collage etc) you will need to scan it to convert it to a digital file.
    
    If you are creating non-digitally, keep this aspect ratio in mind as you work, roughly 1 to 2, to avoid distortion when fitting it into the template. Non-digital work should be created larger, then the digital file re-sized after scanning. Having a non-distinct edge on your work will give a little wiggle-room for resizing without distortion.
    
    Keep in mind that whatever you make will need to fit on a scanner when you are done.
  I can help with the resizing etc, but I will still need a digital file to work with.
  
  • Signing your work:UPDATE: The consensus is that we should not sign our work. Artists names can be posted in an lwb or on a summary page or something like that. The feeling is all the names would be a distraction to using the cards and that makes a lot of sense.
  • Card meanings: Along with your finished card, please include your interpretation of the card meaning. A few sentences is enough for the “Card Draw” feature. A longer one can be included if you like that can be used along with the posting of the whole deck. This will make more sense later when I can show you how the deck will be posted.
  As always, you can contact me with any questions you may have. I am also available to help with technical issues.
  
  So, if you haven’t chosen a card yet, that’s the place to start. Go to the Sign-Up Sheet and see what’s available!
  
  We all look forward to seeing your work!

[Charlie Brown]

So, to be clear, I am sending you 58 x 100 images and you are applying the frame.

[Joan Marie]

So, to be clear, I am sending you 58 x 100 images and you are applying the frame.

Yes exactly. I'll apply the frame and text.

[Joan Marie]

There are still some cards left to claim so if you've been thinking about joining in now would be a good time to choose the card you want to do.

Check the sign up sheet (link in the top post of this thread)

I don't want to impose a strict "Deadline" for this first bunch of cards to be done, but I would like to make a suggestion of having the Major Arcana complete by October 1st.

Please feel free to share your work in progress, in fact I really encourage you to do so. Projects like this succeed on momentum and seeing the work start coming in will really get everybody's juices flowing. Doesn't matter if it's even just the roughest sketch or early concept or even just pics of what you are using for inspiration.

Even if you are not (yet!) actually signed up to make a card, your input, comments and ideas are still valuable, so please don't be shy.

In the end we will have created something that is truly a reflection of this little corner of the internet we occupy, something that brings our voices and our visions to light.

[Penelope]

Could I work on Devil, please?

[Joan Marie]

Could I work on Devil, please?

Oh you most certainly may! I've just updated the list.

Thank you!

[LindseMercury]

Hello. I’d like to take the Strength and Death cards.
Thanks!

[Joan Marie]

Hello. I’d like to take the Strength and Death cards.
Thanks!

Strength and Death are yours and welcome to the forum!

And thank you!

[reall]

ok, i'm so happy i've got this beautiful newsletter & got to sign up for this project!
done it before with AT & was tech personbbtw it probably inspired me to try this creator& selfpublisher road i'm now!:D
can't wait to see all wonderful people who will join us with their own unique vision of each card & maybe this will give you idea & inspiration to create your own deck as well

no need to say i'm your tech apprentice, if you need any *consulting & help with formating i'lll be happy to assist!

p.s i'll take any card left we have by october as I don't want take someone else chance to pick!

also will share on my ig & call more people to join & help us bring full deck!

78Tarot Watch Out here we go!

btw do we need a topic?;)

eta I would also like to do mock up by adding random art from my deck in progress formated according to your guidelines & template just for people to see how will it look printed? maybe even add random title for better idea,,

& we can print with mpc they got awesome tarot size tin i wanna test https://www.makeplayingcards.com/design ... cards.html

[Joan Marie]

can't wait to see all wonderful people who will join us with their own unique vision of each card & maybe this will give you idea & inspiration to create your own deck as well

I love your enthusiasm! We have a really wonderful and diverse cast of creators already signed up. I'm really excited.

no need to say i'm your tech apprentice, if you need any *consulting & help with formating i'lll be happy to assist!

Wonderful. Thank you so much! We'll figure out some kind of system for handling the work. The good thing is that I've set up this whole subforum just for this project so we should be able to keep things pretty organised.

p.s i'll take any card left we have by october as I don't want take someone else chance to pick!

The Major Arcana is almost all taken, so you may want to call dibs on at least on of them before they are all gone.

also will share on my ig & call more people to join & help us bring full deck! 78Tarot Watch Out here we go!

Again, wonderful. To join the project you have to be a member but it's free to join this forum so that shouldn't be a problem for anyone. And yes it would be great to complete the whole 78 cards. In fact, I would be thrilled and I think everyone would be.

I prefer to wait thought until we have some of this "Stage 1" work rolling in. Once the Major Arcana starts to shape up really well, we can open up to the next part.

btw do we need a topic?;)

Well, people keep asking that. My original thought was that we should keep this first one (hopefully there are more!) loose. There is a specific format to the cards, a frame to add a consistency to the look of the cards. But I think we should skip a theme and just see what people come up with.
Maybe when we get to the minors we might decide on some other device for the individual suits. But for the majors, lets just see where everybody's ideas take us.

eta I would also like to do mock up by adding random art from my deck in progress formatted according to your guidelines & template just for people to see how will it look printed? maybe even add random title for better idea,,

That would be great. You could start an "inspiration" thread or something. Just to keep everybody primed. Great idea.
The frame I have on the template is just for use as a template. We'll have to come up with a colour/design for it and some kind of text.

& we can print with mpc they got awesome tarot size tin i wanna test https://www.makeplayingcards.com/design ... cards.html

If we go to print, again, I will be thrilled. MPC is a good option for print on demand and for runs under 500. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If we did a little kickstarter and pre-sold enough decks we could get a good price per deck, maybe even generate a little cash to keep the old forum running!

[reall]

Ok, Done. Topic started plz edit if needed!

[Painterspoon]

Hello! Just wondering if the border design is posted somewhere. I would like my card designs to be in harmony with the border. Or maybe there's a description somewhere of what it will look like.

Thanks - so excited for this project!

Melissa

[Joan Marie]

Hello! Just wondering if the border design is posted somewhere. I would like my card designs to be in harmony with the border. Or maybe there's a description somewhere of what it will look like.

Thanks - so excited for this project!

Melissa

This is a great question.

The short answer is the border has not been finalised yet.
I am working on some options now and will post them soon for everyone to comment on. reall is also working on some I think.

In any case, the border should be very neutral and go well with all the many different designs we will get. I will do some tweaking in the case there is a card that maybe doesn't stand out enough from the border. For example, a dark card with a dark border, I could add a glow around the edge of the border to separate it from the art.

I'm getting ideas as I sit here. Please go ahead and start your work. I'm sure we'll come up with a border that works for everyone.

Hopefully I can post something in the next hour or so.

I love everyone's enthusiasm.

[Diana]

Does anyone know how I can find out if a photo is still under copyright? When do photos fall into the public domain?

[Joan Marie]

Does anyone know how I can find out if a photo is still under copyright? When do photos fall into the public domain?

It's not really clear and it varies from country to country. So it would depend on where the photo is from, was it ever published. is the photographer known...

There's no blanket rule of exactly when anything falls into public domain. Rules of thumb include things like, 50 years after first publishing. or 20 years after the photographer's death or anything more than 90 years old.

Do you know who the photographer is or where the photo was published?

[Joan Marie]

Hello! Just wondering if the border design is posted somewhere.
Melissa

In case you didn't see it, I've posted a couple of sample borders here:
viewtopic.php?f=206&t=1703#p9933

[chiscotheque]

is any image acceptable, or are certain things verboten? (if it were me, i would suggest banning the use of naked women).
are idiosyncratic card interpretations allowed or is it advised to stay within accepted Golden Dawn interpretations?

[Joan Marie]

is any image acceptable, or are certain things verboten? (if it were me, i would suggest banning the use of naked women).
are idiosyncratic card interpretations allowed or is it advised to stay within accepted Golden Dawn interpretations?

I'm going to say any image is acceptable and trust people's judgement. I have no problem with tasteful/artistic use of nudity.

This first deck is really free-form. Any interpretation is welcome. Card creators area asked to submit a "card meaning" along with their work.

In subsequent decks we may add the use of themes or other parameters, but this deck is for the joy of making art and working on something together.

[chiscotheque]

it's a fun idea.
for the record, i have no problem with nudity per se, i just find that too many tarot decks use female nudity in a gratuitous and faux art way.

[Diana]

Am working now on the description and meaning for the card I did. And am not clear I think on the length these two items should be. Approximately how many words, particularly concerning the meaning.

I apologise if this has already been spoken about - I did a rapid search but didn't see anything.

[Joan Marie]

Approximately how many words, particularly concerning the meaning.

We have not talked about this yet.

And I'm not sure how to answer.
I think for the the card meanings it should be no more than a a few lines, 3 to 5?

The artist statement can be a little longer. I think those are more interesting actually and entail the meanings as well.

I haven't thought this completely through. I think everyone should write what they feel is needed. We can edit later if necessary.

Our next deck will probably have a lot more rules.

[Benebell]

Queen of Swords, please.

Sent here by Cerulean.

[Joan Marie]

Queen of Swords, please.

Sent here by Cerulean.

Queen of Swords is yours Benebell!

[stormgirlblue]

Hi..
Well my 2 of wands is well on its way.
It seems the 10 of cups is available. May I be considered for this one also please.

[Joan Marie]

Hi..
Well my 2 of wands is well on its way.
It seems the 10 of cups is available. May I be considered for this one also please.

Hi- The 10 of Cups is yours stormgirlblue! Thank you!