Can you share a little about the inspiration behind the deck and why you wanted to create it?

I’ve been reading tarot since I was a teenager and have collected quite a number of tarot decks, but none felt 100% perfect for me. I’m a professional photographer and had always wanted to create a tarot deck but have never really liked many photographic decks, and I didn’t want to create something that I was not perfectly happy with.

Last year, when AI was in its very early stages I was part of an invitation-only beta testing group and realised that I now had something completely different and a totally new way of creating images. I was able to create images using ideas and words and then, using my photographic and digital imaging knowledge, take the images into various software programs and make them completely relate to my ideas and imaginings of what the cards meant to me.

I had intended on this only being a deck for my own personal use but everyone who saw what I was doing wanted me to create a deck that they could buy as well, so it became a much larger project than I had originally intended. I have since also designed and just released a matching oracle deck.

At what stage of the process were you before joining the course?

I had designed most of the cards and also started testing with a print company, but still wasn’t sure if or how to release them as an actual product.

What decisions did the course help you with?

The course helped me with the finer details of creating a project for release to the public, and also whether I should actually release it for sale. It also introduced me to other forms of decks such as Lenormand and Kipper, which I’m now in love with and planning to create a deck of at some point in the future.

What was the most valuable takeaway for you?

That this could actually be a career, and that there are so many different forms and niches of decks.

Is there anything that surprised you about the process so far?

I’m constantly surprised by how many people love my decks! And how absolutely wonderfully rewarding the creation of these is.

Would you like to share any details about the launch of your deck?

I have the most amazing and supportive customers and wouldn’t trade them for the world. I’m quite happy to look long-term and build up sales slowly but steadily, so I decided against a Kickstarter. This way I get to form relationships with my customers plus the thought of packing and shipping potentially hundreds of orders at once seems terrifying!

For each of my decks, I’ve done a pre-order campaign once my decks were at the sending to printer stage. I allow my pre-order people to select their deck number as I number the first run 1-100 so it’s a bit of a fun limited edition, and also includes a print.