Author Topic: Designing an Oracle Card Deck  (Read 16463 times)

Offline Christine

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Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« on: June 15, 2008, 08:45:23 PM »
Hi everyone,
I was wondering if you could please give me your feedback?
I am helping design and write an oracle card deck. It seems to be that it will be a Birds of Prey deck but that might change depending on the direction we are lead in. What I would like to know is, what do you love and hate about Oracle Decks. What makes YOU want to buy a deck. Is it the message? The art? What are you looking for in a deck?
Would you be more likely to buy a deck if it supported a good cause?
How many cards do you like to have in the deck and what size?
If it comes with a bag, do you use it?
Thanks
Christine



Here is a sample of what a card might be about, what the book might say, or the types of things, and what the message of the card might be. This is not an accurate grahoc representation. In otherwords the card wouldn't look like this. I am not a graphic artist. It is a concept idea.




« Last Edit: June 15, 2008, 09:35:16 PM by Christine »
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
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Offline angelite64

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2008, 12:19:18 AM »
I absolutely love the idea Christine.....

Quote
What I would like to know is, what do you love and hate about Oracle Decks

I love Oracle cards but I think it is important to have a connection with the type of Oracle you are working with.  (As the Wedge Tail Eagle is my Spirit animal and I adore all birds of prey I would by a deck of these in a heartbeat.)

Quote
What makes YOU want to buy a deck. Is it the message? The art?

The message is important but it is usually the artwork that draws me to them.

Quote
Would you be more likely to buy a deck if it supported a good cause

If I like the deck I would by them anyway, however, if they support a worthy cause, all the better.

Quote
How many cards do you like to have in the deck and what size?

Amount of cards doesn't really matter to me but I prefer the cards to be of a size that makes them easy to shuffle.  I use the Mythic Tarot Deck when I do readings and I love them but the size of the cards themselves are too large and are difficult to shuffle.

Quote
If it comes with a bag, do you use it?

I usually have to buy a bag when I buy a new deck of cards so if they came with their own nice bag I would use it.

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Offline Merrick

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2008, 12:23:58 AM »
I love the idea Christine  :)

Birds (as you know) hold a special place in my heart! I think reading "Johnathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach" did that for me when I was younger!
I used to paint birds of all discriptions too.  I would really love to find the time to get back into some art!

I like big fat decks (giggles) 78 cards like the Tarot would be good.  Although I don't really go for the pictures when choosing a deck, most definitely would in this case!!!

I'd buy 'em for sure, with a bag!  I use the bags you made for me!

Helping a good cause would be an added bonus!

Cheers

Merrick  ;D

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By far the most usual way of handling phenomena so novel that they would make for a serious rearrangement of our preconceptions is to ignore them altogether, or to abuse those who bear witness to them.

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Offline Enchantress

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2008, 01:39:32 AM »
Great idea Christine!!
I am drawn to cards not only by their artwork but the significance of thewords in the cards, the legend behind them is important too, i have the druid animals and love the myth behind them all.
Size wise, i thinka fits easy in your hand deck is good, i have some decks i love very much but tend not t\o use as much as i get so clumsy as they are too big, the Druidcraft i know is tarot but its huge!!
No of cards, i suppose not too many and not too little i think perhaps around 30??
A bag would def be a bonus!!

Good luck and look forward to seeing them!!

Blessings

E xxxx
As above so below

Offline JulieD

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2008, 09:34:42 AM »
I never really bothered with Tarot because I was too lazy to learn the 72 cards and wasn't ready to read them intuitively.

Then I looked at Runes.  The Norse Runes have 26, I was also too lazy to learn all of them too, so I chose the Goddess Runes only 14 to learn. 

When I bought the :

Mythic Deck - 72 cards - it sat around because I found it too complicated.  Too many cards.  Used the major acarna as a prop for a murder mystery night and my bag got stolen/lost.  Gave the rest away to my niece to use in a collage.

Aquarian Deck - 72 deck loved the artwork (we used to have 11 of the major arcana as laminated woodblock pictures on the wall) but the book was confusing.  Sits in my bookshelf. 

Love Tarot - 24 cards Sits in a draw

Gypsy Lenormand - 36 cards - Gave them away, they were too 'black' and the book was in French

Oracle Tarot - Lucy Cavendish - This deck has 72 cards, but I can read them without the book.  Very modern.  Probably my favourite.

Ask Your Guides Oracle - 52 cards - great for single card readings

Soul Lessons and Soul Purpose - 52 cards - great for single card readings

Trust Your Vibes Oracle - 52 cards, they just didn't speak to me once I opened them.  Sold them to a fellow psychic reader.

Ascended Masters Oracle - 44 cards - I leave them on my desk at work, great for single card readings

The bird of prey deck would be beautiful.  I would love to have it.  Yes I would use a bag, I never know what to do with the boxes after I put my cards in a bag and can't bring myself to throw them out. 


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Offline Lord Daemon

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2008, 12:25:26 PM »
Hey Christine,

What is important in a deck; to my mind it's of you the individual are drawn to the cards themselves. The artwork can be important for the reader, if that is where they draw their message from. I think much of it comes down to the individual.

The charity angle is a good one

For me, the cards must speak to me - that is what makes me buy them.

Bag - great idea!!!
Size - big enough to  see, not to big to make shuffling tricky

I think the message on the card should maybe focus more on the bird and not the imagery of the picture. In the example you have reference to the image... don't know. My mind just thinks something more along the lines of totemic; the bird itself is the symbol and is what the card represents.

Just my thoughts.
Man will believe the impossible, but never the improbable



Offline Christine

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2008, 01:09:18 PM »
I get what you are saying LD re the bird itself. COuld be interesting given so many of the birds of prey are similar, which is why I thought the habits of that particular bird might be the thing to focus on. I will do some more research into totemic symbology, if that's the right way to put it.

We want the deck to be about the art. We won't be making it tarot because I just don't have the knowledge of the tarot to do so, which is why we thought Oracle would be perfect. We were thinking 24-30 cards.

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
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Offline Salt Breeze

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2008, 04:15:51 PM »
I think birds would make a perfect subject Christine.  The bird itself, as well as the picture.  It depends on each person whether the picture or the meaning is most important to them - depending on their way of focusing.   

Bag is a great idea, and I think everyone agrees that cards shouldn't be too big or they're clumsy to handle.   

Have to agree Merrick - Jonathon Livingston was a treat.   

 

Offline JulieD

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2008, 06:24:27 PM »
24-30 Perfect!

Look for the light in everyone you meet.
You may be the only person that ever sees it.

Offline Merrick

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2008, 08:49:27 AM »
I currently use the Marseille Deck which has 78 cards, it's one of the oldest decks and the pictures aren't really anything special!!  I guess I'm a tad like HLD in that respect. I pick my cards in a similar fashion to choosing crystals.  I have to be drawn to them regardless of what they look like.  Having said that I would pick your cards Christine on the basis of the pictures and meanings not to mention helping a good cause!

Cheers

Merrick  ;D
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By far the most usual way of handling phenomena so novel that they would make for a serious rearrangement of our preconceptions is to ignore them altogether, or to abuse those who bear witness to them.

Prof. William James

Offline jersey

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2008, 12:42:59 PM »
Awesome idea Christine, I would buy two decks one for me and one for a friend.
When I buy a deck I am drawn to it, regardless of how it is written or the pictures. When I bought my Sacred Circle tarot I had no real idea of the pictures but I got a really good vibe off the box when I picked it up and put it back down again but kept going back to it.
I am glad I did as it works well for me.
Excellent idea for charity reasons, number for the deck well that would be what you are comfortable with but Yes definately put me down for two decks when they are finished.

Offline Christine

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2008, 10:43:31 PM »
Thanks jersey...
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
Douglas Adams


Offline Little Wolf

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2009, 06:00:10 PM »
How's your oracle cards coming along??

Its probably to late you could also use the idea of totem animals and their meanings.

Falcon will show you to fully commit and when to act to achieve success.

Bluebird reminds you to take time to enjoy yourself.

Creators Blessings
Mel

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Offline Christine

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2009, 09:43:22 PM »
I have been so involved in other things the poor oracle deck has had nothing done to it. I did think about totem animal meanings. I would need to research all of them.
If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.
Douglas Adams


Offline Little Wolf

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Re: Designing an Oracle Card Deck
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2009, 09:52:39 PM »
That's ashame! When the time is right you will create them.


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