A Handmade Tarot Deck From a Woodblock

Hello there, it’s Krisztina.

Today, I want to give you a sneak peek of my upcoming project.

In the last few years, my focus has been on digitally recreating historical decks. This made me realize how much I miss making art the traditional way and experiencing the creation process with all of my senses.

A few months ago, I decided to start a new project where I print tarot cards in the traditional way with wood blocks and stencils. I started with countless hours of research about the history of card making. From trade books, I learned about the production of paper and paint, the artisans’ tools and techniques, the methods in different countries and time periods, the influence of religion, and the impact of governments on manufactures.

I also studied research papers on how the colors might have originally appeared on the cards. These explained the degradation of pigments and how colors change due to time and UV exposure.

Right now, I am experimenting with producing the cards with different materials, including paint, glue, and paper. I’ve also started carving the line work from a tarot sheet on a test block. I have years of experience in carving lino, but carving wood requires a slightly different method and set of knives.

My first woodcut will be a recreation of a simple, yet charming tarot deck. It will include the trumps and an addition of a possible missing card.

Do you know the name of the deck?

I’ll see you in our next update!

Krisztina Kondor