Look what finally showed up in the mail! Tarot of a Forest Witch! The first edition of the Tarot Deck I’ve been working on! The final product is here in my hands, and I only have a few last-minute adjustments to make before releasing it to the world. Keep you eyes peeled for the preorders, they’re coming very, very soon! In the meantime, let’s talk a bit about this new deck of mine, shall we?

✨ The Cards

You’ve seen most – if not all – of them through the pictures of the original illustrations I’ve shared here and there. Perhaps you’ve even acquired a reproduction of your favorite? Throughout the deck’s creation, I regularly released arts prints, ACEO cards, and stickers in my store. Some illustrations have even found their way onto pyrographed wooden pieces, like the Empress, the Hanged Man, and the adorable sleepy fox featured on the Sun card.

What I haven’t shared with you until today is the final design of the cards themselves, complete with titles. So here they are! Let’s start with the tech’ specs: they’re a standard Tarot size, 2.75″×4.75″ (70×120mm) with a gorgeous matte finish. And like all of my decks, I went for a borderless print. I just find it more aesthetically pleasing when laying multiple cards side by side during a reading, and thankfully, most of you agreed with that choice so far, so why deviate from it?

Unless my previous decks though, I’ve dropped the pretty gold edging. There are a couple of reasons behind that decision. First, it actually allowed me to upgrade the cardstock from 330 to 350 gsm. I know it doesn’t seem like much on paper (no pun intended), but let me tell you, the thickness of the cards feels a lot better when handling them, especially considering that these are the largest cards I’ve produced so far.

Another reason is simply a growing concern regarding the environmental impact of incorporating such shiny – but ultimately unnecessary – addition into the production process. We’ll see if it makes a come back when I embark on the full version of Tarot of a Forest Witch, but for now, I have to say I actually quite like how it looks with these sleek, bright white edges.

✨ The Back

Here comes the Forest Witch! 🧙‍♀️🌲🌿 I had so much fun designing the back of the cards!

This is not at all what I was going for in the beginning, but after a few attempts that left me feeling dissatisfied, my Inner Child took the reins. And just like that, in one whimsical, playful afternoon, we conjured up a witchy hat and broom! The diagonal ‘cut’ that renders the back reversible is also a nod to traditional playing cards (you know how the court cards are usually mirrored in that way?), but that’s just the icing on the cake. Right now I’m simply delighted by the whole witchy theme. And honestly, I wouldn’t mind having a hat like that one, mushrooms and all.

✨ The Box

Another small change in the Wildera deck family is the tuck box. If you’re familiar with my previous works, you’ll notice that this isn’t the kind of format I’d normally go for. But since this is a ‘Major Arcana only’ edition, I’ve aimed to minimize the production costs without compromising on the final product’s quality. In the case of the box, that means transitioning to a slightly less fancy one than my typical choice. While I’ll likely revert to a sturdier two-part box for the full version of Tarot of a Forest Witch, for now, this is what I’ve chosen.

It’s a delicate balance throughout the whole production process, figuring out what you can and cannot compromise on. Now (and please let me know if I’m going in the wrong direction here) I’d rather prioritize the quality of the cards over upgrading the box they nest in. After all, the cards are the focal point, they’re the ones having to stand the test of time, reading after reading after reading. That said, when I first unwrapped it, I was pleasantly surprised by the box’s apparent durability. It’s actually thicker than I anticipated, and overall I’m really satisfied with the quality of this prototype.

So there you have it, my next deck of cards, nearly ready to launch! I know I’ve already expressed this countless times before, but it remains true – I cannot wait to release Tarot of a Forest Witch into the world and share this labor of love with all of you! As I mentioned earlier, the preorders will be available soon, so stay tuned!

✨ Bonus Oracle Card Reveal!

Alright, now if you recall from last week, I announced my next Oracle project: a deck of cards inspired by the night sky and the Moon. I secretly started to work on it while putting the final touches on the first edition of Tarot of a Forest Witch. As I’m writing to you today, I’ve sketched the designs for all the cards that will make up this new oracle deck. I’ve also got a few of them already painted, including this dreamy Moon Hare, which happens to be the very first card I completed. I hope you like it! 🌙✨🐇