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Printing and making a deck

Posted: 07 Oct 2017, 16:06
by SEELE-01
Hello

I wanted to share with you the process I go through when I print my decks (every deck I've owned I have made from scratch)

So, first step, finding all the images from the same deck in good quality: this is probably the longest and most painstaking part of the process, because many sites only show 3-4 cards of the deck, except for decks like RWS or Marseilles, in public domain... From trademarked decks I generally buy the original and simply reproduce it for myself the way I'd like it, keeping the originals as back-up...
In this example, a RWS deck I'm making for my sister, whom just asked me to teach her cartomancy. I think this deck is perfect for a beginner because many of the older decks (like the Marseilles) don't have illustrated Minor Arcana...

Step two: after finding all the right images, I assemble the sheets in Corel...
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...and then print them in high quality, thick photographic paper, this gives the cards a glossy finnish I really like, without making them slippery
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I'll post the rest of the process later, as I just realized I ran out of X-acto blades...

Re: Printing and making a deck

Posted: 14 Oct 2017, 21:25
by SEELE-01
As I was saying...

Cutting the cards (so to speak)
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The backs aligned neatly with each of the fronts...
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Half an hour later, the deck is ready! Unfortunately I made a small dent on the 4 of swords and 6 of pentacles, but those are hardly noticeable
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The backs. I chose the mandala center because my sister likes those patterns
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The entire deck is less than an inch (2.5 cm) thick. Unfortunately, because of the paper and the blade, the cards warped noticeably, so...
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My old bookbinding press will do the trick for a few days... The first and last cards are some missprints I placed to keep marks from appearing on the good cards
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Re: Printing and making a deck

Posted: 15 Oct 2017, 01:04
by Serpentwand
Oh you're good at that - not even having gaps between the images to allow for a few mistakes :clap: . Have you made any mixed decks using your favourite cards from a mixture of sources?

Re: Printing and making a deck

Posted: 15 Oct 2017, 17:55
by SEELE-01
2dogs wrote: 15 Oct 2017, 01:04 Have you made any mixed decks using your favourite cards from a mixture of sources?
Oh no, I find inconsistencies off-putting, the art of all the cards must be the same throughout the deck...

Re: Printing and making a deck

Posted: 15 Oct 2017, 23:58
by Serpentwand
Ah right. I was thinking of some old discussions of decks ruined by one awful card :icon_e_sad: .

Re: Printing and making a deck

Posted: 20 Jan 2018, 04:51
by kyan
i see you posted way back in october, but wow, this is so cool!

thanks for posting the pics and process. it’s very helpful and inspiring — i just called fedex office to ask if they will print on thicker card stock as they only have 120lb and they said they would certainly try.