Designer Collector: Tarot decks
Written by Crystal Carter RGD, Western University
What do you collect?
I collect tarot decks. I’m endlessly inspired by the way tarot blends visual systems, intuitive storytelling and archetypal symbolism. Each deck relies on a design language to guide the reader’s experience. Symbols, colours and compositions aren’t chosen at random; they’re carefully coded cues that communicate universal themes like transformation, love or conflict.
When did you start?
I got my first deck when I was 12, and I’ve been adding to my collection ever since. Most recently, I found a vintage German deck called Biedermeier Aufschlagkarten. It felt special to me because it’s the kind of cards my Hungarian grandmother used to read.
How does what you collect inspire you as a designer?
For me, beyond the fascination with the esoteric tradition, tarot is a study in visual systems, symbolism and storytelling. What captivates me is how decks use consistent design cues like colour palettes, iconography and composition to create a symbolic language that can be intuitively read. Each card tells its own story while also fitting into a larger framework, not unlike a brand system. Archetypes like The Fool, The Magician or Death carry meanings that transcend the need for written language and every deck adds new layers through illustration style, typography and even the feel of the card stock. Studying tarot has deepened my appreciation for how design can connect with both intellect and intuition and that’s something I try to bring into every project I work on.
What is your favourite item in your collection?
My favourite deck is the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot. What makes it so meaningful to me is the illustrator, Pamela Colman Smith. For decades, her contribution went largely uncredited, even though her artistry is what gave the deck its enduring symbolism. I admire her not only as an artist but also as an early feminist figure in illustration. She carved out space for herself in a male-dominated field and created work that continues to inspire and influence over a century later.
What is the dream item you aspire to have in your collection?
The dream piece for me would be a reproduction of the Visconti-Sforza tarot deck. It’s the oldest surviving tarot deck, created in Italy in the 15th century and it’s an incredible piece of history. What I love about it is that it shows tarot’s beginnings not as a mystical tool, but as a beautifully illustrated deck for playing card games, which only later evolved into divination. As both a designer and a tarot reader, I’m drawn to the artistry and craftsmanship of the Visconti-Sforza. It feels like a bridge between where tarot started and what it has become today.
Crystal Carter RGD
Western University
Related Articles
Sponsored
