I run a study group called Tea and Tarot, and I very regularly get asked by my students which decks I would recommend to a beginner. This is such a crucial question to a great many people starting out on their own Fool’s journey that I thought I would make a blog post for it!
Judgement – Universal Tarot
First, let’s look at what makes a good deck for beginners:
- Artwork must be clear; there should be plenty of details, but the card shouldn’t feel fussy or overwhelming.
- The Minor Arcana must be fully illustrated; nothing is more frustrating to a beginner than having a beautiful deck of cards but having no idea what that image of four cups means! The illustrations act as visual prompts while you’re learning. You might not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all 78 cards, but you start to make connections between them based on their symbolism, and an illustrated deck speeds this process remarkably.
- The deck should fit comfortably in your hands; shuffling may take a bit of practice anyway, but it shouldn’t feel like a circus performance every time you pull out your cards.
- You must find the deck beautiful! If I recommend decks here that you think are hideous, feel free to ignore me and go your own way (I have strong shoulders, I can take it). You should feel a thrill of excitement every time you pull out the cards, and if you hate the artwork then… that’s not going to happen, and you’ll learn much slower because of it.
So! On to the decks.
The Beginner’s Guide to Tarot
The Beginners Guide to Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke
Why this deck? This is the very first deck I bought way back when I was 12 and I saved all my pocket money to buy my own cards (I was a weird kid). It comes with simply the best book I have ever read on the Tarot and I would go so far as to say that you should only buy this deck if it comes with the book (which can be used with any Tarot deck).
Temperance – The Beginner’s Guide to Tarot
What’s good about it? J.S.B. is a Tarot reader with a great many years of experience, all of which she poured into this deck. She worked closely with the artist so that every image in each card represents something; because of this, once you begin to learn her “key,” you can start unlocking the cards without the book. For example, water represents the emotions, so in cards of pain she might put in a stormy sea, or rain clouds.
What’s bad about it? The artwork. I can’t lie, the art feels very… clunky to me. However, this can work in its favour: because I didn’t have too much of an attachment to it, I wasn’t afraid to carry it with me, to show it to friends on messy kitchen tables, deal the cards precariously close to a cup of coffee… I can’t understate the value of having a deck close to hand while you’re learning, so not being too precious about the deck (or at least, one of the decks) you’re learning from can be beneficial.
Final thoughts. This is one of the decks I use in my Tea and Tarot classes.
The Universal Tarot
The Universal Tarot
Why this deck? The Universal deck stays very true to the classic symbolism of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, but the style of art is a lot more dynamic and layered than the R.W.S. The reason for this is simple: the R.W.S. deck was published in the Victorian era when the printing presses were less sophisticated than those we have now. This means that the R.W.S. – although lovely – isn’t very lively to the modern eye. The Universal Tarot fixes that problem: the symbolism is all there, but it’s drawn and coloured in a much more attractive way.
Nine of Pentacles – Universal
What’s good about it? The cards are clear and easy to read, without having to sacrifice the detailing and wealth of symbols. It’s easy to see the expressions of the characters in the cards and the colours (and their symbolism) has nuance.
What’s bad about it? You might not like the style of the artwork. There’s nothing wrong with the art (I’m really very fond of it), but it might not be to your taste. Other than that, I don’t have a bad word to say about this deck.
Final thoughts. This is one of the decks I use for professional Tarot reading.
The Llewellyn Tarot
The Llewellyn Tarot
Why this deck? The watercolours are soft and deep, and the images hold true to the R.W.S. symbolism, but they have the positive addition of being influenced by Welsh myths. This means that the cards can be read quickly and easily, with the added satisfaction of luxurious artwork.
Ten of Cups – Llewellyn Tarot
What’s good about it? That decadent artwork is just breathtaking! Each card is fully illustrated with all the usual symbols, so it’s a snap to read if you’re familiar with the R.W.S. Plus, the artwork is so luscious that it softens the scarier imagery of cards like Death or the 10 of Swords, so the person you’re reading for won’t immediately panic. This is definitely a bonus!
What’s bad about it? Two things: the artist hasn’t given the Minor Arcana cards the same care and attention as the Major Arcanas, so there’s a bit of a dip in art quality (this, however, is very minor and usually goes unmarked by my clients). Also, the need to adhere to the Welsh myth theme means that card clarity is sometimes sacrificed: for example, the Strength card (classic image: woman holding lion) has a man, cresting a sea wave with a big boar. Um…
Final thoughts. This is the other deck I use for professional readings (I just take care with that damn Strength card to say to my client “In traditional imagery this shows… so that means…”).
Honourable Mentions.
The Sun – Rider Waite Smith
The Rider-Waite-Smith – of course! This is a classic, and it is beginner friendly (that doesn’t mean to say it’s a deck you’ll leave behind as you advance – I’ve found I’ve become fonder of this deck over time). The art is a little dated, but still beguiling.
The Chariot – Lo Scarabeo
The Lo Scarabeo Deck – this one is ok: the art is bright and very young feeling (I think people who are fond of manga will like this), but the artist has made some bizarre choices in places; for example, the six of cups (youthful dreams/rose tinted glasses/innocence/naivete) in this deck has a naked lady cavorting in a fountain like a Page 3 model. Bizarre.
Strength – Hanson-Roberts Deck
The Hanson-Roberts Deck – ah, this is so cute! It was created in the seventies so prepare yourself for lots of Tolkien inspired imagery and apple-cheeked children. However, sweetly vintage as this is, the art work can occasionally make you wince with how naive it is. But I love it, it has my favourite representation of Strength and this is the deck I keep in my handbag (a vintage deck from the 70s, too).
Temperance from the Llewellyn Tarot
I hope that this post proves to be helpful for those who are just getting started; with more decks coming out every year, I know it can be a little overwhelming to pick a card, any card! However, this is ultimately your choice. Tarot will be a friend for life, so don’t pick a deck just because I’ve recommended it: make sure that you find the imagery beautiful and that your hands long for the feeling of the cards.
Did I miss a deck that you love? Do you have any recommendations for me? Tell me in the comments (or on Facebook, or Instagram), I’d love to hear from you!
