I’ve decided to riff on the traditional suits by making them plant-related. For Wands, instead of a wand, I’ve used a made-up plant shape that is thin and sticklike. It’s visually similar to a wand but still a funky, fun plant shape that I’ve created to fit the vibe of my deck. The Wands suit is about creativity, so inventing my own shape for this suit seems appropriate.

The Cups suit is about emotion. To me, a daisy represents emotion because flowers are typically given to others during times of celebration and sadness. Daisies fit within my theme of plants. Their round shape also mimics the top of a cup.

The Swords suit is about action. I’ve used a thin, fernlike plant with lots of fronds to convey a feeling of sharpness, like the tip of a sword.

And lastly, the suit of Pentacles, which is usually about the home, wealth, or other physical possessions. I’ve created a flowerlike shape that looks like a hand for this suit. The hand shape conveys possessions, or something you can hold in your hand. This suit is also called Coins, so you can choose to depict whichever one you like best.

The Minor Arcana follows your deck’s chosen theme in a precise way. Imagery is chosen in advance for the suits and court cards. The Major Arcana is different.

Keep in mind that your suits can be anything—there are no rules here! To keep it simple, you can also use traditional images for wands, cups, swords, and pentacles or coins. Once you’ve decided on the images for your four suits, you are ready to move on to the court cards.

Sketching is optional, but it’s something I like to do to orient my mind and plan out what I want the final card to look like. Grab some scrap paper, pencils, and paint (or whatever you’ll use to create your card).

Now it’s time to prep your card for painting! Note that taping off the back of the cards is optional. If you want the back of your cards to stay neat, use artist’s tape to tape off the edges so paint doesn’t get on them. It’s important to use artist’s tape because it won’t damage the paper card. Use scissors to trim the excess and flip your card over.

Next, you’ll paint your card’s background. Take the paint all the way to the edge of the card and use wide swaths of color. I try to keep my backgrounds simple so that my foreground imagery stands out. Let the background dry before moving on to the next step, and add a second coat of paint if you feel like the card needs it (I’ve done this).

Here’s where sketching comes in handy. I reference my doodles for the seedling and paint two small leaves. Next, add the seedling’s stem, a dark semicircle for the stem to anchor to, and two white spots that you’ll add a pattern to at the end. Let the foreground dry before moving on to the next step.

Since the Death card isn’t necessarily about the end of life, I want to avoid imagery of dead plants fallen over in pots. This is especially clear once I start sketching. Instead, I want to focus on the beauty that can come from change. I’ve decided to create an upside-down bouquet of dried flowers. While once vibrant and alive, dried flowers are still beautiful in their second life. Since the concept of death is often dark, I decide to stick with a muted color palette consisting of black, light gray, and shades of yellow and olive.

Begin by painting the top two-thirds of the card with a light, neutral gray. Add black to the bottom third for a dramatic effect. It’s important when using dark colors—like black or navy—to let the background dry completely, so you don’t get dark smears over lighter foreground colors.

Once the background dries, you can get to work painting the stems of the dried bouquet. I’ve used an olive green for this, and I’ve added round flowers to the ends using mustard yellow.

For some reason, when I think of motherly energy and plants, a fern comes to mind. I have no idea why this is, but I’ve learned not to question my initial thoughts when it comes to painting the tarot. Those initial thoughts are really your intuition, and you should follow it for something as intuitive as tarot cards!

I want to project warmth with this card, so I’ve painted a yellow sun in the background. Next, add warm red and indigo color washes to either side of the sun. I’ve decided to stick with a primary color palette for this card because I like the vibrancy and I think it fits perfectly with the meaning of The Empress card.

Once the background dries, begin drawing the fern plant. I’ve decided to go with the thinner leaves because I feel it looks more interesting. Since the fronds are so thin, draw them on the card with a green paint marker, rather than painting them.

Since this card is already detailed due to the fern’s leaves, I keep this step minimal. Add a light pink circle to the bottom of the card to visually anchor the fern. Then add a few yellow dots to the center of the fern with a paint marker, and finish off the card with stars in the sky.

Since this is our fourth card together, you know by now that it’s time to sketch! Sketching is always optional, but I like to do it because it grounds my ideas and allows me to explore freely.

You may want to do something different with this background. Paint the yellow planter first, and add purple and lilac around it. This ensures that the yellow will still show up against the dark-colored background. Add two coats of gouache and set the card in front of a fan to dry.

For the foreground, convey partnership by painting intertwining stems. Paint the stems first so you know how much room you have for the flower bud. Keep the buds simple if you don’t have much room for detail. Next, add two white washes of color on the sides for visual interest. Lastly, add a sun at the top and a pink semicircle at the bottom to anchor the card. Once this dries, you can move on to the final step: details!

I don’t have an immediate image for this card, so I’ve sketched cool plants that would look nice with a large star. I draw a banana leaf and a monstera, and after considering them both, I feel the softer edges of the monstera leaf will complement the sharper edges of the star. For the color palette, I’ve chosen calming ultramarine blue paired with muted pinks and rich greens.

Start by adding pale pink gouache to the upper two-thirds of the card and use a light magenta gouache for the bottom third. Apply a second coat for each and let it dry completely before moving on to the foreground imagery.

Begin the foreground with the monstera. The star is slightly more important for this card, so you can keep the monstera small and on the bottom half of the card. I’ve used an emerald-green gouache for the leaf.

The Tower card is about upheaval and chaos. Things are going wrong in life, maybe because they weren’t done correctly from the start or because change is needed. Rebirth can be a result. Since the meaning of the card is negative with a positive twist, I decide to use chaotic imagery with a brighter color palette. I’ve sketched a few ideas with uprooted or upside-down plants. For the color palette, I’ve started with yellow hues and added in shades of blue and green.

Start by painting the top half of the card a light yellow and adding a royal blue to the bottom half. You may need to do several coats, especially if the yellow comes out a little thin.

Add a deeper yellow flower pot in an upright position toward the left of the card. Make sure to save room for the uprooted plant! Next, paint leaves on the ground using mint green.

I’ve decided to paint (rather than draw) the roots of the plant. Use ash-yellow gouache and a thin brush to paint roots sticking up into the air. Then add dots to the sky using a white paint marker.

To me, the Wheel of Fortune feels like the most mystical card in the entire deck. I want to use unexpected yet alluring colors and have settled on a bright coral with purple accents. I also want the imagery to convey an air of mystique, so I sketch out a fern plant with funky leaves reminiscent of a staghorn fern.

I want coral to be the dominant color, so I’ve used it for the top two-thirds of the card. For the bottom third, use a deep purple and paint a light magenta plant pot over both colors once they have dried.

Once the background is dry, use a thin brush to draw the outline of the fern plant. You can use a blue-purple shade of gouache for this. Then select a lilac color and use it to paint the phases of the moon above the fern plant.

Once the foreground is dry, add a shadow to the plant using a black paint marker. Sometimes little things like shadows add the perfect amount of interest to a card—especially this one, since I’m going for a mystical vibe. Paint a lilac arch on the bottom of the card to anchor the composition. Next, to liven up the large wash of deep purple, use a slightly lighter purple marker to add dots. The final (and most nerve-wracking) step is to use the same black marker to draw in the phases of the moon.

Since The Hanged Man is all about hanging out and waiting, pausing, and reflecting, I know I have to paint a hanging plant for this card. I’ve sketched possible ideas and worked on a color palette. The darker greens suggest prior stability in one’s life. Then use pink to shake things up and symbolize the new perspectives that this card can sometimes bring. Lastly, doing a plant in a macrame hanger feels just right! It’s simple, yet visually interesting.

Start by painting the bottom third of the card pink, and then add a deep emerald to the empty two-thirds. Then rotate the card and add a baby pink plant pot.

Next, use a dark green to paint a teeny snake plant. Use ivory for the macrame hanger and a thin brush to paint the line work. Add tassels to the bottom of the hanger, and make it extend all the way past the top barrier of the card.

Time for details, my favorite part! Use a mid-toned pink to add polka dots to the plant pot and stars to the open green space at the top of the card. Then use the same deep green from the plant leaves to add a tiny arch anchor to the bottom of the card.

I want to depict the idea of personal freedom, so I’ve sketched out a few plants with suns or radiating beams of light behind them. I want this card to feel light and bright. This is an alternate take on the Judgment card, which sometimes dredges up bad people, feelings, and negativity, but I’ve chosen to focus on the positive part—ultimate forgiveness and letting go. The colors are bright and reflect this optimism.

I want the plant to sit on a half-circle, so I paint that first using a sky-blue gouache. Next, add radiating beams of light with neon pink and golden-yellow gouache.

Once the background is fully dry, add an emerald-green plant in the center. I’m not really sure what type of plant this is; perhaps I’ve invented it! I want something large with fun leaves that will fill the space. Use a thin brush and lime gouache to add some linework once it’s dry.

The colors are pretty intense on this one, so keep the composition minimal, including the details. Use a bright pink paint marker to add lines radiating out of the bottom of the plant and a white marker to add dots to the sky.

The color blue keeps speaking to me for this one, likely because it’s known to evoke feelings of calm. I’ve based my color palette off several shades of blue and added a few greens and pinks in for good measure. I decide to draw a banana leaf plant. These towering plants symbolize strength for me and are the perfect visual element for this card.

I don’t want the card to appear too dark, so I use a baby pink for the top two-thirds. Add a bright blue plant pot and paint the bottom third around it using turquoise green. Once the pink is dry, add one banana leaf in greenish-blue—getting started on the foreground a bit early!

Once that leaf has dried, use a true green gouache to paint another leaf over the top.

For finishing touches, use a thin brush to add pink stripes to the pot, and add a magenta sun to the upper-left corner to help balance the composition. Finally, use a lime-green paint marker to add stems to the leaves and a white marker to add stars to the sky.

Since this card represents apathy, a muted color palette works well. Earlier in the book, I’ve discussed choosing daisies to represent the Cups suit. Daisies are typically associated with cheerful imagery, so to convey a message of dullness and disinterest, use dull, less saturated colors.

For the background, I’ve decided to go with a dip downward, since it feels more negative than a dip upward or a flat surface. Apply two coats of two shades of green gouache.

Next, paint four daisies in a diamond formation. Try to keep the side daisies equidistant from the left and right edges.

This is a tough card to paint. I have to somehow fit 10 swords into a tiny space, so sketching is a super-important step for cards like these. It’s good to form a plan in advance so you don’t have to start over or paint over your progress.

I’m using jewel tones for this card, with a focus on red. Red is about power, and since this card is about defeat, it offers an interesting juxtaposition of concepts. Power versus defeat. Begin by painting the background a mustard yellow and adding an ash-yellow anchor to the bottom.

Since this card is so visually complex, you can use a paint marker to add detail to each stem. I’ve chosen a fluorescent-red marker for the red stems, a green one for the green stems, a lilac one for the purple stems, and a copper one for the brown stems. This really brings the card to life!

Earlier in the book, I decided to use these little handlike shapes for the Pentacles suit. Since this is the Ace card, you’ll only need one of them. This card symbolizes prosperity, wealth, and new endeavors, so I think it would be nifty to put the hand shape in a yellow circle (a nod to a gold coin). It’s subtle, but I think it works! I’ve decided to use the gold coin as inspiration for the color palette, and I’ve chosen varying shades of yellow with hints of orange, red, and even a pop of green.

I’ve done something unconventional for this card’s background and started with the yellow circle—mostly because I want it to be pure yellow without risk of the background color showing through. From there, add a lighter yellow border to the circle, as well as a red anchor, and fill in the white space with Naples yellow gouache.

Once the background is fully dry, add the hand shape to the circle using green gouache. Attach the shape to the red anchor by creating an orange stem with a thick brush.

I want the card to radiate the magical feeling of ambition and success, so I’ve added lines using a white paint marker. The lines start from the lighter yellow circle and radiate off the card.

The Six of Cups requires six different cups (or in this case, daisies) to be featured. I’ve sketched two layouts and played with a pastel color palette that’s reminiscent of childhood.

You can get right to work on the background. This time, I’m using three colors: the sky is a cream-yellow gouache, the mountain is pale lavender, and the ground is misty green. Making the mountains fits with the vibe of my deck. Instead of having sharp corners, the tops are rounded.

Time to add the “cups,” or daisies in this case. Let’s use a simple 2x3 layout, and you can get to work painting once the background is dry. The top and bottom rows have pale pink daisies, while the center row has peach daisies. I like alternating colors to add visual interest.

The details will be simple for this card: circular centers for the daisies and simple white stars in the sky. I’ve used a pale lime for the center of the pink daisies and a yellow gouache for the center of the peach ones. Add the stars with a white paint marker.

When you get into the Minor Arcana cards with high numerals, it can be tricky to find a layout that works. As you can see, I’ve tried two layouts on my sketchpad. I think I prefer the layout on the right because it highlights the center wand, which can symbolize the self.

First, apply an arch to the bottom of the card using misty-blue gouache. Then fill in the rest of the card with deep yellow. You may need two coats for both colors; let them dry before moving on to the foreground.

A card like this is tough because there are so many wands to paint! A helpful way to set up a card’s layout before you get too far along is to use lines or other simple shapes to create your composition. Since wands are linear, I’ve painted seven lines in formation and then added the round lumps to the top half. I’m working in alternating shades of red and orange; I think it looks nice against the muted blue. Use a small, fluffy brush to get the fine details.

For the details step, I’ve decided to use warm-toned paint markers. Start by adding dots to the center of each lump on the wands. Use royal blue paint to add a half-circle anchor to the bottom of the card.

The Two of Swords is about an obstacle, and I want to convey this using the positioning of the swords themselves. These cards are small, so you don’t have a lot of room to get your message across. After trying several layouts, the crossed swords depict conflict the best. A darker, muted color palette further symbolizes the darkness and difficulty of this card.

I’ve used a bright red for the top half of the card and raw umber for the bottom half. I really want the card to look dark with a hint of intensity (the red). After the background dries, quickly paint an outline of a sword in ash green gouache. I’ve used this as a test to see if the green will show up on the background and sure enough, it does! If you’re happy with the placement of the first sword and the color, fill in the shape.

Technically, you started the foreground in the last step. After letting the first sword dry completely, paint the same shape over the top, forming an X shape. Once you’re happy with the outline, fill in the shape using a deep olive green. I really like the texture that’s happening on this card!

This is a pretty simple card, which may be a welcome break after doing the Seven of Wands (here-here)! Add a quick anchor (half-circle shape) to the bottom of the card using a black paint marker. I like anchors—they visually draw your eye down the card and serve as a nice finishing touch. Then add a coral sun for visual interest and to fill the space between the two swords. I really like how the sky area is in a monochromatic color scheme. Sometimes, less is more with color.

To prepare, sketch out a few ideas. I’ve decided to paint the snake plant in a pot and to change the pot depending on the rank of the card (i.e., Page, Knight, Queen, or King). Doodle a bit, thinking about the card’s meaning and testing some colors on a sketch pad.

The Page of Wands symbolizes youthful energy and creative passion, so a bold color will work well for the background. I’ve chosen light pink gouache for the top two-thirds of the card and neon pink for the bottom third. Apply two or three coats if needed to even out the color. Lastly, set the card in front of a fan to dry.

Once the background is dry, it’s time to work on the foreground. First, paint the snake plant’s pot. I’ve used sky blue to stand out on the pink background. Next, paint the leaves. The Page is the youngest in the suit, so use the plant to convey that. I’ve chosen a bright, emerald green for the plant’s leaves. To add interest to the surface the plant is sitting on, you can paint triangular washes of color in neon coral, white, and light magenta. Later, add dots to the white area. The neon coral and light magenta are simply there to add interest to the bottom third of the card.

Time for my favorite part! Details really bring the artwork to life. To add to this card’s theme of youthfulness, create polka dot details in the pink sky using a bright, golden yellow. To give dimension to the leaves, use pale lime gouache to add vertical lines. For the final step, add stripes to the planter using a lime green paint marker, as well as dots in the white area on the bottom using a black paint marker.

Grab your sketch pad and try some colors. The Knight is adventurous, energetic, and charming, and another bright color palette works here as well. I’ve used pink for the Page of Wands, so I’ve decided to go with blues and greens now. Since the Knight is part of the Wands suit and the snake plant was used for that suit, you can plan out a more mature snake plant with three leaves instead of the Page’s two.

Look at your sketch pad and choose one color for the top two-thirds, and another color for the bottom third. This background required two coats of gouache.

Once the background has dried, you can begin painting your foreground subject. For the Knight, it’s a slightly more mature snake plant. A neon coral makes for a fun pop of color against the teal, and three leaves complete the plant.

The Queen of Wands is part of the Wands court cards. Since I’ve already planned their pot designs (see here), I draw all four pots in my sketchbook for reference. I also look at the other Wands court cards (here-here and here-here) to orient myself with the composition. The Queen sits between the Knight and King in rank, so I want the snake plant to be larger than the Knight card, yet slightly smaller than the King. I also want the card to exude warmth, so I choose a warm palette of pinks, yellows, and warm greens.

Start painting the top two-thirds of the card a lemon yellow. Next, add a pink plant pot and, as with the Page and Knight cards, add radiating bands of color to the bottom third, starting with a bold pink.

Once dry, add the snake plant’s leaves and continue to fill in the bottom with radiating bars of color.

As planned, use a pink marker to add tiny dots to the plant’s pot. Then use a brush to apply lime-green details to the leaves. The background should be more interesting but not too bold, so you can add slightly darker yellow dots. Then do a cool crosshatch pattern on one of the sections in the bottom third.

I’ve done a quick sketch of a really large snake plant in a pot, knowing that the King plant must be the largest of all. I want to give the plant’s pot a unique design that’s different from the Page, Knight, and Queen’s. I’ve settled on large polka dots because I think they will draw attention in a nice way. I’ve also grabbed the Page (here-here), Knight (here-here), and Queen (here-here) cards for reference; I want to make sure the King will fit into the suit by following a similar composition.

The King of Wands is dominant and creative, but also stable and wise. To me, feelings of calm are best expressed with the color blue. Therefore, I begin with a pale-lavender gouache for the upper half of the card. Once this layer of color has dried, add a blue plant pot and accent the sides with sky blue (similar to the Page, Knight, and Queen cards).

Once the background dries completely, begin adding the snake plant’s leaves. Add as many as you can comfortably fit since we are going for a dominant look. Add mint green to the leaves to give them dimension, and also begin to work on the surface on which the pot sits. Like the Page, Knight, and Queen cards, add a triangular wash of bright color. Neon coral is unexpected and adds some flavor to an otherwise calm color palette. Fill in two other triangular washes of color with green and white.