Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

I Make Tarot Cards Out Of Porcelain, Gold, And Mother Of Pearl Luster
User submission
1.4K

I Make Tarot Cards Out Of Porcelain, Gold, And Mother Of Pearl Luster

ADVERTISEMENT

When I first started working with porcelain, I was delighted by its similarities to paper – lightweight, pure white, with the ability to be made so thin that light passes through it. I began experimenting with porcelain clay as a medium treated like paper – folded, crinkled, torn – with similar aesthetic qualities but with additional functional purposes. Though it appears fine and delicate, porcelain is considered one of the strongest and most durable ceramic materials. It is also notoriously hard to work with – warping, cracking, and shattering altogether before making it to a completed piece. But the pieces that make it through the process could last – theoretically – for thousands of years.

I think that every artist finds their own meaning in the medium they choose to work with. Working with porcelain gives me a sense of connection to the earth and its elements, the changing of forms, like some secret alchemy. The process of making a finished porcelain piece – after all – includes the earth, air, fire, and water. And heat. Lots and lots of heat. Specifically, it requires at least one firing in the kiln at more than 1000°C for around ten hours. If work is glazed, it takes a second trip into the kiln at more than 1200°C. My tarot cards take a third trip into the kiln, as they are finished with real gold and mother of pearl luster.

The addition of gold is the most tedious part of the process – using pure gold dust, dissolved into organic acid, suspended in a solvent-based solution, then painted on with tiny brushes. During firing, the solvent burns off, and the gold bonds permanently to the glazed porcelain beneath it. Altogether, it takes several weeks for the deck of porcelain tarot cards to be handmade from start to finish. Not every piece makes it to the end. The ones that do feel like treasures – holding meaning unique to whoever is holding it in their hands.

ADVERTISEMENT

XIX The Sun. XVIII The Moon. XIX The Star. XXI The World. The meaning these symbols hold has changed across time and cultures and surely will continue to do so. My tarot cards will always hold the positive intention with which I make everyone. May they bring joy, clarity, or simply just a bit of curiosity and wonder!

More info: Instagram

RELATED:

    When I first started working with porcelain I was delighted by its similarities to paper – lightweight, pure white, with the ability to be made so thin that light passes through it

    I began experimenting with porcelain clay as a medium that could be treated like paper – folded, crinkled, torn – with similar aesthetic qualities, but with additional functional purposes

    Though it appears fine and delicate, porcelain is considered to be one of the strongest and most durable ceramic materials. It is also notoriously hard to work with – warping, cracking and shattering all together before it makes it to a completed piece

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    But the pieces that make it through the process could last, theoretically, for thousands of years

    I think that every artist finds their own meaning in the medium they choose to work with. For me, working with porcelain gives me a sense of connection to the earth and its elements, the changing of forms. Like some sort of secret alchemy

    The process of making a finished porcelain piece – after all – includes earth, air, fire and water. And heat. Lots and lots of heat

    To be specific, it requires at least one firing in the kiln at more than 1000°C for around ten hours

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    If a work is glazed, it takes a second trip into the kiln at more than 1200°C. My tarot cards take a third trip into the kiln, as they are finished with real gold and mother of pearl luster

    The addition of gold is the most tedious part of the process – using pure gold dust, dissolved into an organic acid, suspended in a solvent based solution, then painted on with tiny brushes

    During firing the solvent burns off and the gold bonds permanently to the glazed porcelain beneath it

    All together, it takes several weeks for deck of porcelain tarot cards to be handmade from start to finish

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Not every piece makes it to the end. The ones that do feel like treasures – holding meaning unique to whoever is holding it in their hands

    ADVERTISEMENT

    XIX The Sun. XVIII The Moon. XIX The Star. XXI The World. The meaning these symbols hold has changed across time and cultures, and surely will continue to do so

    The one thing my tarot cards will always hold is the positive intention with which I make each and every one

    ADVERTISEMENT

    May they bring joy, clarity or simply just a bit of curiosity and wonder

    ADVERTISEMENT

    1Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    Lauren Rundquist

    Lauren Rundquist

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    Curiosity. Intentionality. Humanity. Sunshine.

    Read less »
    Lauren Rundquist

    Lauren Rundquist

    Author, Community member

    Curiosity. Intentionality. Humanity. Sunshine.

    Titas Burinskas

    Titas Burinskas

    Moderator, Community member

    Read more »

    This dude right here? He works as a Community Manager at Bored Panda. Has no back-story, cause his spine works just fine. He writes about himself in third-person, and in first-person about others. Fell in love with storytelling and cannot let that love go. Now, he's here to help you make your own story simply beautiful. Secretly makes cute music samples and writes stories in the dark that nobody has ever heard of before.

    Read less »

    Titas Burinskas

    Titas Burinskas

    Moderator, Community member

    This dude right here? He works as a Community Manager at Bored Panda. Has no back-story, cause his spine works just fine. He writes about himself in third-person, and in first-person about others. Fell in love with storytelling and cannot let that love go. Now, he's here to help you make your own story simply beautiful. Secretly makes cute music samples and writes stories in the dark that nobody has ever heard of before.

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Sam rice
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So where on earth do I throw my money at you for these?

    Elizabeth Molloy
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely stunning! So delicate and pure. I, too, would like to know where I might purchase your lovely creations.

    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you, Elizabeth! That means so much. My tarot cards are not yet for sale but I hope to make them available soon through my Instagram @laquiststudio. I’m always sharing new things there!

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Sam rice
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So where on earth do I throw my money at you for these?

    Elizabeth Molloy
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely stunning! So delicate and pure. I, too, would like to know where I might purchase your lovely creations.

    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you, Elizabeth! That means so much. My tarot cards are not yet for sale but I hope to make them available soon through my Instagram @laquiststudio. I’m always sharing new things there!

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Related on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda