Six Unique Projects:

• Traditional Deck of Cards

• Whimsical Circular Deck of Cards

• Book Of Aces

• House of Cards

• Joker Jumping Jack

• Painting a Tarot Painting

Other projects:

• Drawing A Deck of Cards

• Tanka Cards

Materials:

• Paint: Acrylic, Watercolor, and/or gouache

• Ink

• Pencil

• Art Crayons + Colored pencils

• Watercolor Paper, Cardboard, Matte Board

• Collage materials

• Cutting + Measuring Tools (scissors, ruler, xacto knife, etc.)

• Wood panel (optional)

Using the card deck as a point of departure, this whimsical online art course explores the creative possibilities of drawing, painting, symbolism, composition, and color. Along the way, you'll develop a visual language that reflects your unique artistic style.

Throughout the workshop, you'll complete six projects centered on the card deck as both an object and a means of visual storytelling. From a handmade card deck to an accordion-style artist book, a tarot-inspired painting, and more, each project celebrates play, curiosity, and creative freedom, inviting you to explore narrative, sequence, symbolism, and image-making.

More than a course on card-making, this workshop introduces creative methods you can apply across your artistic practice. You'll strengthen your skills in color mixing, composition, visual storytelling, and developing cohesive bodies of work- approaches that naturally translate to paintings, illustrations, artist books, and other mixed-media projects.

Workshop Opens August 2, 2026

Early Bird Special until August 1st

Lesson One: The Art of Card Construction & Design

Learn how to design and construct a cohesive deck of handmade cards using matte board, watercolor paper, acrylic paint, and original surface design techniques. Throughout this lesson, you'll explore stamp carving, composition, color, pattern, and craftsmanship while creating a functional deck that reflects your personal style.

Lesson Three: Composition + Cohesion

Create an accordion book of uniquely designed cards using watercolor, gouache, or acrylic. This lesson asks you to explore the relationship between color, shape, and composition to develop a cohesive body of work. Inviting you to experiment with design and arrangement to bring each individual card together within a handmade book that highlights the harmony of the entire piece.

Lesson Five: The Playful Joker: Character Design

The Joker reminds us not to take creativity too seriously. In this lesson, the invitation is to create a kinetic paper sculpture that celebrates curiosity, imagination, and a little innocent mischief. Using simple materials and easy construction techniques, you'll design an interactive paper figure. Along the way, you'll explore movement, character, and the joy of making art that invites play.

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game." - Randy Pausch

Links for Supplies

Watercolor Paper • Watercolors • Acrylics • Gouache • Drawing Pencils • Watercolor Brushes • Artist Crayons • Gesso • Collage Packs • Glue

I would like to paint the way a bird sings. – Claude Monet

Lesson Two: Cultivating Personal Wonder with Imagery

Create a whimsical circular deck of cards and a handmade box using watercolor paper and watercolor paint. Inspired by curiosity, imagination, and a sense of play, this lesson invites you to bringr your own creative flair as you explore bold watercolor techniques, pattern-making, and illustration to bring each card to create a one-of-a-kind deck filled with personality, storytelling, and wonder.

Lesson Four: Building Structure with Intuitive Design

Using collage, ink, crayon, acrylic, and watercolor paper, you'll explore intuitive mark-making and composition to create a sculptural house of cards. This lesson invites you to build through layers of color, texture, and imagery, allowing each card to develop its own character while contributing to the strength of the structure as a whole. The finished piece can be appreciated as a unified work of art or as a collection of individual cards, each with its own visual presence.

Lesson Six: Personal Reflection

Like anything we spend time with, a tarot deck becomes more personal the more we use it. Each card speaks to a different part of our inner world, and over time, certain cards have a way of appearing again and again, often offering generous insight into where we are and what we're moving through. Like any creative practice, there's no single way to reflect, only the way that feels most meaningful to you.

In this final lesson, you will have a choice to use the cards and their symbolism, other reference images, and your own intuition as a starting point for creating a personal work of art. While you'll explore design, composition, and color mixing, this lesson is ultimately about self-expression. It's an invitation to slow down, reflect, and create something that speaks to the world within and around you.

A few questions you may have:

Do I need any previous art experience?

Not at all. This workshop is designed for artists of all experience levels. Whether you're just beginning or have an established creative practice, the lessons provide guidance while leaving plenty of room for personal exploration and expression.

What materials will I need?

You'll work with accessible mixed-media materials, including acrylic paint, watercolor or gouache, ink, pencils, paper, and collage materials. A complete materials list is included before you begin, and many supplies can be substituted with what you already have.

Is this just a card-making class?

No. While the card deck serves as the foundation for the workshop, the focus extends far beyond making cards. Through a series of creative projects, you'll explore drawing, painting, composition, color, symbolism, visual storytelling, and the development of your own artistic voice.

Will I learn painting techniques?

Yes. Along with each project, you'll learn practical techniques in color mixing, composition, layering, mark-making, collage, and mixed-media processes that can be applied well beyond this workshop.

Can I work at my own pace?

Yes, absolutely. The workshop is self-paced, allowing you to move through the lessons whenever it fits your schedule. You can even download each video to save for as long as you’d like. 

What will I gain from this workshop?

By the end of the workshop, you'll have completed a collection of original mixed-media projects while building confidence in drawing, painting, composition, color, symbolism, and visual storytelling. More importantly, you'll develop creative approaches and techniques that can carry into future paintings, illustrations, artist books, and personal projects.

How long will I have access to the workshop?

Enjoy unlimited access to the workshop for as long as the course remains available on this platform. Each video can be downloaded, allowing you to save the course materials on your personal computer and revisit them whenever you like.

Can I share my work?

I hope you will!  Sharing your work is encouraged, whether with fellow students or on social media or the FB group pages. I think that seeing how each artist interprets the projects is one of the most rewarding parts of the creative process.