Alison McDonald
Artwork for The Watersprite Tarot© designed and painted by Alison McDonald.
Alison McDonald’s tarot card artwork
“I started my working life as a Community Psychologist employed by the government in rural NSW. I ended up spending quite a few years creating The Watersprite Tarot - how this quantum leap in perspective occured is a mystery to me. Having no formal art training behind me, it has initially been a long and arduous process to design and illustrate the cards, especially trying to master the craft of watercolour. However it has also been a journey of great joy and discovery. To me the most impotant aspects of the cards are symbology, colour, mood and energy. I think the archetypal symbols of the tarot are universal and fixed in history.” Alison Muir McDonald.
Each card is intended to fit inside a frame. There are 78 cards + 1 blank. See the FINAL PRINTED DECK →
Above: the High Priestess.
Above: the the Empress.
Above: the Fool designed and painted by Alison McDonald.
Above: the Wheel of Fortune.
Above: the World
Above: the Queen of Swords.
All artwork © Alison McDonald. Contact Alison McDonald→
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
Related Articles
Tarot de las Coscojas
Historical playing card design, tarot symbolism and an almost psychedelic medieval surrealism.
Tarot de Valverde de la Vera
A series of 24 surrealist engravings by Mexican artist Claudio Favier in which archetypal Tarot alle...
Austrian Tarock by S.D. Modiano
Modiano’s Austrian Tarock with country scenes has been in production for over 100 years.
22 Pittori in 22 Arcani
Collaborative Tarot with contributions from 22 different Italian artists including Menegazzi and Tav...
Tarock Cards by NIL Spielkartenfabrik
A deck of tarock cards from the eastern end of the ending Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien
The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...
Alan Tarot Deck
Reprint of a Tarock pack originally designed by Argio Orell for the Austrian Lloyd shipping company....
Tarot Baraja Egipcia
Curious Tarot with Egyptian-style trumps issued by Franco Mora Ruiz from Mexico.
Le Tarot de Sète
Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.
Tarot Philatélique
Tarot game pack with French postage stamps on all the courts, aces and trumps.
Il Tarocco del Mondo Nuovo
Imaginative Tarot card designs by Amerigo Folchi relating to Columbus and the New World.
22 Artisti Liguri in 22 Arcani
Collaborative set of major arcana devoted to Christopher Columbus and his voyages of discovery.
The Tarot of Meditation – Yeager Tarot
Marty Yeager’s original Tarot of Meditation from 1975, republished later by U.S. Games Systems, Inc....
Engel-Tarot
Set of major arcana designed by Alois Hanslian depicting angels throughout.
Tarot Actuel 1984
Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.
Mountain Dream Tarot
Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days
