So, I got this urge, you know? Wanted to make something. And the idea that popped into my head was a tarot card, but not just any tarot card. It had to have a howling wolf on it. Seemed pretty cool in my mind, but actually doing it? That was another story.
First off, I’m not exactly a pro artist. Sketching is one thing, but getting that specific mystical vibe of a tarot card, plus a decent-looking wolf in mid-howl, that’s a whole different ball game. I figured, okay, no point overthinking it right at the start. Just gotta jump in and see what happens.
How I Went About It
I grabbed my old drawing tablet, the one that’s seen better days, and just started messing around. My first few attempts at the wolf, honestly, they were pretty rough. Looked more like a confused dog half the time. Getting that powerful howl, the neck arched, the emotion – it took a while.
Here’s what I really wrestled with for the wolf part:
- Getting the head angle just right for the howl.
- Making the fur look somewhat realistic without overdoing it.
- The pose – had to feel dynamic, not just static.
- Trying to give it that slightly wild, almost spiritual look.
Once I had a wolf sketch I didn’t completely hate, I started thinking about the ‘tarot card’ aspect. I wasn’t about to dive deep into all the traditional tarot symbolism, because frankly, that’s a rabbit hole I wasn’t prepared for. I just wanted the feel of it. So, a strong border was a must. Maybe some simple, kind of mystical-looking patterns, nothing too complex. The main thing was to make it obvious it’s meant to be a card.
I decided to go with a dark background. Seemed fitting for a howling wolf at night, right? Lots of deep blues, maybe some purples, and a hint of a moon somewhere. I played around with a few color palettes. Some were way too bright, made it look like a cartoon. Eventually, I settled on something more subdued and atmospheric.
For the actual “card” structure, I drew a pretty straightforward rectangular border. Tried to keep the lines clean, though my hand isn’t always the steadiest. I added some very basic decorative elements in the corners, just to give it a little bit of that ornate tarot feel without getting too fancy. The wolf was always going to be the star of the show, so I didn’t want the frame to overshadow it.
I mostly used digital tools for this, my trusty old tablet and some fairly basic drawing software. Nothing fancy. It’s what I had, and it gets the job done, even if it’s a bit clunky sometimes. Lots of layers, lots of undoing, you know how it goes.
So, after a good few hours of drawing, tweaking, and second-guessing myself, I ended up with something. It’s definitely got that “homemade” vibe, you know? It’s not super polished, and a pro could probably pick out a dozen things to improve. But, hey, I made it. From that random idea to an actual image. There’s a certain satisfaction in that. It’s my version of a howling wolf tarot card, rough edges and all. And sometimes, that’s all that matters.