Sugar Skull Tarot & Guidebook

Sugar Skull Tarot & Guidebook - Rider-Waite with Mexican sugar skulls

Some decks lean into melancholy and introspection. This one does not. The Sugar Skull Tarot uses the sugar skull, the symbol of Día de los Muertos, not to make death heavy but to celebrate transformation.

David A. Ross developed the deck from his work as a tarot reader in informal settings, under the name 'Tarot and Tequila'. The illustrations are by Carolina Martínez, who translates Mexican folklore into 78 tarot cards with plenty of colour and detail.

What you see on the cards

The structure is classic Rider-Waite: 22 major arcana, 56 minor arcana divided across four suits. What is different is the imagery. Sugar skulls everywhere, flowers, decorated skeletons in bright colours. Purple, pink, orange, turquoise, often with gold accents.

The cards are printed on sturdy cardstock with a high-gloss finish. The colours are saturated, almost festive. The format is standard tarot: 70 x 120 mm. They shuffle smoothly and feel good in the hand.

The guidebook runs to 162 pages and gives an interpretation for each card that connects with the symbolism of the sugar skull. Ross describes not only what the card means, but also how the Mexican imagery reinforces that meaning.

How you work with it

The cards work well for spreads around change, letting go and new beginnings. The energy is optimistic. That suits questions about transition, growth or closing old patterns.

The guidebook offers enough context to read the cards even without prior knowledge of Día de los Muertos. For those already familiar with Rider-Waite, the structure is immediately recognisable.

Draw a card when you are stuck in heaviness. The imagery almost forces you to see transformation as something festive, not as loss.

About David A. Ross and Carolina Martínez

David A. Ross works in medical sales by day and reads tarot cards in bars and cafés by night. His project 'Tarot and Tequila' is about accessibility: tarot without fuss, spirituality without thresholds. His journey with tarot began 25 years ago in New Mexico.

Carolina Martínez illustrates. Her style is rich in detail and faithful to Mexican traditions. Each character, each skull, each flower motif is drawn with care.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 78
• Card size: 70 x 120 mm
• Guidebook: 162 pages, English
• Card language: English
• Cardstock: sturdy, high-gloss finish
• Packaging: sturdy box with magnetic closure
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• ISBN: 9781982176853
• Author: David A. Ross
• Illustrator: Carolina Martínez

Questions we often get

Is this deck suitable for beginners?
Yes. The structure is Rider-Waite, which makes it easy to compare with other decks or sources. The guidebook gives a clear explanation for each card. The imagery is lively, which makes reading intuitive.

How does this deck differ from a classic Rider-Waite deck?
The structure and sequence are the same, the imagery is completely different. Where Rider-Waite is often sober and medieval, this deck uses the festive symbolism of sugar skulls and Mexican folklore. The energy is lighter.