Pokemon Art Collection

Theme Expansion

When and how to add new themes or pages

Not all themes should expand equally. Expansion should feel earned, not indulgent.

Page Allocation Rules

Default: 1–2 Pages per Theme

This is your baseline. Most themes should live comfortably here.

Minimum: 1 Page

If a theme can’t fill one strong page, it’s not ready. Do not pad.

Expansion: 3–4 Pages (Rare, Earned)

Only when a theme proves it has internal variety. Never jump from 2 → 4 pages at once.

Hard Cap: 5 Pages

If a theme exceeds this, it must split. Large themes become vague unless subdivided.

A theme that grows too large is telling you it actually contains multiple ideas.

When a Theme May Grow

A theme may grow beyond 2 pages only if:

✅ New cards introduce a new visual or emotional sub-note

❌ Not just “more of the same Pokemon”

❌ Not just higher rarity

Good Reasons to Expand

  • Different lighting (day vs night)
  • Different emotional register (quiet vs heavy)
  • Different scale (small Pokemon vs legendary)
  • Different compositional style (vintage vs modern)

Bad Reasons to Expand

  • “I have a lot of cards I like”
  • “This Pokemon appears a lot”
  • “This is a valuable theme”

How Expansion Should Look

Step 1: Pause at 2 Pages

Let it live there for weeks or months.

Step 2: Add One Additional Page

Ask: Does this page say something new?

Step 3: Name the Difference (Internally)

Example:

  • Calm in Nature — Open Light
  • Calm in Nature — Under Canopy

You don’t need divider labels yet — just mental clarity.

Themes That Deserve Growth

Highest Priority (2–3 pages over time)

Awakened Power

  • Extremely rich concept
  • Modern + vintage compatible
  • Naturally absorbs “hard to place” cards
  • Most future-proof theme

Legendary Bearing

  • Central pillar of the binder
  • Iconic, timeless cards
  • Works beautifully with slabs as companions
  • If any theme becomes a “monument hall,” it’s this

Moderate Growth (2 pages max)

Calm in Nature

  • Very expressive, but easy to dilute
  • Allow growth only if sub-moods are clear

Elemental Solitude

  • Strong, heavy theme
  • Works best when sparse
  • Gains power from restraint

Should Stay Compact (1 page preferred)

These themes lose clarity when bloated:

  • Joyful Action
  • On the Attack
  • Intimidation
  • World of People
  • At Rest
  • Contemplation

These are precision themes. If they grow, they should split, not expand.

Maximum Binder Size

Ideal working size: 30–36 pages (~250–300 cards)

Hard maximum: ~40–45 pages (~350–400 cards)

Once the binder is full:

  • Stop adding pages
  • Improve by replacement
  • Begin conceptualizing Volume II

Optional Expansion Themes (Future)

Only introduce when 6–9 cards naturally accumulate.

Vintage-Friendly

  • Quiet Menace
  • Innocence
  • Mythic Stillness
  • Lonely Smallness
  • Primitive Power

Emotional / Narrative

  • Melancholy
  • Curiosity
  • Unease
  • Defiance
  • Aftermath
  • Journey

Aesthetic / Art-Driven

  • Dreamlike
  • Graphic Icon
  • Monochrome Mood
  • Perspective Play
  • Timeworn