An ATC A Day For August
“O Great Creator of being grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives.’ - Bob Marley
Artist Trading Cards are 3.5″ x 2.5″ mini wonders of art!, because of their small size they are very addictive to make and a fantastic collectors item! There are no technical rules except one– the size– they MUST measure 3.5 by 2.5 inches (The size of regular Playing Card but I usually use card stock or cardboard.) But, a major rule is that to be true ATC’s, they should never be sold, they are only traded. The sky is the limit and anything is acceptable.. You can use any material that you feel like and any paint, magic marker, rubber stamps, glitter, watercolor, whatever strikes your fancy. You can use any technique and creative artistic expression you choose. Sign them on the back along with the date the card was made and if possible your email address. It is best not to have them too thick. Most should fit in a card sleeve protector (you can get them at Wal-Mart at the sports card section.) Want to join? Want To swap?
Flkr is a free place to post your work, if you like. You can get as totally obsessed as you like, but beware, they are an obsession.
Creative Companion site: http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html
1. watercolor on newsprint
2. Using Gesso for texture
3. Creative Spirit
4. Making paper look like metal
5. Material and stitching
6. sequins
7. Sumi Brush Strokes
8. quote inspired
9. Moon and ME
10. flowers or weeds
11. Mixed Media - Landscape
12. Sculpted Embellishments
13. Pen and Ink
14. Garden Harvest
15. Music
16. Rust - http://www.amstamps.com/distressed/rust.html
17. Paint and Vaseline Project - to get interesting textures.
18. Watercolor and Pen
19. Different Shaped ATC
20. Torn
21. Built Around A Barcode
22. Including Text
23. Favorite song Themed
24. Gift Wrap Alteration
25. Woman Them
26. Net
27. Texture
28. Wire
29. Hair
30. Corrugated Cardboard Backing
31. Because it is August and thirty-one days - do Soul
New Technique to me: See where I am going to try this - 17
1. Take a shiny card or picture, or a computer printed image coated with Clear Gesso.
2. Using a tiny amount of Vaseline cover just the center of your picture.
3. Brush paint over the entire card, picture, or image. Be careful not to move the Vaseline as you paint over it. A sponge brush and dabbing motion is a great way to apply paint.
4. Set aside to dry.
5. Once image is dry, gently rub off the center paint.
6. Use your finger to scratch around the edges of the area for an interesting texture.
You can see examples of some of my work on my Flk site you can reach by clicking on the side bar.
You mentioned that there is only one rule for artist trading cards (ATCs): that they should be 2.5″ x 3.5″. There’s another rule if the cards are to be truly considered as ATCs: that they should never be bought or sold, only traded.
I’ve put together a series of articles on the history of artist trading cards, and how to make them, which may be of interest to your visitors.
oh yes, that is right…… I never thought…it is a given. I will edit and make sure I put that in.
Carol, I just saw the doll, and am so impressed with your natural ability to create a living piece of art out of an old piece of spool. I could perhaps try something like this, in a different art form, but would need to know where to find the spool? Any suggestions?
I love the words you add to your ATC cards. Very inspirational. I still haven’t found the paper you told me about and at a loss as to how to describe it. Keep on creating. You are a natural and spiritual artist.
Much love,
Linda