Thursday, March 19, 2009

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)

What are Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) ?

This is what I was trying to find out this past week. In gist, ATCs are miniature works of art created on 2 ½ X 3 ½ inch or 64 X 89 mm card stock. They are originals, small editions and self-produced.

Want to know more about ATCs?

Well, on the front of an ATC, an artist creates an original work to showcase their art. It can be a one-off, part of a series, or a limited edition. On the back, the artist puts their info (name, contact details, title of the ATC, number if it's a limited edition, and date it was created). ATCs can be made in any medium and using any technique, and can be traded or exchanged, but not sold.

This is really all you need to know to start making your ATCs.

ATC and tatting ?
Yes, I came across Laura's ATCs and I too think it is a wonderful idea to use small motifs of tatting to adorn these cards. A neat way to use all the small tatted motifs and you can trade them too and start a collection. So, I tried my hand at it.
Here are the first 2 of ATCs I created in duplicate, with original tatted motifs and combining with scrapbooking papers cut with QuicKutz dies; all done up with acid-free materials.
How about them ? Well, I'm hooked!

11 comments:

di said...

LOVE your tatting - I wish I new how to do this - it all looks so delicate.

Iberostar said...

Excellent! I love the butterfly one - it looks so cool! Nice work - but I guess people warned you this was addictive. You'll be carrying around ATC blanks so when you are waiting in line, you can do backgrounds - then you start bringing your glue stick and you pick up menus and business cards - sigh! Welcome to the club!

laura_rose said...

Wow, they look great, and thanks for the link :) Would you like to do a swap?...I love the Luck of the Irish :) I know the 1 you preferred of mine was already spoken for, but I will be making more next week if you want to wait until then...lots of ideas!

Carol Schockling Lawecki said...

Very nice ATC's. Both are very pretty! The clover one is my favorite!!

Bonnie said...

I love this idea! You have peaked my interest, I'm really looking forward to seeing more.

Veronica said...

They are adorable!

Juliet A said...

Gorgeous! I love the way you used tatting on these cards, I've never seen anything like it.

victats@gmail.com said...

I love ATCs. I wasted an entire afternoon last fall following differnt links from site to site looking at them. Yours are lovely.

Tatskool said...

I have been thinking since I first read about them that they would be a great thing for tatters to make....but haven't got round to making any yet.

Singtatter said...

Thanks, Di, yes, I love tatting for the delicate look, but they are in fact very "tough" lace so much so that you can put them into the washing machine!

Hi lberostar, I am still more on tatting, I carry my tatting projects everyday to everywhere I go. But now, I know how to present the small motifs I tat - onto ATCs :)

Dear Laura, I did them in pairs so that I can keep one and trade one. Take your time, I will keep the clover to swop with you :)

Thanks, Carol, Bonnie, Veronica, Juliet, there will be more to come. I went through my tatting box and found more small motifs, but I need some inspiration and more time to sit down and mount them.

Hello Vicky, nice to hear from you! I too spent a bit of time surfing to see more ATCs. Some of are most interesting and pretty, but there are a lot that are simply too "artistic" for me which I can't appreciate :)

Hi Pamela, I see you have started scrapbooking! It's very easy to do a ATC while you are at scrapbooking - just cut to the size and stick on some of your tatted motifs. I have a feeling you will have some done pretty soon!

Unknown said...

Hi Ellen, to answer your question that you left on my blog about the 100th post and the 1st blogoversary were they coincidence or did I plan it.

It was a coincidence and partly planned. As it got closer to the blogoversary I noticed that my blog posts were getting into the 98, 99 area so I waited it out a WHOLE WEEK to post on my blogoversary so that it would be the 100th one, too! :)

Thanks for entering! I have enjoyed your blog posts as well as the comments from you on my blog during this past year!