 Artist Trading Cards have been around for a very long time. Portraits were all the rage in the 16th century and were considered the first “photos”. Miniature works of art were used for exchange when people arranged marriages and artists began creating them to use for advertising. Artists would trade art cards amongst themselves to show each others style and techniques. Some art cards were sold to purchase everyday needs. In the late 1800s baseball cards began to appear and were mass produced beginning in 1902. These cards were usually sold with bubblegum, tobacco or cracker jacks. They were modernized in the 1960's and the 2.5 x 3.5 size was standardized. Today, there is a resurgence of hand made art cards for sale and trade.
Art cards that are sold are called ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) and are available at shows or online or from the artist.
 Artist Trading Cards are collectables and are never sold, only exchanged for other works of art. By exchanging cards you meet many artists and get exposed to many personal styles. There is one rule about ATCs that everyone adheres to – the dimensions are always the same. An ATC must be 2.5” by 3.5”, or 64 x 89 mm. Each ATC has information on the back of the card listing the name of the artist, contact information, the title of the ATC and a number (1/4, 2/4) if it's part of an edition. ATCs are made in limited numbers and quite often no more than one of a kind. Unique ATCs are called originals and sets of identical ATCs are called editions and are numbered. Sets of ATCs that are based on one theme but that are different are called series.
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Cards should be sturdy enough to survive mailing and of reasonable thickness. Transparent card sleeves are useful to protect and collect the cards if need be. Any and all art and craft design techniques are permissible, such as stamping, embossing, etching, metal work, fibre art, quilting, transfers, printmaking, collage, strokework, photography, digital, etc. All types of media can be used, either alone or in a combination with others: watercolor, acrylic, inks, crayons, charcoal, dyes, markers, pastels, and so on. ATCs are a great way to use up your scraps from other projects.
Popular themes today include Asian art, landscapes, puzzles, poems, movie themes and use techniques that are experimental and innovative.
You can get 10 ATCs from a single sheet of 8.5 x 11 cardstock. Cut a 3.5” strip 11” long, and the two other strips will be 2.5” wide. Cut 2.5” cards from the 3.5” wide strip, and from the 2.5” wide strip you will measure and cut at 3.5” increments. You will be left with a small piece of cardstock that you can punch and use in your next ATC.
Making ATCs reminds us about our creativity and imagination, and require very little investment in equipment and time. They are perfect for all ages, and are great ways to enhance a youth program, or to instruct a technique. ATCs are great for demonstrating a new product, or for learning different art styles. They are unique, interesting, creative…..and fun! Why not make one between larger projects, to revitalize your energy and use up those scraps.
Mathew’s Craft and Hobbies
www.craftandhobbies.com
Email: info@craftandhobbies.com
Mathew's Craft and Hobbies is a wholesale company.
Please contact them on finding a retailer who stocks their products. |
