All About ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)
What is an ATC?
An ATC is a small piece of original art work measuring 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches(6cms x 9cms), originally devised by Artists as business cards they are now swapped and collected in their own right. They are always swapped or traded, never sold.
In a nutshell, what you would make as a bigger card, you replicate the front portion in a smaller version which is easier to handle, post and store. It's a 'mini' version of your bigger original card.
What Info do you put on the back?
On the back of your ATC you put:
1. your name
2. your blog name
3. your email address
4. the date you made the ATC
5. Title or theme of the swap
6. if there is still space left and if you desire, then a small description of the techniques used or other info you would like to share with the receiver
What material to use?
ATCs are typically made on a base of card stock. However, ATCs have been created on metal, stiffened fabric, plastic, clay, leather, embroidery canvas, acetate, heavy watercolor paper, and many other materials. Various techniques are then applied to the chosen base: collage, textile arts, assemblage, digital art, calligraphy, beadwork, watercolors, rubber stamps, carved soft block stamps, pen and ink, colored pencil, airbrush, and many others.
Please feel free to use anything and any technique(just like what you would use for your original bigger card), as long as it is able to support the decoration put on to it and is thin enough to fit into the little clear cellophane polybags called the ATC sleeves.
Originally poker cards were used as the base card and decorated and embellished, this is where the 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch rule on size evolved. Some people still use playing cards as the base. or you can cut your own cards from card stock, using up scraps and off cuts or you can cut 9 ATCs from a sheet of A4 card with very little waste.
What are ATC sleeves?
ATC sleeves are the transparent/clear polybags used for fitting in the ATC before putting them in an envelope for posting. It helps in protecting your work of art from getting damaged...
Clear zip lock pouches of the right size would work perfectly as well...
