Artist Trading Cards

Just like baseball or other sports “trading cards”, artist trading cards are to be traded and collected. Design and create your own to show off your personal style.

Artist Trading Cards

• This art form has few rules, but two are very important. The first one rule is that the dimensions of the ATC must be 2.5"x 3.5". The second rule is that the cards are always traded without cost; you should never pay for an artist trading card.
   
• It’s not a rule, but artist trading cards should be signed on the back. Since ATC are used in trading, most artists also include some contact information like an e-mail address.
   
• The cards can be created using digital elements (on your computer!) or using more traditional artist materials like paint, brushes, ink, paper, markers, pencils, and rubberstamps.
   
• Artist trading cards can be one dimensional like a paper collage or highly dimensional using a broad span of textures and found objects. Almost anything goes when creating these miniature pieces of art and it’s a great way to experiment with textures, color, lines, and balance.
   
• Trading cards are stored as a collection in several ways. A popular solution is to use albums with 9-pocket sheets available used to store more traditional trading cards. However, since we are talking about a creative adventure, many display their cards by framing them or incorporating them into other frame-able home accents.
   
• Within artist trading cards there are cards called, signature cards. These are like “business” cards for the artists. A “masterpiece” is created and used as a signature cards for that artist.
   
• ATCs are also called pocket art, miniature art or art in your pocket.
   
• Cards are traded in person at trading sessions, consumer shows, and also by swaps or mail exchanges. The idea is to use the trading cards as a means of introduction and a way to share your love of art and creativity.
   
• You can find Artist Trading Card galleries on the web. Just use the keywords artist trading cards or ATC in any web search engine.
   
• Usually traded just as a card, artists also enjoy embellishing ATC envelopes as a way to expand the creativity of the basic ATC.