Artist Trading Card
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are miniature works of art created on
2 ½ X 3 ½ inch (64 X 89 mm) card stock. They are originals,
small editions and, most importantly, self-produced. The idea was
born from the older sports-themes trading cards.
Unlike sports trading cards, ATCs mustn't be sold, only exchanged,
as the whole essence of these tiny works of art is about artists
meeting (by correspondence if in person meeting is not possible)
and exchanging their works, thus meeting many artists and getting
exposed to many personal styles.
On the back of each ATC the artist writes part or all of the following information: name,
contact information, title of the ATC and number (1/8, 2/8...) if it's part of an edition. By definition ATCs are made
in limited numbers, often no more than one of a kind. Unique ATCs are called originals; 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 a
series. What most collectors really want are cards that were made with care. Based on that, numbers are
meaningless.
Artist Trading Cards are typically made on a base of card stock. However, ATCs have
been created on metal, stiffened fabric, plastic, clay, glass, balsa wood, leather,
embroidery canvas, acetate, heavy watercolor paper, and many other materials. The
art on the cards can be done in any media: textile arts, pencil, watercolor, acrylic, oil,
collage, scratch board, mixed media, assemblage, digital art, calligraphy, beadwork,
rubber stamps, carved soft block stamps, pen and ink, colored pencil, airbrush,
pastels, and many others - anything artists use.
ATC should also be thick enough so as not to bend, while still being able to slide into a plastic trading card sleeve
(like the sports cards). Many ATC artists store their cards in the protective plastic
pages for binders which hold 9 cards.
Also, there should be no criticism of other artists' work. When we encourage each
other we all grow as artists. The idea is to meet other artists and share ideas,
techniques and fellowship.
The project was initiated in 1997 by Zurich artist M.Vänçi Stirnemann as a
cultural personal performance. Inspired by sports trading cards, he created and
showcases over a thousand Artist Trading Cards in a gallery in Switzerland. He
refused to sell the cards but offered to swap with anyone who brought in a card.
A movement was born with eventually circled the globe. (Apparently the idea
started with the artist visited Calgary in 1988 and met with a group of adults
participating in the Canadian activity of Trading hockey cards. Having only seen
children collecting and trading cards, in Europe, the idea of grown adults caring
so much about the cardboard rectangles intrigued him greatly. Almost a decade
later, his exhibition started a world-wide trend.) Since 1997 hundreds people
from all over the world have traded ATCs during trading sessions, or through the
mail.
Canadian artist Ben Evans (above)
An offshoot of Artist Trading Cards are the "art card, editions and originals" (ACEO). ACEOs originated when
Lisa Luree (aka Bone*diva) decided that trades were not an effective way to collect cards. She found that, after
working for hours on a single card, other artists would trade a card with a simple stamp on it. Bone*diva also
decided that her own clients would be able to purchase and own an ACEO - where they could only create and trade
for an ATC.
The selling of these cards is a sore point with some ATC enthusiasts; but, of course, the provision that cards should
not be sold is not an enforceable one. Trading cards in other areas such as sports have also been traded and sold.
The practice is meant to explore the temporal miniature in art, to augment the income, increase visibility, circulate
small works more widely, as well as increase their patronage
Ideas for Your Artist Trading Cards
1.
Consider using a particular medium that you are familiar with and that you enjoy:
Marking pen, pencil, coloured pencil, oil pastel… Explore the medium without
worrying about content.
2.
Use a piece of art from a textbook as a starter. Copy a section of a larger work.
Or combine several sections of pieces you like.
3.
Divide your card in an interesting way. Do pattern work in each section. Decide if
some or all will be in colour or whether only one should be coloured or even empty
etc.
4.
Start in one corner and begin a design. Let the art develop on its own as you
"give up control" of the work.
5.
Use a clipping from a magazine - letters or pictures or just parts of objects to begin
a work. Complete the image in another medium.
6.
Begin with a wash of watercolour. Draw on top of that a contour drawing of an
object from the room or from the picture files.
7.
Construct a common object as if it were made of some out of the ordinary
material: A tree that is made of feathers, a fish that is made of brick etc.
8.
Use the word lists from the drawing exercises to give you an idea for a fantasy
creature.
9.
Design a piece that emphasizes positive and negative space - like your logo.
AWT Artist Trading Card Project
Criteria
Each student will create 10 cards. Of those 10, you will select 5 to be evaluated based on the use of the elements and
principles of design. You will however, be handing in all 10 cards. Once the project has been completed (including
evaluation), you will select 5 of your cards to be traded with 5 other schools around North America. You will receive 5 cards
in return from each of the participating schools.
“ One card needs to have one object which is emphasized.
“ One card needs to have interesting cropping of an object
included in the composition.
“ One card needs to include text.
“ Two cards need to use more than one media.
“ One card should use the principle of pattern or repetition.
“ One card needs to use the technique of collage.
Consider the origin and composition of your card
What is the source of your subject matter?
Nature
Myths and legends
People/society/world events/your life experience
Spiritual or religious beliefs
A specific technique
Resources On-Line
http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html
http://carrotrevolution.blogspot.com/2007/09/olympic-artist-trading-cards.html
http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/
http://www.atcards.com/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/95067770@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/95067770@N00/pool/
http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php