ARTIST TRADING CARDS (ATC's)
(Scroll down for images.)
So what are Artist Trading Cards all about?
The artist trading card is said to have been born in 1997 in Switzerland when M. Vänçi Stirnemann of Zurich hosted the first swap at “INK. Art &Text”. Since then this small art form has grown very large in popularity and many artists and crafters are embracing the concept..
Each ATC should be exactly 3.5 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide. This is the same size as a standard trading card such as a baseball card and many playing cards. Lots of collectable and gaming cards such as Pokémon cards are this size too.
Most are rectangular but some artists do experiment with arched tops, folding flaps and pockets etc.
The ATC is supposed to be a trading card and so should have a little thickness to it. Even the fabric ones are not too flimsy.
Generally an ATC should never be sold, only traded or given away. In practice many artists have embraced the small format as being ideal for affordable examples of their work. When sold the piece is called an ACEO, not an ATC (but they are otherwise the same thing). ACEO stands for “Art Cards, Editions and Originals“.
Collecting ACEOs is becoming very popular with art lovers on a budget or with little space to display larger pieces of art.
There are three types of ATC card:
- One-off – a individual one off card
- Series – a few cards that are on one theme, usually numbered – 1 of 3, 1/3 or similar
Trading online is very popular. There are many websites and forums with ATC swapping going on, atcsforall.com which is a very friendly site for artists and crafters of all abilities and experience levels –Swapping artist trading cards is a friendly and a great way to make new friends and own examples of beautiful artwork.
Alaska Friends ATC's for your viewing enjoyment
However, if you are interested in trading with us, please use the contact form to inquire about doing so.
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