What is an Artist Trading Card (or ATCs)? For those of you new to the mixed media and craft world, they are tiny works of art that are self-producted and are about the same size of a baseball cards (2 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches). The ATC movement has its origins in Switzerland where cards were traded, no money is exchanged. Today cards are exchanged all over the world. The cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), mixed media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.) or even metals or fiber. ATCsforAll.com is one of the online exchange options you can locate cards and place your cards on to begin exchanging. Artist trading cards can be any theme, style, design, season, etc. They can reflect your artist style, what you are currently into lately or what inspires you at the moment. For those who collect them there are elaborate ways to store and collect them or simple and organized ways such as clear plastic sleeves in a binder or something new from 7gypsies – the Mini Vintage Crates – they are available in vintage stain, black and white. Make them for yourself, make them to exchange or design and put them in your Etsy store and sell them for the going rate. If you make them for yourself or collect them explore the fun ways to store and show them off and find one that works best for you.
Marie created 3 fun Halloween inspired ATC’s we are sharing on the blog today. Making seasonal ATC’s is fun and a great way to use up bits and pieces from your Halloween DIY and paper crafting projects. These little works of art also make great little gifts you can slip into a handmade card, Trick or Treat bag or Hostess gift. While many collect them and slip them into clear sleeves or boxes, they can be framed and part of your decor. While a handmade card is beautiful and much enjoyed, they tend to go into the stack of other cards received, your gift of an ATC can be put on display and cherished for a long time to come.
Let´s get a little bit spooky today! Marie here today showing you these ATC cards made with the Haunt it Collection.
I stared with cutting out my card bases from the Orange & Black Stitched Diamonds on Kraft paper. So prepare the surface for wet mediums I painted them with a small amount of white gesso. Then to get a mix of colors I placed my 3 cards in my mist box (just an old cardboard box) and sprayed on the Glimmer Mists randomly over the cards. When dry I added stamping and some paint splatters. You can use a Halloween stamp or just a random word or design stamp.
On this first card I cut out the small diamond shapes from the same paper as I used for the base and glued them on the card. Then I painted the shapes with Glimmer Mist in the color Marmalade. One of the shapes also got a dust of gold glitter. The bat was cut out from Haunt it on Kraft and painted with Glimmer Glaze to get a leather look. The text comes from Haunt it Tags on Kraft.
The Drive me Batty card has text and picture cut out from Tags on Kraft as well. To highlight the bat cape I painted it with Glimmer Mist in the color Precious Metal. This turned out to be my favorite card.
This card was the easiest. I cut out the pumpkins and text from the Tag paper and glued them overlapping on the card. Then I gave the pumpkins a bit of a glow with Glimmer Mist Marmalade and It´s Orange. All of the cards where embellished with treads and sparkling stones.
Products from Canvas Corp Brands:
Haunt it Orange & Black Stitched Diamonds on Kraft 12×12
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist “Marmalade”
Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist “Fully Purple”
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist “It´s Orange”
Tattered Angles Glimmer Mist “Precious Metal”
Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze “Galaxy”
7 Gypsies Wood Stamp “Distressed Words”
Marie has inspired us to make Halloween ATC’s this season and pop them right into our handmade cards and give the gift of fun little spooky works of art that can be mailed or hand-delivered. If you are just getting started on the ATC movement here is a fun little crate you can store them in, there are also a range of mini file folders that fit right in and keep them organized. Shop our online store for a complete selection of blank atc cards, file folders, crates, trays and more.
Happy Creating!!!
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