ATC's Are Very Popular

WHAT ARE ATCs?

Artist Trading Card, or ATC for short, is a miniature work of art. ATC is artists' answer to the ever popular baseball and other sports trading cards. There is one important thing to remember about ATC's - Anything goes in ATC's. Literally!

The main purpose of creating ATC's is to exchange them with other artists. ATC's are exchanged one for one. As you start trading you may find that some ATC artists request more cards in exchange for one of theirs. One for one is the convention. The people that ask for more cards in trade usually have an excuse: I put more time into my card. That is just an excuse. Card is a card is a card.

OK, now for the rules. There is only one rule: An ATC must measure 3.5 by 2.5 inches. Or, if you prefer metrics, 89 mm by 64 mm. ATC should be on a card stock similar in thickness to the sports trading cards or regular playing cards.

You should sign all your trading cards on the back. You should also write on the back the date the card was created and your e-mail and possibly your snail mail address. In addition, if your card is a part of a limited edition you need to indicate the numbering of the edition just as if it was an art print.

Anyone can prepare ATC's. Any technique is acceptable. You have a broad range to select from. Drawing, painting, collage, printmaking techniques, digital prints, and on and on we go. Any topic is acceptable. Since this is a kind of a branch of mail art, many mail artists participate. If your topics are controversial, such as nudity or religion, make sure that the recipient knows before the trade.

And there you have it! That's all there is to it!

I have posted several examples under Images.

Life is short - go and create something!

More reading:

http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html


I BORROWED THIS FROM AN ATC SITE