The New Intimacy

Artist Trading Cards!

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Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
hey everyone, i've just gotten into artist trading cards (ATC) recently and wanted to share.


if you're unfamiliar, the basics is you make a card the size of a playing card (or USE a playing card) into a little piece of art using whatever media you like. then you either get together for a face to face swap or join an online swap, and mail them out, to receive beautiful pieces of art back! it's a great way to meet folks if you're doing an in person swap, and to talk about your art.

the mail ATC program is awesome, because it's so fun and creative, and you get something other than bills in your mailbox! remember when you got letters from friends in the mail as a kid? it's THAT kind of excitement.

the best part is, you don't have to be an 'artist' to participate. anyone can, kids, cats, even folks who've never picked up a crayon in their life! there is no 'right' or 'wrong.' as long as you enjoy making it and put effort into it, it's wonderful.


they also have ATC groups for NSFW artwork, so i thought i'd let you all know.


here are two groups i've found. you request to join, then find a swap that's open for participants, sign up with the moderator, and mail out before the due date. it's pretty amazing.


ATC yahoo group

ATCSForAll.com

maybe we could start an ATC swap amoungst EF contributors? what do yall think?




some ATCs i found online.












*edit. please mark your interested regardless of whether or not you've heard of ATCs. i'd love to get an idea of who on here would be into it, should we decide to host a mail swap! thank you so much.
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
i've heard of ATCs but never participated
Starkiller87 , stars , pinkcupcakes , Pixel , mandiegk , Ghost , ellejay , tim1724 , sausagelover , Kate , ily , K101 , slynch , geliebt , allinonekid , Beck , GONE! , Mirachaya , Stinkytofu10 , FallFire , friendswithfangs
21  (30%)
i've participated in ATC swaps before
aliceinthehole , Angelica , Jen Cheek Payan , Daemonin , TwistedTruth , VelvetDragon , bh253 , butts
8  (12%)
never heard of ATC's and not interested
PeaceToTheMiddleEast , srval69 , Kenneth Fort
3  (4%)
never heard of ATC's and possibly interested in participating
indiglo , LaLaLouise , Jul!a , The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary , Ivy Wilde , dhig , Breas , Ciao. , DeliciousSurprise , AMTTT , Jon S , Jenni Shelton , KnS , Kithara , hatman , sapphyre.wings , Trepier , Thomas90 , panthercat23 , 31 Flavors , Melan!e , CadmiumKitty , sodapin , kinksters , Rockoloid , spiced
26  (38%)
never heard of ATC's and definitely interested in participating
Diabolical Kitty , Chilipepper , fifi , Cutie1521 , Penguin , klyte , cheesewizz , SubmissiveFeminist , Sohotdinosaur , TransMarc , glasskitten
11  (16%)
Total votes: 69
Poll is closed
09/28/2011
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Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
I always wanted to do it but never got around to it. Ive seen some really awesome ones. I love the idea of them.
09/28/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by Starkiller87
I always wanted to do it but never got around to it. Ive seen some really awesome ones. I love the idea of them.
so if we organized one for EF folks would you be in? just trying to get an idea! thanks!
09/28/2011
Contributor: Angelica Angelica
I have a few from my friends but I didnt know it was so widespread!
I wonder what they did with the ones I sent them..
09/28/2011
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
I've never heard of this, but it sounds like a kind of cool idea!
09/28/2011
Contributor: Pixel Pixel
Ooh, that sounds like a fun swap! I would definitely be interested in participating in an EF one!
09/28/2011
Contributor: LaLaLouise LaLaLouise
I'm no good at drawing or painting, but may be interested if we could use mixed media, as long as it's the same size and everything?
09/29/2011
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
Id do it for sure. Id love art from all of you. And would love sharing.
09/29/2011
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Ooh! Lovely! Let's have our own!
09/29/2011
Contributor: fifi fifi
Quote:
Originally posted by aliceinthehole
hey everyone, i've just gotten into artist trading cards (ATC) recently and wanted to share.


if you're unfamiliar, the basics is you make a card the size of a playing card (or USE a playing card) into a little piece of art using ... more
Hi there Alice! This is such a nifty idea, thank you for sharing what ATCs are and how it works. I'll be looking into this more, I'm always looking for a fun new creative outlet
09/29/2011
Contributor: The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary
Quote:
Originally posted by aliceinthehole
hey everyone, i've just gotten into artist trading cards (ATC) recently and wanted to share.


if you're unfamiliar, the basics is you make a card the size of a playing card (or USE a playing card) into a little piece of art using ... more
Thats pretty cool, I think the world needs more art!
09/29/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by LaLaLouise
I'm no good at drawing or painting, but may be interested if we could use mixed media, as long as it's the same size and everything?
sure, we could do a mixed media swap! and yeah, all have to be the same size, to start out. you can actually buy 'artist trading cards' blank at michaels, and other arts and crafts stores.
09/29/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary
Thats pretty cool, I think the world needs more art!
yay, so glad you guys are into it! then i'll talk with miss debauchery and see if we cant set one up! thanks so much for your input!
09/29/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Sounds interesting. I'm not much of an artist, but I might could give it a try.
09/29/2011
Contributor: Starkiller87 Starkiller87
Trying an experiment to see if I can paint portraits and such on a small scale. I drew one out well see how it goes.
09/29/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by Starkiller87
Trying an experiment to see if I can paint portraits and such on a small scale. I drew one out well see how it goes.
yaaay! how fun! you know, one lady in the in-person swap cut out and gesso'd little scraps of canvas, painted them, and then glued them to the card. try it maybe?

so glad you're excited about this!
09/30/2011
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Alice, you've got my creative engines revving and I've been cutting up Victorian Trading Company catalogs to make ATC collages. I think I have enough for a whole deck of playing cards - have to see what comes out of what I found. Thanks for the idea.
10/03/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
wooHOO! thats awesome, chilipepper! on that note, i'ma see if i can organize an official EF swap. i'm trying to talk with Miss Debauchery about it. we'll see what becomes of it! keep creatin'!
10/03/2011
Contributor: Ciao. Ciao.
Just saw this thread, seems pretty cool!

Most of my art is pretty amateur, but recently I've gotten into doing block-prints and actually feel pretty good about some of those.
11/05/2011
Contributor: Cutie1521 Cutie1521
Quote:
Originally posted by aliceinthehole
hey everyone, i've just gotten into artist trading cards (ATC) recently and wanted to share.


if you're unfamiliar, the basics is you make a card the size of a playing card (or USE a playing card) into a little piece of art using ... more
This sounds like uber lots of fun! I am overly excited at the moment
11/05/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
alright guys, be on the lookout for the official startup thread for ATCs this week! miss debauchery and i are working out the details as we speak.

in the meantime, check out the following link for more info on how to create your ATCs.

link
11/13/2011
Contributor: slynch slynch
I'm interested in participating.
11/22/2011
Contributor: allinonekid allinonekid
I'm very familiar with the concept but never participated because I can't draw AT ALL.
11/22/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by allinonekid
I'm very familiar with the concept but never participated because I can't draw AT ALL.
ooh! thats the best part. you don't have to be able to draw at all. me myself i draw abstract stuff... like continuing circles, and child-like cartoon sheep. thats the extent of my drawing ability, and this chick went to 'art school.'

you can collage beautiful things together too! thats one of the best parts about this. you don't have to be able to draw, paint, photograph or anything. but you CAN use photographs too.

some of the coolest ATC's i've ever seen were collages.

i'll photograph and post some photos of them here soon.


one gall even took a photo of a dead cow, and shot the card through in a star pattern around it with a BB gun. so cool.
11/22/2011
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by slynch
I'm interested in participating.
sweet! i'll be posting the official thread on it in the next day or two! keep a lookout for it.
11/22/2011
Contributor: Daemonin Daemonin
At my college we used ATC's as a fundraiser. It was fun, but we only raised a dollar or so because only a few people actually did it.
12/05/2011
Contributor: klyte klyte
Wow, I've never even heard of these.
12/05/2011
Contributor: Jenni Shelton Jenni Shelton
i have never heard of these, but it looks and sounds really neat!
12/05/2011
Contributor: Trepier Trepier
Interesting concept. Kind of reminds me of geocaching.
03/09/2012
Contributor: 31 Flavors 31 Flavors
Very interesting idea.
04/30/2012