All About ATCs

Hi everyone,

I would like to share some information about Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). 

Artist Trading Cards or more commonly known as ATCs are miniature pieces of arts that are created and traded by artists around the world. Artists create, trade and collect art at organised "swap" events, either in person or online. ATCs are never sold but are always traded. 

ATC trade/swaps have been around for about 20 years now. The 1st ATC swap took place in 1997. In the year 1996 - 97, Swiss artist M Vanci Stirnemann, created 1200 miniature cards and exhibited them at his second-hand bookshop and gallery INK art & text in Zurich, Switzerland from 23rd April - 31st May 1997. On the last day of exhibition, he invited others to create their own cards and trade/ swap with him with the intention to allow people from different backgrounds to participate in an ongoing art project, which was not part of the art market. 

A few weeks after the first ATC exhibition and trading session in Zurich, the Canadian artist Don Mabie adopted the idea and showed artist trading cards at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In September 1997, a trading session was organised at the New Gallery in Calgary.

(More About  about history of Original ATC Trading) 

Today ATCs are exchanged world over by artists either randomly or through organised swaps in person or online. ATCs are created in various medium including dry medium (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.), or even metals, fiber, wax and other materials. Mixed-Media ATCs are a rage all over the world currently. When making ATCs, you dont have to follow any rule as to what medium you use except 1, i.e. for size. All ATCs have to be of the same standard miniature size of 2 1/2" and 3 1/2".

Here are some of the mixed-media ATCs I have made over last few months using various techniques such as stamping, distress inks, alcohol inks, die cuts, quilling, stickers, stencilling, mixed media etc.

Hope you all liked these ATCs. Do leave some love if you like them.

Love,
Dr. Neha Sanwalka
Crafty Flirtations