How to Make an Artist Trading Card (ATC)

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By CSeida08
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A collaged ATC

Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs, are small, handcrafted collectible cards made by artists or crafters from a variety of materials, including paper, cardboard, pencil, pastels, chalk, paints, glue, yarn, thread, candy wrappers and MORE!

The ATC is a perfect way for those who are art-o-phobic to get over their fear. Artist Trading Cards are never to be sold, only traded with others who will appreciate your work. The only other real rule in creating ATCs is that they are a specific size: 2.5"x3.5", or 64x89mm, about the same size as a baseball card.

There are many gatherings held nationwide to help facilitate the trading, and several mail or post oriented websites encourage their trading as well.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Cardboard or thick stock paper for the base
Paper, scraps of fabric, glue, embellishments, sewing needle and thread, yarn or anything else you feel you might want to decorate your card with. Think outside the box!
A solid ink pen
A clean, moderately sized surface to work on
Good lighting

Step 1

Just a few ATC's for inspiration

Using the card stock or paper you have set aside for your base, cut out a shape that is roughly 2.5"x3.5" (64x89mm). This is your base.

The base can be made from a variety of sturdy materials. Here's a list of ideas to get you started:
Corrugated Cardboard
Cereal Boxes
Poster Board
US Priority Mail Envelopes
Beer cartons
Shoeboxes
Old book covers
Old trading cards/baseball cards
Thin, flexible plastic (maybe from a water bottle?)
Refridgerator magnets
Pieces of wood tile
Boards from board games
Fast food containers
Styrofoam
Washed and cut soda cans
Starched fabric

The list goes on. Look outside of the box for items you might not think of. If it can be cut to the specified size, it can be used. Look in your trash bin or recycling containers. Not only are you being crafty, but you're reducing waste as well.
Step 2

Embellish your ATC. Yes, just have at it. This is another daunting task, and can cause many people to have a fit. Use the supplies you've gathered to make an image that is pleasing.

Heck, it doesn't even have to be pleasing. Each brush stroke or pencil mark or tear on the page is unique to you. If you don't like it, you can always start over.

Look at some of the examples provided on this page, or seek out others. Some links for inspiration are included in the resources section of this tutorial.
Step 3

When you've created and edited the card to your approval, flip it over and write down some information for the next person who owns it.

Generally, you should include your name, contact information (if you want. An e-mail address is perfectly acceptable, but this is also a great way to promote your website or business!), the date it was created, and your signature.

If the piece has a name, feel free to write that there, too. Also, if it is part of a series, you can include the series name and the number it is in the set. For example, if I created a line of seven animal ATC's, I could write the word "Animals" as the series name, and if it were the first card I created in that theme, I would write 1/7
Step 4

Find a spot to trade your ATCs! Trade them in a group online, or via random snail mail. You can start or find a local meet up, give them to friends as gifts, family members as small pick-me ups or hand them out as business cards. Or you can keep them all for yourself. I am a firm believer in art karma, however, and the art and beauty you send out to the world will almost definitely be returned!