How to Swap and Sell Artist Trading Cards

Artist trading cards are small pieces of original art made on 21/2-inch-by-3 1/2-inch canvas paper. Artists swap, or trade, these pieces of miniature works. It's a great way for artists to meet, interact and network. Swiss artist M. Vanci Stirnemann created over a thousand cards for an exhibition. He encouraged others to make their own art cards and trade with him on the last day of the exhibit. This birthed the artist trading card phenomenon. There are many ways to begin trading your artist cards.

Instructions

1. Create your own artist trading cards. You obviously can't trade something you don't have, after all. The only regulation is that they must be 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches in size.

2. Locate online swaps. With online swaps, you trade cards via the mail.

3. Locate an artist trading card swap in your area. See the Resources section below for assistance in finding a swap.

4. Swap your cards with artist friends. This is a great way to get started trading at first. If you don't have any artist friends, give them away to your non-painter friends.

5. Start your own swap if you can't find one in your area and don't want to trade online. Register it with one of the sites below, publicize it through sites such as Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org), and put up fliers.

Tips & Warnings

• Some artists sell, instead of trade, their art cards. When sold, they are referred to as Art Card Editions or Originals (ACEO).

Resources

• Website celebrating artist trading cards
• Website of artist trading card canvas producing company
• Online artist trading card resource