Candy ATCs

im new here... but what is ATC?

Hi 'Pinc' ATC stands for ALTERED TRADING CARDS -- they are 2.5 x 3.5 you can design them in either format portrait or landscape HTH

Actually, ATC is the acronym for ARTIST Trading Cards. Google the term 'Artist Trading cards' and you'll soon discover more than you ever dreamed imaginable about ATCs. They are small pieces of 3.5" x 2.5" (the size of standard sports trading cards) art that are traded only, never sold. They are just for artists and artistic types to share amongst themselves as a way to demonstrate/learn art techniques, an excuse to make art (as if), and as ways of showing something about yourself, your art, or your view of things. They can be themed (as in this swap, wherein the theme is candy), or otherwise, depending on the particular swap.

Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs, are miniature works of art. They measure 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. They are originals, small editions and, most importantly, self-produced. These miniature works of art are traded amongst artists. Though how they came about remains a mystery to most, there are several groups who still practice the original tradition behind them.

In 1996 M. Vänçi Stirnemann came up with the concept of Artist Trading Cards. He and artist Cat Schick developed it and promoted it through INK Art & Text in Zürich Switzerland. From April 23rd to May 17th 1997 was the first Artist Trading Card show at INK Art & Text in Zürich.

The original concept behind ATCs was that they would be traded in person. A meeting place would be set up and artists would meet, look through each other's cards, and decide what to trade. You never charge or pay money for a trading card, the whole purpose is to exchange art and meet new people. Thus meeting many artists and getting exposed to many personal styles

Within the past few years though arranging trades over the internet has become more popular. The internet puts you in contact with many more ATC artists than you could possible meet in your own hometown. There are several online communities that can get you in touch with other artists to trade with. Nervousness.org is one such site. It is a place where you can set up and initiate exchanges with fellow artists from around the world to right in your home city.

ATCs are traditionally made out of card stock. The main rule of making an artist trading card is that they must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches, the same size as baseball cards and other trading cards. This allows for them to fit in plastic sleeves and binder pages designed for protecting and storing trading cards. On the back must be some form of identification. Most artist sign, date, and name their art work. One should also put a form of contact information on it, such as an email address or a website, even a mailing address. Also, if the ATC is part of a series it should be numbered accordingly, for example if the artist produces 5 prints of a particular card design, these will be numbered 1/5, 2/5, etc. So the artist receiving the card knows that it is part of an edition.

I did a report and brief slide show of ATCs I had collected several years ago in a college class. :) - That is all that text above.

all mine have been sent out (long time ago!)