What are Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)?

So you want to know what Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are?

My personal definition of ATCs is that they are a fun way to share a piece of yourself with friends, family, and future acquaintances. The ATCs that I have done have involved some amount of quilling, so for me an ATC is a way to share what I am passionate about. You too can share your passion, an art form, medium, quote, dream, or craft that you love.

Now for the official definition as taken from Wikipedia:

Artist Trading Cards are individual art miniatures which pass hand to hand. Some sources have credited M. Vänçi Stirnemann, who began trading sessions in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1997, as popularizing ATCs in the modern era, although modern ATC's can be traced back to portrait miniatures and to a kind of business card popular with Impressionistic era artists.^[1]

The official size of an Artist Trading Card is 2.5 in x 3.5 in (6.4 cm x 8.9 cm). Think of baseball trading cards and the idea is the same. The orientation can be either vertical or horizontal and I have created them both ways.

Some form of cardstock usually is the base of the ATC but any material can be used. Think of polymer clay, thin balsa wood or metal to give you some alternative ideas.

From what I have seen and read, the only thing they have to be is 2.5 in x 3.5 in (6.4 cm x 8.9 cm). Everything else is up to you!

Some ideas for your ATCs:

• If you draw, sketch a design on your card blank
• Paint with acrylic or oils or watercolors
• Scrap a shabby chic design
• Take the "altered" approach and alter your trading card
• Decoupage your trading card

Controversy
Yes, even with Artist Trading Cards there is controversy. The generally accepted approach is that they are to be "traded, not sold"

So the controversy arises when some artists sell theirs. I personally have only given mine away. That is because I love to share what I do with others, and this is a small way for me to connect with people and share quilling.

So this is all about what ATCs are. Click Here and for instructions to make my One World, One Heart ATC that I made for Lisa Oceandreamer (refer to the picture).



There are plenty of places to go to trade your ATCs online, just look for swaps online and you can find one of your own.

If you are interested in a swap, let me know... I'd love to do one.

Enjoy!
Antonella :-)

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Wow! Wonderful Gifts

I am just beside myself with happiness! I have been so fortunate to receive both of my One World, One Heart gifts.

A special thanks to Sherry and Latharia for their special gifts.

Sherry, Esprit d'Art , she sent me her Heart of the Soul collage. She is so beautiful, I wish I could do more than share a picture. I couldn't wait to open her up and meet her. She will have a special place in my work room so that she can inspire me. There is a quote that I really love to read "People will love you for the honesty within your soul" what a beautiful thought. She will inspire me to think positive happy thoughts!

Latharia, Loquacity of Latharia, gave me a bunch of goodies as my special secret prize. She sent me clear alphabet stamps, a mini scrapbook, gel pens, maple leaf brads (perfect for a fall layout I am thinking of), and some holiday stickers. I am so excited.

This has been such a fun and wonderful experience.

Many Thanks,
Antonella :-)

Free Pattern Quilling Artist Trading Card

I promised that I would share the pattern for the One World, One Heart Artist Trading Card (ATC) that I made for Lisa Oceandreamer.

For this ATC I used a variety of techniques and I also played with fonts. I think that my passions run from Paper (being top of the list) to fonts running a close second. Of course, these are outside of the real-life people in my life - lol.

This was a one of a kind ATC as I was making it as a gift for Lisa as hostess of the One World, One Heart blogging event. She really went above and beyond and I can only imagine all the work she put in to keep up with all the requests to join the event.

Many of my projects involve the use of a product called PowerPoint. This is a Microsoft product that allows me to play with objects and place them where I want. I created the text One World One Heart in a font called Scriptina, http://desktoppub.about.com/library/fonts/hs/uc_scriptina.htm, there are a variety of places you can download it, this is just one of them.

I like this font because it has a very thin line and flows well (it even works on vellum). This is what I did:

• I placed the text as though I had stamped it all over my 2.5 in x 3.5 in (6.5 cm x 8.9 cm) trading card area.
• I let the text run over the side of the trading card area because I knew that I was going to crop it later.
• I printed it on a white cardstock, so I added a translucent pink to the area that would be cropped.
• The other thing that I did was to use different shades of pink and red so that the center text would really stand out. You can see this if you look at the picture.

Then I printed it out and cropped it so that it was 2 in by 3 in (5 cm x 7.6 cm). I did this because I mounted it on a glistening pink color cardstock.

I inked all of the sides with a rose colored stamp pad to give it that shabby chic appearance. What can I say, I like inking the edges of my papers.

Now I was ready for the quilling, and I have been really into scrolls lately and so I used double scrolls and heart scrolls.

• 6 - 3 in (7.6 cm) White Double Scrolls
• 3 - 3 in (7.6 cm) Red Heart Scrolls
• 1 - 3 in (7.6 cm) Green V-scroll
• 1 - 1.5 in (3.8 cm) Green shaped Teardrop
• 1 - 1.5 in (3.8 cm) Green strip for the stem

• My favorite thing about the double scrolls is that if you arrange them in a certain way, they join together to make a heart. Like ornamental ironwork. So I used this to my advantage, playing on the "heart" theme of the event.
  
  
• I arranged 2 pairs of double scrolls this way creating 2 "Hearts with a flourish"
  
  
• I arranged 2 Heart-scrolls with the pointed ends touching and then took the remaining 2 double scrolls and glued them to either side. I then added a rhinestone in the center.
  
  
• The final element I added was a heart flower. For this I added a Heart-Scroll wrapped with a V-Scroll and then placed a strip of green quilling paper and added a shaped teardrop for the leaf.

I hope that this inspires you to try making one of your own Artist Trading Cards.

Enjoy!

Copyright for Personal Use Antonella DeFalco

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Free Quilling Instructions Double Scroll

Scrolls, scrolls, and more scrolls.... I really love scrolls!

They add a delicate touch to any design that you may have. Today I will share with you the Double Scroll.

The instructions are simple. To make the double scroll:

• Take a strip of quilling paper
• Fold it nearly in half, leave about 1/8 in (.3 cm) between the tips of the folded paper.
• Condition both ends of the strip such that each end is curved in the same direction.
• Place the quilling paper in the slot at the very top of your slotted tool or at the top of your needle tool or corsage pin.
• Holding the loose end of the paper in one hand and your tool in the other hand, begin turning the your tool gently pulling the paper.
• Roll the paper toward the fold starting with the shorter side.
  
• They should both the rolled in the same direction on the same side so that you end up with 2 scrolls (one on top of the other).

See the picture for guidance. There are many fun designs you can make with this shape!

Enjoy!
Copyright for Personal Use Antonella DeFalco

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