Join us for the
Milwaukee
Artist Trading Card
LIVE TRADE

Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 1-3 p.m.
at Artist &Display
9015 W. Burleigh, Milwaukee WI
Theme: Easily Distracted by Shiny Things

Useful & instructive ATC links here.

For more meeting information or to get on the e-mail list, please contact Carolyn Brady

Dairy State by Mel Kolstad
(Collage ATC)

Koi by Lynne Larkin
(Ink & watercolor ATC)

What is an ATC?

Artist Trading Cards or ATCs are small works of art measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches that are made to be traded between artists. They can be made in any media on any subject. Here is a good introduction to the format.

The idea for the ATC format was developed in 1996 by Swiss artist m. vanci stirnemann as a way for artists to exchange art without worrying about the constraints of galleries and pricing. The first trading session was in Zurich in 1997. Trading on-line has become very popular, especially for artists who cannot attend live trades locally. You can read more about the history of ATCs here. One friendly site to start trading on-line is ATCs for All.

Why make and trade ATCs? The small size of the card allows you to experiment with new media and techniques without spending a lot of money on supplies. For many participants, the interaction with other artists and the opportunity to learn new things is more important than the trading of the art itself.

Spring by Gary Warren Niebuhr
(Collage ATC)

Other Useful Information

You can store your ATCs in clear plastic sleeves designed for baseball and other trading cards, which are the same size. These can be found in Greenfield News & Hobby, Walmart and Target as well as at stores specializing in sports trading cards. ATCs are also the same size as poker playing cards, which make a good base for collages.

Trying to stay organized? Here are some forms:

Sample back labels (Word document - edit to suit your needs)

Live trading tracker (Word document - keep track of your trades)