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I just got the most unusual and unexpected phone call. I was working on color corrections of new pieces that I just completed painting, and my phone rang. I look at the number and with a 818 area code, was not excited about answering the phone at that moment. I figure it was a call from Register.com letting me know that my domain registration was coming due shortly. The phone finished ringing and then the chime of the message left notice. I was going to check the message then and there but got side tracked in doing what I was working on. Several hours had passed and I finished my color correcting and upon picking up my phone remembered that I had a message that I need to listen to. I dialed my voice mail and entered the appropriate info to retrieve my message... "Hello Bryan this is Josh Dobkin calling from NBC art department and I was wanting to talk to you about some of your art that we would like to place in an episode of the Office that we are filming in Thousand Oaks California. We would need you to sign a consent form. Please call me if you have any questions, my number is 818-xxx-xxxx. I will also send you an email with the release form and some more information, I look forward to talking to you soon. "
ATCs originated in 1997 when Swiss artist M. Vanci Stirnemann created an exhibit of over 1,200 handmade cards. He asked others to create cards, as well, so that on the last day of the exhibit he could trade his cards with them. The idea was a hit and turned into a world-wide phenomenon. Today, artist trading cards are used to share work, network, and practice creating on a smaller scale.
There are some rules to trading artist cards. Artist trading cards are pieces of watercolor paper, cardstock, or illustration board that are 2.5"x3.5" in size. An artist creates an original work of art on these tiny canvases and then trades them with other artists through groups and events. Trade is the operative word. Cards should never be sold.
Any medium is allowed on trading cards. Some examples of mediums that other artists have used is crayon, wax reserve, collage, gel pens, concrete transfers, watercolor, colored pencil, and pencil sketchings.
On the back of the cards, the artist should print their name, contact information (an email address is fine), the title of the work on the artist trading card, and a number if it is part of a series.ATCs can either be bought pre-made or can be made from larger sheets of paper cut down to size.
Strathmore has a line of quality, pre-made blank artist trading cards that comes in packs of 5 to 20 sheets. These cards come in 100 lb. bristol, canvas paper, 140 lb. watercolor paper, 246 linen paper for acrylics, 80 lb. textured paper, 42 pt. illustration board, and assorted packs. Strathmore also has envelopes for mailing individual cards.
There many groups and sponsors, both online and off, that artist can use to trade their art cards.
The Yahoo Artist Trading Card Group has more than 3,000 members that trade cards and share their love for the art form.
ATCsForAll.com is a website that allows its members to trade, enter ATC contests, and more.
Strathmore Artist Papers hosts a global artist trading card swap where artists are encouraged to send in a card to receive a card from around the world in return. The entry form can be downloaded here.
ArtistTradingCards.Meetup.com is website designed to help artists find local art card trading groups. Visitors can type in their zip code to easily locate groups.
Even if the artist isn’t ready to trade cards, the members of these groups and sponsors can enlighten and inspire the artist in many ways.
