As some of you know I am in love with altered arts, mixed media, collage work and all forms of mail art..Atc's have a special place in my heart, so here is everything you ever wanted to know about an ATC.......
The very basics As their name indicates, ATC are collectables, a brilliant idea born of the older sports-themed trading cards. The one rule that makes an ATC derives from their origins: the dimensions of the ATC must be 2.5"x3.5", or 64x89mm.
To this rule are appended a couple of conventions. First, an ATC mustn't be sold, only exchanged, as the whole essence of these tiny works of art is about artists meeting (by correspondence or online if need be) and exchanging their works, thus meeting many artists and getting exposed to many personal styles. Second, on the back of each ATC the artist writes part or all of the following information: name, contact information, title of the ATC and number (1/8, 2/8...) if it's part of an edition. By definition ATCs are made in limited numbers, often no more than one of a kind. Unique ATCs are called originals; sets of identical ATCs are called editions and are numbered; sets of ATCs that are based on one theme but that are different are called series. Don't be intimidated by the concept of small editions or originals: very few people are anal about this. What most collectors really want are cards that were made with care. Based on that, numbers are meaningless.
That's all! The above is all you need to know to start making your own ATCs. Common sense dictates that they should be sturdy enough to survive mailing, and of reasonable thickness (unless you specifically want them otherwise. Transparent card sleeves are useful to protect the cards if need be. This is particularly true if they can easily get smudged or if the medium might stick during transport
They can be scrapped, stamped, painted, colored, drawn, done in mixed media, there are no rules....SO anyone who makes an ATC and brings it to the market Saturday will get an extra surprise
So come on have a little fun and step outside the box. Once you try this you will become addicted just like the rest of us.....
Not only is this
link one of my favorite places to shop for altered art and ATC supplies but they have a beautiful gallery, as does
this gallery..so enjoy the eye candy
Keep in mind ladies this is not my work, it is just here for inspiration, but you can find the link to this awesome site in the post, (link here) These talented artists are just here for our inspiration. And if you visit their sites you see what i mean, so enjoy all their efforts and amazing talents.
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