"Definition:Artist trading cards (ATCs) is a conceptual art project initiated by the Swiss artist M. Vänçi Stirnemann in 1997. He called it a Collaborative Cultural Performance. Artist trading cards are 2 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches (64 mm × 89 mm) in size, the same format as modern trading cards (hockey cards or baseball cards). They are self-made unique works or small series, signed and dated on the reverse by the artist/producer, exchanged and collected by the people who participate in the collaborative performance."
I really enjoy the challenge of creating something in such a small format and, while I haven't "traded" cards in some time, I do have a collection of ATCs that I have made in various challenges.
I decided to create a trio, using similar colors and stamps and only switching out the "sentiments' on each.
I started with blending Distress Oxide Inks in yellows and browns on the matte white backs of some blank playing cards. Once the inks were dried, I randomly stamped an older Tim Holtz "quote" in "Vintage Photo" Distress Oxide Ink on all three cards. Again, after totally drying the ink, I dusted each card with my embossing buddy, stamped an "owl" with Versamark ink, and heat embossed with "Queen's Gold" embossing powder. I then stamped a feather randomly, using "Pumice Stone" Distress Oxide Ink and colored the feathers in with a "Pumice Stone" marker. I wiped the feathers dry with a cloth, living a ghost image of feathers on the playing card blanks. I the trimmed the blanks and adhered them to dark brown ATC-sized blanks and added an Idea-ology snarky small talk sticker to each:
- Stamps: Stamper’s Anonymous “Flights of Fancy - Visual Artistry” (2011); Craft Stamper Magazine free cover stamps “Owl” and “Feather”
- Inks” Distress Oxides “Mustard Seed”, “Fossilize Amber”, “Wilde Honey”, Vintage Photo”, “Gathered Twigs” and “Pumice Stone”; Versamark; Distress Marker “Pumice Stone”
- Embossing Powder: Ranger “Queen’s Gold” (EPJ18049)
- Papers: River City “Blank Deck" Playing Cards (BD 02); Marco’s Paper "Color Assortment" ATCs
- Embellishments: Idea-ology “Small Talk - Snarky” (TH93704)
- Adhesives: iCraft “Easy Tear Tape”