Artist Trading Cards -- crochet versions?

[Raquel]

Hello my crafty friends.

Have you heard of this? Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). They seem very cool and I wanted to tell you about 'em, if you haven't heard already.

I was watching "Simply Quilts" on HGTV the other day and saw a segment on artist trading cards. Essentially, these are little tiny art pieces (2.5 x 3.5 inches) that you make and sign and trade with other artists. A Swedish artist saw how crazy people went over baseball cards, etc., and wanted a social thing artists could do to meet each other, etc.

The idea is essentially to make a little tiny work of art in whatever media you want and then trade it with someone, kind of like a unique business card. I've seen miniature paintings, tiny quilts, scrapbooky type things, needlecraft things, photographs, PhotoShop stuff, words and poems, yarn collages, etc. Some websites and magazines have trade systems set up -- you send in three ATCs and they'll send you three that other people made.

Anyway, this seemed like a really fun thing to make! I'm wondering what crochet versions might look like.

Here’s a good, thorough article on it:

http://www.mplsobserver.com/node/501

And a cool resource page with many ideas:

http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

What do y’all think?

Hugs,

Raquel

[kestrel5287]

I think that would be a really cool thing to do. I saw something on HGTV about artist trading cards also and thought the idea was so neat. It may have even been the same show you saw. I'm not sure how much you could do with crochet...maybe if you designed your own granny square type thing and sent it to people?

[Empress Busy Bee]

PhotoShop stuff

Actually it's called Digital.

 

Here's a little more info:

 

There are only two true rules applied to modern Artist Trading Cards:

1. The dimensions of the card must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches (64 x 89 mm).
   
2. The cards must be traded - never bought or sold.

Artist Trading Cards are typically made on a base of card stock, although this is not mandatory. ATCs have been created on metal, stiffened fabric, plastic, clay, balsa wood, leather, embroidery canvas, acetate, heavy watercolor paper, and many other materials. Various techniques are then applied to the chosen canvas: collage,textile arts, assemblage, digital art, calligraphy, beadwork, watercolors, rubber stamps, carved soft block stamps, pen and ink, colored pencil, airbrush, and many others. The back of the card typically includes the artist's signature, the date, and sometimes the number (if the card is part of an edition or series), and title. If part of an organized swap, it is common for people to add the name of the swap and sometimes the name of the swap host.

 

 

You wouldn't have to design a granny. Not all of us could do that and how boring would that be anyway. A card is a card.

What you could do for instances, is get the card stock, fill out the back with your info. Crochet flowers, squares, birds, whatever and attach to the front side.

ATCs are usually one of a kind or limited to 10 or some other number.

I think it sounds fun.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I've seen these on ebay--it is weird they aren't supposed to be bought or sold, because I've seen artists selling them. It's probably a good way to get people to buy bigger pieces, i guess. It is a cool system.

 

Nicole

[Shell]

oh no no no no. you didn't... yup, you did. my mind is overflowing now. ugh! i have too much housework to do!! cannot start another project, behave *is trying*

 

I've made a couple of ATC's just playing with scraps from my scrapbooking but you've just added a whole other dimension. Put it this way, all those little bits of "ruined" tatting may have just found a home...

 

[Raquel]

Empress: Yes, digital! Thank you. I knew "PhotoShop stuff" was probably not the right term!

 

Shell: You are so funny... I totally understand what you mean though. I think I have to accept my "jack of all trades"-ness and just go with the flow. I must change projects once a week. UFOs haunt me a little less than they used to now that I've accepted this about myself!

 

Anyway, anyone interested in making and trading cards? I think it'd be a fun way to share our art with each other without promising an afghan to each person, you know?

 

 

Raquel

[Shell]

Raquel I would LOVE to give it a go! It sounds like such a fun thing to do and beats a bookmark (though I don't diss bookmarks ) Plus, they will fit in a regular envelope and be cheap to post, even better (single mum here lol). Let me know the details, feel free to email/pm me at any time!! I am a slow crocheter and big projects bore the heck out of me, I think this is a fantabulouso idea Raquel you rock!

[lene]

Funny you shoud post this, as it's a lot like what I'm trying to come up with in crochet for handmade postcards to send for postcrossing.com. I wouldn't want to mail them as I do the regular postcards, because they would likely get damaged in mailing, but if I make some and send them out in enevelopes, they should be ok. I was thinking I'd do what Empress Busy Bee said, make motifs and attach them to card stock. Thanks for the links about the ATCs -- lots of neat ideas!

 

Lene'

[pplcrochets]

Count me in! although I don't know if I qualify for the "artist" part of the thing....

[moomooo]

HI there to all:

 

I wanted to post and let you all know that me being a rubberstamper and i have my own yahoo group where we trade ATC's and they are a world of fun.

 

I have even recently bought fusible web and I have fusible web fabric to cardstock and made some really neato ATC's out of fabric and well I usually then add some sort of embelishment to compliment the theme..

 

I have yet to make any crochet ones but please please do count me in if you decide to go with it,.. I'm in...

 

Yes the best thing to do is we can crochet some tiny motifs that will fit in to the atc size... I keep my atc's in loose leaf binders inside the sheet protectors that are sold where you can place 9 atc's on one side and 9 on the back .. Really neat way to store them and show off our master pieces..

 

So again count me in...

[funkyreporter]

VERY COOL!!!

 

I've been collecting ATC's for a couple years, and also making them! I have many 'regular' ones (i.e., painted or collaged) and I have some that are quilted, some in 3-D, and then of course the ones I make I bend the rules sometimes (artistic interpretation).

 

Using a base and then an adhesive to put a crocheted deisgn on is a great idea! I have been re-designing my art studio and now I feel fully encouraged to get it in order so I can do some crocheted ATC's!!!!!

[purplepeaches]

ohh maybe thread crochet sc base stiffened like a doiley then embellished? I have been meaning to try these for a while - the paper versions - ill have to try them now!

[Shell]

ohh maybe thread crochet sc base stiffened like a doiley then embellished? I have been meaning to try these for a while - the paper versions - ill have to try them now!

 

that is more what I had in mind than just using crochet embelishments. if i am going to call it a crocheted ATC the whole thing will be of crochet (well, besides all the extras )

[Raquel]

Hi guys. I would love to this going. I'm wondering what the best way to do it would be? I haven't done away swaps at all, so I'm not sure how it works! Any suggestions? Does one person organize everything or do we all just start swapping?

Thanks!

Raquel

[moomooo]

Dear RAquel:

 

I suggest that you contact Amy the aministrator first cause I tried to get a few ladies to swap refrigerator magnets with me I wasn't looking for the entire group to do it as i would have never had the time , but none the less

Amy put a padlock on my post as she prefer the swap go thru the swap section of the group..

 

So word of advise email her first and get advise from her as how to go about to host the swap... This way you are on the safe side...

Good luck and please do PM me when all is set up.

[Mara295]

I've also heard/seen various versions of these postcards and I'd love to give it a go in crochet. I've stayed away from swaps (though there have been many I would have loved to participate in) because my income is low and I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to afford the postage when it came time to send my stuff. So something that's small and fits in an envelope is right up my alley.

 

If a swap gets going for this I'd love to be counted in. Great idea!

[sakurasaku]

Lillibet, I saw the Inspirations Magazine (by Stampington) for the first time in a book store, and was stunned by the beautiful work in it. Now my mind is reeling with possibitilites...

 

I think I would like to send three of mine in.

[Empress Busy Bee]

that is more what I had in mind than just using crochet embelishments. if i am going to call it a crocheted ATC the whole thing will be of crochet (well, besides all the extras

Part of the fun is to include infomation about yourself on the reverse side (or the front); like your name, where you're from, and maybe your username. That'd be kind of hard to do on a just crochet.

[Shell]

Part of the fun is to include infomation about yourself on the reverse side (or the front); like your name, where you're from, and maybe your username. That'd be kind of hard to do on a just crochet.

 

yeah true, but there is no reason you couldnt sew a piece of felt or something to the back. then again, i crossed stitched on the bottom of a teddy i sewed for my daughter "made for Jessica with love july 2004 (big heart) love always mummy" where there is a will, there is a way

[Raquel]

Hi all!

I PM'd Julie about how to set up a swap for this, and she suggested an "off-forum" swap since it doesn't seem to fit the typical C'ville swap.

Soooooo . . .

We have to figure it out ourselves!

I imagine it would be easiest to have one person "host": we all send ATCs to one person and that person shuffles them and sends them back out.

Presumably we would have to:

~ choose how many to send in at one time (Maybe 3?)

~ have each submitter include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the host isn't paying for postage

~ choose any guidelines (just crochet? any fiber-related art? any art at all? etc.)

So any volunteers? Any suggestions? Wecould probably rotate hosting duties, also.

Hugs,

Raquel

[Samio]

I like the idea, but the problem with sendind a self stamped addressed envelope may be a problem. I live in Australia and If I wanted to participate it may not work with postage. What I would suggest and I am more than willing to do this, would be that everyone wanting to participate could PM me with their address and how many cards they are wanting to swap, I could then collate the information and then let everyone know who they are sending to. Let me know if you want to do this and we will start a new thread specifically for this

[Deb]

I love the idea of doing this swap. I think Samio's idea is best. Gather information as to who wants to participate, then let each person know who to send their cards to. I would definitely sign up. I'd really like to say that I would organize it... but I cannot volunteer at this time.

 

I hope we end up doing this!

[goofy]

This would be really cool. I assume it wouldn't cost any extra postage if there was only one in the envelope? (in usa)

[Shell]

This would be really cool. I assume it wouldn't cost any extra postage if there was only one in the envelope? (in usa)

 

I imagine in the US it's the same postage guidelines as here. We can send a regular business sized envelope NO MORE THAN 5mm thick for the same price to anywhere in Aus. If it's thicker, or the envelope is larger it will cost more. I know nothing about postage in the USA but would assume it works along similar principals.

 

And I am with Samio, I would rather send direct to my swapee due to the pre-paid system only working inside the US.

[hookingforfun]

I'd love to participate in this swap just let me know what and where and if I can be of any help. boy oh boy, I'd love to get started right now!

Zoraida

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