MIXED MEDIA ATC FOLDER

Introduction:

Create this cute little ATC folder with our envelope template and kraft paper, then decorate with a few mixed media techniques.

What you need:

Mixed media ATC folder instructions:

Trace and cut out envelope
Fold, with big flap on top
Fold in half and punch half circle
Glue down short flap
Add a little glue to the sides
of the front flap; keep to the edges.
Fold in side flaps and
add front flap on top.
Folder assembled
Ready to decorate
Using your favourite stencil, stencil across
the middle third of your folder,
using the ink of your choice
Punch circle from ephemera.
Glue to front as shown and draw
scribble circles with black marker
Add focal image
[You may need to trim and edge with ink,
if you prefer]
Add quote
Add highlights with Scribble Sticks
Your ATC Folder is finished
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Ideas and alternatives:

  1. Make 3 and joint together into a booklet
  2. Use different paper for the folder: use old scrapbooking papers

Making LOTs of ATCs

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are wonderful little pieces of art that are traded between crafters. For a crafting show, ATCs are often traded between other attendees as a memento of the occasion. Sometimes there may be a theme to guide the participants. The challenge of making lots of ATCs for these shows is to keep the design simple and one you can easily replicate many times.

What is an ATC?

Artist Trading Cards are small pieces of art made with the intent to be traded between fellow crafters. There are all manner of groups on the internet that have swaps and challenges based around these cards.

An ATC must be the set size of 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″ . They are usually in portrait orientation but don’t have to be. Besides the size, there are no other rules to ATCs – you can make them from cardboard or fabric or any other thin material. And you can decorate them with paints or stamping or collage or quilting or any other craft you like.

The back of the ATC is to contain your details, like a business card would. Your name and e-mail address (or postal address, if you wish) is  a minimum. Sometimes the title of the ATC, or theme or occasion, and it’s number or edition is also included.

There is one other rule regarding ATCs – I have been always told that ATCs are only ever for trading and never to be bought or sold. Some crafters will create what are called ACEOs (Art Card, Editions and Originals), which are ATCs to sell. I believe that is against the spirit in which ATCs are created.

Key points to making lots of ATCs

– Start with large sheets of card (12″ x 12″ or A4) which can easily be decorated to make the background and then cut to size
– Stamping allows you to reproduce the same image many times
– Consider embellishments like punches or cutter dies that can create lots of the same in a short amount of time and for little cost
– They don’t all have to be exactly the same; if making cards to a theme, you can still alter the colour or type of some elements
– Instead of written your details on the back of many ATCs, use your computer to type out your main details (name and e-mail address) then cut and stick these to the back of your ATC. You can then sign it.

How I make lots of ATCs
1. Use walnut ink or tea or coffee stain to antique many sheets of card for the background. Use the same method to antique sheets of text from an old book or conference proceedings (if the sheets curl, place them under a heavy book to flatten, after they are dry)


2. Using a large background stamp, cover the background card (lots of small stamps will also create the same effect)

3. Cut background card into 2 1/2″ by 3 1/2″ piece

4. Cut the text pages into 3 1/2″ strips. Then tear them into smaller strips at about 1/3 of ATC width. Use a brown or sepia ink to sponge the torn edge of each piece.

5. Glue text strip to backgrounds using a glue stick

6. Add image or embellishments: I cut these T’s using  a puzzles cutter.

7. To finish the ATC, edge the entire card, using the inked directly onto the edges and stamp “time” using alphabet stamps in a lighter colour.

8. Don’t forget to add your details onto the back. This can be done by hand, using a ATC template stamp or using your computer.

The final part of ATCs is to go and swap them freely. I will always remember one of my first craft shows I ever attended and I didn’t know anything about this swapping thing. Many ladies were very generous and happy to give me an ATC when I had nothing to give in return. And this is the spirit in which I attend craft shows today.

If you are a little shy, place your ATCs in a plastic bag and use a safety pin to attach them to your carry bag or jacket, then anyone else who has ATCs can see you have some and you can start a conversation. Some craft shows will have a time and place that people can meet up to swap.

And remember the spirit of ATCs – if you are going to a show where you are going to meet people you know, you can make some special ATCs for those people, but keep them separate, so they are easy to find and you don’t accidentally hurt someone elses feelings. I have heard of occasions of some people refusing to swap their ATCs when they see the other persons ATCs and it didn’t meet their standard. Thankfully these incidents are few and between but remember that we all had to start somewhere, so be generous with your ATCs.

Happy Creating,
Michelle

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Vicky P inspired mixed media ATC

We are LOVING the Create Happiness release from Stamperia and Vicky Papaioannou – AND – we LOVE making little pieces of art like ATCs!

ATCs are Artist Trading Cards and are 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ in size. They are the perfect platform to practice your mixed media techniques and to swap with friends; think of them as your creative business cards!

Today we are making an ATC inspired by the range from Stamperia and Vicky P; we will learn a few mixed media techniques including ink blending, creating borders and composition.

Craft supplies you need to create an ATC:

Materials:

Tools:


Step by step instructions to create an ATC

Using a palette knife, spread volume paste through a stencil onto white card. Set aside to dry.

Choose two inks. Using the blending tool, apply two inks to white ATC.

Choose 1 stamp. Stamp in three places, without reinking with one ink.

Choose a border stencil. Add top and bottom border with stencil and second ink.

With same ink, apply direct to paper and edge white card, giving the piece a border.

Use double sided tape to stick white card onto black card [2 1/2 ” x 3 ½”]

The base of ATC is complete.

Chose a flower and a leaf from the collection. Stick with glue into bottom third of ATC [only need a little glue]

Chose a word or quote. Ink border with first ink colour.

Stick your word on with double sided tape.

Your Vicky P inspired ATC is complete

I hope you enjoyed creating your Vicky P inspired ATC, adding texture to volume paste through a stencil, blending inks and using stamps and stencils to add more mixed media layers. Then we embellished the ATC with the flower die cuts and a foiled word, considering the composition of the layout with the Rule of Thirds.

You can see our full Stamperia Create Happiness range by Vicky P on the Mixed Media Art website or in our store in Mount Waverley

Creating Your Own One of a Kind ATC Backgrounds

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This article is written by Shari Welch

I came up with this tutorial out of need. I needed to find a way to produce a series of artists trading cards with the same background color scheme, with each one being an original little piece of art in itself. I needed to get these out soon so I had to be creative with my time as well. GelliArts gel printing plate to the rescue!

Those of us who have used a Gelli plate will admit, it is VERY addicting. A few of the many facts I love about the gel plate is that it is reusable and cleans up easily. If you haven’t used one, the link below takes you to the Gelli Arts website. Their site will give you a better understanding of what the gel printing plate is, and what you can create using it. Besides instructions, projects, and a You tube video, you can order a plate too. www.gelliarts.com

I thought that I would print up two or three pages. But like I said, it is very addicting.

gelli plate, printed papers, and stencils

Materials I used:

  • 8×10 printing plate
  • Rubber brayer
  • White card stock 8.5×11 (cut to 8×10 after printing)
  • DecoArt acrylic paints
  • Yarn, texture tool, cut out decorative paper
  • Flower masks and stencils by Heidi Swapp
  • Stencils by Tim Holtz
  • Stencils by Prima

This template shows 8 artists trading card that can be produce out of a single gel print page if you are using the 8×10 size.

ATC template

I had a fall color theme in mind, so here are the two finished ATC background sets I choose. I still have a lot of gel prints left for yet another project. I won’t complain.

Pic of 8 ATC cards
ATC cards 2nd sheet
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Shari Welch is a mixed media artist living in Denton Texas. She is known for using reuse and recycle materials in her artwork. She volunteers for SCRAP Denton where she is on the education committee, teaches workshops, art camps, and performs art demos. She is passionate about mixed media art and enjoys helping others discover their creativity.

Shari studied graphic design in Portland, Oregon before moving to Denton. Besides writing for mixed media art, she is currently a blogger for DecoArt, was featured in Mixed Media May, and has been in a number of art shows in her hometown of Denton including GDAC “It’s in the bag”, Thirty for thirty art show, and 3arthwurks gallery show.

You can see more of Shari’s artwork at www.facebook.com/my.altered.life
and on her blog shariwelch.blogspot.com

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