Artist Trading Cards...ATC's
lula
using all sorts of art & needlework techniques.
Some of you may know this latest popularity of Artist's Trading Cards
that began among the collage, paper artists using rubber stamps and
other paper art techniques.
These are small playing card sized pieces of artistic creations made up
of mini collages of just about any type of artistic techniques......most
often using mixed media where all types of artistic techniques are used.
The finished pieces are usually traded amongst artists from all over.
There are people who have collections of 3000 or more cards traded with
fellow artists from all over the US & world.
Great examples of ATC's can be seen doing a web search and in three of
my favorite magazines......Quilting Arts, Somerset Studio and a new
publication from the publisher of QA's....Cloth Paper & Scissors, think
that's the name....I have a two year subscription to this one as I
subscribed pre-pub.
As most creative people tend to do more than one type of art techniques,
there is an interesting crossover where quilters will bring quilting,
such as applique or crazy quilt techniques to create a mini
card......which of course works for needlework techniques.....one can
stitch a mini card using embroidery or couching techniques for example.
I've seen some ATC's by crazy quilters where they've made a mini card
sized CQ block with different bits of fabrics, stitches and
embellishments!
For me, so far, I've used interesting fabrics to wrap and glue on a base
of 140 lb watercolor paper.....on some cards, I've painted images with
regular acrylic and textile paints on top of the fabric.....then I'd
embellish with all sorts of applicable interesting bits and pieces of
things I've collected, such as buttons, laces bits, watch faces &
"innards", beads, threads and so on.
The sky is the limit on what ideas and things individuals can use to
create these mini collages with.....there are no rules on what types of
things or subjects to create with except for the size of ATC's.
Of course there are variations too where an artist might decide to make
a larger piece.....that's fine too but for trading purposes, the playing
card size is the "norm".
I love to play with words, use puns, use words in a clever, witty way
using colorful bits of fabrics and embellishments to express these ideas
in an artistic way.
One piece I made was using a black and cream colored harlequin fabric as
the base and then gluing on a battered watch face and all sorts of watch
innards such as tiny wheels and springs in copper and other
metal.....all arranged artistically and titled Bits of Time, these fonts
made from an antiqued printed set of typewriter keys sold for paper
arts.
My latest piece is embroidering a bit of ultramarine blue silk dupioni
with silk threads in various colors of a mermaid face with flowing
hair.....plan to embroider a few fishes and seaweed strands inbetween
the strands of hair......then I'll embellish with tiny freshwater pearls
scattered in her hair and two or three tiny carved mother-of-pearl fish
buttons.
ATC's as they're known become an addictive artistic process as the
pieces are small and so much fun to create and BEST of all, work up
fairly quickly, so one feels a sense of accomplishment!
For me, I like trying out techniques in "miniature".....I often find
these mini bits of art inspires my other work.
Another idea I want to do is making up an ATC and then adding a head,
arms and legs to create an artsy "doll"! Think of how many interesting
versions and the messages one can work from such a "challenge"!!
Overall, it's a real pleasure looking through my album of ATC's that
I've made so far.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen
This was very interesting to read,,, and imagine what you ahve made
!!!!
Several years ago we made an Exhibion where we made cards ,,,,it was
great fun .
One of my cards i appliqued /embroidered the postcard my mother
painted as 'Going Away' card , when we left Holland yto live in Isarel
.One i dedicated to the gallery itself , one portaryed kids on Holiday
... mirjam
lula
Were these large cards, similar to a collage? Or were these in greeting
card format?
There are so many artists nowadays designing artistic greeting cards and
other type of paper arts.......also book design, either in altering an
existing book with all types of mixed media techniques or creating a
"new" artist book.
I read about a project or exhibition that featured art books handmade by
different artists from all over the world......I only got to see some
pictures and wish I could have seen the whole exhibition.
There was a lot of exciting mixed media techniques to examine as well as
being entertained by the clever, witty messages the artists were
conveying. A lot of whimsy too.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen
This cards were the size of a POSTCARD
and most were embroidered or quilted ...
I have seen artists work Into andOn old printed books ,,
mirjam
Dr. Brat
> I've been busy working on "mini-art".....creating small art collages
> using all sorts of art & needlework techniques.
Oooo! A good friend of mine loves to enable my creativity. She visited
this week and we went up to Lowell. Since it was too cold to wander
much, we took refuge at Friend's Fabric Art (www.friendsfabricart.com)
and the wonderful women there sent us down to Stow to the Quilting Arts
store. I've only just discovered Quilting Arts and just love it. The
ATCs are amazing. They did a doll challenge not too long ago and those
are amazing, too.
Anyway, my friend is threatening to send me ATCs as a way of forcing me
to finally start playing with some of the stash I've acquired. I signed
up for the EGA's crazy quilting course, but just can't seem to get
started. For one, I can't seem to put down my knitting needles these
days. But I'm also afraid that I just really don't know what I'm doing.
But ACTs seem like a truly manageable way to just jump in and start.
And I really should do something with the lovely stash I acquired this
week. *grin*
Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen
personalized work` , you can do free form knitting , this way you will
make the 2 things you like together ... mirjam
Cheryl Isaak
fsDHd.891$rp1...@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net, "Dr. Brat"
<epc...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> lula wrote:
>> I've been busy working on "mini-art".....creating small art collages
>> using all sorts of art & needlework techniques.
>
> Oooo! A good friend of mine loves to enable my creativity. She visited
> this week and we went up to Lowell. Since it was too cold to wander
> much, we took refuge at Friend's Fabric Art (www.friendsfabricart.com)
> and the wonderful women there sent us down to Stow to the Quilting Arts
> store. I've only just discovered Quilting Arts and just love it. The
> ATCs are amazing. They did a doll challenge not too long ago and those
> are amazing, too.
>
Sounds like a fun day!
> Anyway, my friend is threatening to send me ATCs as a way of forcing me
> to finally start playing with some of the stash I've acquired. I signed
> up for the EGA's crazy quilting course, but just can't seem to get
> started. For one, I can't seem to put down my knitting needles these
> days. But I'm also afraid that I just really don't know what I'm doing.
> But ACTs seem like a truly manageable way to just jump in and start.
> And I really should do something with the lovely stash I acquired this
> week. *grin*
>
I have a crazy quilt needle case in stash. Someday.
And you are plenty creative with them knitting needles!
Cheryl
anne
> using all sorts of art & needlework techniques.
As usual, Lula, you've made me wish I had the skill/talent to translate my
thoughts into reality.
--
another Anne, add ingers to frugalf to reply
gonzo...@gmail.com
bar...I keep meaning to go, but want to drag a friend along!
Best,
Christine
lula
You can make an ATC very easily, you DO have the SKILL.....from what
I've seen of your embroideries, you're fully capable and have TALENT!
ATC's are for any person that enjoys creating and making things by hand
which means all of us!
That's the beauty of these fun, charming little creations, anything
goes, so don't worry about not having artistic skills.......you can
create an ATC to be anything at all and with any materials at hand!
ATC's can be decorative, send a message, be whatever strikes your mood
or fancy the moment you 've decided to make an ATC!
An example and good way to start is to arrange snippets of colored
fabrics on a piece of paper with some body such as the 140 lb watercolor
paper I use or use a heavy card stock paper.....whatever stiff enough
base that will support the materials without sagging.
The colors can be monochromatic, two colors or many colors.....arange
them in a pleasing way to your eyes.....then use a fabric glue stick or
fabric glue (water soluable) to stick your ground fabrics on the base
paper.
Then gather together odds and ends of beads, buttons, pretty bits of
graphics from cards, pictures you like, cut out fonts and text whatever
pleases your eye, threads, feathers and fibers and so on......anything
you can stick with glue.......from all this, make an interesting
arrangement!
Basically, you are working on a layout, making an interesting
arrangement of things to please your eye.
Ideas will come as you're arranging and moving all these interesting,
colorful elements around.
I've seen many wonderful ATC's with rubber stamped textures and graphic
images, colored in or left b/w.......rubber stamps can be stamped on
fabric similar to block printing.
In fact, I'll be carving some of my own rubber stamps from blocks of
"rubber material" sold for this purpose at craft shops.
Don't really know what I'm doing but am game to try and go full steam
ahead as I can't wait to see what I come up with! There's no such thing
as "mistakes"........all is experience, not a waste of time or
materials.
Actually, I have had some experience with stamping......my first try was
carving a potato chunk with an abstract pattern similar to a maze and
using this with a fine gold watercolor to "stamp" a textile design I had
spent hours painting.
I fearlessly applied my potato "stamp" to the artwork and voila, an
instant effect of aged "gold leafing" to my design of an Asian inspired
textile design I had painted for a brocade fabric......my professors
liked the design so much, it was chosen to be put on display in the
Gallery in the FIT lobby.
ATC designs can be a simple zen like graphic to an elaborate, fancy
candy box effect......any way you want to make them!
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures
lula
good ice breaker for conversation and an interesting evening of "Show &
Tell"
Now you have to go and report back as I'd love to hear what kind of
ATC's are brought in.......
lula
all those wonderful samples!
I've had to call them twice about magazine issues not arriving and one
arriving torn up......excellent customer service....they sent me new
copies within two days!
Then just recently, I couldn't find the ten dollar gift certificate
given for subscribers.....they took care of that and my order over the
phone!
Also, subscribers get 10% off purchases.
Thanks for the web site, will check that later.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen
, only some people haven`t found which is their`s ....by trying theu
are bound to find it someday .....
Think , that you have nothing to loose ,, take a piece of paper , the
size of a postcard ,,, now look around you ,,, do you ahve an old mag
or last week end`s paper .... do you see any picture or Title or even
just Nice big leters ,, cut tose out and put them before you ,, go
through you embroidery stash and find some leftover thread snippets
,.find some tissue paper , buttons beads ...... what ever you see ,,,
arrange it to you liking , or in any way you think is interesting ,,
and you may embroider over it all or glue the lot ,,,, or do both ,,,,
WOW ,,ANNE , you have created an artistic card ,,,, ps don`t forget to
sign your name and date and DISPLAY IT ON THE WALL , for all to see .
mirjam
mirjam
anne
> I've seen of your embroideries, you're fully capable and have TALENT!
> ATC's are for any person that enjoys creating and making things by hand
> which means all of us!
Thanks for the kind words.
I think I'll need some S.E.X. (stash enhancing experience) to get more stuff to
play with. When warm weather arrives, I'll hit the garage/yard sales.
I like experimenting. Some of them even turn out good -- the padded frame I
made today with a fabric remnant that cost $0.80 US I might actually use
someday ;-)
anne
> , only some people haven`t found which is their`s ....by trying theu
> are bound to find it someday .....
I know what my talent is -- quickly recognizing excellence/talent in others ;-)
I'm rarely satisfied with my work as I think some of it looks amateurish.
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen
whisper it ,,,,, [ shhhhh] Every `expert` artist started as an
Amateur!!!!!!! it is Practise practise and make many seemingly
amateurish stuff that makes you gradually into an non amateur,,,,
Even with some museum and gallery exhibitions on my cv , i stil am
quite critical of my own art . Just now ripped took apart a work i
have been working on for 3 [three] years.... to restart it with a new
concept.
Please try ....
mirjam
anne
> whisper it ,,,,, [ shhhhh] Every `expert` artist started as an
> Amateur!!!!!!! it is Practise practise and make many seemingly
> amateurish stuff that makes you gradually into an non amateur,,,,
I heard your whisper ;-) Perhaps my 'work' will be the start of a new genre --
funky fusion of forms and fabric.
Marjorie
favorite magazines...they are just juicy with creative ideas. I've been
really intrigued by the idea of these card-sized works of creativity!
We're lucky in Chicago to have the International Quilt Festival here for the
past two years---they have had some wonderful examples of small quilt
diaries that just blew me away each year. They're like 8" x 10"---larger
than the trade cards---and more fabric based, but the concepts, techniques
and just-flat-out creativity of these pieces are wonderful. They cover an
eight or nine month period---some were variations on a theme, some were true
diaries in that they illustrated events in the maker's life, some were
technique experiments. They sure made my fingers and brain itch to MAKE
THINGS! Marjorie
"lula" <wooly...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:41EEA7...@earthlink.net...
lula
It's fascinating what textile mixed media based artists are creating
these days using fabrics as a base......you're certainly right about
inspiring fingers "itching for stitching"! I get this way everytime I
see interesting techniques and materials used.
Thanks for reminding me about making an "embroidered" journal. This is a
project I've been wanting to do for several years but had to put aside
for other projects and work....... I love the idea of using stitches &
materials to write and illustrate a true or fictional
journal.......there is no limit to the mixed media techniques one can
use for such a project.....there is nothing boring about such a project
as there is no one technique one MUST use for everything and most of all
for me, being able to get away from the "gridlock" of gridded
designs....to have the freedom to creating real curves in linework and
shapes.
The good thing in starting out to create a continuous project is how one
good idea will lead to the next and in no time, one will have a series
of interrelated images, creating a "body" of art work.
I've seen some of these artist journals.....some done as individual
works and some as collaborative works.
No matter single or group, each artist's journal is a treat to look
through seeing how other creative people interpret thoughts and subjects
we can relate to often giving us a new way to seeing!
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures
gonzo...@gmail.com
February. I was actually thinking of organizing an ATC amongst my
online friends too. Maybe we should do one for RCTN, and it would be
like a secret santa kind of thing.
Best,
Christine
lula
I'd sure like to hear of your trip to the next ATC swap!
An RCTN ATC swap would be something to think about......wonder how many
folks would be seriously interested?
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures