What is an ATC (Artist Trading Card) ?

ATCs, or Artist trading cards, are becoming more and more popular.

ATCs are collectables, and are based from the older sports-themed trading cards.

Artists trading cards are original miniature works of art created on 2.5” X 3.5” inch or 64 X 89 mm card stock.

The fun about the ATC is that anybody can produce them.

The project of the ATC cards began in 1997. A Zurich artist, M. Vanci Stirnemann, is one of the major contributor of this project, as he initiated Trading Sessions where people from all over the world could trade their own ATC.

The trading process is very important, as an ATC mustn't normally be sold, but only exchanged. Most of the artists exchange their card through mail or by participating in special Trading Sessions (some artists also exchange digital ATC online).

There are some rules to respect when you create an ATC.

1) Use your imagination! Ok this is not a rule, but it's still the most important part when creating a card. You can put everything on an ATC, so let your imagination work!

2) As I already said before, ATCs MUST have a dimension of 2.5” X 3.5” (or 64X89mm).

3) Some informations have to be written on the back of each ATC; the title of your work, your name, your address (or other contact information). Also, if the card is part of a series or edition, you have to indicate the number of the card (for example, if the ATC is the second one of an edition of 5 cards, you have to put 2/5....)

4) At last, have fun doing your ATCs!