ARTIST TRADING CARDS (ATC)
Background:
A trading card is a 2.5 x 3.5 card, usually made out of tag-board or thick paper,
which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing (fictional or real) and
a short description of the picture, along with other text (attacks, statistics, or trivia).
Trading cards are traditionally associated with sports; baseball cards are especially wellknown. Cards dealing with other subjects are often considered a separate category from
sports cards, known as non-sports trading cards. These often feature cartoons, comic
book characters, television series and film stills. In the 1990s, cards designed specifically
for playing games became popular enough to develop into a distinct category, collectible
card games. These tend to use either fantasy subjects or sports as the basis for game
play.
Assignment:
You will design and create nine 2.5 x 3.5 personal Artist Trading Cards. Your cards
must have a theme, and you must then make nine variations of that theme.
A theme is a unifying or main idea, motif, etc., in a work of art. On the back of
each card you must write your name and a different statement about art.
A statement can include a quote, an expression, or a definition to each card.
Sketch out nine cards and write your statements before creating your final project. Once
your ideas have been planned you may begin the final project. Upon completion of your
cards there will be a class critique of the cards and finally you will get to trade your
cards.
Theme Examples:
Altered faces
Ancestors
Animals
Cars
Where I live
Family Events
Favorite time period
Favorite things
Heroes & Heroines
Historical Events
Journeys
Memes
Monsters
Music
Mythological creatures
Nature
Ode to famous artists
Owls
Photography
Postcards
Playing Cards
Seasons
Seven Wonders
Solitude
Special Places
Solar Systems
Steam Punk
Story books
Surrealist
Tim Burton
Trucks
Impress Yourself!
Use 3 of the following techniques/processes to begin your first 3 trading
cards.
1. Use magazine pictures to collage and paint with acrylic.
2. Use paint or colored pencils to create a monochromatic scene.
3. Glue textured or patterns items on the card.
4. Try a Round Robin ATC where one artist starts working on a car and then passes it on
to the next artist.
5. Try to use the elements of art in your creations.
6. Create an image using radial symmetry.
7. Layer items or drawing to give the illusion of space.
8. Create a card using images and words that give a sense of a time or place in history.
9. Repeat shapes or items.
10. Create a drawing of an animal that goes with your theme.
Remember: Write your name & statement legibly on the back.
Materials:
Materials will be laid out on the side counter next to the light box. Start off by getting
your first 3 cards. You may get more as needed.
You may need:
9 Trading cards
Magazine paper
Scrap paper
Glue
Colored pencils
Oil pastels
Pencil
Pen
Acrylic paint
Watercolor paint
Paint brushes
Silly Scissors
Scissors
Compass
If you need any other
supplies, let me know.
Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Avoid boring plain designs.
2. Avoid using only words-use texture, symbols or images.
3. Avoid too many tiny details on the card- its only 2.5 x 3.5 inches
4. Avoid sloppy construction- be proud of what you create, we will be displaying these.
5. Be sure to carefully glue all items down to the background.
EXAMPLES OF THEMATIC ATC