Another First

Last week at work, I made my first Artist Trading Card. At work? Yes, I had to fill in for the art therapist while she was away. Poor me. Not doing my own work and making art instead. Someone should call the Department of Labor.

We had a group of artists who have wanted to learn about these for a while and some who knew nothing about ATCs at all. It was strange to run a group about something I know about but never actually did. So I was kind of winging it. 

Last year I bought a book called Artist Trading Card Workshop. I highly recommend this book to all ATC enthusiast and beginners. The book is filled with techniques for backgrounds and collages from easy to more advanced. Some projects included are painting on paper towels, stenciling, transfer techniques, embossing resists, and using resin. Directions for making an accordion book to hold all your cards can be found at the back of the book. Hundreds of full color images of ATCs are sprinkled throughout to add more juice to your imagination. 

I passed this book around the room so the artists would get a visual sense of what I was talking about. And then we spent two hours creating. Nothing beats being in a room full of artists working on art and talking. The air is electric with ideas and creativity. Sometimes I like to just watch them work and interact with each other. It's so important to belong to a community and where I work we strive to provide that for artists who struggle with mental health issues. 

Now my brain is full of ideas for more ATCs. Since the working area consists of only 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" I think some designs might translate to my work with the 1" x 1" pendants. 

I made the card above on a piece of heavy watercolor paper. A tag, a picture of a model with fairy wings, and the number 6 were collaged onto the card after I painted the background pink with Lumiere paints (my favorite!). Then the fairy got teal polka dots. The back has my signature, the date, and the edition of 1/1. 

I think I am going to keep this one since it is my first. But for future reference, does anyone want to trade?