Artist Trading Cards hit the Mainstream in Dick Blick's 2010-2011 Studio Catalog

Artist Trading Cards, or ATC for short, is the brainchild of Zurich artist M.Vänçi Stirnemann who originated the concept in 1996 and created the first trading party in 1997 in Switzerland. Originally intended to be traded by artist to artist in person, this mini art form has morphed into a world-wide phenomenon with beaucoup variations and ameliorations. On Etsy.com, the handmade marketplace online, they are often referred to as ACEOs ("Art Cards, Editions and Originals") because they are primarily for sale rather than traded artist to artist. Plus, they include prints rather than being all original, handmade works of art. 

I have my own collection going on and prefer to buy only originals. However, I have mistakenly purchased prints from time to time. Click here for an interesting discussion of originals vs. copies by two creators of ATCs. I create and sell my own as well, but, sadly, I haven't yet found any artists willing to trade them with me. I love the idea of artists trading little miniature paintings with each other. Many of the artists on Etsy, including myself, who create ACEOs belong to a group called the "ACEO Etsy Street Team." Browse this wonderful blog for links to many miniature works of art.

I was pleased to find a two-page spread in the 2010-2011 Dick Blick Studio catalog featuring ATC supplies for artists. Log onto www.dickblick.com or call them at 800-828-4548 for your very own copy of this BIG catalog of art supplies. Happy Creating!!!

-reposted from Raphaella's Journey Continued, September 02, 2010 by Raphaella Vaisseau, www.heartfulart.etsy.com

Mary & Baby Jesus

I have been busy creating, this is just one of my newest creations!
And I loved it so much I printed it out in 11 x14!
I hope you like my newest creation.

You can find it at

My Etsy Shop

May's Freebie!

This lovely lady

Mademoiselle Juliette

I thought I would try something different!
This is a free design for all to enjoy!
It is a 5x7 in size.
Double click for the full version.
Then just print it out for your personal use!
It is my way of saying thanks to all my followers!
I love every single one of you!

I hope you like my newest creation.
You can find this design as an ACEO card at

My Etsy Shop

Original Watercolor ACEO of a Water Drop

Big Purple Dew Drop

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

ACEO - Art Card

Size: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

This one and more can be found in my Etsy Shop. The dew drop series is so popular, often times they disappear from my shop the same day they are listed!

FOREVER FRIENDS

FAIRY FRIENDS FOREVER

Can you remember your best friend?
I did this designed awhile back, although after looking it over
I felt the needed to add more to it!
Low and behold on the 2nd attempt,
it was truly eye popping candy!
I hope you will love it too!
I hope you like my newest creation.
You can find it at

My Etsy Shop

~Art Is From The Heart~

,
~With Your Heart You Create Art~

Never let anyone tell you where to start.
Yummy Cup cake fairies and little butterfly kitties.
Crowned Blue birds, singing little ditties.
That is what my heart is made of.
My imagination lends to your sensation
So make no hesitation soon my art
Will flood the nation!
©Cute Art World

I carefully placed, the fairies hair strand by strand! The hearts and text is given the appearance to look like plastic! I enjoy designing new creations and also enjoy a challenge! Should you have something in mind that you would like for me to create for you please contact me! I accept commission work you can reach me at anitra008@yahoo.com Double click on the picture to see a full size image of the incredible detail in her eyes,hair and just about everywhere! It is truly a great size to view!


The poem was written by Anitra you will receive a free copy with each Card!

You will also get two freebies!
Freebie #1

Matching ACEO Print

Freebie #2

Matching Key Chain Print

Start a free album collection of Cute Art Worlds Designs!
You can find my newest creation at

Click Below

My Etsy Shop

New ACEO

Blue Zen Butterfly and Cherry Blossoms

from

Kathy Martin Studio

This painting was created using 18 and 24 Karat gold leaf and then made to look antique. The branches were painted in copper leaf. A six step process was used to create this 3D painting. It is painted on a standard playing card as cards work best with the 3D painting process.

Dimensions: 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches (Standard ACEO size)

Both the Chinese and Japanese view butterflies as symbols of happiness and joy. The cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty in China and are believed to exemplify the transient nature of life, because of their short blooming times. Cherry Blossom (Sakura in Japanese) are omens of good fortune, emblems of love and affection, and represent spring time.


Click here for more details about this painting: Blue Zen Butterfly

Smiles,
Kathy

My Etsy Shop: http://www.kathymartinstudio.etsy.com
My Blog: http://www.kathymartinstudio.blogspot.com

Anitra's ~ Cute Art World~

Cute Art Worlds
Newest Creation!

~Train Station, Travel Fairy~
"And His Shepherd Puppy"

Hi I did it! Finally I was able to get some alone time to complete another sweet Whimsical design! And in the end this is what came out.

Wilhelm and his little pup Duke have their tickets and are ready to catch the eight thirty train to London! Standing on the steps Wilhelm fret's over where he put black crows ticket!

"Special New Edition"
to my
~Travel Fairy Series~

Wilhelm & Duke
on


Click Below

My Etsy Shop

YART Sale on Etsy

From June 11th - 20th a special sale is happening on ETSY. Select shop owners have slashed prices on great items in their store. Save $$$ on original and high quality aceo art cards and more. Go to this link on Etsy


Or use the search term "yart sale" on the ALL ITEMS drop down...

when searching for great art and crafts items at unbelieveable prices!

A Flurry of ACEO Activity

There has been a lot of stir in the ACEO community the last couple of days. bellsakabin has started the ACEO Bounty Challenge with over 60 participants and a grand prize at the end of the challenge all of the ACEOs listed in the Bounty Challenge that haven't sold during the length of the challenge. Early today that amount totaled over $400.00 with new entries being added constantly. Certainly a worthy prize. Here is the link to the thread giving the details. http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5566696

I know that some of the Acetsy Team members (I am one) are participating. One of the challenges was create a bright colored bird and here is my entry for that challenge.

In addition to the challenge thread there are a number of treasuries featuring ACEOs at the moment. I am including the links for the ones I've found and I hope you will take a moment and check them out. Let's all click and comment and get them moving towards the front of the lists.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=39581

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=39635

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=39221

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=7330

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=39691

Now every member of Acetsy has the opportunity to promote this challenge and these treasuries to everyone that they know are interested in ACEOs. Buyers can propose a challenge to have their favorite kind of ACEO created with no real obligation to buy, artists have the opportunity to be challenged with suggestions, inspired by other works of art and supportive of each other by just commenting on the treasuries and the thread.

Let us all make this a wonderful ACEO month.

Kae of Kae1Crafts and Kae1Supplies

Black Cat in Red Sunset from laurali

New original ACEO, Black Cat in Red Sunset:

etsy Item 10863883

A black cat sits in a tree watching the setting sun. Some of the autumn leaves are dancing in the sunset sky. This visionary piece with a Southwestern palette of yellow, red, turquoise blue and purple, part of the Zen Mandala modern art series (botanical abstract landscapes in a contemporary Asian style), is a miniature original acrylic painting.

Calla Lilies ACEO from laurali

New original ACEO, Calla Lilies on Dark Red:

etsy Item 10753345

Original acrylic painting on fine art paper.

New block print ACEOs

I just listed two new ACEOs created using wood and lino blocks.

"Deep Within the Forest"

Block Party Press - New ACEOs and A Feature

I have been making some new paper ACEO's lately. I like to recycle and use recycled items in my work, so when I took a picture of the cardboard that I use for painting pendants for the Flickr Crafting 365 Group, I saw the potential to create a new line of ACEO's called "Leave Nothing Behind". This is the original photo that inspired them:


I decided to start painting my pendants on cardstock so that I could make them into ACEO's easier than using cardboard. Here is what I came up with:

The pink ones were featured this week on the ACEOToGo blog.

These will be going into my Etsy shop sometime this week and they are also available for trade!

Blockpartypress.blogpost.com

Safety In Numbers ACEO

Here's a new ACEO created for the PCAGOE monthly challenge:















You can read more about what inspired this piece on my blog and it is listed for sale in my etsy shop, block party press.

She Had a Big Heart

http://sarahogren.etsy.com

A Special Offering from mLee

Ginkgo Leaves ACEO and Case
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

When I have a printing session I like to print on every scrap of paper I have. Normally I use these small scraps of printed art for my one of a kind magnets, buttons and mirrors. But I just happened to have one piece of my lovely Japanese mulberry paper torn the exact size of an ACEO/ ATC so when I printed on that I knew it couldn't be turned into any sort of product! The beauty of this piece with its fuzzy hand torn edges and delicate paper is also the problem with it. It isn't much of a card in the literal sense is it? But the only rule with art cards is the size. I couldn't bear to ruin it by mounting it to a card so I needed to come up with a better solution.

That is when I remembered that awhile ago I did an ATC swap with the wonderful Jennifer Gordon (aka stilettoheights) and that the card she sent me came in an impressive thick plastic display case. A case that she was able to provide since she owned a comic book store at the time. Well, I hadn't needed the case for my method of display so I took her card out, but I of course kept the case. This case turned out to be the perfect solution for my special art card but I was missing one of the screws! Oh no! Looking at hardware stores was not helping as I could not find any the right size. Being the nice girl that she is she kindly sent me some screws and now I am able to present you all with this well packaged ready to display ACEO! I'm quite happy with it. It currently happens to be the only ginkgo leaf image that I have in art card form.

ACEOs by Woodblock artist mLee

Art Card Poster
Originally uploaded by m.Lee

I took a bit of a hiatus from making ACEOs/ ATCs. Especially from carving new blocks for them. They have always been a side project for me. After a bit of an artistic drought I decided it was a good time to get out some of my small blocks and do some quick carvings to reinvigorate myself artistically! It has worked in the past and it worked now. Pictured here is a collection of some of my favorites. Some are available, some are not. Some aren't even listed yet!

Starting with these cards I found the inspiration and motivation to work past the pain and tiredness of pregnancy and now I have so many new cards that I just can't list them fast enough. And new larger work too.

You know, I wasn't really getting the whole art card thing at first. Even when I first started making them. I understood why I made them because they were a low commitment way to experiment with shapes and colors where if I messed up and ended up with junk it wasn't a big deal. But now I get them completely. Starting with a simple trade prior to even joining Etsy with a Livejournal contact of my very first art cards I now am building up a collection of my own that I am quite proud of and have in a rather informal display display in my studio. And I find myself wanting to hound Etsy sellers that don't offer them to make them. Having a full sized piece from an artist makes me want an ATC from them as well even more!

I am excited about this team and team blog because I am now fully on board with this fabulous format of art!

What do you think about offering this as a 8.5"x11" poster print?

Tree Girls

http://sarahogren.etsy.com

"Nest" and "Bird" 2 Set ACEO's

http://sarahogren.etsy.com