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Read Thread: ATCs anyone?

Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73574 by mudflinginfools
Feb 21, 2007 10:10am
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Oh, sorry. they are Artist's Trading Cards. About the size of a baseball card, the artist can use any medium or combination of mediums to create cards that demonstrate their art, commemorate events or accomplishments, fit a theme for swaps, or just are made for the sake of making them. They are traded and collected among artists through web sites and at art shows. They are rarely if ever sold, though the collections do grow in value.

I recently started doing them because I only recently learned about them. The base can be anything from card stock through watercolor paper. Some use digital photography, paper crafts, scrapbook techniques .... and yes STAMPING! woohoo. However, most of the stamps that I've seen on ATCs are store bought. So I wondered if any of the Letterboxers were doing this with some of their stamps. You are certainly artists whether you believe it or not.

We will not be able to travel to Oregon, Washington, or very many states in the US anymore. Which doesn't stop me from wishing to see and collect your stamps. Postals are one way of doing this, but ATCs would allow you to embellish your stamps even more.

The mere suggestion may inflame some, but believe me when I say that that is not my intent. If you are opposed to trading stamp images in this way, then that is your belief and you are welcome to abstain from joining any swaps that result from this suggestion. However, for the rest, think of it as a postal (and it can be handled in that way - even with the postal tracker) where you create a numbered and signed card that showcases your stamp. You make 10 of them and send 9 to the host who collects cards from 8 other LBrs and then sends you a set of 9 to go with yours to make a set of 10 limited edition ATCs.

It could also be handled that each lbr sends their cards to each of the other recipients. Not sure if that would be better on postage or not, but I've seen it done either way.

What do you guys think?
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73599 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 10:23am
Thread (disabled) Board
Ahhhh! My sister the scrapbooker does this! She has books of them... she's also made them out of puzzle pieces... She's a junkie about it. She does it with about 40 scrapbookers... everytime I go to her house she's doing a new one... I'm not sure if she even scrapbooks anymore : ) She made me make an address card for her address file spiny thing... and I had to embelish it.... Oh the things people embelish.
The puzzle one was cool though... it had 12 pople in the ring, each with a 12 piece puzzle and they were decorated around a specific theme. Hers was music for my niece... and its awesome! She framed it and its in my nieces bedroom who is going off to college next fall majoring in music!

I'd probably play along... I love artsy craftsy stuff... even if it isn't my forte! I love playing in glue!
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73599 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 10:31am
Thread (disabled) Board
Postal "exchanges" of sorts? I know an exchange is a face-to-face experience, so I wouldn't count these as exchanges. But, Ryan has an "other" category for creative minds. He used it for valentines. I use it for my cootie cops.

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=278452&ck=

If you go with this, I'd post them in the "other" category, with a naming protocol. For example, "ATC: dragonflies" and "ATC: Mama Cache" so that it could all be identified easily.

To set up a tracker, you'd have to ask a special favor of the Green Tortuga.

Nice idea. Don't be surprised if some disagree, though ;-)

Mama Cache
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73604 by mudflinginfools
Feb 21, 2007 10:36am
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Quote I'd probably play along... I love artsy craftsy stuff... even if it isn't my forte! I love playing in glue!


LOL Well you just get all gooey and join us then!
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73604 by mudflinginfools
Feb 21, 2007 10:41am
Thread (disabled) Board
So if we did puzzle pieces, then it could work this way:

Each player buys a twelve piece puzzle, marks the back of each piece, and mails the puzzle to the coordinator.
Coordinator puts one piece from each puzzle into 12 bags & mails them to the players.
Each player decorates the pieces with his/her signature stamp on each and mails the set back to the coordinator.
Coordinator, using the marks on the backs, sorts the pieces back into the original boxes and mails them back to the original owners.

Time intensive. Expensive. Very fun.

The puzzle idea would be great fun for a small event! Hmmm......

MC
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73608 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 10:59am
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Does mud stick with glue? Hmmm... honey get out the cement mixer... I'm going postal!
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73610 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 11:01am
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Actually they aren't that expensive... my sister picked up 12 piece puzzles at the dollar store... they are basically kids puzzles... the pieces you end up decorating are about 2x3 inches overall (puzzle shaped though) And the one she has hanging is really cool. Because everyone picks their own theme... and the others in the ring have to incorporate their own talents to help make a piece that fits the overall theme. I'm lucky - MUD goes with everything : )
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73599 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 11:26am
Thread (disabled) Board
THis sounds like lots of fun.. I have never seen it done, but I think I am creative enough to do something fun =o) I am in if you get this going!

Rhea of TGT
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73607 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 11:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
We could rename them to Letterbox Trading Cards if we wanted.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 50 States postals send cards instead of stamps? Wouldn't this be something of the same thing?

This does seem to fit an "Other" category better though; Ryan, how hard would it be to set up a tracker for ATC or Letterbox Trading Card (LTC) exchanges (whichever name people prefer)?
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73573 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 12:21pm
Thread (disabled) Board
This is the first I have heard of ATC's. Sounds like fun to me! I would like to try it. May I make a suggestion? Dragonfly you talked about it being a postal ring. That sounds good but my suggestion would be to have one person as, say like home base, where we would send all of cards to how every many are in the ring. The home base person, once they have everyone's cards, makes up envelope or what ever and takes it to the post office to see how much it would cost to mail. Contact each person in the ring and then we would send "home base" the money or stamps for the postage and maybe throw in a little extra to help out with mailing materials. Maybe I'm way off base, pardon the pun, on this one but it was just a thought.

alamocito
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73644 by alamocito
Feb 21, 2007 1:09pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Ok, I have written and re-written this message about five times now so I think I have it straight...

If we put perameters on the puzzle size (say everyone purchases a puzzle that is 8x12(just an example)) then the postage should be about the same for everyone to mail them out to the home base person. That means that you should be able to include a SASE for all your new parts to be sent to you for decorating, correct? Then when the decorated pieces are sent back to teh home base person, again a SASE should be fairly easy to include for your decorated pieces to be returned, correct? Or am I overthinking this again... Definitely more complicated that the traditional 4x5 cards, but the end result should look pretty cool.

ooh... and all the pieces for your puzzle would have to be marked so all the correct parts would be returned to the correct person! Hmm...
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73644 by alamocito
Feb 21, 2007 1:29pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Sounds like two separate projects:

1. Cards (handled like the State symbols postals, but put in the others category)
2. Puzzles (definitely more tedious, but fun)

Maybe two different host(esse)s would be needed.

The first is more along the lines of ATCs.

The second, while fun, might be better for a local group. That's a *lot* of work. And there's a great deal of room for error (lost puzzle pieces, one person dropping out, etc.)

I'll be watching for this as it unfolds.

Mama Cache
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73664 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 1:38pm
Thread (disabled) Board
If anyone is interested in this, I would be willing to host the puzzle version... unless of course dragonflies or mudflingingfools are interested (I do not want to step on any toes). I am thinking the easiest way would be to have the host purchase the puzzles (maybe then they could all be the same puzzle and make the decorating of the pieces easier). If there are just a few people involved it would be easier, but again the size of the puzzle and number of pieces would dictate the number in the group. The easiest way would be to run it like a postal since the tracking is already set up, and we could do something similar to what they are doing for the state postals with the cards...

Rhea
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73644 by alamocito
Feb 21, 2007 1:50pm
Thread (disabled) Board
The ATC's could be traded between two letterboxers, too. Like I mentioned before, though, they wouldn not be considered exchanges -- dragonflies suggested the name LTC -- Letterbox Trading Cards.

In fact, if a letterboxer is interested in this, he or she could show willingness to trade by creating an "others" stamp and posting it as such. Then anyone could go to "Basic Search" => "Other" and see at a glance those who were interested.

If the prefix LTC was used (see example below) then all LTC's would appear together in a search (see second and third links).

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/showboxinfo.html?gBoxId=32758
(My little creation)

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/results.html?gTypeId=16
(A Basic Search in which you select "other" and it lists all alphabetically -- scroll to "LTC")

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/results.html?gTypeId=16;gName=LTC
(A Basic Search in which you select "other" and in "name" you type "LTC")

I've also set up a tracker (just for a test run) to see if you can do this without adding postals. What would happen if you just added participants? You don't need to track everything because one person would be coordinating it and all 4 x 6 cards would be mailed out to and from that one person. In other words, you aren't waiting for several postals to come your way, so you wouldn’t need that feature.

http://www.atlasquest.com/lboxes/tracker/showinfo.html?gTrackerId=510

Am I thinking and communicating clearly? What do you all think? If 5 of you wanted to experiment with this tracker and with "other" stamps logged like mine, we could use my tracker for a trial run.

Mama Cache
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73668 by The Gillespie Tribe
Feb 21, 2007 1:58pm
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You can go ahead and host this one... just let me know the details so I can play too!
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73670 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 2:05pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I think Mama's idea would be great for the trading cards but would not work with the puzzle idea since you would have to have a set number of participants for the puzzle. The trading cards could be an ongoing thing, but the puzzle would be a one time deal.

So what is the preference? puzzle or cards? or both?
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73675 by The Gillespie Tribe
Feb 21, 2007 2:25pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Well, I forgot that setting up the tracker would alert those who have that notification automated. Those of you who are following the thread might want to get your names on the list. For now, I'm experimenting. I'm willing to try this out with ten of you to see how it goes.

Mama Cache
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73675 by The Gillespie Tribe
Feb 21, 2007 2:25pm
Thread (disabled) Board
The tracker is for cards. I think I'm going to play with my puzzles at home. ;-)

MC
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73681 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 2:33pm
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Ok all, I added a tracker for the puzzle (ATC puzzle) with a limit of ten people... I will look for appropriate puzzles and let everyone who signs up know what the cost will be.

Rhea
LTC Tracker Set Up
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73670 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 2:36pm
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http://www.atlasquest.com/boards/message.html?gMsgId=73670;gAuthorId=6088

Read the post above, and if you're interested -- first ten of you -- sign up on the tracker, and we'll give this a trial run.

1. Create a letterbox called "LTC: YourTrailName" and log it on AQ in the "other" category. (See mine)
2. Sign up on the tracker. Do not add a postal letterbox. Leave that blank.
3. Create ten Letterbox Trading Cards (on 4 x 6 index cards) that in some way are representative of yourself. You should include either your signature stamp or another stamp that is "you." (I don't know why this couldn't be sketched, stamped, or some combination of media.) Artist Trading Cards use a variety of media, right?
4. Mail all ten to me with a SASE envelope that would hold another ten.

Let me know if I'm missing anything. I'll select a launch date soon.

Mama Cache
Re: ATCs anyone? Some examples
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73644 by alamocito
Feb 21, 2007 2:42pm
Thread (disabled) Board
For anyone needing a hand getting the creative juices flowing this site has many samples of ATC's

http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

Red Soup
Re: ATCs anyone? Some examples
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73687 by JennieGee
Feb 21, 2007 2:59pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Awesome examples Red Soup! definitely helps get the creative juices flowing *nodding* =o)
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73644 by alamocito
Feb 21, 2007 6:51pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote say like home base, where we would send all of cards to how every many are in the ring. The home base person, once they have everyone's cards, makes up envelope or what ever and takes it to the post office to see how much it would cost to mail. Contact each person in the ring and then we would send "home base" the money or stamps for the postage and maybe throw in a little extra to help out with mailing materials. Maybe I'm way off base, pardon the pun


LOL you are not off base. That would work very well. It's how exchanges are handled in my sister's group. Thanks!
Re: ATCs anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73668 by The Gillespie Tribe
Feb 21, 2007 6:55pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote If anyone is interested in this, I would be willing to host the puzzle version... unless of course dragonflies or mudflingingfools are interested (I do not want to step on any toes).


My toes are well protected! *grin* Please... everyone, anyone, feel free to host whatever you choose. I just wanted to get the discussion going. I'd be happy to see where you all take the ideas. Everybody is so creative!

Whhhhheeeeee
Tee - along for the ride!
A Home for ATCs
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73740 by Shadohart
Feb 21, 2007 7:01pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Rather than using Atlas Quest as a clearing house for Artiststs' Trading Cards, why not use an ATC site?

http://vb.nervousness.org/

Meet new people, have discussions specifically about this topic. Why re-invent the wheel?

Lisa
Re: LTCs moving along
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73670 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 7:07pm
Thread (disabled) Board
You go Momma Cache! Yes, it seems you have hit on exactly what I was thinking.

I only have one correction. ATCs are traditionally 2.5 x 3.5. The same as baseball cards, so you can store them 9 to a page in the baseball card sheets. Even the puzzle pieces that are exchanged are smaller than this standard. The measurements help to keep costs down for materials and postage.

That said, if you all wanted to increase the size for LTCs, we can, but I recommend that we set a standard size.
Re: A Home for ATCs
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73743 by lisascenic
Feb 21, 2007 7:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Rather than using Atlas Quest as a clearing house for Artiststs' Trading Cards, why not use an ATC site?


My original intent was to involve letterboxers, who I know are carving stamps specifically. Stamps that I won't be able to collect from boxes or gathers planted/held in different states. That's the only reason I wanted to set up and exchange with people here.
Re: LTC Tracker Set Up
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73686 by Mama Cache
Feb 21, 2007 9:53pm
Thread (disabled) Board
This will be fun! Can you give us a few weeks to work on it? LOL

Love this idea!!!

D5 Mama
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #73618 by mudflinginfools
Feb 24, 2007 8:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
i would like to try one. i have lots of stuff to embellish with.
deniserows
and is one of those scrapbookers who
hasn't touched her scrapbooks since she discovered LBing.
Re: Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) anyone?
Board: Art Corner
Reply to: #74270 by deniserows
Feb 24, 2007 9:00am
Thread (disabled) Board
oops a little late on this one. i see you have 10 already. good luck