Art, Paper, Prints and Painting

Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs, are tiny pieces of art with a big creative punch. Measuring just 2.5 x 3.5 inches—about 6 x 9 mm —ATCs are designed to be swapped, collected, and shared with other artists.  What makes them special is their accessibility: anyone can make them, and there are no rules beyond the size. You’ll find ATCs created with paint, collage, printmaking, photography, fabric, or even mixed media. The charm of ATCs lies in the community they foster. Artists often trade cards in person at meetups or online through swaps, which creates a fun, supportive network of creativity. It’s not about selling but about sharing—an exchange of ideas and styles captured on a miniature canvas. For beginners, ATCs are a perfect way to experiment. The small format makes them less intimidating than a large canvas, and because they’re meant to be traded, they encourage playfulness and freedom. Many artists use them as a way to test out techniques or repurpose scraps and leftover material...

I started making ATCs a few years ago, and I was instantly hooked. There’s something so fun about working on such a tiny surface—just 2.5 x 3.5 inches. It feels manageable, almost like a creative sketchbook page, but in miniature. I could try out new techniques, play with colour, or collage scraps I didn’t want to throw away, all without the pressure of filling a big canvas. I started with oil paint. I rolled the paint onto a small sheet of glass and pulled some prints. The oil work well as it’s thick and sticky, so you get an instant rough surface, which prefer to a flat acrylic surface.   What I love most, though, is the spirit of sharing. ATCs aren’t meant to be sold—they’re made to be traded. I’ve swapped cards through the mail with people from all over the world, and it’s such a joy to hold a little piece of someone else’s creativity in my hands. Each card feels like a tiny gift, a personal expression that connects you with another artist in a really genuine way. I have also d...