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"Outside the Box" ATCs

Launch gallery slideshow

Swap Coordinator:twobluecrows (contact)
Swap categories: Challenges  Art  Artist Trading Card (ATC) 
Number of people in swap:22
Location:Other
Type:None
Last day to signup/drop:September 28, 2007
Date items must be sent by:October 31, 2007
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

The only standard requirement for an ATC is that it's height and width measurements be 2.5" x 3.5" or 3.5" x 2.5", portrait vs landscape orientation. The sky can be the limit for every other aspect of the art.

In general, anything can be a backing for an ATC. I've seen them made on sheet metal, glass, plastic, canvas, fabric, wood, and varying thicknesses of paper and cardstock, watercolor paper, canvas paper. It's really only limited by either your creativity, or the rules (if any) of a particular swap.

In the big, wide world of ATCs, there is no thickness limit, either, but mostly here people make them thin enough to fit inside the standard card collector packets, sleeves or sheets.

I, personally don't require that of my partner(s) so go for the gusto! Think outside the box!

Some people are sticklers about archival qualities, but art does not necessarily have to be "forever" so many people use whatever materials that fit their artistic needs.

So, for this swap we will have one partner and will send to them an "ourside the box" ATC made of anything you want, any theme you want, and following only the size requirements for the height and width--2.5" x 3.5"

It can be a little book, a small box full of treasures, an expanding accordian pleated...something, whatever you can imagine that will fold up into, or compress to, or hide behind a 2.5" x 3.5" "cover" or facade.

Let your creative juices flow and your imagination run wild and create something truly outside the box!

Swappers who want to participate must have no less than a 4.8 rating, unless you are a newbie, in which case you must have a full profile and also must write me and convince me that you are committed to fulfilling your end of the swap--references form other yahoo group swaps or similar swaps are encouraged! If you sign up at the last minute and haven't contacted me first, you will be removed before partners are assigned.

No one likes to work this hard and create and send something so fabulous and get burned for their efforts!

Google ATCs and "Artist Trading Cards" to find examples of extravagance in art in this form.

There is a month between sign-up deadline and mail date, so you should have plenty of time, you can start making your art now!

Discussion

spinjenny 09/13/2007 #

Just checking ... only 1 ATC for 1 partner, but really go to town on making it special, unusual, challenging, stimulating, inspiring, different?

alleycat 09/15/2007 #

WOW, what a great idea, I'm really looking forward to the challenge!

twobluecrows 09/24/2007 #

spinjenny, you've got the basic idea! Except in addition, the art should in some way extend beyond the "art card" format into something three-dimensional, that will fold, compress or otherwise return to the small 2.5 x 3.5 dimension. It can be 2.5 x 3.5 x 10 if you like, as long as by contracting it;s extensions to the sides, the height and width can be returned to 2.5 x 3.5.

An ATC Zine is a perfect example--being a sheet of paper that is folded in a certain way to have 8 pages, but when closed, it's the right size.

Or a triptych shrine idea, with three faces, two of which can unfold like doors, revealing the inner main face, to stand the shrine up; then fold up to lay flat.

Or a pop-up origami box type thing, that could be a boird house, or church, or castle.

Really, think outside the card!

The point of these ATCs is that they do not have to fit in a sleeve!!

Cyn

twobluecrows 09/26/2007 #

Our group at this point is 16 well-seasoned, talented swappers with all above 4.9 ratings, and I've just replied to two newbies, sinuay and cheryl poulin with good references that they can join. With two days left for signing up, I don't anticipate many more, but we'll see.

This should be a good swap! I'm excited about the art part, I haven't done anything really outside the box in a while, so I'm ready for a challenge!

Cyn

Lisapotterylady 09/28/2007 #

Hi Cyn, I just had to join a swap that you are hosting!

Lisa from AE

synuay 09/28/2007 #

hello, everyone. Im one of the newbies. just wanted to say hello to everyone, and thank twobluecrows for giving me a chance to participate. I love "outside the box" ATC's, they are so much fun to make.

twobluecrows 09/29/2007 #

Lisa, I'm glad you got in! This should be fun!

Everyone, please, when you get your swaps, or as you send them, please, if you can, either upload pics of your pieces to our gallery here or share a link to pics hosted elsewhere(like Flickr, etc), I know we all want to see what's made of this challenge!

Partners are assigned, so we're good to go! Cyn

twobluecrows 10/21/2007 #

art2wist has uploaded a picture of her received swap, how about the rest of you all? Will you scan and upload some pictures for us as they come in? Cyn

CupcakeDD 10/22/2007 #

Just wanted to warn you that if you are sending to or receiving from ueris, she's bailed out of my last two swaps and left her partners with NOTHING (be she's received).

Rillaith 10/26/2007 #

I made something quite in the box - but it expands! That counts, right? Anwyay - I hope so, because I posted it today ;)

twobluecrows 10/26/2007 #

CupcakeDD--I'm checking into the ueris situation, and not finding anything happy yet, I'm afraid she's a royal flaker. If it turns out that way, I'll do what I can to angel for her send-to partner, and I've asked admin if anything can be done about any bad rating for her receive-from partner, just in case that becomes an issue. Hopefully her address disappeared from her profile before her partner mailed anything.

Rillaith, expanding is great!!`

Cyn

cbzcando 10/29/2007 #

Rillaith, yours sounds intriguing :) I made a book-like ATC with a few things that fan out/lift up. It's a standing piece (doesn't close all the way) but from reading above, thickness is fair game so I guess it is ok... At any rate, Spinjenny - it is on its way to you. Enjoy!

cbzcando 11/ 4/2007 #

Pictures of the one I sent out are on my flicker here

Rillaith 11/ 4/2007 #

Twobluecrows - beautiful ATC, thank you! But, um, what is a 'tag book' ? Even not knowing, I love the way it ripples so elegantly when you open it. Delightful!

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