Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine
Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine Beginner's - ArtTrader Magazine
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Stickers, Stamps and Ink There are infinite paths to an attractive, informative ATC backside. I dabble in Photoshop and graphic design, so I like to create custom backsides and print them at home, either on name badge stickers (perfectly sized!) or on cardstock trimmed to ATC dimensions and run through my Xyron, to add adhesive, then attached. WRAP IT UP Several more great ideas for creating ATC backsides: • • • • Hand write info on each card back individually Create a custom rubber stamp containing general info, and hand-write specifics Design a graphic, and print or copy onto ready-made stickers Design a graphic, print or copy onto paper or cardstock, hand-trim to ATC size, and attach with adhesive A custom backside, attached to your ATCs, also allows crosspromotion of your other sites, talents and interests, if you reference them in your design. For example: In addition to being an ATC trader, I also create high-end teddy bears, so I feature my bears in some of my backside designs. This brings the full scope of my art offerings to the attention of the ATC community, and hopefully, helps spread the arty goodness around. You worked hard on your art, right? To guarantee safe arrival, protect it during transit. Plastics Start with a clear plastic sleeve. Sleeves aren’t mandatory, but they ARE appreciated and usually, expected. Certainly, their use is currently the norm. You can buy protective plastic sleeves on eBay, through online retailers, at WalMart, or just about anywhere trading cards (like baseball or Pokemon cards) are sold. Costing roughly a penny each, sleeves protect cards from scratches, unintentional color transfers, smudges, and sticking. For a stiffer, more protective option, use a rigid toploader. Available in a variety of weights, toploaders can be especially useful for fabric ATCs and cards created on thick paper or canvas. They’re pricier than clear sleeves and add weight (and cost) to your envelope, so they’re not for every card and every trade. I use toploaders for ACEOs (art cards that are sold vs. traded,) and for the rare “masterpiece” ATC; for cards I worked especially hard on, am especially proud of, or that were purchased by my wonderful customers and need guaranteed safekeeping during transit. -50-
Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Traders sometimes use plastic nine-pocket pages, trimmed to match swap parameters, to store and protect ATCs during mailing. Although perfectly acceptable, this practice is relatively rare, probably because sleeves are so accessible, cheap, easy, and affordable. Special Handling Bulky or fragile art (such as glass or scratchboard ATCs) requires special handling and extra protection. These materials are likely to fracture if they process via automated machine, so encase such art first in plastic sleeves, then in bubble wrap, then in thick, rigid cardboard—or maybe even box it!—so that machine processing becomes an impossibility. Write “DO NOT BEND” and “HAND CANCEL” on the packaging, too. Extra bulk/thickness, hand canceling, and weighty protective materials will add to your shipping costs, so be sure to verify postage before sending, to avoid delivery delays. Paper and Envelopes A thick piece of letter-sized paper, folded into thirds, makes a nice wrap for your art. Junk mail, scratch paper, and scrap cardstock work too, and are environmentally-friendly ways to use handy recyclables to protect ATCs for mailing. If you include stiffer materials, like postcards, in your packaging, you provide even more protection. ATCs are frequently mailed inside #10, “Legal,” or “Business” envelopes. This type of envelope measures 4-1/8” x 9-1/2” and is the most common business envelope size, designed to hold standard 8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Other envelope sizes can work just as well. However, you might pay extra postage when using envelopes that deviate significantly from #10 dimensions (see “Cost” section, below, to learn why.) Regardless of size, thicker, “premium” envelopes provide more protective cushioning than flimsy envelopes will. hgd -51-
- Page 1 and 2: ArtTRADER m a g a z i n e PUTTING T
- Page 3 and 4: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Contribu
- Page 5 and 6: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Editor
- Page 7 and 8: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Design 9
- Page 9 and 10: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Contrast
- Page 11 and 12: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e All scan
- Page 13 and 14: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Marlene
- Page 15 and 16: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Fabric A
- Page 17 and 18: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e How to I
- Page 19 and 20: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Many of
- Page 21 and 22: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Wet Penc
- Page 23 and 24: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Karen Ca
- Page 25 and 26: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e First I
- Page 27 and 28: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Do you f
- Page 29 and 30: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Geraldin
- Page 31 and 32: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Part I:
- Page 33 and 34: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e My rubbe
- Page 35 and 36: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e The card
- Page 37 and 38: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e What the
- Page 39 and 40: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e What is
- Page 41 and 42: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Has Mail
- Page 43 and 44: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e kate mor
- Page 45 and 46: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Techniqu
- Page 47 and 48: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Critique
- Page 49: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Preparin
- Page 53 and 54: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Addressi
- Page 55 and 56: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e It’s s
- Page 57 and 58: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Gwen Kit
- Page 59 and 60: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e How to D
- Page 61 and 62: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Canines
- Page 63 and 64: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Orange D
- Page 65 and 66: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Swap Hos
- Page 67 and 68: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Writing
- Page 69 and 70: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Introduc
- Page 71 and 72: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e -71-
- Page 73: Art TRADER m a g a z i n e Call for
Art TRADER<br />
m a g a z i n e<br />
Traders sometimes use plastic nine-pocket pages, trimmed to match swap parameters, to store and protect<br />
ATCs during mailing. Although perfectly acceptable, this practice is relatively rare, probably because sleeves are<br />
so accessible, cheap, easy, and affordable.<br />
Special Handling<br />
Bulky or fragile art (such as glass or scratchboard ATCs) requires special handling and extra protection. These<br />
materials are likely to fracture if they process via automated machine, so encase such art first in plastic sleeves,<br />
then in bubble wrap, then in thick, rigid cardboard—or maybe even box it!—so that machine processing becomes<br />
an impossibility. Write “DO NOT BEND” and “HAND CANCEL” on the packaging, too.<br />
Extra bulk/thickness, hand canceling, and weighty protective materials will add to your shipping costs, so be sure<br />
to verify postage before sending, to avoid delivery delays.<br />
Paper and Envelopes<br />
A thick piece of letter-sized paper, folded into<br />
thirds, makes a nice wrap for your art. Junk mail,<br />
scratch paper, and scrap cardstock work too, and<br />
are environmentally-friendly ways to use handy<br />
recyclables to protect ATCs for mailing. If you<br />
include stiffer materials, like postcards, in your<br />
packaging, you provide even more protection.<br />
ATCs are frequently mailed inside #10, “Legal,”<br />
or “Business” envelopes. This type of envelope<br />
measures 4-1/8” x 9-1/2” and is the most common<br />
business envelope size, designed to hold standard<br />
8-1/2” x 11” sheets of paper. Other envelope<br />
sizes can work just as well. However, you might<br />
pay extra postage when using envelopes that<br />
deviate significantly from #10 dimensions (see<br />
“Cost” section, below, to learn why.) Regardless<br />
of size, thicker, “premium” envelopes provide more<br />
protective cushioning than flimsy envelopes will.<br />
hgd<br />
-51-
Change language