Artist Trading Cards Gallery? The 49 Latest Answer

How to create artist trading cards

Want to create Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) but feel you could use a little help? We’ll give you a few pointers, and before long you’ll be crafting and trading these miniature masterpieces.

The story so far…

In part one of our look at creating artist trading cards, we briefly talked about the basics and how you can create backgrounds using a variety of materials and techniques. The second part continued with the consideration of themes, focal points and embellishments.

Now let’s look at how to complete, save, and present your artist trading cards.

Completing your artist trading cards…

When creating artist trading cards, especially if you use paint or ink, you may find that the backs of your cards are a bit messy. If you have used brads or eyelets as embellishments, these will be clearly visible on the back. While some artists don’t mind this, others prefer to cover the backs with another piece of cardstock or paper of the same size. This can easily be attached with glue or with thin (3-4 mm) double-sided tape, which has the advantage that it does not show through thinner or more porous materials.

You may wish to add a border to your artist trading card with a fiber pen simply by running it along the edge. It takes a little practice and a steady hand, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quick, easy, and very effective. A metallic border in gold, silver or copper color can be very attractive; We find Krylon® Leafing Pens to be ideal for this purpose.

What information do I need to include on my artist trading card?

When creating artist trading cards, you should always include certain information on the back. Every artist has a different idea of ​​what should be there, but most agree that at a minimum you should include:

Artist’s name

Contact information, usually an email address

Title of the ATC and/or subject of the swap

Creation date of the map

Edition number within a limited edition or series

Artist’s signature.

Some stamp makers have recognized the need for a common form for these indications and have made stamps to match, such as this example from Scottish Border Stamping.

If you have a computer and a printer, you may want to design your own form using a label creation program. Several manufacturers offer adhesive labels measuring 63.5 x 38.1mm, which come in very handy for this purpose, but you can of course use regular paper as well.

Limited editions and series…

Artist trading cards can be one-of-a-kind, one-of-a-kind creations (OOAK) or part of a limited edition or series.

No two original works of art are ever exactly the same, but we use the term edition or limited edition to describe a set of artist trading cards that are virtually identical.

The term series is used to describe a set of different cards on a specific theme or with a unifying factor. Some artists like to create a design that spans multiple cards, usually three to five. The full design cannot be seen until all the cards are placed together.

Artist trading cards within an edition or series are numbered “m/n” or “m of n” to indicate the edition size and the number of the individual card within. Cards that are unique may be labeled “OOAK” or numbered 1/1.

How to store and present your artist trading cards…

When you create artist trading cards, whether you’re an avid exchanger or can’t bear to part with your creations, you need a system for storage and display. You need something that will protect the cards from touch and direct sunlight, keep your collection together, and make them easily accessible whenever you want to look at them.

You can make your own storage system, but there are a number of commercially available products that will do the job. For individual artist trading cards, there are clear card sleeves, as well as albums and album pages that fit in standard A4 ring binders. Suitable albums typically contain about ten transparent pages with pockets to hold either four or nine ATCs per page, while each album page can hold nine cards.

Since artist trading cards are the same size as standard trading cards, you could try looking for clear sleeves, albums, and pages at stores and websites that deal in this type of collectibles. You may also be able to find these items at several stationery stores and some bookstores.

Looking for a new way to display artist trading cards? Continue reading…

Would you like to know more?

We’ve got a few ideas on how to create artist trading cards that are a little different from the usual…

Maybe you want to swap with other enthusiasts now? Then you will be interested in our tips for exchanging artist trading cards…

The business card may seem like an antiquated relic in the internet age, but it’s one of the most powerful and widely used personal branding tools in the industry. Those personal connections are still valuable, and a well-designed business card can connect you to your next sale, assignment, or show.

What should an artist business card say?

Design and cardstock are important, but the most important part of your artist business card is the information on it.

Your Name

Your name must appear on your artist business card. If you use a pseudonym to promote your art, make sure the name on your business card matches the name on your website and social media pages. It should be the same name that you sign your work with – or at least relevant (signing your art with your initials is different than signing your name “Lucy” but writing “Trevor” on your business cards).

contact information

A card is useless if it doesn’t tell anyone how to contact you. A phone number and email address ensure that you can “keep the conversation going” with anyone interested in your work.

website

Your card should also include your website or a place where your work can be viewed online. You should never try to cram your entire catalog onto one card or turn your card into a catalogue. So by putting your website on your map, you’re telling people there’s more to see and showing them how to see it.

“Artist.”

You don’t have to write the word “artist,” but your business card should make it clear to everyone that you are one. You can use one of your artworks as a background or insert a universal graphic symbol such as a picture frame, brush, camera or chisel. If you have many different styles of art (e.g. if you are both a commissioned portrait painter and an abstract expressionist) it can be useful to have two different designs based on the relevant practice you wish to encourage.

The following things are not required, but can be useful information about your business card:

Services you offer

Your address (if you have a studio or shop)

logo

fax number

Social media icons

“Should I put a QR code on my business card?”

No! QR codes waste unnecessary space on your card and chances are nobody will ever scan them. Simply pasting your webpage’s URL will do everything your QR code wants to do and it will do it in a more attractive way.

design & size

If there was a standard design for an artist business card, we’d say you should ignore it. Make your card stand out from the crowd. After all, your art does. Still, there are certain design elements you should keep in mind, or your business card could offend more than attract.

stay small

A business card can vary in size and shape, but should never be larger than 3 1/4″ x 2 1/2″ or 8.5 cm x 5.5 cm. This is because business cards of this size fit in most standard wallets and pockets. If you print a business card larger than these dimensions, they can become annoying for the recipient and they might just throw your card away!

keep it clean

We’ve shared the same advice for artist websites, artist statements, portfolios, and just about every blog post we’ve ever made. Don’t overload your business card with too much information or it will look unattractive and confusing.

keep it clear

Use simple fonts that are easy to read, especially for your email address. If you ever want someone to contact you, they need to be able to read your email address clearly, otherwise you might not have given them a business card in the first place.

Do not use more than one artwork per page

Your business card is small and your artwork needs to take up the whole space to make a statement. If you include graphics in the design, let them fill the length or height of your business card. It will be bold and effective. Don’t force multiple works onto the card or it will look cluttered and unprofessional.

Use strong paper

It costs more, but strong paper lasts longer and gives a better sense of professionalism. It shows people that you take your art seriously enough to invest in a quality business card. Strong paper also tends to hold color better, making your artwork look great!

Fun Artist Business Card Ideas

diversify

If you really want to show off your 50 awesome paintings, print 50 awesome different business cards and let people choose which business card they want you to give them.

Shape-ify

Everyone expects the rectangle, but these days you can do interesting things with printers. Whether you’re rounding the edges or changing the shape entirely, make sure your box is heavy enough to withstand the unconventional shape.

Fancy Materials

We once met an artist whose wooden business cards did their wooden sculptures very justice. You can use many different materials to create a great business card: thin metal, fabric, sandpaper, plastic, the list goes on! We love this post from the world’s smartest business cards.

Interactive business cards

While it’s a good idea to stock several ready-made business cards, a great thing you could do is have some blank business cards with your website and information on them so you can draw personal, one-of-a-kind designs. artworks on. Met a collector at an art fair? Draw their portrait on the business card you give them! This can be a great gimmick, especially for artists who focus on drawing or portraits.

A good business card should make a good impression. Tell us in the comments about the best business cards you’ve ever seen!

For actors, here we explain the real way to get an artist card, fees, filming locations, etc. The world of arts and media is undoubtedly an enchanting place. It’s like the golden world of storybooks, but it’s not. No matter how enchanting the world seems from the outside, it is very difficult to get into, let alone very lucky. Any person who wants to be in Bollywood or fights hard to get a chance must have two types of stuff. One is a stunning portfolio and the other is an artist card. No matter what type of job you are looking for in the cine industry, no matter what type of job you are looking for in the film industry, you must have an artist ID card to ensure your safety, whether you are just a day laborer or laborer or emerging artist or are a breakthrough Bollywood actor.

This content includes the process of obtaining an artist card in India, combined artist card, artist card price information, etc

What is an artist card?

An artist ticket is a gateway to the Bollywood film industry. In Chennai and also in places like Mumbai, the heart of Bollywood, this is a mandatory thing. The cost of an artist card ranges from 3,000 to 7,000 and there are two types: one for junior artists and the other for senior artists. Problematically, these cards are only registered by authentic companies like “CINTTA”, “Shiv Sena CHTRAPAD SHAKHA” etc. but they cannot really guarantee a proper job. Because of this, you need to be extra careful not to fall into the trap of fake agencies or companies.

Why do you need an artist card:

First and foremost, an artist card is needed as it provides protection for an artist’s main needs such as payments, working hours, etc. When a large production house needs a large number of up-and-coming artists, the authentic organizations produce these cards. Let’s note the other reasons for purchasing an artist card:

This card can be especially useful for up-and-coming artists who don’t have professional training or have any ambitions to be the “superstar” in the near future. They generally don’t have dialogue, or maybe one or two. You may come from a community that sees acting as just a day-to-day job and not an art in itself. This applies to people like makeup artists

As a registered emerging artist with an artist card, you can contact the union if the casting directors ask you to work overtime without valid overtime.

An actor with an artist card and a professionally trained artist may have a better chance than an artist with a union card holder.

Anyhow, that doesn’t mean you can’t do without them as there are examples of people who have succeeded without them. But it acts as a positive catalyst to speed up your progress.

How do I get an artist card?

Since the process is quite troublesome, many people are wondering how to get an artist ID. Let’s take a look at the process:

Be careful with the fake ones. Keep in mind that any casting director, coordinator or production house that asks for an artist ID to give you a role or a break in the film and is also willing to issue an artist ID for you is more likely to 100% is fake.

Be careful not to pay anything in case you receive a portfolio email immediately after applying online confirming your selection without any audition. Even if they ask you to pay more than Rs. 3000 they are most likely scammers.

There are some documents you will need, namely:

5 copies of passport photos

Copy of one of these pan cards, ration cards, drivers licenses, proof of residency, voter IDs

Here are some numbers of Artists and Actors Unions in India that issue these cards

Bombay

CINTTA

This is one of the most important artists and actors unions in India. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees or FWICE is a union for film industry workers in Mumbai. Their requirements may seem a bit harsh, but you can call them and find out for yourself.

Their address is 113, 1st Floor, Kartik Complex New link road, Andheri West, Mumbai 400053

Telephone: 91-22-26302552, 91-22-26730511, 26730513

http://www.chintta.net/home

SHIV SENA CHTRAPAD SHAKHA

Fees: Rs. 2000 (Please contact them for the current rate)

Contact: G 9, Nootan Nagar Primises CHS, Gurunanak Road, Bandra West, Mumbai

Telephone: 26557001, 26404712

MAHARASTRA NAVNIRMAN CHITRAPAT KARMCHARI SENA

Contact: 102, 1st Floor, Umesh Chambers, Telligali next to Chatwani Hall, Andheri East, Mumbai 400069

Telephone: 65147999, 26848631

Fees: Rs. 5000-Rs. 7000 (approx)

BJP KAMGAR MORCH CHITRAPAT UNION

The office opened in 2014 is located in Dadar (East) near Ranjeet Studio.

Contact No. 24183290; 24183141; 24150462

You can ask the BJP Office for the address of the Chitrapat Union or go

Go to the BJP website: www.mumbaibjp.org

IFAA, Delhi

This is a popular name in Delhi film industry. Their claim is that they don’t prefer a larger profile, but the very best. All of its members are connected to the world of entertainment. She can be considered a leading voice and advocate for Indian culture and the audiovisual industry. They are also known for expanding job opportunities for Indian artists. You can visit their website: http://www.ifaaassociation.com/

There isn’t actually a strict rule regarding the need for an artist ID, as mentioned earlier. You can judge and verify yourself and act accordingly, but it is always advisable to be wary of the fake agencies.

Tag: How to get Artist ID card in India legally

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How to sell your own art cards

are you an artist Would you like to benefit from your creative passion? Whether you’re a painter, photographer, graphic artist, illustrator, henna artist, embroidery artist, or mixed media enthusiast, you can use your favorite art form to create one-of-a-kind, handmade greeting cards for sale.

Our customers tell us all sorts of stories about how they combine our blank photo insert cards with their own art. And the good news is, if you plan to make your own cards and resell them, qualify for our wholesale card prices.

Here are a few ideas to consider if you’re planning to sell your own art cards!.

Sell ​​art cards at local stores

What are some of your favorite shops in town? Do you have friends or family members who own or run a brick-and-mortar business?

Stop by local boutiques, flower shops, jewelry stores, hospitals, restaurants and cafes, yoga studios and pitch the idea. Bring along a few of your favorite handmade cards to display. Be ready to discuss pricing and your wholesale or shipping policies. If there is interest, you may find the opportunity to create a custom line of art cards made exclusively for a location.

Sell ​​art cards at pop-up markets

Many cities have spring and summer farmers’ markets, art shows, cultural events, sales shows, business shows, and craft fairs that attract many local shoppers.

Chat with your park district, chamber of commerce, or even search for upcoming local events on Facebook or Google. Ask your friends and family if they’ve attended any fun art shows or craft fairs and start making a calendar of the dates.

Check with your local schools and churches as well. They often organize these types of events annually as a fundraiser for their organization. It’s good practice to attend some of these events yourself to get a feel for the crowds and attendance so you can gauge if your art tickets will appeal to audiences. It’s also a good idea to help you assess whether the traffic at each show justifies the booth fee that organizers charge vendors.

Remember that many outdoor events take place rain or shine, so this type of setup will require you to invest in a sturdy tent complete with weights, tables, display materials, business cards, signage and in some cases liability insurance.

Sell ​​art cards on Etsy

Etsy is an established and rapidly growing online marketplace for makers looking to sell their handmade goods and artwork.

While there are a plethora of options for selling your art cards online (and we encourage you to do your own research to find the platform that works best for you), Etsy is fairly easy to use, has a reasonable fee structure, and is secured through leading e-commerce research and great marketing power.

You can also search Etsy for art cards in your specific style to see how other makers price and title their cards to get ideas for your own Etsy shop.

How to price your art cards

Do your market research to see what the popular card plans are in your area. You want to be sure that you’re not only covering your time and materials costs, but that you’re also including some profit margin and accounting for all the overheads for things like marketing costs and stand fees and insurance, while remaining affordable for your customer.

Average art card prices tend to range from $4 to $8 per card, depending on the level of detail, materials used, and the complexity of your art. If you sell originals or limited edition prints, you may be able to sell even more.

Another aspect to consider is wholesale and retail prices. Many artists charge a wholesale minimum of at least $200. To appeal to a larger audience, you may want to offer two types of art cards at two different price points: a basic and a deluxe version, or two different size options. Some artists offer a discount when a customer buys multiple items to move the product and increase the average sale amount. For example, you could set your price to $6 per card or 3 cards to $15.

A good formula to follow when pricing your handmade art cards is as follows:

Material cost + time cost + overhead x 2 = wholesale price x 2 = retail price

Read more about the prices of your handmade cards here.

How to market your art cards

Get creative with your product photography and add some environmental and lifestyle shots to bring context and life to your product. Professional-quality photos can go a long way in building a polished brand. You can achieve this with a good smartphone and some natural light, a simple background and maybe a few props you already have lying around the house.

Next, think about your story – what inspires you to create? What do you love most about your medium? Dive deep behind the scenes and show your process. Look at other artists you admire and pay attention to their writing style. What language are they using?

Once you have some photos and some written story elements, you can start marketing your art cards through Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. These are three great platforms to share your pictures and your stories – and to be discovered.

Also, consider starting a blog if it suits your style. Building a social presence helps attract potential customers and helps you look elegant and professional when approaching stores for wholesale opportunities. Many juried art shows also ask for your social media links. So, a solid online presence increases your credibility and your chances of getting admitted to these events.

Make your art now!

We hope this inspires you to take your handmade cards out into the world. With a little planning and research, you can monetize your art by turning it into greeting cards. If you want to learn more about how to make money from your art, here are more tips on selling greeting cards. Leave a comment below if you’ve tried any of our tips! We appreciate your feedback.

Researching artists and makers across the UK, I discovered an interesting collectable movement that I had never come across before. I was totally fascinated by ACEOs and ATCs and started a collection of these little gems myself. What on earth am I talking about? …… let me explain.

ACEOs stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. They are small, original works of art that appear either as individual pieces or as editions. They must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches. This standard size is universally recognized by collectors. Larger or smaller sizes would not qualify as ACEO. The artwork should include the artist’s details on the back and be an original work of art.

Additional information on the back can include the title or name of the artwork, medium, limited edition number, and date of completion. I personally prefer ACEOs that have been finished with acrylics or watercolors. Be warned that some artworks listed as ACEO are actually limited edition prints classified as editions and I would advise you to be cautious when purchasing if these are small original versions you are looking for.

Are ACEOs and ATCs the same thing?

Many people make the mistake of believing that these two mediums are one and the same. That’s not the case. In fact, purists disagree with ACEOs since ATC stands for Art Trading Cards. ATCs were never intended for sale and were created to provide inspiration for other artists. Cards are made in a variety of mediums including pencils, pens, markers, watercolor and acrylic paint. A rarer medium is paper media in the form of collages, silhouettes, found objects, or even metals or fabrics.

“While some artists happily traded tickets for free, another group of artists recognized that there was a market for these miniature works of art and quickly put their tickets up for sale at remarkably low prices.” (emptyeasel.com)

“Art Cards Editions and Original, ACEOs for short, debuted and quickly became a worldwide success.” (emptyeasel.com)

“Cards are sold as either originals or editions. If it’s a print, it should say so, and it should usually be numbered and signed on the back.” (emptyeasel.com)

“By the way, the biggest place to buy and sell ACEOs and ATCs is eBay.” (emptyeasel.com)

You can also sign up to join the ACEO & ATC collectors club. Join the Kylie Fogarty Art Studio mailing list to receive regular updates and exclusive offers straight to your inbox.

https://www.kyliefogarty.com/aceo-atc-collectors-club/

The History of the Artist Trading Card

The Artist Trading Cards movement originated in Europe in 1997. The original idea was the brainchild of well-known artist M Vänçi Stirnemann, who created a collection of 1200 cards for an exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland. During the exhibition, he encouraged other artists to produce their own art cards and organize swapping or swapping events, either in person or online. There are now many swap sites and online trading sites around the world.

Just a few weeks after the Zurich exhibition, the idea went viral (in a physical sense) by a Canadian artist named Don Mabie. He organized a trading session for ATCs at the College of Art & Design – Calgary, Canada, in September of the same year.

Today there are regular trading sessions around the world. If you’re an artist and want to get involved with the ATC movement and make new connections, Facebook is a great place to start.

There are a few basic rules to follow to create a true ATC:

Artist trading cards are miniature works of fine art. The ideal size format would be 64mm x 89mm. Similar in size to the highly collectible baseball cards.

It must be an original work that strictly adheres to copyright legislation.

To qualify as a true art collector’s card, the small works of art must be signed and dated on the back. Information such as media (mixed media, oil, acrylic paints, watercolors, etc.), artist name and country of origin are often included. Some artists even include contact information and web addresses. This has the added benefit of making these Artcards as useful as a calling card when attending a trading session or miniature exhibitions.

There are no restrictions on trading card format. Artcard themes vary and styles range from traditional art to conceptual art. They offer a fantastic opportunity for emerging artists to join a shared network of talent worldwide and truly make their mark in the art world.

The popularity of artist trading cards has resulted in the medium becoming highly collectible. It wasn’t long before artists began selling their work, and the artist trading card movement that began with Stirnmann in Zurich, Switzerland, blossomed into the ACEO and ATC movements we know today. This spread awareness of the art card as a collectible miniature and provided an opportunity for anyone to acquire their own miniature masterpieces.

I have to admit, my soft spot is for ACEO. I treasure every miniature painting I purchase and marvel at the work, talent and dedication that went into creating it. I have several quality maps from Europe, Canada and even Australia. I highly recommend you check out these gorgeous little pieces for yourself. You never know, it could be your first step into the art world.

Give each of your students a nine-slot plastic trading card sleeve. You can have your students create up to 18 cards this way if you use front and back. My students are working on it now. Here’s a lesson plan to get you started.

Goals

Students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art.

• Create artist trading cards, one at a time, that effectively depict the various elements and principles of the art.

resources and materials

• Paper cut to trading card size, 2 ½ x 3 ½, 9 or more per student

• Plastic sleeve pages with 9 compartments, one page per student

• various papers; Construction, fabric, wallpaper, newspaper, cardboard

• various drawing and painting media

• Scissors

• Glue

background information

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are miniature works of art, usually made on cardstock, and traded between artists. They can be about anything and made with any medium, material or technique. They can be made as one of a kind, in limited editions or in series based on a specific theme or theme. It all depends on the individual artist. The rules for ATCs are simple.

ATCs must:

• Measure 64 x 89 mm (2.5 x 3.5 inches).

• exchanged for other cards – not sold.

• Be flat enough to fit in a plastic trading card sleeve.

• be signed and dated on the back of the card.

A Brief History of ATCs

Artist trading cards have been around for less than a decade. However, its historical roots can be traced back to the Mail Art and Fluxus movements of the 1960s, and even earlier to the Dadaist movement of the 1920s.

Swiss artist M. Vänci Stirnemann first developed the concept of Artist Trading Cards in 1996 when he decided to document his activities with other artists by producing a catalog of 1,200 cards that he had handmade. He exhibited the cards in May 1997 in his bookstore gallery in Zurich. On the final day of the exhibition, Stirnemann invited anyone who wanted a card to create their own ATC to trade during the closing reception.

Canadian artist Chuck Stake (aka Don Mable) visited Stirnemann’s exhibition in May and also participated in a trading session during his stay in Zurich. Stake was very enthusiastic about ATCs and worked with Stirnemann to host “The First International Biennial of Artist Trading Cards” at the New Gallery in Calgary, Canada, which was attended by 80 artists from 10 different countries. Since then, interest in ATCs has spread around the world with the help of the Internet.

Many artists who make ATCs use the internet to view their cards and find others willing to trade cards through the mail or share ideas. However, organized face-to-face ATC sessions are by far the preferred means of meeting other artists and trading cards. Today, ATC swap sessions are held in most major cities around the world.

http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php

vocabulary

• Artist trading cards

• Line, Shape, Form, Texture, Color, Space, Value

• Proportion, movement and rhythm, balance, emphasis, unity, variety, pattern

preparation

Cut paper into trading card sized pieces, 9 per student. Gather and distribute a selection of media and papers. Make some examples of artist trading cards.

motivation

Explain to students that artist trading cards are miniature works of art traded by all ages. They can be crafted using any medium, material, or technique, as long as they fit within a plastic trading card sleeve.

procedure

Give each student a cover page and have them write their names on it. Begin by checking the line, then ask students to create a line design using as many types of lines as possible on their first map using markers.

For the shape card, ask students to create a small collage using different types and shapes of paper.

For the form map, ask students to create a three-dimensional bas-relief map by rolling or folding paper. The card must still fit in the plastic sleeve.

For the texture map, ask students to create a textured collage using as many different textures as possible.

Ask students to create a design or image for the room map that shows positive and negative spaces.

For the color chart, have students create a design or image that uses the primary colors red, yellow, and blue.

For a second color chart, have students create a color wheel from papers cut out of magazines.

For the value card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows different values ​​of the same suit.

For the proportions chart, ask students to make a design or picture that shows the proportions.

For the movement and rhythm card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows movement and rhythm.

Have students make two cards for balance, one for symmetrical balance and one for asymmetrical balance.

For the highlight, ask students to make a design or image that shows the highlight.

For unity, ask students to make a design or picture that shows unity.

For a change, ask students to draw a design or picture that shows variety.

For patterns, ask students to make a design or picture that shows a repeating pattern.

Additional cards can be assigned at will to fill the sleeves.

When each card is ready and dry, it can be placed in the sleeve. Nine fit on the front and nine on the back. These could be displayed by taping the sleeve sides together to make a hanging curtain or placed in a notebook.

valuation

To what extent do the students:

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art?

• Create artist trading cards, one at a time, that effectively depict the various elements and principles of art?

extensions

• Students could create a series of ATCs based on a theme rather than the elements and principles.

• Students could write the name of the specific element or principle on each card.

web links

http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/

http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_trading_cards

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artisttradingcards/

http://www.atcsforall.com/

For the last 18 months I have devoted much of my painting time to creating pocket art. (“Pocket art” refers to paintings measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches.)

Painting in such a small format can be challenging, but always rewarding. Here are the two most popular types of pocket art out there today:

ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)

Artist Trading Cards are small, playing card-sized works of art intended to be traded with other artists. During the Impressionist era, artists exchanged art cards with each other to study each other’s styles and techniques. They also bartered or sold the art cards for supplies, food, and shelter.

Among certain arts and crafts movements, ATCs are about exchanging art without exchanging money and without interference from the business side of the art world. Artists can trade their cards in in-person trading sessions as well as via email.

ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals)

While some artists happily traded tickets for free, another group of artists recognized that there was a market for these miniature works of art and quickly put their tickets up for sale at remarkably low prices.

Art Cards Editions and Original, ACEOs for short, debuted and quickly became a worldwide success.

Cards are sold as either originals or editions. If it’s a print, it should say so, and it should be numbered and signed – usually on the back.

By the way, the biggest place to buy and sell ACEOs is eBay.

Basic ACEO guidelines

1. The size of an ACEO should be 2.5 x 3.5 inches. This standard size is universally recognized by collectors. Larger or smaller sizes would not qualify as ACEOs.

2. All work must comply with basic copyright law. This was very important to the founding artists who understood the importance of respecting and acknowledging original work.

3. There are no other rules. Artists have complete freedom to make creative choices, such as the ACEO’s theme or the materials used in its creation.

Artists from all over the world create and sell these little gems in different mediums and on different themes.

Supply stores are beginning to carry specialized materials to help artists create and showcase them. Perhaps most importantly, art critics are beginning to take notice of these small but fine works of art.

If you want to try your hand at collecting or making pocket art, you should know that it is very addictive. As an artist, I find I can experiment with different forms of art, use ACEOs as studies for larger works, and can afford to use better quality materials since the dimensions are so small.

I also get instant feedback from my eBay auctions, increase patronage for my art in general, and meet great people from all over the world.

For me it was a great trip and I invite you all to try it!

For more information on Kathleen Harrington’s bag art and traditional artwork, visit her website at KathleenHarrington.com.

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Top 21 Sports Cards and Trading Cards of 2021

2021 was another big year for the world of sports cards. The boom continued for much of the year, although there are signs of leveling off in some areas. One thing that didn’t slow down was the number of releases. Between mainstream and online releases, more than 300 products have been released in all sports and entertainment areas in 2021. That is a lot. So what were the best sports cards of 2021? It depends how you look at it.

Here are 21 of the most important sports cards and trading cards from the year that made an impact and helped define the year of the hobby. Here are a few things to consider. First, the list includes cards and products released in calendar year 2021. Second, while value is certainly a criterion for some cards, this is definitely not a “most valuable cards of 2021” list. These tend to be the conversation starters and trendsetters.

21 sports cards and trading cards that shaped the hobby in 2021

21. 2020 Topps Now USA Election Bernie Sanders #21

Can a meme become a trading card? A mittened Bernie Sanders proved he could do it. The card, which shows the Vermont Senator at the inauguration of the President, went on to sell 91,169 copies. That’s the highest for a Topps Now card. It garnered a lot of mainstream attention and likely got into the hands of many non-collectors looking for a timely keepsake of a memorable moment.

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20. 2020-21 Hoops SLAM Kobe Bryant #19

Retail SLAM insoles in 2020-21 hoops may not be the most valuable insoles of the year. That’s not to say they haven’t capitalized on some, especially some recent nostalgia with cards recreating some of SLAM magazine’s most iconic covers. When Hoops first came out, it was one of the big retail chases.

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19. 2021 Topps Update Ultra Rare Variations Fernando Tatis Jr. #US1

Variations have been a big part of Topps baseball for a number of years. There are many of them every year, some more prominent than others. It wasn’t long before these ultra-rare cards became known as Big Head Variations in the 2021 Topps update series. The odds for this have not been announced, but they are extremely tough. While all are fun, Tatis’ card stands out even more. The energetic photo lends itself well to the caricature.

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18. 2021 Topps Now Baseball Wander Franco #402

2021 Topps Now Baseball has multiple debuts. None was bigger than the one that commemorates Wander Franco’s first game in the Bigs on June 22nd. 61,305 copies were sold in about 24 hours, a record for a Topps Now baseball card. Five levels of parallels, each numbered 49 or less, have also been interspersed. A small number of autograph relic versions were also available but sold separately. The print-on-demand cards may not be traditional rookie cards, but their direct connection to players’ debuts is nonetheless significant.

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17. 2019-20 Upper Deck The Cup Cale Makar Auto Patch #62/99

The Cup is always a late release. However, with the pandemic causing major delays on many fronts, the 2019-20 Upper Deck The Cup has been postponed until February 2021. As usual, the product features many of the season’s biggest hockey rookie cards, with Cale Makar serving as one of the headliners. In his third season, the Avalanche star has already established himself as one of the best defensemen in the league.

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16. 2020-21 Panini Chronicles Contenders Optic Historic Rookie Ticket Autographs David Beckham #1 /99

The international football scene didn’t have a massive rookie in 2021 like it did with Erling Haaland in some publications from the 2020 calendar year. 2021 saw one of the sport’s most influential modern icons appear on his first autographs in a long time. David Beckham’s signature can be found on several products to be released by Panini in 2021, but Chronicles’ Contenders Optic Rookie Ticket Autograph gets the nod here thanks to its association with a long-standing brand and Beckham’s early years. With 99 copies, it is also one of his more copious autographs. Even if you manage to land one for under $1,000, you’ll probably get a deal given how these have sold.

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15. 2021 Panini Prizm UFC Color Blast Conor McGregor #15

In 2021 Panini took over the UFC license. Parallels were large multiple low-numbered card draws of top fighters on both Prizm and Select that grossed several thousand dollars. But they weren’t the only cards to pack a punch. As Panini’s rare side dishes continue to gain momentum, Prizm Color Blast cards have become some of the most desirable. That includes the first batch of UFC Color Blast, directed by Conor McGregor.

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14. 2021 Parkside NWSL Premier Series Vol. 2 Signature Series Trinity Rodman #SS-TR

Trinity Rodman, just 19, still has a lot of football ahead of her. She is currently a member of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and has previous experience with the U17 and U20 national teams. It is likely that she will represent the United States at the World Cup and Olympics in the next few years. Rodman’s first card is 2021 Parkside NWSL Premier Series Vol. 1. However, it is her autograph on the follow-up release that netted more than $500.

In case you were curious, yes, she is Dennis Rodman’s daughter.

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13. 2021 Panini National Treasures Base Assistant to Traveling Secretary Jason Alexander #GC /99

This is one of those cards that just seems to appear out of nowhere. It definitely points to Seinfeld with the actor, the photo, and the reference to Alexander’s character with the card number, and of course his character’s job with the New York Yankees on the classic sitcom. As for the jersey pattern – it’s not really from the show. Consider it a fun card that’s fully a Seinfeld card, even though it’s not officially a Seinfeld card. It’s also one that topped $1,000 for a time shortly after its release.

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12. 2021 Bowman Chrome Draft Autographs Marcelo Mayer #CDA-MM

This one came in under the wire and came out at the very end of the calendar year. That didn’t stop Marcelo Mayer, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft, from becoming one of the most valuable Bowman Chrome Prospect autographs of the year. It’s very possible that someone else will show up in the years to come, but for now, Mayer is king of this year’s crop of baseball’s most influential cards right now – the 1st Bowman Chrome autograph.

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11. 2021 SP game uses Collin Morikawa Auto Shirt #69/299

Upper Deck returned to the links in 2021 with Artifacts and SP Game Used. With seven years between releases, this meant some new faces on golf maps. Enter Collin Morikawa. He won’t turn 25 until February but has already won two majors and is currently second in the PGA world rankings. Aside from some extremely rare uses and parallels, Morikawa’s First Tee Rookies signed commemorative card in 2021 SP Game Used is considered his key card. Since he has a more common base card in the product, this isn’t a rookie card, but it doesn’t matter in the modern hobby. At the moment, that sets the pace for everything else.

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10. 2021 Pro Set Trevor Lawrence #PS1

The hobby’s biggest comeback of 2021 was the return of Pro Set. An online-exclusive multisport publication acquired by Leaf helped relaunch the brand that was synonymous with the hobby in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Created using a print-on-demand format in the 1989 Pro Set Football design, the Trevor Lawrence launched selling a massive 56,111 copies. The card also has a reverse image variant with a print run of 1,000 copies.

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9. 2020-21 upper deck Kirill Kaprizov #451

When it comes to rookies, the 2020-21 hockey season should be all about Alexis Lafreniere. To an extent it did, but the first overall win didn’t light things up as expected. It was Kirill Kaprizov from Minnesota who made things shine. With Lafreniere’s Young Guns RC arriving in Series 1 and significant delays pushing many popular hockey releases into calendar year 2022, Kaprizov’s key rookie card, found in 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 2, stands out even more.

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8. 2020 Topps Dynasty Formula 1 Signed Patches Max Verstappen /10

The 2021 Formula 1 World Champion has three standard autograph patch cards in Topps Dynasty 2020, each numbered 10. Dual and triple patch autographs are also available. Regardless of the card, all are scarce and feature thousands. Verstappen may not get as much attention as Lewis Hamilton, but he’s also only 24 years old. He also now has a built-in rivalry with Hamilton thanks to the drama and course of the historic racing season. As F1 continues to grow and expand, 2020 Topps Dynasty should prove to be the crown jewel of modern racing maps.

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7. 2021 Topps Star Wars Stellar Signature Natalie Portman #A-NP /40

For decades, Natalie Portman has not been the most readily available autograph of any form. That all changed a bit in 2021, however, when Topps was finally able to put the Oscar winner’s signature on trading cards. I found the ultra high end Star Wars Stellar Signatures 2021, there aren’t many but it’s something. The first examples to sell were usually in the $4,000 range. This fills one of the biggest gaps for non-certified autograph Star Wars actors associated with the franchise.

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6. 2021 Topps Project70 Ronald Acuna Jr by Alex Pardee #34

Topps Project70 may not have achieved the same level of hobbyist excitement or sales level as the similar Project 2020, but there are still plenty of amazing works of art on the vast checklist. Alex Pardee drew a lot of attention with his Ronald Acuna Jr., his first card in the set. Similar to Project 2020’s Mike Trout, Pardee’s vision pushes the boundaries of what a baseball card can be. Here it borders on the outrageous and dreadful. Pardee hasn’t slacked off in his run, bringing his Brightmares with him every time. Editions reflect the popularity of the artist in Project70. Five of the top 10 sellers in the set are from Pardee, including the top 3 overall. Even though the Acuna has almost 15,000 copies, it still comes in at a solid premium to its original price.

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5. 2020-21 Panini Prizm LeBron James #1

Come on now. This photo is perfection. When people look back on James’ career, there’s going to be his blocking in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals and there’s going to be this shot. It’s an instant icon, combining sportiness and angles in a way that might defy gravity. By a 36-year-old, no less. Sports Illustrated’s Ben Pickman spoke to photographer Andrew Bernstein about how the shot came about.

In its basic form, this is not a big money card compared to some of the rookie cards in the 2020-21 Panini Prizm Basketball. That said, it still fetches more than you’d expect from an easily obtainable 18th-year LeBron James card. Many of the harder parallels fetch thousands. If you’re looking for a perfect basketball card, color-coordinated gold or purple Prizms are out there.

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4. 2021 Absolute Kaboom Mac Jones #K44

As far as side dishes go, 2021 was Kaboom’s year. While not exclusive to esports, Absolute Football 2021 appears to have received its biggest boost from the lively maps. Among the leading figures on the checklist is Mac Jones. The Patriots quarterback had released many big cards in 2021. With several major RCs like Prizm, National Treasures, and Contenders coming in 2022, this one stands out even more.

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3. 2020 Panini National Treasures Justin Herbert RC Car Patch #138/99

Joe Burrow may be hot for 2022, but Justin Herbert carried the torch for most of the year as the top quarterback in the 2020 draft class. Since its release in April 2021, Herbert’s rookie card from the 2020 Panini National Treasures has been among the hottest football cards in the game hobby and regularly brings in $30,000 or more, depending on the rating.

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2. 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton #1

Formula 1 caused a sensation in the hobby in 2021. Prior to the 2020 racing season, there had never really been mainstream F1 maps. Her deal with Topps changed that. As Formula 1’s popularity has increased, Lewis Hamilton’s standing in the collectible world has skyrocketed. Not only is he one of the greatest drivers of all time, but his cultural influence is enormous. All of this is happening on a global scale, so hobbyist norms may not be as noticeable. What is, however, are the prices that its 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 card fetches. The basic version costs over $100, while refractors and the image variation can draw in thousands. Then there’s the Topps Chrome Sapphire card. It can also exceed $1,000. It’s one of the reasons hobby boxes for it and the free 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 Sapphire are now hitting $2,000.

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1. 2020-21 Panini National Treasures LaMelo Ball RC Car Patch #130/99

Many people warned that the 2020-21 NBA rookie crop wasn’t as strong as the years immediately prior. That may very well be true, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any standouts. LaMelo Ball is making the Charlotte Hornets relevant again, like they were in the Starter Jackets and Larry Johnson days. Ball is one of those players where you tune in to a game or even the nightly highlights package and never know what’s going to happen. Combine that with the appeal of National Treasures and you have a truly significant card.

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In case you’re wondering how they’re doing, here’s our list of the best cards of 2020.

A recent visit to the basketball card section of Upper Deck’s online store indicates that “we cannot find any products matching the selection”. These seven words are a depressing summary of the decline the once thriving company has endured.

They sell sports memorabilia like autographed, game-worn LeBron James shoes and a Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card. But these items evoke nostalgia rather than continuity. Where did everything go wrong? Before diving into the dive, it’s best to delve into the ascent.

The Beginnings of Upper Deck

According to Pete Williams’ book “Card Sharks: How Upper Deck Turned a Child’s Hobby into a High-Stakes, Billion Dollar Business,” the company opened its shop in 1988, but Paul Sumner conceived the idea a year earlier to counter the rise in counterfeit cards . His knowledge of holograms, which were an integral part of his company’s brochures, came in handy to authenticate the items. But not being a designer, he delegated the task of developing prototypes to Robert Young Pelton.

Boris Korbel and Richard McWilliam also helped create what would become one of the most recognizable sports trading card brands in history. Their meteoric rise began two days before Christmas 1988 when Major League Baseball licensed them to manufacture baseball cards. Two months later, the first two boxes of Upper Deck cards made their way to George Moore’s card shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Their cards brought a breath of fresh air to the market because they use glossy paper. Aside from the hologram, Upper Deck also wrapped its cards in foil wrappers. These groundbreaking changes brought instant success to the company.

The first batch sold out by mid-1989. Aside from increasing demand for a new player in the industry, Ken Griffey Jr. as the number one card made the set highly sought after by collectors. Luck rolled on that they had sold out their 1990 set a year earlier. However, they were just beginning to improve the competitive balance.

The NBA works with Upper Deck

The two-year-old company peaked when it acquired trading card manufacturing licenses for all four of America’s major leagues. With MLB already in tow, Upper Deck secured rights with the National Hockey League, the National Football League and the National Basketball Association. A year later, they released their first set of NBA cards, aptly named 1991 Upper Deck.

According to Sports Card Pro, the pack includes lesser-known players like Jack Daley, Ledell Eackles and Winston Garland, as well as legendary players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan. The most famous card among the cards is Magic vs. Jordan #34, where Johnson posts Jordan.

Initial success resulted in nine Upper Deck Award Winner hologram cards including Jordan, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to name a few. For an international audience, Upper Deck has also released select cards in Spanish and Italian.

At this moment, the sky is the limit for Upper Deck. They had a more attractive product than the rest of the market that drew a lot of interest from both sports fans and card collectors. Since the market was in good shape, they continued to release several card sets a year. But their partnership with arguably the game’s greatest player made Upper Deck untouchable in their early days.

His Airness and Upper Deck: Match made in Basketball Heaven

It was the perfect storm for Upper Deck. Michael Jordan was on his way to becoming the king of basketball just like they were on the rise. As Air Jordan began accumulating NBA championships, his legend grew that every fan wanted a piece of him, especially when he abruptly retired after the 1993 season.

A year later, in 1994, Upper Deck introduced the MJ Rare Air collection, according to Sports Card Pro. The images on the cards range from in-game shots, self-portraits and glimpses of everyday life. The California-based trading card company has created nine exclusive Jordan sets, some of which are the 1995 Upper Deck Jordan Collection and the 1998 MJ International Stickers.

Long before Jordan’s playing days are over, his legacy lives on with the 2005 Upper Deck Michael Jordan/LeBron James Bonus Pack and the 2008 and 2009 Jordan Legacy collections, bringing force to the basketball trading card market. Unfortunately, they became victims of their success.

The beginning of the end for Upper Deck

When the NBA granted Panini an exclusive trading card license in 2009, Upper Deck’s basketball card production ground to a halt. While it’s easy to blame the rejection as the cause of the downfall, the rumble in Upper Deck may have prompted the league to issue its vote of no confidence.

Granted that McWilliam is an integral figure in the company’s success, he also became a toxic leader who brooked no resistance or objection. At some point, sales slowed due to overproduction of cards. He looked for scapegoats for missing sales forecasts. So he deleted five more executives to consolidate his control, according to The Big Lead’s Sam Eifling.

But that was just the beginning. Anyone who opposed McWilliam got the axe, and all directions, good or bad, came from him. The once innovative company became another entity instead of standing out. After launching several firsts, Upper Deck lacked fresh ideas, which showed in their designs.

Things didn’t improve because demand for trading cards dropped, further reducing their potential income. Collecting and trading basketball cards was perceived as child’s play by the public, leading to a brain drain. In fact, the market cooled down and it became difficult to find solutions. Court cases dashed Upper Deck’s hopes of becoming relevant again.

From a macroeconomic perspective, the global financial crisis of 2008 also dealt a severe blow to the industry. Novelties like trading cards are not attractive to people on a tight budget. Likewise, the NBA has found that it is easier to review potential copyright infringement cases when only one company created the cards. Unfortunately, Upper Deck’s shaky status didn’t deserve a license renewal.

Even after losing their NBA license, they maintained their basketball card business by releasing the SP Collection in 2011 and 2013. However, they used the high school, college, or foreign team uniforms of NBA players. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s autographed gold card has the highest value between these two sets and the entire Upper Deck catalogue. Still, the fact remains that their basketball cards are artifacts.

A cautionary tale

The combination of poor management and dire circumstances led to Upper Deck going out of business with basketball cards. If not for those reasons, there’s a good chance they’ll get the only NBA trading card license. Upper Deck is a highly recognizable brand that has achieved massive success from its humble roots.

That’s not to say their trading card division doesn’t exist. They still produce cards for the NHL, Marvel, and the Overwatch Esports League. But current executives need to think about potential profits now that basketball card trading is back in vogue. Her autographed 2003 UD Exquisite Collection LeBron James card fetched $5.2 million from a private buyer.

If only they had the license they could produce the same card for young stars like Luka Doncic, Ja Morant and Trae Young. If you make it rare, its value increases, which can exceed LeBron’s card.

Unfortunately, they can only dream as Panini performs the work that was once theirs. It may be a while before Upper Deck can produce NBA cards again. That is, if the company still exists by then.

MLB sports card collecting is booming, but it’s looking a lot different than you might remember. Why the boom? “People were at home cleaning out their attics or playing around on eBay out of boredom,” said one collector. As seen on the weekly Woburn Sportscard Show: A set of Tom Brady cards including a rookie card with a $1,500 price tag. JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

The last sports card show I attended until recently was in Augusta, Maine, about 30 years ago. I don’t remember the exact year. I remember former Red Sox pitcher Bob Stanley being kind enough as he sat in a folding chair signing autographs for a dollar or two.

I remember this more vividly: the most coveted cards were those featuring Red Sox prospect Phil Plantier, who played fewer than 200 games for the franchise before becoming Padres outfielder Phil Plantier. I can report that his cards won’t help pay for my kids’ college education or even a cup of coffee in Dunkin’.

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So I was away from the scene for a while when I bought a $5 ticket – passed the $30 VIP option that used to get one in the building – and at the Causeway Card Show on July 10th at the Big Night Live venue stopped by at TD Garden. That a glitzy new concert hall, which advertises its “red crystal chandeliers” and “beautiful wood-paneled walls” on its website, was hosting this two-day show should have been a hint that this wasn’t going to be like the card shows of my relative youth. Thirty years ago, the Augusta Civic Center didn’t have a single chandelier. Bob Stanley can probably confirm that for me.

Thousands of people came to the Causeway Card Show in July.BRANDI BISHOP

As a lifelong collector (nearly all purchases over the past 15 or so years have come through eBay), I was curious, even eager, to see another show. The hobby became massively popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, eBay reported that 2020 sports card sales on the site increased 142 percent from 2019, with more than 4 million cards sold.

The market has been driven in part by the understandable pull of nostalgia and the desire to find pleasure in months of isolation.

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“People were at home cleaning out their attics or playing on eBay out of boredom,” said Scott Edwards, who worked at an Empire sports card table at the Causeway show, “or maybe they were just thinking of better times.” ”

“People were at home cleaning out their attic or playing on eBay out of boredom, or maybe they were just thinking of better times.”

Scott Edwards, provider of card shows

The other reason for the boom? A chance to make big bucks…or maybe a few thousand dollars by finding a rare card with an autograph, a rare color scheme, or some other variation – of a superstar or coveted rookie in a pack. If you’re the luckiest of the lucky ones, you might just open a pack of cards that could change your life.

A slump of irrationality

In February, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic’s 2018-19 Panini National Treasures basketball rookie card — the only one of its kind — sold for $4.6 million, or more money than some of his teammates make in salary. The card, which includes Doncic’s autograph and an NBA logo patch, was on a live “break” — opening packs on video or at a show in hopes of spotting a valuable shortage — from Layton Sports Cards in Florida been excavated.

In April, a 2003 LeBron James Exquisite Collection patch card sold for $5.2 million. Together, these two James cards, owned by California collector Aaron Davis, are worth more than $7 million. JOHN FRANCIS PETERS/NYT

It didn’t remain the most expensive basketball card of all time for long. In April, a 2003 LeBron James Exquisite Collection patch card sold for $5.2 million. Classic cards long coveted by the hobby have also sold for millions of dollars: a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sold for $5.2 million in January, and an extremely rare early 20th century tobacco card by the great Honus Wagner brought 3, $75 million.

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General stores like Target couldn’t keep cards on the shelves as customers bought $20 boxes and either opened them in search of a rare hit or resold the unopened bounty on eBay for a big profit. Eventually, Target couldn’t put them on shelves at all after customers started bickering over them. In May, Target only made maps available online.

“Collecting is always irrational,” said Jeff Katz, a collector, author, and former mayor of Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. “But the irrationality over the past year and a half is a money hunt, not a card hunt. People who line up at Target at 4 am are not card collectors. They are idiots.”

“Collecting is always irrational. But the irrationality over the past year and a half is a money hunt, not a card hunt. People who line up at Target at 4 am are not card collectors. They are idiots.”‘

Jeff Katz, a collector, author, and former mayor of Cooperstown, N.Y.

For investors, collecting high-end cards became an enticing way to make big bucks quickly, similar to non-fungible tokens and cryptocurrencies.

“The biggest thing, other than getting people nostalgic during the pandemic, has been rich folks and foreign investors,” said Bill Simmons, whose podcast network The Ringer now includes one that focuses on sports card investing and which itself opens – or ” tears”. Use of language – grabs with his son on Instagram.

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“That has changed. They had rich people saying, “I want every baseball Hall of Famer ticket from the ’50s,” and they buy whatever their quest was.

“And the other thing that happened was these groups got together and invested in stuff, kind of like a card hedge fund. “Let’s get a ’52 coat, there’s an auction coming up,” and boom, they’d get it. They treated it almost like buying art.”

Anyone who has seen the Mantle card, a colorful portrait of the young Yankee in the first Topps set, will recognize that it is art. But what does art do if you can’t admire it?

The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card is known as the holy grail of sports cards. It will be shown here during a commemorative display prior to the MLB All-Star Game in Denver in July. DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS

It makes sense to protect cards in plastic sleeves, as grading companies like PSA and Beckett do after they’ve been sent a card to determine its condition, and therefore its value. (PSA received such an overwhelming number of cards for evaluation during the pandemic that it had to halt submissions and only recently started accepting cards again; the backlog surpassed 1 million cards as of May 2020, according to Sports Collectors Daily.) had a desirable PSA score of 9.

But some of the high-end group investors don’t even see the card they bought; it remains in safe custody somewhere until the time comes to sell it.

TV personality Keith Olberman, a lifelong collector of legendary reputation, is bewildered by this approach.

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“It allows you to pretend you have a very valuable card for a significant amount of effort,” he said. “But you don’t. And if it sells, you get that percentage of the profit, and you can’t pretend you own anything of the card. I’m not sure what the appeal is.”

At the Causeway show, an upstart service called Starstock touted a system where you send the company your cards and for a nominal seller fee (5 percent, less than eBay’s 6-10 percent) they help you buy, sell and trade They like stocks. It sounded efficient and soullessly unappealing to me, but Starstock contributor Blaise Eshghi, who enthusiastically worked the table at the Causeway show, said customers appreciate the immediate aspect of it.

“It’s like day trading,” he said, noting that they surpassed one million submissions. “People love that.”

Collectors view the selection at the Causeway Card Show. BRANDI BISHOP

Some still do it for love

There have been previous explosions in the popularity of sports cards, particularly in the late ’80s and early ’90s when Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1989 upper deck rookie card was so coveted that it became, and remains, an icon within the hobby. Most other cards from this period – and those who invested in them – didn’t fare as well. It is now known as the “Junk Wax” era as the cards have become so overproduced that their value has become almost zero.

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“There are probably some sad stories about people opening sports card shops in the ’90s,” said Mark Armor, president of the board of directors of the Society of American Baseball Research and founder of its baseball card committee. “There seemed to be a couple of stores in every town. And then the market collapsed.”

There are still collectors who buy tickets because they jibe with their love of the sport. Fred C. Harris, co-author with Brendan Boyd of the warm and hilarious 1973 classic The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book, attended a show in Chantilly, Virginia on the same weekend as the Causeway Show. He didn’t find much there to add to his collection, but he does elsewhere.

“I love Dennis Eckersley. I watch the Sox games and I love his commentary,” Harris said. “So I went on eBay and for maybe $25 I got 50 different corner cards, in different uniforms in different years, just for fun. They mean nothing to the people who sell them.”

A display at the weekly Woburn Sportscard Show features some vintage cards including one owned by Boston Patriots linebacker Tom Addison.JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

Ryan Fagan, a baseball writer for The Sporting News, lives in the nostalgic corner of collecting. Almost every day, he posts a photo of a recently opened pack of baseball cards, mostly from the junk wax era, to his Twitter feed and makes a compelling request to his followers: “Tell me your favorite story about one of these players or cards.”

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It’s a wonderful prism through which to view baseball and card collecting, and a reminder of why a fan would even take an interest in the hobby in unison with the sport itself. But even an intrepid nostalgic like Fagan recognizes the irresistible appeal of hitting a jackpot.

Pack of the Day: 1993 Topps Series 2

tell me your favorite story about one of these players or cards #RFpod

(By the way, this was a jumbo pack of 41 cards. I obviously didn’t include every card) pic.twitter.com/mfFffbeMXT – Ryan Fagan (@ryanfagan) August 18, 2021

“You’re paying $10 a pack for some of the more scarce current products because there’s a chance you’ll get a $300 card,” he said. “And you can immediately return the same card for $300 without a grade, if you want to get into the exponential pricing where you’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars for a card, you have to get the card graded.”

While a company like PSA might put dollar signs in a collector’s eye by giving a coveted card a perfect 10 grade, their system isn’t perfect. Cards are judged by people, and the influx of submissions during the pandemic has required companies to hire more staff. A coordinated objectivity among the raters is simply not possible. A 10 for one student’s eye could be a 9 for another’s eye. The difference on a rare card can mean thousands of dollars.

A modern reckoning

Watch Chad Finn tear up a brand new box of sports cards

11:34 Chad Finn walks us through a box of sports tickets purchased at the Causeway Card Show in July. (Video by Chad Finn/Globe Staff)

Since it’s been about 30 years since my last card show experience, I have to admit I was a bit concerned whether the Causeway card show-in-a-nightclub approach would be entertaining or the kind of non-mixing-those-things- Disaster was last seen on the island of Dr. Moreau seen.

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I can report in one breath that the show, which included an appearance by the Celtics’ Tacko Fall to rip packs, was a good time, something dealer Ed Pacheco endorsed.

“They’re doing a really good job with this,” he said of event producers Chris Costa and Timmy Tens. “This is going to be a show New England collectors can’t miss.”

Celtics fan favorite Tacko Fall ‘ripped up’ packs at the Causeway Card Show with Chris Costa, one of the organizers. BRANDI BISHOP

Attendees seemed to enjoy the bar and photo booth sponsored by Maker’s Mark. I’ll admit that I’m taking a bit of time to get used to the live DJ, mostly because I never in my life thought I’d hear George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex” blaring while I was asked a dealer about his bobby Orr pick.

The last time I was at a show, the faces in the crowd looked more like… well, mine, including Bob Stanley’s: white, male, probably wearing a baseball cap, who vowed to start that exercise regimen next week. The Causeway Card Show was a pleasant surprise of diversity including some women.

One of the few children I saw was working at a table with his mother and father. He handled the transaction when I bought a $37 box of Panini Contenders Basketball 2020-21 to tear up as part of this project. I hoped his childhood experience in the hobby was as satisfying as my own more than 40 years ago. I couldn’t imagine how it could be.

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The show wasn’t an assault on the senses, but it was an assault on sensibilities. At one table, a Tom Brady rookie ticket cost $35,000. (A bargain compared to the rarer autographed 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket Edition Brady Rookie, which sold for $3.107 million at the Lelands Mid-Spring Classic Auction in June.)

On another table was a 2011 Mike Trout Cognac Diamond Anniversary card with a $7,000 price tag. (I didn’t ask, but I think the cognac refers to the color and not the flavor of the box.) On another table: a 2017 Panini Donruss Optic Patrick Mahomes Bronze Rookie for $12,500.

It quickly dawned on me that most dealers had the same idea: Sell rare cards from popular current players at the highest possible price. Some of these were desperate as the market had recently suffered a slight but alarming downturn.

I balked at buying a lonely autographed N’Keal Harry for $8, added a snazzy new Bobby Orr Canada Cup ticket ($1) to the previously purchased basketball box, and a second-year ticket from Cam Neely in that ugly Canucks sweater 80’s ($3) and hit the road. It was fun but not fulfilling.

In the days that followed, the contrast between the Causeway show and those Olbermann told me about the hobby’s early days in the early ’70s kept coming back to me, and I wished I could hijack Doc Brown’s DeLorean, and to this one Returning to the hobby moment when it was about the cards and collecting and not the cash. Notably a 1973 show in the basement of a union hall on Manhattan’s Astor Place, the second show in the history of the hobby, according to Olbermann.

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“There were about 125 tables in the union hall,” recalls Olbermann, “and it was so packed with people coming in with open jaws that this stuff was available. People had seen it since they were kids, but they hadn’t seen it since they were kids, and they said, “There are baseball cards from 1910 and I can buy one?”

“It was people who discovered that cherished childhood memories that they had either forgotten or believed in were being shattered – ‘my mother threw them away,’ as the cliché goes, and ‘all mothers threw them away ‘There aren’t any more’ — and then they walked in and they said, ‘Wait, there’s a room with 125 vendors selling them. I’m taking them all back now, Mom!'”

Give each of your students a nine-slot plastic trading card sleeve. You can have your students create up to 18 cards this way if you use front and back. My students are working on it now. Here’s a lesson plan to get you started.

Goals

Students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art.

• Create artist trading cards, one at a time, that effectively depict the various elements and principles of the art.

resources and materials

• Paper cut to trading card size, 2 ½ x 3 ½, 9 or more per student

• Plastic sleeve pages with 9 compartments, one page per student

• various papers; Construction, fabric, wallpaper, newspaper, cardboard

• various drawing and painting media

• Scissors

• Glue

background information

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are miniature works of art, usually made on cardstock, and traded between artists. They can be about anything and made with any medium, material or technique. They can be made as one of a kind, in limited editions or in series based on a specific theme or theme. It all depends on the individual artist. The rules for ATCs are simple.

ATCs must:

• Measure 64 x 89 mm (2.5 x 3.5 inches).

• exchanged for other cards – not sold.

• Be flat enough to fit in a plastic trading card sleeve.

• be signed and dated on the back of the card.

A Brief History of ATCs

Artist trading cards have been around for less than a decade. However, its historical roots can be traced back to the Mail Art and Fluxus movements of the 1960s, and even earlier to the Dadaist movement of the 1920s.

Swiss artist M. Vänci Stirnemann first developed the concept of Artist Trading Cards in 1996 when he decided to document his activities with other artists by producing a catalog of 1,200 cards that he had handmade. He exhibited the cards in May 1997 in his bookstore gallery in Zurich. On the final day of the exhibition, Stirnemann invited anyone who wanted a card to create their own ATC to trade during the closing reception.

Canadian artist Chuck Stake (aka Don Mable) visited Stirnemann’s exhibition in May and also participated in a trading session during his stay in Zurich. Stake was very enthusiastic about ATCs and worked with Stirnemann to host “The First International Biennial of Artist Trading Cards” at the New Gallery in Calgary, Canada, which was attended by 80 artists from 10 different countries. Since then, interest in ATCs has spread around the world with the help of the Internet.

Many artists who make ATCs use the internet to view their cards and find others willing to trade cards through the mail or share ideas. However, organized face-to-face ATC sessions are by far the preferred means of meeting other artists and trading cards. Today, ATC swap sessions are held in most major cities around the world.

http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php

vocabulary

• Artist trading cards

• Line, Shape, Form, Texture, Color, Space, Value

• Proportion, movement and rhythm, balance, emphasis, unity, variety, pattern

preparation

Cut paper into trading card sized pieces, 9 per student. Gather and distribute a selection of media and papers. Make some examples of artist trading cards.

motivation

Explain to students that artist trading cards are miniature works of art traded by all ages. They can be crafted using any medium, material, or technique, as long as they fit within a plastic trading card sleeve.

procedure

Give each student a cover page and have them write their names on it. Begin by checking the line, then ask students to create a line design using as many types of lines as possible on their first map using markers.

For the shape card, ask students to create a small collage using different types and shapes of paper.

For the form map, ask students to create a three-dimensional bas-relief map by rolling or folding paper. The card must still fit in the plastic sleeve.

For the texture map, ask students to create a textured collage using as many different textures as possible.

Ask students to create a design or image for the room map that shows positive and negative spaces.

For the color chart, have students create a design or image that uses the primary colors red, yellow, and blue.

For a second color chart, have students create a color wheel from papers cut out of magazines.

For the value card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows different values ​​of the same suit.

For the proportions chart, ask students to make a design or picture that shows the proportions.

For the movement and rhythm card, ask students to make a design or picture that shows movement and rhythm.

Have students make two cards for balance, one for symmetrical balance and one for asymmetrical balance.

For the highlight, ask students to make a design or image that shows the highlight.

For unity, ask students to make a design or picture that shows unity.

For a change, ask students to draw a design or picture that shows variety.

For patterns, ask students to make a design or picture that shows a repeating pattern.

Additional cards can be assigned at will to fill the sleeves.

When each card is ready and dry, it can be placed in the sleeve. Nine fit on the front and nine on the back. These could be displayed by taping the sleeve sides together to make a hanging curtain or placed in a notebook.

valuation

To what extent do the students:

• demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of art?

• Create artist trading cards, one at a time, that effectively depict the various elements and principles of art?

extensions

• Students could create a series of ATCs based on a theme rather than the elements and principles.

• Students could write the name of the specific element or principle on each card.

web links

http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/

http://www.artjunction.org/atcs.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_trading_cards

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artisttradingcards/

http://www.atcsforall.com/