S.A.Hall – The Art of Cobwebs

Morning all, and a very Happy Monday! Something a little different from the norm today.

Some folks might already know exactly what an ATC or an ACEO is, but some may not, so I’ll give a short explaination to make sure that we’re all reading from the same hymn sheet and no one is at a disadvantage!

ATCs and ACEOs are 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch works of art. The only real difference between the two is the commercial (for sale) intent of the art piece by the artist.

ACEO = Art Cards, Editions, and Originals are virtually the same as ATCs, EXCEPT they were created with the intent to be sold.
ATC = Artist Trading Cards were created with the intent to trade them only. (i.e. given as a swap with someone else, and no money changing hands).

While art is subjective, the quality of craftsmanship and materials used are important, so there are guidelines:

Examples of ‘Sub-par’ works are:

Collage elements falling off / poorly glued / glue showing
Cards of the wrong size (It’s a very strict size of 2.5″ x 3.5″)
Computer print outs which haven’t been made by the ATC maker, and poorly drawn over.
Cards created with little to no thought (i.e. a sticker or rubber stamped image on a plain piece of cardboard with little to no extra effort)
Scribbles on a plain piece of paper

Basically you should make what you would dearly love and want to receive.

Ok .. schools out.

I like to paint my ATC’s & ACEO’s – but have been known to make the odd fun art card which may have beads, images, book pages, musical manuscripts and all manner of other things attached to them. It’s just as the fancy takes me. However, these ATC’s / ACEO’s which I share today have all been painted, on water-colour card, pre-cut to the correct size.

This first one was inspired by the Lavender plants in my garden.

Lavender pot — The colour of the mount is actually more like the green in the photo at the head of this post. The flash has changed the colour here and made it look more like a sage green.

The mount in the photo (the surrounding green board) is from a selection of different coloured mounts I asked a framer to make for me, in the right size, with the ‘hole’ cut to the correct size to take the ATC/ACEO. The mounts are not a requirement for an Art Card – but personally, I really love having the mounts if I want to frame a card. The Art Cards themselves are so small, they could easily get lost inside a frame, so I love to use the mounts to draw the eye inwards to the art.

This next Art Card is again inspired by my garden (and again, the green mount has been washed out by the flash):

British Bluebells — Bluebells. ATC/ACEO – 2.5″ x 3.5″ in size.

I have Bluebells in little groups of flowery hats for fairies, all over the garden. When in bloom they look like a fairy milliner has set out a selection of different sized Bluebell Hats, ready for any passing fairy to try on for size.

Of course .. there are some Bluebells which are of the larger size … and I should imagine that the Fairy Dress Designer is kept busy making beautiful skirts and frocks for those fairies who wish to be dressed by the best!

This next Art Card is something from the Fairy Gardens up and down the lands …. It’s official name is Taraxacum – or – to you and me: – a Dandelion Clock. But you and I know them as they really are: Fairies, or Fairy Wishes … which are meant to be picked and blown whilst making a wish!

Dandelion Wishes — Make a Wish! An Art Card ATC/ACEO of 2.5″ x 3.5″ in size.

Although it first appears to be painted simply in black and white, it has three different greens, two different whites, a very soft grey colour and black. It also has some cheeky dots of glitter dust. Well … it’s a Fairy Wish …. it would have been rude not to include glitter dust!

Information about Dandelion plants from that font of knowledge Wiki:

Taraxacum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelion. They are native to Eurasia and North America, but the two commonplace species worldwide, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, were imports from Europe that now propagate as wildflowers. Both species are edible in their entirety.

I’m teaching my Grandson, Little Cobs, this poem (which I loaned my Art Card to, as a background) and trying to get him to remember to say it before he blows a Dandelion Clock and makes a wish ….

1 Dandelion poem by SA Hall — *Dandelion poem written by S.A.Hall.*

And finally, in this set of four ATC’s (Artist Trading Cards – aka ACEO’s) is a little bunch of Delphiniums, tied up with a bow of green …

The spring green coloured bow is something which is allowed in an ATC/ACEO. It’s all part of the art.

If you’re interested in finding out more about ACEO’s/ATC’s, and perhaps making some yourself then there are lots of forums which are dedicated to this art form. One here: ATCs For All .com and I’ve also found another site which gives information which you might find helpful here: artpromotivate.com … but Google will be your bestest friend if you’d like to see more.

There are also a bucket-load of video’s on You Tube which you can watch – ranging from a couple of minutes to …. oh, well, how long is a piece of string?!!!

Some people take their Art Cards extremely seriously and will spend hours on them. Some make them for fun and to pass a bit of time doing something which has no stress. Other’s make them for no reason, and some folks make them, and swap them with other makers. Some people make and sell them … and some of these artists have quite a following and can command quite high prices for such a tiny piece of artwork. And then there’s me …. who makes them and will either keep them, send them to someone as a surprise, or I’ll use them on a handmade card … or even use them in scrap-booking.

Have a go! You don’t need to paint, you can glue, stick, draw, … anything! Just do have a go … and if you do … please blog your lovely artwork and let everyone see it. You might just be the person who inspires others to take up this fabulous little pastime, and you might also find out that you really like playing in this tiny frame!

Before I toddle off ….

May I take a moment to say HELLO to some new followers who no doubt will become friends with us all eventually. I won’t name names, but please feel welcome to comment on blog posts and introduce yourself. If you have a blog yourself you can bet your sweet bippy that people here will come and visit your blogs and you might even pick up some new followers yourself too!

Anyhoo … Happy Monday and … have a truly wonderful week! Thank you so much for coming and joining me in having a coffee round the kitchen table. I love seeing you here.

Sending squidges and lots of Monday love to all. Be good to each other, and … may your God go with you. ~