My Son and my Colourful World: ATC'S TUTORIAL

Hi everyone!!!! I hope you are all well?

Today I am sharing with you something a little different for me ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). I have made ATCs before, however only once and they were much larger than normal ATC's are meant to be. This time I have made 4 in the traditional size (2 +1/2 inches x 3 +1/2 inches), using lots of stunning 13 Arts products.

I was actually very surprised when I noticed how perfectly they seem to fit next to each other with everything lining up. This was completely unintentional, especially because they were not placed next to each other as I worked, and were in a different position and facing a different direction with almost every step, which you will likely notice when you read through the tutorial I have put together for you.

Here are the first two I made, both in purple:

Close-ups:

Here are the second two in blue:

Close-ups:

Here is the tutorial:

Step 1: Cut 4 pieces of white cardstock to size, then cut 13 Arts papers to fit. I have used the new Mental Vacation collection. However don't attach your paper to the cardstock backing. Put those away for now as that will be our very final step.

Use a palette knife to spread gesso on the background.

As you can tell I ended up covering most of the pattern, but its good to use anyway because it hold wet media quite well, and you never know what part of the paper might show through when you are done!!

Step 2: I have mixed a small amount of Turquoise and Violet paint with lots of water and a little pearl Silver Mist on my craft mat, then using a brush I have painted it onto my patterned paper. I have applied the watery mixture quite thickly to create little puddles of color.

Step 3: I have let it sit for around a minute or so, maybe a little less, and let it begin to dry a little. Then I sprayed it with a water bottle, washing some of the paint away, and leaving interesting patterns where my puddles had dried at the edges.

I have used used the left over mixture to add some splats of color.

Steps 4 and 5: Tear up some pieces of cheesecloth and attach them to your ATC's using a small amount of gel medium. Then mix some of the new Metallic Paints in Violet and Turquoise with MAGIC! Powder to create your own custom Modelling Paste. Spread them onto your cards using the Tattered Grid Stencil from the Mental Vacation Collection.

Steps 6 and 7: Add some embellishments to create a point of interest on each ATC.

I have used some flowers, paper, fabric, and resin!

Give your embellishments a thin but even coat of gesso and dry.

Step 8: I decided that my blue ATC's needed something a little extra so I have added a couple of Acrylic snowflakes to them. Now it is time to add some color!!! I have sprayed Pearl Turquoise Light, and Pastel Cobalt Blue Mists on the Blue cards, and Chalk Lilac onto the Purple along with some Vivid Violet Paint.

Step 9: Add some microspheres to your cards. On the flowers themselves and beneath them along the edges.

Steps 10 and 11: Add a little more color with the blue's and purple's to the flowers and microspheres, then use black ink and a small paintbrush to create some shadowy effect on and under the flowers.

Add some flicks of White SPLASH! Ink.

Steps 12 and 13: To the Blue ATC's I have added some Light Blue Grit, whilst adding Purple Mica Flakes to the Purple ATC's. I have used my finger to rub gesso around the edges of the cards in certain spots to lighten them up a little.

Knot some gold thread and attach it to your cards.

To finish up, cover the back of each ATC with double sided tape. It wont use much as the cards are quite small, then firmly smooth them onto the white cardstock backings that you cut earlier. This should help smooth out and warping, and also help them to sit relatively flat.