Show off your backsides! (ATC's)

Hurrah - maybe this will incite me into not writing everything out every time :)

I generally don't use headings but include the following info on almost every ATC:

ATC title Edition / Series (e.g. '1/1 of a series of 6') My alias, Rillaith Month & Year Occasionally extra notes, such as the original book & author for altered text, other specific information as appropriate to a particular 'challenge' etc. And lastly, my email address (atc@tupia.net)

Most of my ATCs have white backgrounds, and I generally use a black pen or one of blue/red/green/pink/purple if it particularly suits the ATC, and I have a white pen for black card which saves me having to glue additional paper on the back of absolutely everything!

I think I'm confused and use 'Edition' and 'series' numbers somewhat interchangeably depending on what I meant at the time. If they're all identical, they're edition 1/n of series 1/1; if they're similar they're (edition 1/1 of) series 1/n; if they're the 2nd time round making the same kind of thing they're series 2, and then I get confused after that because what happenes if it's the second series but they're all different within the series... :)

I've never bought an ATC back stamp, because there's only a limited number, but I've often wished I had one! And I'm always very impressed by those people organisied & tidy enough to have pre-printed, right-sized stickers for time saving ;)

On the back of my ATC cards I like to have:

Artist Trading Card

Jenny Morrison jenweirdo@hotmail.co.uk www.flickr.com/photos/mojosphotos

Date :

Title :

I've made lots of different backings myself but it will be great to have some more! This is an awesome swap!

Just to straighten out the Edition/Series question:

A series is a set of different works that are related--as in maybe 6 ATCs all about baseball, they would be identified with the name of the series and their numbers: "baseball #1", "baseball #2", etc.

An Edition is a set of identical works (key word here is identical, they must all be the same, and collages can't qualify because there will be subtle differences even if you use the same materials and follow a pattern--they willbe instead a series of collages)--prints, photos, copies, etc, and are done either as a limited edition or unlimited edition.

The unlimited editions should merely say "reproduction" and the limited editions should be numbered. If it's an edition of 100, they would all have the same name and must be numbered 1/100, 2/100,...35/100..., etc. as in "Landscape in VT, 32/45"

These methods of identification are standards in the reproduction world at large, coming from printmaking originally; so everyone will understand if you name and number them correctly.

Cyn

And now about creating ATC backs using Photoshop or other image manipulation software:

I have a template that lays out 10 ATCs per sheet of cardstock, and this is best to print on if you have a borderless printer (photo printer)

If you don't have a borderless printer, you can easily lay out 9 cards on a sheet of paper and go with that.

So, I have the layout, and I set that aside and create a fiel that's 2.5" x 3.5" and create my back label using text and special brushes to add designs. Photoshop comes with leaves and starts and other things, and you can create some of your own in the newer versions. I'm not too familiar with Photoshop Elements, but I think that you can use that to create something useful. You can put an image on the whole space and run the opacity way down to create a ghostly background to put the lines and text over in black or colors.

If you don't have Photoshop in any of it's many versions, there is a freeware application out there called GIMP and you can download it for free and use it to do almost PM or e-mail me if you want more info about it and how to get and use it--I have links for tutorials and the download site.

Once you have your individual card back design done, you can copy it and paste it into your full sheet template, putting one copy in each space, flatten the image and print. Easy as pie!

Cyn

Sorry, I just thought of something else! The nearly obsolete floppy disk labels are the perfect size for ATCs,and you can design them in Word or Photoshop and print out sheets at a time ready to peel and stick in either orientation of your ATC.

Cyn

[10 to a sheet back labels)(http://flickr.com/photos/twobluecrows/1925984568/)

10 card layout

9 card layout

Aack!

10 to a sheet back labels

I enjoyed reading/looking thru all of it, twobluecrows. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for all the help swappers- all those links and info are really useful :))

Per the instructions above: My current "backs" have on them the NAME of the ATC, the NUMBER of the ATC (1 of 1, 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.), followed by "Made by CADLady" and my City,State. I usually initial and date them too.

ANY improvements, other ideas, or even templates will be welcomed !! (If partner will email me, I will return email with "my" current templates - which, btw, I print on silver metallic paper.)

for mine i would love the following:

Atrist trading card by peridoticparadox www.swingofstrings.com title date no. of swap

Thanks! This is a super swap!

Every time I look at this swap on my list of swaps that I'm in, the title makes me giggle =D

I thought everyone would like the title :))

I would like my cards to say on the back

Artist Trading Card
Title:
From: Boatbird, Kathryn Cresswell, Pafos/ Cyprus

Number/ Name of swap optional- as is spelling LOL I meant punctuation!!!!

I am so excited for this swap! I wish the start date was sooner, i have designs already! Hurry time hurry!

Heheh- have some patience!!!! It's so far away so I could get more people but that dont look like its going to happen- stil it makes it easier for me to check everyone out!!!!

Sounds like a fun swap. I would like the backs to be portrait oriented. Here is what I'd like them to say:

Artist Trading Card by artzylady - Linda B. lbranan@alltel.net Date/

Thanks!

I must have accidently hit the / key after Date. I don't want that in there :)

Linda B.

Whoops! Somehow while clearing out swaps on my list, I dumped this one. BUT....I'm BA-AACK! ;)

On the backs of mine, I put:

title (and number if any)

artist (I sign them here)

medium

date

(and/or Swap-bot info if it's for a swap)

It's the 14th here- and 3.10pm and I can't assign partners :( I will come back online later and try it if not it will be tomorrow!

Here's my favorite back side I'm currently using (made by scanning a piece of notebook paper and adding text in a photo editing program)...crossing fingers that the link works...

Yay! It worked! I also neglected to include...portrait or horizontal are welcome...I like the info section because my atc's generally need some explaining (where photos are from etc.)...I have likes/dislikes listed in my profile but if you'd like to get a feel for what I make, check out my flickr...there's not too many ATC photos (they end up in the mail before I remember to take pictures!) but it should give you a general idea of themes/colors/images etc....have fun! (Hey parnter-include a SASE and I'll send an ATC with your back on it to you!)

Hello :)

I guess what I'd like my ATC backside to have is:

-title -the number of the card (1/1. 1/2 and so on..) -date -By: Carmel Egger www.carmelspoint.blogspot.com

Go crayz with your designs! :) Carmel

Sorry I still can't assign partners- must be a glitch- will do it tomorrow- sorry for the delay!

I dont mind, landscape or portrait. I usually have By/ Email/ Title/ Date/ Number on my backs, but I am open for something different if you like. Thanks. Sam

I just started playing with ATCs. So anything goes for me. Include what you think a backside should have. As for design... I do like gnomes, but I'm open to just about anything. Sorry if I'm not being helpful in what I like. but I'm happy that someone made something just for me. :) Maybe as I become more experienced with ATCs I'll have likes and dislikes. (:O)

Yes! Have assigned partners- hope everyone has a great Christmas and creates some wonderful things for their partners!

Hi! I Would like on mine...

Title:

By Fearful Penguin email: fearful_penguin@hotmail.com

Date:

I don't mind whether they are portrait or landscape as I make both types of ATCs, and I will leave colour / b&w up to the sender! I have likes and dislikes listed in my profile. Hope that helps! :)

Hi :-)

I too am very new to the world of ATC's and love the idea of a proper label rather than my dodgey writing!! ;-)

Checking others comments I have come up with the following bits to include on the back:

Artist Trading Card

Athalie Redway athalie@gmail.com

Title :

Info :

Date :

Also, can there please be enough room on the bottom so that I can sign it and also right the number if it is a series.

I also don't mind if they are portrait or landscape because I have been known to do both.

Thanks!!!

PS Can my email address please be directly underneath my name rather than next to it, as it appears in these comments.

Not sure why it didn't format right when I saved the previous post... :-D

FleaGirl: SB's "format controls" are weird. Not to sweat. I'm sure your partner will understand. ;)

Lummy! I just have about 3 million ATC backs arrive by mail already. I hadn't even had a chance to check if partners were avvailable yet (been off the 'bot due to work for a couple of days) .... My word but haivng a "local" partner sure makes a diference grin Thank you, Mojo!