Display Your ATCs!
by Helga Strauss
Want some fun, unique, inspiring ways to display your Artist Trading Cards?
Our new Triptych Shrines are perfect for displaying your favorite ATCs. Here's how I made this one.
I started by figuring out how I wanted to attach the panels together. I decided to cut up pipe cleaners. When all of my panels are completed, I'll use them to wire the panels together.
Next, I got into painting mode and painted all of the panels with lime green and sea Breeze acrylic paints. I painted Chunky Coral, Waffle Windows, Round Windows and Hummingbirds while I was at it for future projects.
For the ATC that I wanted to display in the center panel, I thought I'd focus on a selection of some of my patterned papers that appear in my Inspiration Board. This has inspired me to go through my paper stash and pull together more pretty patterned papers to make more ATCs. What a great way to showcase a special collection of treasured papers!
I went ahead and painted this Waffle Window with Ranger Crackle Paint to give it an aged look.
Next, I cut up my papers and taped them to the back of my Waffle Window with Scotch tape.
I selected and cut out some Nature Silhouettes transparency for the round windows. This transparency sheet is filled with photos that I took on my travels. When you see them filling the windows, it gives you the impression of looking out a real window. So cool!
When everything was dry and prepared, I grabbed a paper drink umbrella and candy foil to put above the ATC.
Ta da! An ATC Triptych that's ready to be displayed anywhere. Would make such a nice gift too!
The ATC Waffle Windows have inspired me so much! Here I pulled a few treasures and set them into the frame to give it a shadowbox effect. I love this!
Inca liked it too!
Here's a Gothic Triptych featuring a Mermaid ATC that I made. I used the same exact process as above to make this triptych.
Here's a Venetian Triptych. I used art-y clothespins to hold my Coral ATC in place. That way I can change it up whenever I want to.
I just love the windows on this triptych. I used our Nature Silhouettes transparency here too.
Do you have a collection of ATCs that you want to display? How about showing them off in our new Eco Accordion Books? In this book, I featured my collection of Ocean ATCs.
Arting up some clothespins and using them to hold your ATCs is creative, artsy and fun! And so handy if you want to change them up anytime.
I loved arting up these clothespins. For this one, I added Ranger Crackle Paint to our Mini Chunky Seahorses. I love this look! A group of these would make such a nice gift!
I couldn't resist showing you a front detail on this book. On the page behind the cover, I painted on some Crackle Paint. And when it was dry, I taped on a piece of Nature Silhouettes transparency. Then I added one of our Large Acrylic Bubbles...it popped right into place perfectly. The coolest window ever!
I had this collection of treasured butterfly ATCs from a past art swap. I'm so happy to have them beautifully displayed in this Gothic Accordion Book now. I simply used Glue Dots to adhere them to the pages so it's easy to remove them if I want to.