In the ArtTrader

Making an ATC 
Artist Trading Card
Bees.............

 First it's a 2.5 x 3.5 bit of cardboard painted with gesso. I then add text and splatter paint on the card. These have watercolor on them

 I then cover the whole card with white glue,
 cover with tissue paper, which is from a sewing dress pattern. Then cover with white glue again.
Lots of glue is used on these cards.

 The cards have to dry, usually overnight. I then add
color with more paint or markers.I like to pay careful attention to the edges. I then tear the tissue off the edge of the card, I do not cut.

 I use a bottle cap dipped in acrylic paint to get the circles. The more old dried paint I have on the bottle cap the more rugged and intriguing the circles look.












I outline the circles with a soft charcoal pencil and
use a highlighter to go over the charcoal to give it a halo and smudge the pencil. I added white tissue paper to one card which was just a whim.
Collage bee images are added and the charcoal
and highlighter method is again used on them.
Text is added, edges are colored with marker and
smudged while wet to blend.

 I've added scribble with a sharpie fine pen around
the bees and circles doodles and some white lines with a very nice Signo pen.
That's it, that's how I usually make my cards
lots of glues and tissue paper. You can't be afraid
to get paint  and glue all over your fingers and to have the tips of your fingers always stained with
marker ink.

The very large close up shows some of the
detail work in the card as well as that this fellow has
transparent wings.