What Are Artist Trading Cards? A Beginner's Guide to Tiny Works of Art
- debbielouart1
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Why Artist Trading Cards Might Be the Best Way to Improve Your Drawing Skills
Have you ever wanted to finish a coloured pencil drawing but felt overwhelmed by the size of the project?
Perhaps you've started several drawings only to leave them unfinished because they seemed to take forever. If that sounds familiar, I'd love to introduce you to something that's become one of my favourite ways to create art.
They're called Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs for short.
Despite their small size, they can teach you an enormous amount.
What Are Artist Trading Cards?
An Artist Trading Card measures just 2.5 × 3.5 inches (64 × 89 mm) – exactly the same size as a traditional trading card.
Originally, artists created them to exchange artwork with one another, allowing them to collect miniature pieces from artists all over the world. Today, many artists still enjoy trading them, while others create them simply because they love working on a smaller scale.
Although they're tiny, they're treated just like any other piece of artwork. The same drawing techniques, colour layering, textures and attention to detail can all be used—just in a much smaller space.
Why I Love Drawing ATCs
One of the biggest struggles I hear from artists is that they don't always have time to sit down for hours to complete a large drawing.
Life gets busy.
Sometimes we only have an hour.
Sometimes only twenty minutes.
Artist Trading Cards make it possible to enjoy drawing without feeling as though you've committed yourself to a project that will take days or even weeks to finish.
Because the surface is so small, you can focus your attention on one subject and really enjoy the process.
They also make wonderful little confidence builders. Completing a drawing—even a small one—gives you that satisfying feeling of finishing something. Those small wins soon build into bigger confidence.
Small Doesn't Mean Simple
One of the biggest misconceptions about Artist Trading Cards is that they're "easy" because they're small.
In reality, they're simply smaller.
You can create incredibly realistic drawings using exactly the same coloured pencil techniques you would use on an A4 or A3 drawing.
Fur still needs texture.
Eyes still need depth.
Leaves still need detail.
The difference is that you're practising those skills in a manageable format that doesn't feel overwhelming.
The Perfect Way to Practise
I often tell my students that every drawing teaches us something.
Artist Trading Cards are no different.
They're perfect for practising:
Layering coloured pencils
Creating realistic textures
Learning light and shadow
Improving colour choices
Building confidence
Finishing more artwork
Over time, those small pieces become a record of your progress. It's amazing to look back after several months and see just how much you've improved.
A New Monthly Workshop
This month I'm introducing something new that I'm really excited about.
Each month I'll be hosting a live Artist Trading Card Workshop, where we'll complete a miniature coloured pencil drawing together from start to finish.
These workshops are designed to be relaxed, friendly and suitable for beginners as well as anyone wanting to improve their coloured pencil skills.
Whether you're completely new to ATCs or you've drawn them before, you'll be able to follow along step by step and leave with a finished piece of artwork.
Where to Go Next
If you enjoy the workshops and would like to continue developing your coloured pencil skills, I'd love to welcome you into Pencil Paws Academy.
Inside the Academy you'll find structured courses, detailed animal tutorials, live events and a supportive community of fellow artists who are all learning together.
Think of the monthly Artist Trading Card workshops as a gentle introduction—a chance to experience my teaching style, build your confidence and discover just how enjoyable coloured pencil drawing can be.
After all, every great artist starts with a single drawing.
Sometimes, that drawing just happens to fit in the palm of your hand.
Ready to give Artist Trading Cards a try?
Join me for this month's live Artist Trading Card Workshop, where we'll create a beautiful miniature drawing together, step by step. It's the perfect introduction to coloured pencil drawing and a wonderful way to experience how I teach before taking the next step into Pencil Paws Academy.
More details to follow soon!
Comments