ArtTRADER

PUTTING THE ART IN TRADE

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Issue 5 - Winter 2009

Pen & Ink:

Pen Possibilities

Interviews with
Randi Marx Suzan Buckner Tracie Rozario

Critique
C o r n e r

Altered
Art 101

Art

Walkthrough

Winter Contest

Vintage Collage!

All About Trading

Cover background by Dana Driscoll ATC art doll by Randi Marx

ATCs, Altered Art, Art Journals, Chunky Books & Creative Inspiration

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Table of Contents
3 4 5 6 8 9 14 15 19 21 23 27 30 32 33 37 38 41 42 Art Trader Contributors Editors Note & Letters Winter Contest: Vintage Collage Design 911: Composition Defining Mail Art Paint! Paste! Color! Interview with Suzan Buckner Gallery: Fall-Themed ATC Contest In Search of the Even Black Line: Pen Possibilities Critique Corner Gallery: Funky Mermaids Interview with Randi Marx Artistic Journeys: Altered Art 101 Gallery: Halloween Postcard Contest Walk-Through Art Interview with Tracie Rozario: The Secret Side of Purple Petite Artiste: Marlena Muir Readers Gallery Advertisers Ads Call for Articles & Artwork

Winter 2009

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CHIEF EDITOR Dana Driscoll COPY EDITOR Meran ni Cuill CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Bonnie Driscoll Andrea Melione Sal Scheibe Dana Driscoll Abi Aldrich ART DIRECTOR Sal Scheibe ASSOCIATE DESIGNERS Brittany Noethen Andrea Melione PUBLISHED BY IllustratedATCs.com

ArtTRADER Magazine www.arttradermag.com Editor: editor@arttradermag.com Advertising: ads@arttradermag.com Submissions: content@arttradermag.com Call for Entries: www.arttradermag.com

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Contributors
Abi Aldrich is a K-6 Art teacher in Wyoming. She sells oil paintings professionally, makes pottery because she likes to play in the mud, and generally makes text -based sculptures and installations because that is her true love. Beyond that she loves printmaking, drawing, and graphic design. In all her massive amounts of free time, Abi hangs out with her menagarie, including several rabbits, a chinchilla, a hampster, a cockatiel and a large bearded dragon. She also calls West Africa every night to talk to the love of her life, Gee. So in a nutshell, she is a nut who likes to make a mess in art! www.abigayle.etsy.com Andrea Melione is currently a full-time student, planning on eventually earning a Masters in Library Science. She loves all types of art, but is fond of the Surreal and Symbolist movements. Her favorite artists are Michael Parkes, Daniel Merriam, Aubrey Beardsley and her buddies at IllustratedATCs.com, where she is a Moderator. She mainly works in watercolor, colored pencil, acrylics, markers and gel pens, though not all at once. She lives in NY (cow country, not the city) and has difficulty writing biographies in the third person. artpfunkcentral.blogspot.com www.flickr.com/photos/littleboots Bonnie Driscoll was a professional graphic designer and calligraph who works work for fun now since retirement. Her favorite mediums are watercolors, ink, and acrylic and she enjoys doing still life and landscape scenes. Brittany Noethen is an artist living in a tech managers body. She would rather be decapitated than give up making art, trading ATCs, or stop thinking that the phrase Muffins or Bust is hilarious. She currently lives in Iowa with her partner Cat, her 12 year old pit bull, Maggie, and shelves full of art supplies. www.bnoethen.etsy.com arty-iowa-girl.vox.com www.flickr.com/photos/arty-ia-girl Dana Driscoll is an experimental artist working in a variety of media including watercolors, mixed media, oils, clay, book arts, hand papermaking, and altered art. She is currently working on several artistic projects, including painting her way through a 78-card tree tarot deck and combining her love of pottery and bookmaking. When not avoiding the perils of pursuing her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, she can be found frolicking in nearby forests or hanging out with her nerdy gamer friends. Danas work can be found at her blog: artisticjourneys.blogspot.com and she can be reached at adriayna@yahoo.com. www.artisticjourneys.etsy.com Meran niCuill Fascinated by nature and science, Meran ni Cuill attempts daily to translate her passions into art. Sometimes she feels she even succeeds! And then something else will catch her attention and off shell go! Chasing another ideal. Meran enjoys gardening, sunsets, dogs, birds, and just about anything as long as its not endless crowds of people. When those present, shell retreat to a quiet place and read a book, or cut some glass, both of which she finds therapeutic. www.meran.etsy.com atcs2008.meran.fastmail.fm Sal Scheibe works as a creative designer for print and web and also as a freelance illustrator. Her designs and artwork have appeared in books, CDs and DVDs and posters. Sal is currently working on a number of large canvas paintings for art shows. She also enjoys trading ATCs and is an administrator at IllustratedATCs.com. Sals favorite artists and illustrators include Joe Sorren, J.C. Leyendecker, William Bougereau and John Singer Sargent. Her favored mediums are acrylic paint, colored pencils and markers. www.slscheibe.com www.flickr.com/photos/amerasu

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Letter from the Editor

Dana Driscoll

New Years is a wonderful time to reflect back upon your past artistic successes and make commitments and plans for your future as an artist. Consider how adding a new artistic technique, advancing a skill, or even dabbling in a new type of art might enrich your life! To make these plans though, think big but start small, considering both your long-term goals and short-term plans. Where do you see yourself next week? Next month? In a year? In five years? Make a list of what is important to you in your artistic progress, and see how it might change over time. Where do you see your art going from here? How might you expand your horizons in this new year? Issue #5 of Art Trader is packed full of new ideas. Andrea Meliones Critique Corner provides readers with suggestions for improvement of their art. This issue she addresses composition and depth of two cards created by Kati Barrett. Sal Scheibe provides us with a new Walkthrough Art column that provides a visual walkthrough of an ATC. Finally, my own regular Artistic Journeys column delves into the world of altered art! We are also pleased to provide a host of art galleries for your viewing pleasure. Learn more about the world of pen and ink in In Search of the Even Black Line. Additionally, this issue is packed with inspiration from artists around the world. We have interviews with artists Suzan Buckner, Tracie Rozario and Randi Marx. We have reader-submitted galleries, contest winner galleries, and funky mermaid and halloween postcard art swap galleries for your viewing pleasure! So read, be inspired, and think about those artistic New Years resolutions!

Letter from our readers

Hello ArtTrader Magazine, I am very new to mail art, and actually, art in general! I must admit I am overwhelmed with possibilities. But how do I choose a media to get started in? What should I focus on first? Thanks! Sandy, United Kingdom Hi Sandy, Thank you for writing! Mail Art is an exciting world, but it is certainly easy to get overwhelmed at first. There are a number of ways to get started. If you have the time and money, investing in some local art classes (such as those at community centers) or finding some artistic friends to learn from is a great way to get started. Books, tutorials online, and even YouTube videos can really help expand your artistic horizons. But above all, we suggest making time each day or each week set aside for artas it is only through lots of practice and experimentation with different styles can you find your own niche in the mail art world! -ArtTrader Magazine

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Winter Contest: Vintage Collage

Its time to get your fingers sticky and show us your vintage collage skills! Were accepting ATCs or postcards - as long as the genre is vintage collage your entry will be welcome (nudity is acceptable as long as its tasteful). You are allowed to enter up to 3 separate images. Please be sure to use copyright free images or those you have a license to use.

Grand Prize & Contest Submission Info

A stuffed bubble envelope of collage ephemera and papers! Yummy! Our grand prize winner along with other selected entries will appear in the next issue of ArtTrader (Spring 2009). The winner will be chosen by the ArtTrader Magazine editorial staff. The contest is open to anyone age 18 or older. Submit your entries in JPG format (300 DPI) to art@arttreadermag.com by March 15, 2009.

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Tangents:
Tangents can pose problems in your work because they can eliminate any sense of depth (which is the sense of a foreground, middle ground and background.) In addition, they can also make a composition uninteresting. ATCs in particular are vulnerable because there is so little space to begin with; if you have a tangent in your ATC, there may not be extra room to add an additional element that can offset the awkward tangents. Here is a good example of how tangents can make your art look unintentional: This princess looks a little worried, and you would be too, if you had a castle tower attached to your flowing red locks! Both the princess and the tower are about the same length and width, and when you place two objects of similar dimensions right next to each other, the eye can make no sense of their relationship, nor where the objects are in the context of foreground, middle or background. This card is drawn, but the idea applies to any art form, even abstract or collage. In this case, the tower should be made smaller to give the appearance of being farther away. -6-

Design 911p
by Andrea Melione
Welcome back to Design 911! Last time, we discussed some basics in composition: symmetry, asymmetry and proportion. In this issue however, were going to discuss a few design buzzwords: tangents, ambiguity and negative space, and how they can be incorporated (or avoided!) in your artwork. tangent Function: adjective Etymology: Latin tangent-, tangens, present participle of tangere to touch; perhaps akin to Old English thaccian to touch gently, stroke Date: 1594

If you remember geometry class at all, you may know that tangent means to touch. Tangents in design mean two elements that are touching one another, not overlapping and not near, but when the edges actually meet. For example, an amateur photographer may accidentally take a photo of a friend, who is standing in front of a bookcase and, as a result, the friend may look like they are holding books up with his head. Tangents can also be used for a laugh, like when tourists hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa; but for the most part, unless you are intentionally trying to break the No Tangents rule, (and can pull it off successfully), you can risk having your drawing, collage, etc. look unintentional, unplanned, and naive.

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Ambiguity and Negative Space:

Ambiguity is a great concept to incorporate into art: It is when youre unsure if you are seeing one thing or another. Take for example zebra stripes; is the animal black with white stripes or white with black stripes? The Surrealism movement is a great example of ambiguity in art as well. Research artists like Salvador Dal, Ren Magritte, Victor Brauner and Max Ernst for inspiration in your own works. Negative space is a highly effective design tool. You can create visual twists that can surprise and interest your viewer. Negative space is also popular in Logo design (the Ram image is the logo for Dodge for example). Next time you see FedEx look at the negative space between the E and the X; you will in fact see a little white arrow! Ambiguity and Negative space can be used really effectively in ATCs, and the following cards are a good example. I painted these cards with pink gouache and used the white of the paper for the figures. For the card on left, the negative space is used to define the line of her bust and torso. On all of the cards I use negative space to ambiguously create the clothing; the clothing is pink, but then so is the background; where does the clothing leave off and the background begin? Tangents, ambiguity and negative space are all concepts to keep in mind when creating your artwork; by doing so, youll create art that is more dynamic and visually arresting. Next issue, Ill be discussing how to use color to enhance your design!

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Defining Mail Art

In Issue 2 of Art Trader Magazine, we asked our readers to help us define Mail Art. We asked people to create their own artistic interpretation of their definition of mail art by emailing us their creations - open media, open genre. Our winning entry, a postcard, was sent in by Marguerite Bryant from California.

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Paint! Paste! Color!

Suzan Buckner
Interview by Andrea Melione

Suzan Buckner is a mixed-media master whose body of work includes meticulous abstract masterpieces, fun and funky art journals, and whimsical portraiture. Her attention to detail and the fine-tuned play of color brings forth work that is multi-dimensional in not only physical layers, but in conceptual layers as well. An antique dealer as well as artist, Suzan shares with us her sources of inspiration, and advice for those wanting to venture into collage.

Can you start by telling us a little bit about your family?

Suzan: My family consists of my husband Chuck (who I met on the Internet 8 years ago, and have been married to for 7), and my 21 year old daughter--who I affectionately refer to as She who knows everything. Shes in nursing school, and I am very proud of her. I also have 2 step-daughters, and 4 step-grandchildren. Additionally, I am the owner of Petey the Wonderdog. Petey was an abused dog that wondered into my yard a little over a year ago, and whom I fell in love with. He helped me get over the empty nest syndrome when my daughter moved away to college, and for that he has been my saving grace in life. Hes still not very social with humans, but neither am I, so we understand each other perfectly. Did you study art in school?

Suzan: The only art that I have studied was in high school. I graduated in 1982, and a year and a half ago--I decided I wanted to be an artist. After being out of high school for 25 years, I started doing art. What artists have inspired you over time?

Suzan: When I first started doing mixed media collage the journal pages of Teesha Moore inspired me. I looked at the art of others, and was inspired by many, many more artists along the way. I still constantly check out other artists work, and am still inspired by a great deal of it that I find on the Web.

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Your work is so zany and colorful! Are there any art themes are you most drawn to? Suzan: Really the only theme that I have been drawn to is a circus theme. I love anything to do with vintage circus. Other than that, I have hard time with themes. I completely work out of intuition, with very little planning, so themes seem to get thrown to the wayside. You have also been an antique dealer. provided any inspiration to your art? Has that

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Suzan: Yes, it has. I have a life-long love of anything old, and I use a lot of vintage images in my art. I think that being an antique dealer (I am still one, only now part-time) has made it easier to keep fresh ideas on hand, because if I am not making art, then I am out hunting for old things. I am inspired a lot by older color combinations, and finding things with those colors is always exciting. What types of antiques hold the most interest for you and why?

Suzan: The ones that are worth the most money! When you sell antiques to make money to live on, then the interesting things are the most valuable. I especially like antique dolls, and old pictures (photographs), if you are talking about a more personal level. But, even those are for sale. When I first started, I wanted to keep everything that I found, but have since gotten over that, and have sold most of my personal collections. It wasnt hard to do when we couldnt walk around freely in our house because of the antiques.

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Have you any favorite artists? Suzan: I have one all-time, super, favorite artist, and have loved his stuff for many years. He is a science fiction illustrator named BROM. His stuff is very shocking, and dark. But, I love his talent. I am envious that I cannot draw like he does. A lot of people are surprised when they look him up because hes so different than the happy, bright colors that I normally use. Your artwork covers a wide range of media. Can you share some techniques with us? Suzan: This is a very hard area for me. I never used planned techniques, and when I try, they never work like they are supposed to. I just mainly do whatever I want, and keep working it (sometimes with over 20+ coats of paint, and collage) until I like something. I buy books about techniques--end up looking at the pretty pictures, and never read the first word or instruction. Theres not anything you cant learn by trial and error; thats my technique.

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I know artists, including myself, have had to deal with artists block. Have you ever had artists block? Do you have any suggestions for those who encounter it? Suzan: Funny that you ask this, because I have been suffering with it for about a month. I am still producing, but not much art that I am happy with. I havent been able to reach my LA-LALA stage, where I am just kicking out wonderful things, and my mind is working towards producing art. I am not finding inspiration in anything, and nothing seems to go like I want it to.

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When I get like this--I just keep making stuff. I keep putting paint on top of paint, on top of paint, and keep plugging along. I feel like the worse thing that you can do is stop creating, simply because you arent feeling it. Making bad art is better than making no art, in my opinion. I know my muse will return; I worked her too hard, and shes just taking a break. Your colors are bold yet always harmonious and this isnt always easy! How do you create such great color combinations with such variety of color?

Suzan: First, Thank you for the compliment! Second, I make color mistakes just like everyone does. I just have no trouble dumping white over a color and reworking it, or making it a completely different color. I guess that I am different than most people, bcause my color mistakes usually involve muted, neutral colors like beige or brown. I have the hardest time with anything that is soft and muted.

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Do you have any advice for someone starting out in collage, or wanting to advance further? Suzan: Get rid of the fear. Dont be afraid. The worse that you can do is mess up, and have to rework something or throw it away. It isnt the end of the world, and doesnt make you a failure. Use photocopies, or scan images into your computer, print them and glue to your hearts content. Some things are going to work, some are not--but its all a learning process. If you want to advance artistically--once you get comfortable doing something, put all thoughts of it away, and do something different, even if you arent liking the uncomfortable feeling of stepping outside the box and even if you are afraid. For every new thing that I have learned, I have a dozen failures to show for it. Also, dont think. This is probably the most important thing to learn. You wouldnt be creating art, if something inside of you wasnt creative. So, let it out. The only way to do this is to stop thinking and just do it!

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-See more of Suzans work hereWebsite: www.suzanbuckner.com Art Blog: www.thriftycollageartist.blogspot.com Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thriftycollageartist/ ETSY: http://thriftycollageartist.etsy.com

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Gallery: Fall-Themed ATC C ontest!

ATCsforall.com hosted a fall-themed ATC contest open to all members. We encouraged people to be inspired by fall colors, fall scenes, fall food and fall leavesand the members responded with an amazingly amount of beautiful cards. After voting, three winners emerged! Congratulations to Janet Dickenson & Donna Hawk (winners of our Peoples Choice Awards) and Cindy Vasquez (our randomlychosen winner!). Here are their cards!

Donna Hawk

Janet Dickenson

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In Search of the Even Black Line: Pen Possibilities

By Bonnie Driscoll and Dana Driscoll
Any mail artist working with ink extensively knows how difficult it is to find a consistently producing and economically priced pen. After many years of experience and numerous purchases, we provide you with reviews of some of the best types of pens for your needs. This article introduces four primary possibilities for artistic pens. It does not consider markers, like sharpies, nor does it consider standard writing pens, like BIC pens. The article covers technical pens, dip pens, artist felt-tip pens, and finally other options like gel pens.

All About Inks

The following are some common qualities of ink: Waterproof Ink: Once dry, a waterproof ink will not smear or smudge if it encounters water. This is perfect for individuals who want to sketch in pen and use watercolor washes over it. Additionally, if you plan on sealing your artwork with any kind of gloss or matte finish/ medium, you will need to use waterproof ink. Archival Ink: Archival inks have several main qualitiesthey are fade resistant to time, they will adhere to the page and not flake off and have a pH neutral composition to prevent decay of the underlying paper. Acrylic Ink: A polymer, pigmented ink that often has bold colors and opaque features. Acrylic ink is supposed to be used with dip pens and technical pens, although the inks weve tried have all clogged the pens due to their thickness. Instead, we use a brush or dip pen. India Ink: A simple black ink made of carbon. India ink is an ancient formula, used by the Romans and Chinese. It can be found in cakes, sticks, or liquid form. Its commonly used in artistic work as it is often archival and waterproof. Inks come in all colors and thicknesses. Your choice of inks is largely dependent on the types of pens you want to use and the types of art you wish to create.

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m a g a z i n e Technical & Mechanical Pens

Technical pens were the standard in graphic design work before the advent of computer-aided design. They are still popular today with artists, drafters, and illustrators. Technical pens are re-usable pens that come with ink refilling options and a variety of line sizes. The main benefit of a technical pen is that they provide you with the most consistent and fine lines out of any of the pens we review in this article. Most brands do not get clogged up by mixed media like acrylics and they go over bumpy surfaces well without wearing down the point of the pen (since its a solid metal point). The main drawback of these pens is that they require refilling and cleaning by hand, which can be messy. They are also fragiledropping the point of the pen on the ground will damage it. There are several types of technical pens, including refillable/ self-filling/plunger pens and pens with cartridges. Although the cartridges are less messy, they are often not waterproof. The self-filling kinds come with waterproof, archival quality black ink, but can be time consuming and messy to fill. Our favorite of the technical pens are Koh-i-Noor Rapido Sketch pens because they provide the most consistent line, are the most reliable, sturdier, and easier to take apart and clean than some other varieties. The older Rapidograph pens are also quite nice, but the Rapido Sketch pen provides more flexibility and allows you to hold the pen at more angles. You can find them at online art retail stores and occasionally in office supply stores. Other technical pen brands include Rotring, Staedtler, and Pelikan. Who should use these pens? We recommend these pens for individuals who do frequent and extensive pen workthey will be the most economical to you in the long run. These pens are not for occasional usethey can clog up and dry out without common use. If you get a set of these pens, you should plan on using them at least once a week. Additionally, if you do a lot of pen work over mixed media or acrylic backgrounds, these pens have the best flow and do not get clogged like other pens presented here. Most of these pens only accept specially made black ink, although some use other types. Finally, individuals who are environmentally conscious of their own waste will be pleased with these reusable pens, due to their refillable and waste-reducing nature. How much do they cost? Although these pens represent a substantial investment up front (approx $10-25 per pen), in the long term and with frequent use, they represent the most economical of the choices. -16-

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How to Clean Your Technical or Dip Pen

Simple clean up methods for dip pens with nibs or technical pens include: Soap and water: soak your pen parts for a few hours and then dry on a paper towel. Blot them on the paper towel to get all of the water out of the point before you refill it. An old toothbrush and some soap can help remove caked-on ink. Windex: pour a bit of window cleaner in a container and let the pens soak in. Do not dilute the Windex. Do not ever use bleach with your pens because it can destroy or corrode the pen.

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Using a Dip Pen

The following are some tips for using a dip pen: When using a dip pen, one of the biggest challenges is figuring out how much ink you should have on the pen. When dipping, keep a paper towel or piece of scratch paper nearby. After dipping your pen into the inkwell, dab it on the paper towel before beginning a line. Beware of paper towel fibers in the nib. Additionally, if you wash your pen nib, be sure to dry it thoroughly before beginning a line as this can also cause uneven flow. The angle of the pen is important as wellkeep the pen slightly lower than a 90 degree anglehold it naturally in your hand as you would a pencil. Pay attention to which way the nib is facing so that your line comes out as you expect. Dip into your ink frequently. Infrequent dipping can lead to your pen scraping against your paper and leaving marks. Use a smooth surfacea bumpy surface will lead to more uneven lines. Once you become more skilled at using the pen, you may find it possible to work on more uneven surfaces. Although dip pens are tricky at first, they can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment in pen-and-ink work!

Dip Pens
Dip pens are a very cheap and classic alternative to more modern technical or felt-tip artist pens. Dip pens are very useful because a number of different low-cost nibs can be purchased for drawing and calligraphic work. These nibs allow for many different types of inks and colors to be used that are not present in other pen types, such as acrylic or colored inks. You can also use your own handmade inks (such as walnut or elderberry) with these pens to great success! Many types of inks, including archival and waterproof, are available for use with these pens. Dip pens have a substantial learning curve and have frequent problems with dripping and uneven lines. Although it is possible to use them effectively, building your skill with these pens takes time. Our favorite of the dip pen brands is Speedball, whose pen nibs are built to last and provide a consistent line. Who should use these pens? We recommend dip pens for anyone looking for a bit more flexibility in lines, those interested in calligraphy work, and those looking to use the many fine colored and acrylic inks that are on the market. These pens are challenging and frustrating at first, but can be rewarding with perseverance and practice. Again, individuals who are concerned about environmental issues and waste will enjoy using dip pens due to their reusable nature. How much do they cost? Pen sets run about $6-12; replacement nibs are about $2 each. Inks to go with them run $3-5 per ink. Nibs can last quite a while if you care for them properly with cleaning and storage.

Inks for Dip Pens

Because of Bonnies extensive experience as a calligrapher for 30 years, she has used nearly all of the inks on the market. Many of these brands have waterproof and/or archival-quality ink options. Here are some she recommends: Higgins Inks: Her favorite of the inks because of the vibrancy of the colors and the flow. Winsor and Newton Inks: These inks have a large color selection. They are a bit more translucent compared to the Higgins ink. Pelican Inks: Vibrant, opaque inks. Bonnie does not recommend the Speedball brand inks because they build up on your pen point causing you difficulty as you write or draw.

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Artist Pens

Disposable or one-use artist pens, like ZIG Millennium, Pigma Micron, and Faber-Castell PITT artist pens represent a newer line of artist pens. These pens are the most readily accessible of the pens discussed in this article and they are often found in scrapbooking sections of hobby and art supply stores. Artist pens produce a very consistent line, but come in a limited amount of sizes and colors. The biggest benefit to these pens is that they are not messy and are the easiest to use and purchase. The negatives of these pens is that they run out extremely quickly, are wasteful, are limiting in pen sizes/ colors and can be very costly over time. Most of these pens feature archival, waterproof inks. Our favorite of the artist pens is the Faber Castell PITT Artist pens and the Micron pens because these pens clog less frequently on mixed media work and seem to last longer than their competitors. Who should use these? Individuals occasionally doing pen work, those who do not want to deal with the cleaning of the technical pens, or those who do not have the funds to invest in a more expensive technical pen. What do they cost? Although the initial investment per pen is only $2-4, if you use ink pens a lot, the cost of each pen adds up. At one point, Dana (one of the authors of this article) was using 8-12 pens a month, amounting to $40-$50 per month. After that, she switched to a technical and dip pen combination and has saved substantial amounts of money in the long run. In less than 2 months time, her technical pen set paid itself off!

Conclusion
Overall, we find the technical pens to have the most consistent line, the least amount of clogging over mixed media work, the best flow, and the best value for your money over time. We highly recommend the Rapido Sketch Koh-I-Noor line of pens if you are a serious pen and ink artist. Keep an eye on online retailers for saleswe recently scored a set of 7 technical pens for less than $60. Its important to know that there is not a perfect pen for everyone. Rather, as you develop your own working style and needs, different types of pens will work better for you. Some people will enjoy working with an older style dip pen or technical pen, while others will prefer the newer felt-tipped artist pens. If costs are a major factor, weigh the short-term low-cost artist pens with the long-term technical pens and decide which is the best for you. We hope this article provided you with possibilities for your pen needs! -18-

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Critique Corner
by Andrea Melione Welcome to the Critique Corner. In this new regular column, reader-submitted art will be critiqued. A critique is not meant to be a negative analysis; rather, a true and proper critique is where a piece of art is evaluated in both its strengths and weaknesses, as perceived by the individual doing the critiquing. An honest critique can be valuable; many of us will ask friends or family members for their opinion, and it is also useful to see artwork created by others critiqued. Also, critiques can give us insight into how others see our art and help us look at it in ways we hadnt thought of before. In this issue, Ill be looking at two ATCs submitted by Kati Barrett and giving you some tips to think about when submitting your own work for critique! First off, here are a few things I think about when I look at a piece of art I am critiquing: Individual style, color scheme, composition, rendering/technical execution, complexity, and the overall immediate impact of the work (in other words, the gestalt: How all of the aforementioned points work together to create the whole). This checklist works pretty well for all types of subject matter and media, from fiber arts, to collage, to drawn work. Lets begin with Mellow Light. This card is actually rather nice, and is her first attempt at drawing! The drawing of the bird is not an issue at all, as, stylistically, it has a naive folkart appeal. The colors seem to work well together, and the application of the paint gives the muted feel of late afternoon sun, supporting the Mellow Light text. The card could use development in a few areas though, namely in the composition and its depth. The image of the card is very simple, and some extra layers would help to give the card extra dimension.

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Kati Barrett

A border of some kind can give the card a more finished look; because of the theme, one could choose to give the card either a light border (for example, duplicating the white outline of the bird around the edge of the card as well) or a soft application of walnut ink or other darker color around the edges. I usually slide and daub a soft raised ink pad along the edges for this effect.

Also, the values of the bird and background are very similar. To create a little depth and contrast in the card, you could darken the area around the bird; I would suggest using a light, warm brown watercolor, being careful not to go over the white outline. The text is also very small, but is well placed. To make it stand out a little more, outlining in some way could work (for example, by using a gold gel pen).

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This next card has a lot of potential; the color scheme has already been established (purple, green and neutrals) and the placement of the elements (text, boy, window, skull) is fairly solid. The elements, however, are competing for the eyes attention, rather than working together to create a cohesive whole. This can be fixed by lessening the dominance of the green window, and bringing the boy visually forward. In order to do this, the window needs to be pushed into the background. This can be done in a variety of ways:

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1) Distress the image using fine sandpaper and apply a light wash of walnut ink or darker-colored distressing ink. 2) Apply gesso mixed with a little brown paint, just to the window area, to make the bright green color appear less saturated, and more subtle; then re-create the brown punchinello circle texture over the area, to blend it with the background. The window will still be visible, but it wont compete with the boy any longer. 3) To bring the boy forward, outline the figure using metallic pens or any light-colored acrylic paint, or give the figure a shadow by painting the area around the outlines a darker color, like a deep purple, or green. I hope this critique has been helpful to our readers. Thanks Kati, for starting off this column! -20-

Kati Barrett

Here are some Critique Corner submission guidelines to keep in mind when choosing work for critique:
* Dont submit your masterpiece! Submit something you already feel youre having trouble with. This way you will not feel your Best-Work-Ever is being ripped into. * Copyright Issues: When submitting a collage, make sure the images you have used have expired copyright protection. Dover Publications has a wide range of image collections that are copyright free. * Dont take anything personally: Remember, the person doing the critique is working from his or her own perspective, and its okay if you dont agree with them. * Just Ask! Feel free to ask several questions when you submit your piece. Let us know what areas youd like some specific help with! Email us at art@arttradermag.com

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Handdrawn and painted ATCs from IllustratedATCs.com Tabitha Ladin Ang Westermann Andrea Melione Lynne Lemyre

Funky Mermaids

Joy Saethre

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Keela Cleghorn
Robyn Tisch-Hollister

Leah Budin

Liz Stevens

Tracie Rozario

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An Interview with

Randi Marx
Randi is an enigma; her colored pencil works evoke mood and invite meditation, or delight us with bold colors and masterful execution. But who is the individual behind the art? In this interview, Randi reveals to us her musings and no shortcuts attitude to excellence in art.

Tell us a little about yourself: Randi: I know its a bit clich, but I have been drawing my whole life. I have gone down many paths, trying to figure out exactly what art is, and/or what art should be. The more I learn, the less I know. I love the line from Bono in the U2 song: I knew more then than I do now. Its how I feel. I do have some favorite ideas, though, and one of those is that art should make extraordinary that which is ordinary. Ive thought a lot about that. Some examples would be Monets haystacks or Cezannes fruit. Its not what they painted, but how they painted it. And Ive thought a lot about photography. Since one can capture a scene instantaneously, and then just print it up, change it in Photoshop, do about anything in the world with it, then why draw? Why paint? This is an unanswered question that has been going on since the daguerreotype. After all, the very word photograph means to draw with light. And now we have pixels. so much to consider. I dont have the answers, but I do believe that being an artist is more than just making pictures. Its about creating questions and attempting to organize them into a visual language. And dont get me wrong, I also believe art can be simple fun, as well. It can serve the artist (and the viewer) in many ways! It has the ability to be everything from attempting to make order out of chaos, to escape, or for meditation--just to name a few. Therefore, I spend my days searching. I want to be an alchemist. The alchemist attempts to turn base metals into gold. And this can be metaphoric, which is how it is for me. Base metal can be anything without spirit. It can be a day without meaning. Going into the creative realm, I can use all the formulas forged by all those before me--artists, poets, musicians, dancers, a shaman, magicians--and attempt to change a common day into a series of exceptional hours!

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Did you study art? Yes. I graduated from a Liberal Arts college. I was actually the first person in the college history to graduate with a 4.0 grade average and major in the Department of Fine Arts. This doesnt necessarily mean Im some outstanding artist, it simply means I was very competitive in academics. I loved it all--from Chemistry to English Lit to 3D Design. I see it all as important to my artistic development. One thing that I discovered was that the more I learned--I realized the less I knew. And I wanted to know more; I wanted to understand more. I didnt simply want to graduate with the knowledge of how to stretch a canvas and compose a still life. I wanted to be able to hear the music of Chopin, to read the visual language of Kandinsky, and experience the sound and movement of Nijinsky and Diaghilev. And I was fortunate to have amazing art professors--ones who forced me to work. And by work I dont mean simply make pictures; I had to defend my work. I had to learn how to verbalize my direction and goals. It deepened the experience. Because, so many times, even today, I have NO idea what in the world Im doing. And sometimes, an artist has to go with her gut. And after the work is finished, the artist can step away, look back, and then the reason, the awakening, the enlightening is evident! Are there any artists who particularly inspire you? There is no way I could list who all have inspired me, guided me, or taught me. Every day I find new inspiration. And I believe that there is something to learn in any experience, whether the experience is positive or negative. The entire world inspires me. And this doesnt mean I am always inspired! Far from it. Most days I cant think of any direction. I can sit and sit for a long time and not come up with one thing I want to do. The fact is, having too many influences can be confusing. Because if one cant limit something, then instead of having direction, theres confusion! Thats where I am most the time--right in the middle of my big pot of boiling bewilderment.

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I will list some that come to mind: Marie Laurencin, Alice in Chains, Munch, Kandinsky, Picassos Woman Ironing, Percy Shelley, Virginia Woolf; the books: Veronika Decides to Die (Paulo Coelho); The Bonesetters Daughter (Amy Tan); Widow Basquiat (Jennifer Clement); Chelsea Horror Hotel (Dee Dee Ramone) (and more); the ballet Giselle; the Hotel Chelsea in New York; any books on magick, alchemy, tarot cards and/or visual symbolism; The Virgin Mary and images of the Virgin Mary (especially Our Lady of Lourdes); anything to do with All Hallows Eve, Dia De Los Muertos, Carnivals/state fairs/side shows; Nancy Spungen, and the piano of David Lanz; any master violinist; the music of Secret Garden; and anyone who forges new paths and breaks down barriers. I also find great truth in fairy tales. An angel pops up a lot in your work; is there special significance there? Randi: Yes, very much so. When I went to a local cemetery, ages ago, I wanted to photograph the images of these silent sentinels. While I was there, this one statue overwhelmed me. I stood for a very long time in the presence of this beautiful figure. The name Manuel came to mind, so thats what I call him. At the time, he was almost black with moss and mold, but I saw this beauty underneath, and I photographed him many times. During this time, I was friends with a man named Malcolm. Malcolm was from New Orleans, a Cajun, and an amazing cook. He also was HIV positive. He was so spiritual. I told him about Manuel. Malcolm had become very ill at this time but told me that his hope was that he could go with me and help me clean this angels face. He told me how we could do it. Because of his failing health, this never came to pass. In time, Malcolm died. About six months later, I went to the cemetery to photograph Manuel again. At first, I couldnt find him! Finally I realized, I was standing right before him. I didnt recognize him at first because he was pure white--completely clean of the moss and mold. I was overwhelmed for a moment, but then, I thought of Malcolm. I thought to myself, did Malcolm do this? I stood in silence for a moment, and then I whispered, Malcolm? And at that moment, a breeze came and blew leaves across my feet. I really believe I witnessed an amazing miracle at that moment. To update this story, I went to visit Manuel this past week of All Hallows Eve. About three years ago, I lost another friend to AIDS. This friend was even closer than Malcolm. His name was Ron. Id taken Ron to visit Manuel before and had told him the story of Malcolm. He had known Malcolm as well. Well, as I was standing there this past October, I thought of Ron. I whispered, Ron? But nothing happened. I went ahead and photographed Manuel. As I was going back to the car, I looked down and saw something I hadnt noticed before. I dont know how I missed it, because it was right there. Lying there on the ground was a bouquet of red flowers (plastic, like from an arrangement). I wonder if that was from Ron? Because I hadnt noticed it before. Anyway, I picked it up and put it in Manuels hand and photographed it. -25-

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How did you discover ATCs and Mail Art? What kind of impact have they had on your life as an artist? Randi: I was a member of a group called EBSQ. They had monthly challenges and feature groups, and one time they featured the ATC. I had just returned from one of my visits to the Hotel Chelsea and wanted to do something with my photographs. I have always painted so large, and Id already decided to do something small. This would be a double challenge for me. One: That this work would have no figure in it; and Two: They would be small instead of large. It was at this time I discovered the ATC group. I didnt join in over at EBSQ; I went to my Chelsea photos and started drawing. I was obsessed! As time went by, I found the ATC group online and joined. It was at that time that I noticed the group projects and theme trades. I started joining them to challenge myself and to learn. Over the years, I cant stress how much Ive learned and how my work has grown from joining this group and the theme trades! I will not only join theme trades that I love and are fun for me, I join at least one that is challenging to me. The most recent was one called Beautiful Trees. It was amazing and I felt my imagination grow as I was working on it. And not only that, but to see all the other styles and methods the other ATC artists use to solve their own challenges has taught me so much. I cant stress how encouraging, enlightening, and inspiring this group has been for me!

Find Randi on the web at:

The Arcane Harvest

www.randimarx.com

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Artistic Journeys: Altered Art 101

By Dana Driscoll
Recently, my mother and I stopped at a yard sale. It was a great salefull of lots of old antiques, books, junk boxes to root through, and so forth. As we were walking around the garage, I stopped next to a basin filled with old rolling pins. I looked at mom and I said, Look at these! What a find! I grabbed up two of them and she said back, Dana, what could you possibly need with two? One for the kitchen I understand, but two? I replied, Mom, Im going to use one to make cookies and alter the one as a gift for one of my Secret Santa art partners! She just laughed and said, Of course! Altered art has been all the rave in the last few years. But what exactly is it and how far can you go? This article will define altered art, provide lots of examples, and provide some common techniques to use when altering using a sample art projectthe altered wooden rolling pin!

The sky is the limit when it comes to altering! Here are some common and not so common objects to alter: Spoons/silverware Dominos CDs Game pieces (Scrabble tiles, etc) Shoes Books Tables/furniture Kitchen utensils Keyboards/electronics CDs Ccomputers/iPods Tins/boxes Bottles Matchboxes Mirrors Clothing Keys Luggage tags

What is Altered Art? Websters dictionary defines alter as to make different without changing into something else. When we combine this with art, we get something like the following: To take an ordinary object and, using artistic techniques, make it different without changing it into something else. In other words, the object you are working on becomes altered through art but not entirely changed. With altered art, its important that some of the original object remains (such as the pages on a book or the base of the spoon you are altering). These alterations can be anything and everything you can think of. This includes hand-painted, collaged, digitally altered, hand-drawn, sewn, stitched, stamped, glazed, splattered, sprayed, sanded, distressed, and more. A lot of altered art is mixed media (i.e. more than two mediums) because altered art lends itself well to this kind of work. -27-

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With altered art, the sky is the limit! The largest thing that I have personally altered is my car, followed by my bass guitar. After that, it goes into an innumerate amount of silverware, bottles, books, Scrabble tiles, and more! Altering is great fun, regardless of the size. Where do I find stuff to alter? My best advice is to always be on the lookout for things worth altering. I often find the best alterable stuff at yard sales, flea markets, thrift stores and other types of rummage sales. Our local library has a book sale of all the old books they no longer want and I always find a wonderful assortment of books to alter there. Thrift stores like Goodwill can be full of tins, boxes, bags, silverware, and game pieces to alter. Be ever vigilant and always on the lookout! But should I? One of the biggest challenges altered artists face is the hesitation factoroften I talk to artists who say, Can I really rip the pages out of that book? Should I really paint over this nice old spoon? And my answer is most definitely always Yes! Altered art is all about repurposing, revising, recreating and taking what exists and making it better (at least better in the artists perspective!) If you arent willing to destroy a few old books in the process, youll never be able to call yourself an altered artist! The only thing I suggest before beginning your altering process is to make sure that the object you are altering is neither incredibly valuable nor a family heirloom. Check to see if that book is a first edition before you alter it! This is why garage sale and thrift store finds are so useful to you. Otherwisego for it!

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Can I really rip the pages out of that book? Should I really paint over this nice old spoon? And my answer is most definitely always Yes!
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Altered Rolling Pin: The Walk-Through After purchasing the wooden rolling pin for a cool two dollars at the yard sale, I took some time to think through how I might alter this for my Secret Santa partner. I decided on an Asian altered Art Queen theme with bright reds, combining two of her favorite themes. 1) I started by sanding the wood on the rolling pin slightly. Sanded wood takes glue, paper, and paint much better than non-sanded. I always sand any wooden or plastic surface I will alterScrabble tiles, Dominos, and so forth. 2) Next, I coated the rolling pin with Asian papers of various types. To coat it, I used a collage recipe I created myself: 1/3 part water, 1/3 part Tacky Glue, and 1/3 part Modge Podge. This gets rid of the too-sticky nature of Modge Podge and is a bit more economical. 3) I used a combination of acrylics and glazes to paint the rolling pin papers. I also added some watered down acrylics to the handle to give it a bit of a red glow. 4) After that, I began layering collage and hand-painted elements on the rolling pin. I added the Asian woman, a crown, the hand-lettering, and more and more layers of papers. I added Distress Inks as necessary to keep with the red and orange color scheme. 5) Finally, I added outlines in ink and painted on lovely plum blossoms to finish the piece. 1

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gallery: halloween postcard contest

By the artists of www.mailartworld.com
In October, Mail Art World held its first contest for Halloween postcards. The winner (at left) was the fun but slightly naughty pumpkin lady created by Wanda Edwards. Congratulations, Wanda!

Wanda Edwards Winning entry! Robyn Tisch-Hollister

Catherine Parmelee Roxann Nichols -30-

Paula Bendig

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Donna Ratcliff Stuart Nash

Diane Glass

halloween postcards

Andrea Melione Mary Watkin -31-

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Walk-Through Art
By Sal Scheibe
This new feature is going to take us through the creation of an ATC, from start to finish. There wont be any step-by-step guide for readers, just the photos to show you how different artists create their art. Its often elightening to see how others work and compare it to your own methods. A great way to pick up a few tips and tricks.

This Artist Trading Card is based on a photo portait taken by Richard Avedon of Louise Nevelson, a very talented and skilled sculptor. I started off with a pencil sketch based on the photo reference. I then colored the card with base colors using Prismacolor markers.

Various colors of Prismacolor pencils were used to capture shadows and highlights. I used a colorless blender to smooth out the color blends and my shading was built up in layers. I based the background on the style of Nevelsons assemblage art. Unfortunately, sometimes Prismas dont blend so well when there is a build up. I know I shouldnt get to a build up but it happens. In this case, I used a matte finishing spray, let it dry, then added a bit more pencil work on top of the finish. Then I finished off with a Micron and gel pen for final highlights. -32-

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Tracie Rozario: The Secret Side of Purple

Interview by Andrea Melione Tracie Rozario is best described as Purple, with all of the feelings and concepts this powerful color can evoke. She is mystical, fun, and bohemian with a true gypsy soul. Her fantasy work has both a light and dark side. She is the queen of her artistic domain and her confident pencil technique, ability in the altered arts and mixed media realms makes her a truly versatile artist. She is the owner of MailArtWorld.com, where she works as administrator and member of the Art Panel. Tell us a little about yourself. Tracie: I live on the sunny West Coast of Australia in the Perth Swan Valley with my husband, 3 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats. My hubby runs our family business while I take on the job of Domestic Engineer. When Im not chasing the kids or looking after the household, I can usually be found doing something creative. I find it to be a little bit of me time in my crazy and hectic days. That being said, most of my me/creative time usually occurs between the hours of 9pm and 1am. My friends say Im a little bit crazy (hopefully in a good way!) and somewhat of a hippie. The hippie part mostly comes from my dress style, Id imagine, and that I am somewhat ethereal in nature. I love the fantasy realm and would say that is the theme I am most comfortable with. I am also quite infamous for my love (or crazy addiction) to the color purple. I am always trying new things and love the challenge of learning something new or pushing myself to create in a different way. So I often end up with more than one project on the go at once. I dabble in many areas: Parchment Craft, Encaustic Art, JewelryMaking, and, more recently, Fused Glass, just to name a few.

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Your college studies focused on the sciences; how did you develop your artistic talents? Tracie: For as long as I remember, I have always loved to draw and paint. Creating in some form seems to be a part of me that never goes away. I often feel that there are two sides to me: the creative side and the scientific side, both happily existing alongside each other in a complimentary fashion. While at the university, I still found time to create. It seemed to balance me in some way. However, my art development was somewhat stagnant. I wasnt actively trying to further myself in that area; it was more something that I just did or was just there. Why did you decide to pursue the sciences, and has scientific knowledge had any impact on your art? Tracie: When I was in my final year of high school, I felt like I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life. I had done well academically as well as artistically throughout my final year so I had to decide which side of me to pursue at the university. I had (and still do have) a passion in both areas. It finally came down to logic. I could study chemistry and science and do art as a hobby, but I couldnt study art and do chemistry/science as a hobby. This way I was able to keep both parts of me together. I would say that scientific knowledge has really only impacted my artwork in two areas. Anatomy lessons were invaluable in learning the human form. Understanding how the human body works, from skeleton to skin, has enabled me to draw the human form more accurately. And my chemical knowledge has helped me in areas involved with the mixing of certain types of artistic supplies. Knowing what each chemical is, in a substance, means I know the outcome of a mix without having to test. That has come in handy a few times. What are your favorite materials for both your drawn and mixed media work? Tracie: For my drawn artwork, my favorite materials would be Prismacolor pencils, lead pencils, and fine-line black markers. I would consider those items to be my trusty faves and ones I just couldnt do without. For mixed media artwork, my favorite materials would be anything I can get my hands on! Even then, most of my mixed media work usually contains paints, markers and pencils also. -34-

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How have you solved any organizational issues? Do you have any tips? Tracie: No matter how hard I try, I am completely un-organized with my art supplies. The only organization I have is with my colored pencils, markers, brushes and paints. These are just kept together. My art room/ studio is almost classed as a disaster zone. So much so that I dont create in there, but do my artwork on a table in our alfresco [ed. - outdoor] area. To enter and navigate the room requires locating small open spaces of spare floor and bending, twisting, and jumping over to where one needs to go. A background in gymnastics or ballet would certainly come in handy. My biggest tip on being organized... is to be organized! Do you have any favorite pencil techniques? Tracie: Blending by Burnishing is my favorite pencil technique. Burnishing is best described as the layering of at least two colors, blending them together with a light color (usually white or a blending pencil), then layering more colors and blending again. Keep doing this until the paper surface is entirely covered. This technique helps me create rich colors, depth and intensity in a piece.

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Q: Any favorite mixed-media techniques?

Tracie: Taking a collage image and adding my own touches is my favorite technique in this area. And using pencils, markers, gel pens and paint to alter the image, whether it be to add an element like a hat or wings, re-color the image with my own rendering or to just completely change the color of parts of the image.

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And finally, the old interview standby; If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you HAVE to have with you? Tracie: Well, if I had a limited amount of haves they would be (and of course multiples if possible), a 2B pencil, an eraser, a sketchbook or paper, a knife, some matches, a blanket, a book by any of my favorite authors, a musical instrument - guitar or alto saxophone, and not to forget the Coca-Cola!

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~Find Tracie on the Web~
ETSY: www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5354053 Blog: www.purplerealm.net/blog Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/purplerealm www.MailArtWorld.com
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Petite Artiste
by Abi Aldrich

Marlena Muir Winnipeg, Canada

Marlena Muir, aka Darth Marl, is a thirteen-year-old artist from Manitoba, Canada. She said, I was drawing ever since I was about 3 years old. Ive always drawn stuff. Her mom, Melissa, added, Not always on paper, unfortunately! LOL! Some of Marlenas favorite things to draw include, anime, animals, tattoo-like designs, cartoons, and flowers. Marlena said, I use pencils the most; and I also like to paint, with watercolors and acrylics. With all the artwork Marlena creates, she said, I mostly give it away to other people, like my family and my friends. I do keep some of my art, like my Blood Red Moon that I painted. Its a favorite of mine. I have an art teacher in my Jr. High - Ms. Harrison. Also my Mom teaches the Afterschool Art Club on Wednesdays, where we do other art projects that we dont get to do in school. I havent won any awards yet, although I am planning on entering a contest this December, said Marlena. She added, The type of art I like has kind of a Rock n Roll, Gothy edge to it, so my art is reflecting that. I do like to try new things, like glass etching, soapstone carving and clay. I find that art is very relaxing, and it helps with my other pursuits, like poetry!

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Readers Gallery

We receive a lot of great altered art and Mail Art from our readers. We want to show it off! Please feel free to submit your own art. Check our website for details on submissions.

www.arttradermag.com

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Readers Gallery

Vintage collage ATCs by Lorri Lennox

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Abstract beauties by Sarah Bentvelzen

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Readers Gallery

Acrylic painted ATCs by Rosanna Johansen Beautiful! -40-

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Advertise in the next issue of ArtTrader Mag! Please visit our website for details.
www.arttradermag.com

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Call for Articles and Artwork

Thank you for your interest in contributing to ArtTrader Magazine. ArtTrader Magazine is a web-based publication (in PDF format) focused on Mail Art for trade such as ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), ACEOs, art journals, chunky books, altered art and altered books. We are always accepting the following types of materials: How to or Step-by-step articles on artistic techniques. We are interested in techniques that can be applied to any mail art. These include illustrative techniques, and also works in fabric, digital, collage, mixed media, and more. Articles on artistic journeys or experiences. Do you have an interesting story that you would like to share? We would like to hear it. Artist Spotlight/Profile. Do you have a body of work you would like share? We would love to feature you in our artist spotlight. Showcasing Art. We are interested in showcasing assemblages, mixed media work, creative journaling, chunky books, fat books, inchies, ATCs (Artist Trading Cards), post cards and more. These types of articles usually have a small bit of background accompanying them but primarily are visual in nature. Product and Book Reviews. If you are interested in writing a review of a new product or book that is connected to the Mail Art world, we would enjoy hearing about it. Submissions of Artwork Almost all of our articles require artwork submissions. You might also want to submit artwork to appear in our webzine galleries. Our call for artwork is always open and we welcome your submissions of ATCs, ACEOs, art journals, chunky pages or altered books. Everyone is welcome to submit their art. You do not need to be a member of IllustratedATCs.com to submit artwork. You must submit your work to us in digital format. 300-400 DPI is sufficient. Do not submit artwork lower than 300 DPI. Acceptable formats include: JPG, BMP, TIF. Do not submit GIF files. Any submitted artwork should be at least 500 pixels wide and high (they can be much larger than this, of course!)

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Article Submissions Dana Driscoll, Editor editor@arttradermag.com Artwork Submissions Sal Scheibe, Art Director art@arttrader.com Advertising Inquiries ads@arttradermag.com

For additional details on our submission and artwork guidelines, please visit our website

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Meathead ATC by Sal Scheibe

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