Trading Original Art With Sarah Trumpp

Monster Girl! by: Sarah Trumpp

Artist Sarah Trumpp is an administrator and Jury panelist in an art card trading site called IllustratedATCs.com. As I have mentioned in past posts, I was accepted into this group early in the year, and I have really enjoyed my trades so far. The ATC Sarah made for me is pictured above. I like monsters a lot so I specifically asked for one of her "monster children". I particularly like the shapes and size ranges in her character design and the texture she achieves with acrylic paint- especially the splatters. Trumpp has a joint website with two other artists at WonderStrange.com. Please go visit them.

On her profile she mentioned that she likes the H.P. Lovecraft character of the Cthulhu. I couldn't resist the macabre theme of the character so that's what I painted for her (see below). The behemoth is a creature mentioned in the Bible (see the book of Job) that I've always been fascinated with as-well so I pit the two up against each-other. I subscribe to the theory that the behemoth may have been some sort of sauropod.

Behemoth Vs. Cthulhu by: John Tallacksen 

Trading Original Art With Erika Schulz

To Play Each Other As Instruments by: John Tallacksen

  I recently had the pleasure of trading original ATCs with artist Erika Schulz from Canada. We have both been members of a mail art community online called IllustratedATCs.com. All of her work was absolutely brilliant, but her koi fish paintings really caught my eye. I contacted her through our shared network and found out that she loved the Tudors series. It took a while with our busy schedules but the wait was worth it. I hope she has enjoyed the card I made for her as much as I've enjoyed the card she sent me. 

  Please click on her name above and browse through her website. You'll see why I'm such a fan, and hopefully you'll want to support her work too.

Now You See Me II by: Erika Schulz

Trading Original Art With Judy Brick

Chicago Looking South... by: Judy Brick

 Artist Judy Brick and I are members of IllustratedATCs.com an international community of artists who make ATCs and ACEOs. We traded our art cards recently, and I had to share her work with the world. We found out that we had both lived in Chicago at some point in our lives so we decided to draw city skylines for eachother. She would draw our beloved Chicago, and I would draw my beloved Los Angeles which is where I currently live. I love her blue and violet color pallet in this piece, but my favorite element is the soft watercolor clouds in the background. This card reminds me of many humid Summer mornings riding the red line on the L to downtown. Not only did she send me this wonderful ATC, but she also sent me some blank vintage paper she found at an estate sale pre-cut to ATC size. Thank you for a great trade Judy!

Los Angeles in watercolor by: John Tallacksen

  Above is the card I painted and traded to Judy. I found an older picture of downtown Los Angeles and I let that inspire my color scheme. The piece was delicately painted in watercolor because the city's fragile water supply has been on my mind a lot lately. Downtown rises above the horizon line like a crown against the faded blue sky. Down below in the foreground is the barrios where there are stories of good times in the light, but also sorrowful times in the shadows. The shadows and silhouettes make the houses in the foreground stand out and therefore reinforces their closer proximity to the viewer. I hope to bring some of those stories to my audience in future pieces.

  Trading original art for original art among other artists brings a very satisfying feeling. The idea of miniature art being traded like currency between people is very appealing to me. I encourage you to join our global community in the trade.