How do you join this years arttrade? I don't think I've fully understood the system and I'd love to participate when possible!
hey there!
It's ok this a very ...convoluted system that I'm so glad works because it really shouldn't when you step back and watch it run. XD
To understand the system, you have to understand how it started:
On my main blog (@robingurl) I reached out to the CATS fandom and wanted to do an art trade with people.
I grew up doing them and missed trading art. I wound up making a small group of it all with all the ones that joined and so we all had partners and traded art.
I think by the second event/wave I realized it had gotten fairly big and decided it needed it's own blog? 😅 So that's where it came from.
The original tag CATS Art Trade 2025 just came from the fact that it was an art trade I had taken part in in the year 2025 XD. It originally was more of a tag for my own art.
But then it just stuck and so last year for the waves that's what we used. Now we're on CATS Art Trade 2026 and this years waves/trades/events will be there.
How It Works
I put out a call in this blog for a new art trade wave. I'm trying to use graphics so for example:
When you see something like this "SIGN UPS OPEN" it means a new wave has started and you're welcome to join!
Just comment on the call out post saying you'd like to join and then reblog (if you'd like) to get more eyes on it.
In the body of the post there will be a "due date" for sign ups. This way I can keep a count of who needs to have a partner and if we're odd number or not.
After the sign up period is over, I will make a post that lists all of the participants to make sure I got everyone. I will then drop all of the usernames into this old generator (that's been in existence since 1998 XD) and pair people up.
I'm looking to move to a different one that I can get an account with and it will remember who has already been paired up with who and will have a lower chance of duplicates.
There will be a post that pops out a few days later that says pairings.
The post will list who got paired up with who and we usually reblog and/or comment on this post calling our partners out excited that we're ready to go.
With the pairings will also have a reminder of the rules, of the theme and a due date of when the art should be posted.
And from there - its' off you go.
You will communicate with your partner and both of you will decide what you'd like for the trade. Once you decide you will draw your art.
On the due date (extensions are available just reach out to me in DMs), you will post your art in your blog.
You will tag: 1. Your partner 2. This blog (@catsarttrade) 3. My personal blog (@robingurl) <- this ensures that I have a 200% chance of not missing it.
4. You will also tag (in the usual tag spot) CATS Art Trade 2026. <- This is our catch all tag and you will be able to catch anything to do with this years art trade waves within it.
5. Finally, any necessary tags to get your art out there for other CATS fans to follow. XD
On the day the art is due, I will reblog it to this blog and properly gush over it.
THEN once every art is in, I will be putting together a "showcase" graphic to show off all the arts together.
Don't worry.. it's not ...complicated... at all...? XD
Jokes aside - hopefully this made sense! We'd love for you to join!!
