sketch card program · open call
The drawing comes first.
Upper Crust is for artists who make original sketch cards and collectors who want to follow each one from the first line to the final print.
made by hand,
kept for real.
start with the blank
Blank cards. Your art.
Two blank sketch cards ship to every artist. Here's what one of them became.
how it goes
From sketch card to print
Road 8 drew this one by hand on a blank sketch card. Then we digitized it for print, and one drawing becomes a whole run.
we print copies, with rare cards and hits
Your name goes on it.
The back of every sketch card has a line for your name. Every printed card says who made it, with your name and handle right there for collectors to find.
the blank
What you'll be drawing on.
A 26pt card with an uncoated drawing surface that takes ink, marker, colored pencil and paint. It's the first style we've designed for Upper Crust, and we plan to make others down the road.
Produced with Trading Card Memories, the custom card printer behind Upper Crust.
What's inside
A simplified look at the edge.
A single 16pt sheet can let some markers come through. This card has a drawing surface mounted to card stock, so there's more between your marker and the back.
what you get
The deal, up front.
Straight answers before you draw a single line.
- You keep every original and your copyright.
- Each of your two cards gets its own 48-hour drop. When collectors back a card, it prints as a numbered run, and you earn 10% of every sale plus 10 copies of your card.
- Every accepted original is authenticated, registered in the Upper Crust Library, and sent home to you encased and sealed.
- Your name on the card, the checklist and this site.
- $15 for every card we accept, paid within 15 days of it arriving. If we pass on a finished card that follows the rules, you still get $10 and it comes straight home. Cards, kit and shipping are on us.
We're still finalizing the program, so a few details may change slightly. Your signed agreement is the final word.
order up
How it works
the kit
Open your kit.
Two blank sketch cards, sleeves, toploaders, a prepaid return label and a card that walks you through it.
Two blank cards. Thirty days. Make them yours.
tap a card to flip it
the real questions
Ask us anything
What do I get?
You get $15 for every card we accept, paid by PayPal, Zelle or Wise within 15 days of your finished cards arriving. When your card prints, you earn 10% of every sale and get 10 copies to sell. And every accepted original comes home to you authenticated and registered in the Upper Crust Library, encased and sealed, to keep or sell however you like. It's all in writing before you draw a line.
What if you don't accept my card?
If we pass on a finished card that follows the rules, you still get $10 for it, the card comes straight home, and every right to it stays with you.
What do I draw?
The only theme is pizza and your experiences around it. It doesn't have to be pizza itself. It could be the arcade game you played at the pizza shop. Whatever you draw, it has to be yours, and it has to work for everyone, kids to adults.
How many cards, and how fast?
Two blank cards, due 30 days after they arrive. The first roster is 10 artists, and this first program is for artists in the US who are 18 or older. If you're outside the US, apply anyway and you're on the list for round two.
What happens after I apply?
We read every application ourselves, and you'll hear back within two weeks. If your work fits, we ask for 2 or 3 pieces in the style you'd use. Once that's agreed, you sign a short agreement, tell us where to mail your kit, and it ships.
How do cards get printed?
Collectors decide with you. We scan your originals and give each card its own 48-hour drop. If enough collectors back a card, it prints as a short numbered run. If not, buyers are refunded. Either way, your originals come home.
Who owns the art?
You do. You keep every original and your copyright. For 3 years, Upper Crust is the only one who can print that artwork on trading cards, and we can show it while promoting Upper Crust. If a card hasn't printed within 12 months, the card rights go back to you.
What about merch?
Only with your yes. If we'd like your card art on a hat, a shirt or a print, we ask you about that product first, and you earn 10% of its sales. You can always sell your own prints and merch.
Can I use characters I didn't create?
No. Everything starts from scratch: nothing from TV, movies, cartoons, comics, games or toys, and no real brands or logos. This isn't a parody series.
What about digital tools and AI?
Plan however you like. AI is a tool, not a solution: your card should be your idea, made by your hand. This world keeps evolving, so we look at new tools case by case.
I've never made card art. Can I still apply?
Yes. You don't need to be part of the card world already. You need a style people remember.
Who runs Upper Crust?
I'm Johnny Iannelli. I've drawn sketch cards myself, so I know what it's like on the artist's side of the table. Upper Crust is a passion project I've been building for years. The cards are printed in the USA at Trading Card Memories, my card printing company.
next rounds · open now
Want in?
Join the Upper Crust Sketch Card Program. No cover letter. No portfolio polish required. Show us what you make and tell us why this sounds fun. Or post a sample on Instagram and tag @uppercrustartcards.
collectors
Catch the drop
Every card starts as a one-of-one original, drawn by hand. Then it gets one 48-hour drop.
- 48 hours
One card at a time
Each drop is a single card by a single artist. When the clock runs out, the drop is over.
- you decide
Backed cards get printed
If enough collectors back a card, it prints as a short numbered run. If not, you get your money back.
- on record
Every original is registered
Each hand-drawn original is authenticated and logged in the Upper Crust Library, with the artist's name on it. See every card in it.
Get drop alerts
A short email before a drop opens. First look, first shot.
