Making ACEO's
I have used the word "making" very deliberately. ACEO's are often painted, drawn or sketched but they can be collaged, etched, made on a metal or ceramic base. They can be photographs or prints (usually limited editions) or they can be pieces of altered art ( which I will explain later if like me you are bemused meeting this term for the first time) or collage. They can be woven or embroidered, using needlewowrk in some way, made using clay or papier mache. The list is endless... and below you can add your own method / techniques if I have missed it.
I will attempt to explain the rules for making ACEO's and to point you in the direction of lenses and web sites (from more experienced artists than myself) which will give help and instuction in all the various techniques which can be accessed. This actually seems a tall order now that I have written it down -but, I will add as much as I can over the next few weeks and months.If there is a specific technique or methodology which you would like to see included then please let me know and I will do all I can to comply.
I also hope to be able to give some general hints which the amateur artists amongst us (and those who have risen above this stage) may find useful. These will not necessarily be art related but may include creativity exercises, motivational ideas and simply fun things to do when inspiration is not coming easily.
My ACEO series of lenses....
....this is the second in a series of four.
Others in the series are:-
- 1. Introduction to making, collecting and selling ACEO's
- General introduction to ACEO's, their history and sets the scene for the rest of the series.
- 3. collecting ACEO miniatures
- This lens gives a brief rundown of how to collect and display ACEO cards and also a few notes on what and why you should collect.
Rules for making ACEO's
The easiest part of this lens
Number 1 - the size of the ACEO card (as it is often called) is 3.5 x 2.5 inchesNumber 2 - the size of the ACEO card is 89 x 64 mm ( if you prefer metric measurements)
Number 3 - these are the only rules
Remember:
Number 4 - you can make them 2.5 X 3.5 inches, just to make things complicated
follow these simple rules and you cannot go wrong.
ACEO examples from FLICKR
more specific examples later, but for now serendipity reigns
Lets see a few examples of the gendre, before we start to discuss how to make them. The more examples we have in mind the better.
*aTc background FRee...
FReeBie CoLLaGe iMaG...
Autumn_Birch_ACEP
One of the most beau...
Mummy Would Be Proud
Do Not Forget Me
"Whacky" A...
To Love and to Cheri...
Vintage Inspired Mix...
The Poem of the Ocea...
Hundertwasser Doodle...
ACEO display accessa...
Cordelette ACEO Hang...
Drink from the Vine...
A King is Born 3D Mi...
"Peace and Love...
AFRIKA Mixed Media C...
Thanksgiving MIXED M...
Request for suggestions:
polite ones of course..............
I encourage readers to ask for information on any specific technique - no trick questions, puleese. E.G. I do not think that sculpting has ever produced an ACEO, but if you can prove me wrong please let me know. But seriously, what would you like to read about?
artyfax wrote...
Hi, thanks for sending readers my way, very much aprreciated.
I do not have an Etsy presence, I have sold many aceo paintings on Ebay however. But at the moment I am creating ATC cards ( exactly the same as aceo's but theses are swapped or traded NOT sold. I have a Flickr account where you can see all my artwork. surf over to http://www.flickr.com/photos/shadfan66/ where you will find my photostream. [in reply to Aloquin]
Posted January 19, 2009
Aloquin wrote...
For 2 weeks now I have been very interested in ACEOs. I've begun making them and selling/trading on Etsy. Do you yourself have a shop on etsy? I'd love to see some more of your stuff! I also send every one who wonders what an ACEO is here to this lense. Thank you!
Posted January 18, 2009
StudioHaycross wrote...
I'll have to try a few of those and add them to my current line of abstract paintings.
Posted August 22, 2007
TECHNIQUE NUMBER 1
painting...drawing....
This is my own area so I thought I would start here. There is no limit to the media which can be used for ACEO's. If you can think of a mark making technique then it probably has been used to produce an ACEO.The full range of media and grounds are available to the artist providing that the size rules are kept to. My own preference is watercolour on bockingford paper
but I have used heavy grade cartridge paper
and even mount board left over from making mounts for my paintings.
I have used pen and wash
and pastel pencils
Oil, acrylic, tempera, watercolour, soft pastels, pencil, charcoal, are just a few of the more common media.All types of paper and card, bristol board, canvas, simulated canvas, often one or more layers may be glued together to provide stability; the choice is endless and entirely up to you - the artist!
Great Stuff on Amazon
books on painting and drawing
How to Draw and Paint Dragons Kit
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009) 
How to Draw and Paint Aircraft Like a Pro (Motorbooks Studio)
Amazon Price: $18.24 (as of 07/11/2009)
Figure: How To Draw And Paint The Figure With Impact
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 07/11/2009)
Blog Posts from Google
these may lead to other links for your edification
Technique number 2
collage...
I have selected this technique at number two, because I do not know the first thing about it - yet!This demonstration of collage is very definitely worth a look and I am sure that you will be as inspired by it, as I was, to try my hand at this tedchnique which is more often associated with crafts than with art. However the results can be wonderful and very creative. Think of Matisse and the snail.
For more on collage and free downloadable vintage ephemera check out art-e-zine, lots of ideas and stuff to help get you started. Lots of snazzy examples.
By the way, the picture here is of my first collage aceo, I simply had to have a go..... it is titled, 'We Remember Them All', and features photos of three brothers in different branches of the armed services. My mother's three brothers.
Read about it in my blog
Great Stuff on Amazon
Collage techniques
Fabric Art Collage: 40+ Mixed Media Techniques
Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 07/11/2009)
Collage Discovery Workshop
Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 07/11/2009)
Collage Unleashed
Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 07/11/2009)
Technique number 3
Encaustic wax painting
Another technique which I am not conversant with ( you could get tired of me saying this). This is a technique which utilises hot irons to shape and paint with wax directly on the substrate. I have recently purchased two aceo's made by this technique for my own collection. It can produce some really stunning work. If you are not familiar with this technique, then please do visit the links below. The images will amaze you.Fantasy Wax by Caroline Senior, whose painting 'Moonlight Castle' accompanies this module.Carolines work on this site is larger than ACEO size but does show what can be achieved.
Look here for a demonstration of encaustic painting.
Great Stuff on Amazon
books on encaustic wax painting
Encaustic Workshop: Artistic Techniques for Working with Wax
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 07/11/2009)
Embracing Encaustic: Learning to Paint with Beeswax
Amazon Price: $20.00 (as of 07/11/2009)
The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 07/11/2009)
TECHNIQUE NUMBER 4
Textile / embroidery
An example of embroidery that I can offer you is the following
see more of this kind of work at Threaded needle creations
find examples of simple embroidered aceo's on ebay from Helen Drewett's ebay shop
Here is an example on Flickr of a woven ACEO
Various fabric and quilted ACEO's can be found in this blog by Cynthia Guajardo.
Information on textile art can be found at answers.com
Great Stuff on Amazon
textile / fabric arts
Exploring Textile Arts
Amazon Price: $20.40 (as of 07/11/2009)
Contemporary Textiles: The Fabric of Fine Art
Amazon Price: $34.20 (as of 07/11/2009)
The Essential Art of African Textiles: Design Without End (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 07/11/2009)
TECHNIQUE NUMBER 5
ACEO's made using glass
This is a fairly unique method ( unless you know better, and can let me know)it is called Dimensional Mixed Media Stained Glass ATC ~~~ ACEO'sby its developers, "Dimensional Visions". It is a way to combine the creative use of paper and glass. The technique for creating these multi-layered, soldered, cut glass and paper cards requires careful planning and exact cutting.
I'm sure you'll agree that it is a worthwhile addition to the range of techniques used to make aceo's.
Another technique using fused glass and special glass paint is used by Stephie (see her on ebay )to create wonderful works of art including aceo's. Here is an example of a recently auctioned aceo:
beautiful workmanship!
Great Stuff on Amazon
working with glass
Stained Glass (The Art of Crafts)
Amazon Price: $25.55 (as of 07/11/2009)
EUROPEAN CERAMICS AND GLASS / ARTS AND CRAFTS, AND 20TH CENTURY DESIGN
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Glass Painting (The Art of Crafts)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
TECHNIQUE NUMBER 6
Paper Sculpture
Since starting this lens I have come across so many wonderful artists working in media/techniques that I was unaware of. One of these is paper sculpture, which is actually a very varied technique. One artist that I can recommend is Matthew Ross, - see more of his work.He describes the work as low-relief ACEO-sized Paper Sculpture. It is the result of many hours of work. Starting from a detailed drawing, which he uses as a template for creating all of the parts for the paper sculpture. It is then brought to life using high quality art papers that were meticulously cut, formed (scored and folded, curved, embossed, etc...), and then carefully and cleanly glued together to create the final image. Mathew trades on ebay under the ID shuffles43. Great Stuff on Amazon
paper sculpture
Paper Sculpture: A Step-by-Step Guide
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
More Paper Sculpture: A Step-By-Step Guide
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
Sculpture In Paper
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
A selection of videos showing ACEO's
- made using different techniques
ACEO's on eBay
- there are thousands of these works of art waiting for bidders
These examples are on the ebay.com site. You can find more on ebay.co.uk which interestingly (or maddeningly depending on your point of view) no longer shows on the .com site unless you elect to search worldwide specifically.
Try for yourself searching ebay.co.uk for aceo's you may be pleasantly surprised.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
