What is ACEO?

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ACEO: A world of miniature art!

It was only a few years ago that I discovered the ACEO. I accidentally came across an item labelled as 'ACEO' while browsing eBay to see how other artists listed their work. Naturally I was intrigued so I clicked to have a look. I couldn't believe that the painting I saw was the same size as a trading card!

From that moment I've been hooked and this lens has been put together to spread a little more information about these miniature works of art. It's aimed at both collectors and artists with handy tips on where to buy and sell, what kinds of medium you can use and even what kinds of brushes are best used. You also get the chance to see some of the hundreds of ACEOs I've created over the past few years.

ACEO - A World of Miniature Art

ACEO stands for "Art Cards, Editions and Originals" and they are being created and collected by artists and art enthusiasts around the world. The best part is, being only a few inches in size, it makes it possible for those of us who don't have a whole lot of wall space to become art collectors.

No matter what your taste, there are ACEOs being created all over the world just for you! Watercolour, acrylic, pencil... folk art, realism, surrealism... animals, portraits, landscapes... the styles, mediums and subjects are limitless.

A word of warning! Whether you are creating them or collecting them, ACEOs are highly addictive. Since discovering these miniature masterpieces just over 2 years ago, I have lost count of how many I have created.... the exact figure is somewhere in excess of 200!

In the Beginning...

Up until a few years ago there was no such thing as an ACEO. There was and still is however, the ATC or Artists Trading Card. As the name suggests they are miniature works of art (the same size as an ACEO and standard trading cards) which artists trade among themselves. A sort of business card which showcases their abilities among the art world.

It was only very recently (in 2004) that an artist called Lisa Luree (Ebay ID: bone*diva) realised the general public were missing out on fantastic miniature masterpieces and decided to make ATCs available for sale. Since Artist Trading Cards are only for trading purposes, a new name was needed and so the ACEO was born.


Original or Edition

As the name suggests ACEOs are available as both Originals and Editions. Editions are prints and can be Open Edition or Limited Edition.

Limited Editions are prints which are limited to a set number of copies. 100 for example.

Open Editions are prints with an unlimited amount of copies.

Naturally originals tend to be worth more than a print. Some ACEO collectors will only buy originals whilst others may not have a preference. It's always worth making sure that you know whether it is an original or an edition which you are considering purchasing. Thankfully ACEOs are (or should be) all clearly labelled with regards to this.

Buy ACEO Prints on eBay

Ebay is just one of the places where you can buy ACEO prints. Artists from around the world offer their little masterpieces as both Limited Editions and Open Editions. Below are a few of the current auctions for ACEO prints.
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Rules for Making ACEOs

Rule #1: Your masterpiece must be 2.5 x 3.5 inches to be classed as an ACEO.

Rule #2: Ummmm.... that's it!

Surely there can't be only ONE rule?

Ummm.... Yeah! As long as your art meets the size criteria it can be created from absolutely anything! The more common mediums are acrylic, watercolour and oil, and the more common supports are any type of paper but generally anything goes!

The only limit is
your imagination!

Medium and Support Ideas for ACEO Making

It's up to you what you use to create your ACEO. Be creative!

  • Acrylic on watercolour paper
  • Ink with a watercolour wash (make sure the ink is waterproof)
  • Oil pastels
  • Coloured pencil on black card/paper
  • Collage
  • Encaustic wax*
  • Marker pens
  • ...or even a bit of everything!

* Find out more about Encaustic Wax

Almost Abstract - Encaustic (wax) Painting, what it is and how to ...
Encaustic Painting - How to paint with wax using an iron. Instructions, tips, hints and encaustic / wax painting materials. Including paintings by Chris ...
Encaustic painting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a ...

Great Quality Art Materials from Amazon

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The Right Tools for the Job

As ACEOs are on the small side it's important to use the right tools for the job. If like me you prefer using good old paints then a good selection of small brushes are definitely on the list of things to have.

It's also a good idea to use brushes which are suited to the medium you are using. Synthetic hairs are best for acrylic or oil and squirrel/sable hair are best used with watercolor.

ACEOs can be of any subject and any style!

The best part about ACEO is that just like larger artwork, they can be about any subject matter and in any style you want.

Fantasy, cats, landscapes, portraits, mermaids, unicorns, fairies, dogs, architecture, seascapes.....Folk art, outsider art, pop art, realism, surrealism, impressionist, pointillism, abstract.... the list goes on.

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Did you know?

That at any one time there can be over 5000 ACEOs listed on EBay!

More ACEO Examples

A collection of lenses which showcase ACEOs, some of which are for sale.

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Displaying ACEOs

Framing

One way of displaying your ACEO is to frame it and hang it on a wall. The example to the left is of one of my ACEOs in a wooden frame with 2 mounts.


There are a lot of different styles of frame available on the market to choose from, and recently a lot of smaller sized frames have started to emerge....Or maybe I've just never noticed them before! There's oak, metal, plastic, glass, thin, deep, wide, bevelled. Frames which display 1, 2, 3, 4, or even 9 together! Of course it's entirely up to you how you frame them and the possibilities are endless.



Display Books

If you are an avid collector then framing may not be such a good idea. Eventually you'll run out of wall space so a good idea here would be to frame a few and store the rest in a regular trading card display book or folder.

As ACEOs are the same size as trading cards they are ideal and you can either buy a ring binder and buy the display wallets/sleeves seperately, or buy ready made display books. Either way, both consist of PVC-free plastic pages which can hold 9 ACEOS each.

Some ACEO Framing Ideas to Get you Started

10 Wood Frames in a Box - Black

10 Wood Frames in a Box - Black

Set includes: one 8x10", four 5x7", thre more...0 points

Decorative Oak Wood Photo Picture Frame With Metal Bar 4X6

Decorative Oak Wood Photo Picture Frame With Metal Bar 4X6

This decorative oak wood picture frame with metal more...0 points

3 x 5 Inch Italian Wood Picture Frame

3 x 5 Inch Italian Wood Picture Frame

All Tizo wooden frames are hand crafted from highe more...0 points

Unique Ideas for Displaying ACEOS

Some rather clever and unique ACEO display ideas from other lensmasters

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ACEO Framing and Display Items on Ebay

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Ideal for ACEO Sellers and Collectors

Whether your collecting or waiting for someone to buy, protector sleeves are ideal for keeping your ACEOs clean!

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ACEO Supplies

It's easy to get started with ACEO creating. Find everything you need here!

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Latest ACEOs in the Blogosphere

Man wins age battle in Noida, to serve 10 yrs more
The authority constituted a medical board, which examined Mahipal and Additional chief executive officer (ACEO) of the authority, Anil Rajkumar, told HT on January 31, ?It appears, someone tampered with the affidavit Mahipal had submitted at the time ...
Financial crises and consequent recession hit Pakistan Steel
As per the guidelines given by the Ministry of Production and the Board of Directors of Pakistan Steel, the ACEO managed to keep the production going by using local raw iron ore and deriving Coke out of coke breeze. Moreover he ensured that all plants ...
Kate Middleton's amazing feather fascinator sketch by Artist Geri Centonze
By Nina Rai The well-known artist famous for her sketches and Aceo cards of the late Princess Diana, Ms. Geri Centonze has just released an amazing new sketch of Duchess Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is seen here wearing one ...
Chili by the numbers
Just in time for the big game, the February issue is on newsstands now, and features an interview with Aceo, 35, who won for her 3-3-3 Beef Chili recipe. Aceo says her recipe was inspired by ?sibling rivalry.? It features three beans, three meats and ...

Some helpful ACEO links

ACEO - Art Cards for Sale or Trade
Home of ACEO, Art Cards, Editions and Originals. Art Trading Cards by artists all over the world.
ACEO Magazine
To submit artwork for consideration to either ACEO Magazine or Cardaddix newsletter, please send jpeg or pdf high resolution files to ...
ArtCardsWanted.com | Buy, Sell & Trade ACEO/ATC
These are also known as ACEO (Art Cards, Editions & Originals) and ATC (Artist Trading Cards) that measure 2.5" x 3.5" (64 x 89 mm). ...

ACEO & ATC Related Books

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LisaMarieArt

I'm an artist/illustrator with a passion for animals, especially cats and rats! I'm a bit of a compulsive painter and have to paint on a daily basis.

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