*ACEO's - Art(ist) Cards Editions & Originals

About This Group

Art(ist) Cards Editions & Originals

An offshoot of Artist Trading Cards are the “Art(ist) Cards, Editions, and Originals” (ACEO). ACEOs originated when some artists began to create cards to sell, in addition to trading among themselves.

Artists from all over the world are creating, and now selling these little gems in different mediums and of different subjects. Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic, Colored Pencil, Pastels, Pyrography, Pen and Ink, Sketching, Collage – the sky is the limit. Abstract, Surrealism, Outsider Art, Impressionism, Expressionism -every style you can think of – and then some!. Every interest and subject is covered! Extremely collectable Pocket Art, you can’t stop at just one!

The only standard requirement for an ACEO is that its height and width measurements be 2.5” x 3.5” (64×89 mm), either vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) orientation. The sky is the limit for every other aspect of the art.

The size, 2.5” x 3.5”, is exactly one-quarter of 5” x 7” (127×178 mm) – a common size for photography and illustration. This means artists focusing on 5” x 7” artwork can easily scale-down their works to exactly 1/4 size (using photo-manipulation software) to create ACEOs. Else the basis of printed ACEO can later be modified with other methods – such painting or inking-over the base image.

There is no standard thickness for ACEO but people customarily make them thin enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets.

Whilst some people are sticklers for archival qualities, art does not necessarily have to be “forever” so many people use whatever materials fit their artistic needs, irrespective of those materials’ longevity.

Cards are also sold either as originals or editions. Make sure you know which you are buying! If it is a print it should say so, and it should be numbered and signed, usually on the back.

See the group rules and join this group here