ACEO

ACRYLIC ACEO PAINTING © NKOLIKA ANYABOLU

You can't imagine how confused I was when on getting more and more into internet marketing and publicity for my works I kept coming across the word "ACEO".

I first saw the term on eBay and I had no idea what it was. Then as I began to make my rounds to other artist blogs the term became all the more apparent as I noticed many artists were producing these ACEOs.

As someone always open to new challenges, I decided to find out more about ACEOs. I found out that the term stands for "Art Cards Editions and Originals" and are collectable little pieces of art.

The striking thing about ACEOs is that they can be made with any medium (eg Oil, Acrylic, Ink, Pencils, Charcoal) and material (eg wood, paper, metal). But they have one rule: it must be two and one-half inches by three and one-half inches (2.5" x 3.5").

Thus ACEOs have one constant and many variables.

They are very small and extremely lovable pieces of art that can be collected in a picture album or framed and hung on a wall.

With regards to how and when they started, Artcad.org has this to say:

Art cards or miniatures were the rages in the 16th century. They were mostly portraits and they were sold, not traded or given away. They were the first wallet "photos". Men would have nudes painted of their Mistresses on art cards (without their wives knowing)--usually by the same Artist that would do the big family portraits of their wives. Miniature Portraits would be used for exchange when rich people arranged marriages. In fact, this caused a big problem for poor Henry the Eighth, when the artist who painted his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, took a little too much "artistic license". Poor Anne was not up to standard and Henry divorced her.

I finally decided to see what it would feel like to paint something so small. Starting was difficult but when I finally started I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

I have made several since then and I look forward to making more. The best part of it is that it affords me the opportunity to make art that is affordable to a lot more people.