What Are ACEOs And ATCs? Part 2

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For my definition of ACEOs and ATCs read part 1.

There are three main reasons why I highly recommend creating ACEOs and ATCs to every person interested in creating images...

In no particular order:

One of my first abstract pieces titled God

1.Versatility: ACEOs and ATCs are a laboratory where I can try new: techniques, styles, and mediums with little to no risk in regards to time or materials. I can use these art cards as sketches/color studies for other pieces or they can be my finished masterpiece- not only that but I can trade or sell them in any of those formats. Recently I've discovered that if I have prints of my art cards made at artcardswanted.com I can use them as limited edition business cards to give to other people in the art industry. The ACEO pictured to the right is an example of an abstract piece that I would have never felt comfortable exploring on a canvas, and I plan to use this one as a study for a larger piece in the near future (but for now I can auction it off or trade it).

2.Affordability: Because these miniature art pieces are the size of baseball cards they offer the benefit of spending less time and money on their creation. Of course you could choose to spend just as much time on these as a mural on the side of the Great Wall of China, but you could also bust out quick sketches on these and people will gladly accept that. This is a benefit to both you as the artist and art collectors looking to buy or trade original art. My ACEOs are currently averaging ending bids of $8 on ebay- my audience has expanded greatly because just about everyone can afford my original artwork in this format.

3.Portability: The standard size of ACEOs and ATCs at 2.5" by 3.5" is the exact same size as baseball cards. The reason we keep these dimensions is because plastic top loaders and binder pages for these cards are readily available everywhere and make it convenient to store your collection securely. Art cards can also fit in your wallet or pocket for transportation. Gone are the days where I had to bring a large canvas with me on the subway train or bus.

Holding an ACEO I created inside of a plastic top loader with 3 ring binder in background

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