ACEO and ATC : Miniature Paintings

When I first started to show my encaustic artwork online a few years ago, I was asked by a lady called Margaret (an ACEO Collector) on an Artists Art chat forum if I painted any ACEO’s. Not knowing what an ACEO was at the time, I did a search, as you do, and found ACEO stands for Art Card Editions and Originals.

Having heard about ATC (Artist Trading Cards) before I found that ACEO’s are on off-shoot from these. From my research I found out that as ATC are traded or exchanged, an ACEO can be found for sale. They are very collectible and a popular pastime for many and an affordable way to collect art.

Miniature works of Art : Art Card Editions and Originals

A miniature type work of art, an ATC or ACEO can come in a wide variety of styles, materials and subjects. The only criteria is that the size is 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

I have found since painting some AECO’s myself that the variety of talented people creating these wonderful works is so wide and varied I couldn’t possibly mention them all here but from watercolours and acrylics to mix media they are contemporary, modern, classic, abstract, impressionist and much much more …

I have a couple of my own displayed in our office on mini wooden easel stands, plus a couple by other artists that I have bought for my husband, I just couldn’t resist them, one is an Owl (he’s so wise sometimes) and the other a F1 car. As we love to be surrounded by art these small pieces are perfect for our busy office as they don’t take up too much space.

Encaustic ACEO

Although I am concentrating on painting some larger pieces at the moment, I still paint an Encaustic ACEO from time to time, as they are still great fun to paint and I enjoy the challenge of painting in miniature with wax.

I first thought of these miniature pictures as ways to show people what could be done in wax and maybe a taster into looking at larger works, but they are an art form all to themselves and a very popular collectable one at that! I have sold quiet a few over the past few years, to collectors in both the UK and US.

Hot wax Collection : View An ACEO Showcase

A few of my Encaustic ACEO paintings, some still mine, others sold and in private collections can be viewed online in a slideshow on the Art In Wax youtube channel which I put together at the end of last year to showcase some of these works.

Epilogue

Having written this blog post I was then inspired to paint an ACEO. I haven’t painted one in several months and it was a challenge but in the end I created a couple of these miniature art works.

Two new paintings are pictured below : The Sunflower and Landscape are new this week, the fish was painted in 2011 and the flower vase earlier last year 2012.

My ACEO’s are for sale, you can contact me direct for details of how to make a purchase via my website contact page form.

If you perhaps collect ACEO’s and/or paint and create them yourself or you just found this post interesting do please leave me a comment below, its great to get feedback.