When searching in art and painting categories, you will most likely encounter the term ACEO. This stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. They are the same size as baseball cards, except they are minature pieces of art. All of them have the same measurements: 2.5" x 3.5".
Artists first began using these cards centuries ago in Europe. Some wealthy patrons would pay artists to paint miniature pocket-sized paintings that they could carry on their person. It was not uncommon for men to carry these miniatures of their mistresses. Artists also would trade these miniature paintings with other artists to share their techniques and also as barter for goods that they might need from various merchants who could not afford to buy their larger paintings.
In 1999, some fellow introduced this art form on the internet and it became a movement known as ATC or Artist Trading Cards. Artists from all over the world began swapping artwork. ATCs also became very popular in art books and magazines, and contests and meets were set up around the globe. ATCs were also quite popular on eBay.
In 2004, an eBay artist known as Bone Diva (Lisa Luree) decided that she wanted to sell her ATCs, but since ATCs were designed for trading this idea was not well-received by earlier ATC artists. Bone Diva began a separate group of artists and they came up with the ACEO moniker. Today you can find over 3,000 artists on eBay registered in the various groups dealing with ACEOs.
These miniatures do not require large amounts of wall space as they can be kept in trading card albums. Thus, they do not have to match your couch. They can be matted and framed, however, and hung on the walls. You will find abstracts, realism, impressionism, surrealism, collages, fabric cards, oils, watercolors, pastels, acrylics....all the same ingredients that you will find in larger works.
The popularity of the ACEO/ATC movement today is continuing to grow rapidly. This art is generally more affordable than larger formats, although some ACEOs have sold for $400 & $500. I have a collection of work that is my pride and joy. I know many of the artists personally and am proud to have their works in my collection.
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For more information on this subject, you can visit one of the links on my ME page: http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=debcoart
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