How many ways are there to display ACEOs?

ACEOs are affordable and collectible miniature works of art. The only specification is the size: 3.5"x2.5" or 8.9cm x 6.4cm.

As a seller and also a collector, I've always looked for different ways to display these little pieces of art. I want to list as many different ways of displaying them, so that other collectors and potential buyers can see how fun it can be to collect and display them.

I will ask my art friends to provide their own pictures and links and hope you enjoy both the ACEOs and the different ways to display them. I will keep adding to this post rather than create new ones, so I can use one link in my listings.
My thanks to all the wonderful art friends who have been so willing to share their ideas. Clicking on the pictures will take you to the contributor's Etsy shop.


1. Display ACEOs on a tiny easel - from me


2. Create a mini ACEO galery - from readingsully2


3. Display ACEOs in mini frames - from LDphotography


4. Display ACEOs in a painted and distressed wooden frame - from Vintagesnapsandscrap


5. Use magnets to display your ACEOs on your refrigerator - from readingsully2
(you can buy a magnetic frame or make your own by attaching a magnet to the back of an ACEO sleeve)


6. Use a frame to display multiple ACEOs - from DebiDesigns
(the beauty of this type of frame is that you can also see the backs of the ACEOs)


7. Use a mat and frame to display multiple ACEOs - from arteest


8. Display on a windowsill - from chimeracreation


9. Frame and display on the wall with other art - from chimeracreation


10. Place the ACEOs in sleeves and pin the sleeves to a wall or corkboard - from chimeracreation


11. Display in a custom made ACEO box - from readingsully2


12. Display your collection in a binder - from laurali
(You can get 9-pocket acid-free binder sheets from comic book shops)


13. Mat and frame the ACEO in a larger frame - from MoranArtwork

Winter Trees with Watercolor Background

This is my progress through an 8"x10" piece similar to the winter tree ATCs you've seen me do.

Answers to some of the questions I received from you:

• PAPER: this was done on Arches watercolor paper - rough - 140lb
• PEN: I used a Koh-i-noor Rapidograph .30 size pen for the pen & ink work
• TIME: it took me 9 hours to create this piece

My notes: I should have used a smoother paper since the rough watercolor paper was a bit too rough for the pen and ink work. As for the size of the pen, I could have used a larger size for the thicker branches of the trees (or even a brush)... just didn't feel like it - go figure! As for time, this was the first time I actually jotted down how long it took me to create a piece... it was quite an eye opener as I tend to lose track of time when I'm creating; I didn't think it would take this long!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me.

This is the watercolor background that I painted. I wanted a lot of different colors, but wanted them pretty light as I will do a lot of pen and ink work over the watercolors and don't want the overall effect to be too dark. We'll see how it goes :)

I've added the frame of the picture (8"x10") and started drawing in the trees.

I've started going over the trees with pen and ink. The pencil marks are obviously just a guide for me since my trees seem to take a life of their own and most of the pencil branches are soon forgotten.

Most of the second tree is now done.













All three trees are now finished.












I have started cross-hatching with the outside circle and will work towards the inner circle so it is easier to see the pencil lines. This darker circle has four layers: horizontal, vertical, and diagonal - both ways.

This next circle is lighter as it only has 3 layers: vertical, and diagonal - both ways.

The next circle has only two layers - diagonal from left to right, and right to left.

And this is the finished piece!! The last circle only has one layer - diagonal from left to right.

Technique #5: Glaze pen resist

This is quite a fun technique and I love using it. You can use it many different ways with different media... make sure you experiment once you understand how it works.

Materials:

• Sakura white Glaze pen
• watercolors (you can use ink also)
• paper
• stamp (optional)
• pen & ink, colored pencils, gel pens, markers, ... something to embelish and finish your piece

Steps:

1. Add some color to your paper (I used one of my hand-carved stamps printed with watercolors)
   
2. Draw over your colored background with the white Sakura Glaze pen (I go over the edges of the designs on the paper, making sure the lines I'm drawing are going over the colored paper - not the white). The pen is "saving" the colors you are going over, as it will dry transparent.


3. Once the glaze pen ink is dry, go over the entire piece with a glaze of watercolors or ink. This will mute the background and make the lines you drew stand out. You can do as many layers as you want.
4. Once your piece is dry you can embelish it with additional paint, colored pencils, gel pens, pen and ink.... anything you can think of.
5. Have fun!!!
   Here is a finished piece (above) and another at the bottom. Both used this technique with watercolors, colored pencils and pen & ink.

I have a couple of pieces using this technique in my Etsy shop if you want to take a look:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6747595

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6732438

I'm also working on a couple of other pieces, one of them (which I'm really enjoying) using iridescent ink. Please post a comment or email me if you are interested in seeing that piece. I can add it to the post once I'm done.

ATC Workshop - Bernie Berlin's book

I'm taking the ATC Workshop at the Artists of the Round Table yahoo group based on Bernie Berlin's book. I'm having such a wonderful time!!! This is a picture of one of the ATCs I created with the string technique.

We work on 2 or 3 of the techniques each week, create an ATC from one of the techniques, and post to the whole group. It's wonderful to see how everyone will come up with different ideas and interpretations about the same technique.

If you want to follow my progress through the book, I'm posting my backgrounds and ATCs on my picture trail

Comments are always welcomed.

Technique #4: Painted Deli Paper

I really should not be posting since I have sooooo much to do, but I felt bad about posting the 7 random facts about myself and not give you a technique. So, here it the technique I used for the technique swap for the Art Techniques group.

Materials:

• deli paper (mine is called "heavy weight interfolded delicatessen paper " brand is WF8)
• liquid watercolors
• Shiva paintsticks
• foam stamp
• gesso
• stamping pad

Steps:

1. Crumple your deli paper into a ball 2 or 3 times
2. Lay it flat on a protected surface so you don't get watercolors all over your working surface
3. Squirt 2 or 3 colors of liquid watercolors onto the paper
4. Squirt water over the paper so the colors start to mix
5. Crumple your paper again and squeeze tight so you won't get too much white space
6. Let dry or use a heat gun as you open your paper carefully and slowly
7. Once dry, rub Shiva Paintsticks (one or two colors) over the paper so it highlights the peaks and valleys
8. Dab a foam stamp on gesso and stamp your paper randomly
9. When adhering to another surface, let some of the wrinkes in the paper and highlight them by rubbing a stamping pad over the wrinkles

That's it! Here are some of the ATCs for the technique swap:

Here are some more examples of papers I made using this technique:

I have used this technique for the background of my nephew's present:

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Elizabeth from http://enchanted-art.blogspot.com/ and Pam from http://alteredmymuse.blogspot.com/ . I don't know if this is cheating, but I will post 14 facts but will only tag 7 people.

Here goes:
1. I'm the fourth of 9 kids
2. I don't fit into any stereotype; I make things up as I go along. Although it would be easier to go with the flow I can rarely do it.
3. I have a phobia about seaweed brushing against my legs when swimming; it's happened twice and it took me a while to decide if I'd rather die or fight it and keep swimming. The scary part is that it was NOT an easy decision! lol
4. I play soccer in women's teams - usually twice a week!
5. I learned English when I was 20; or rather... I STARTED learning when I was 20... still learning!
6. I married the love of my life
7. I often think I would need several lifetimes to do everything I want to do
8. I'm shocked anytime someone says something nice about my art
9. I love to read and can get completely absorbed in the book and ignore everything around me. I read on the subway on my way to and from work... I have missed my stop a few times.
10. One of my brothers died in 1999 in an accident; I miss him every day
11. I'm Portuguese
12. I'm a very happy person; can't stay down for long
13. I love watching TV shows with my husband and kids (Lost and 24 are the ones we watch together)
14. My babies (21 and 18) are leaving the "nest" this Fall; I wonder what life is going to be like without them and their friends around all the time.


Phew!... That's done! Now I need to find 7 others to tag!

Technique #3: Model Magic and stamps

This is very simple and I'm only including it here because several people have asked me how a couple of things were made after looking at my picturetrail albums.

Materials:

• Model Magic by Crayola (I'll call it "clay")
• powder (I used cornstarch)
• stamps (I used my own hand-carved stamps)
• paints (watercolors, acrylics, rub-ons, Pearl-Ex, whatever you have and want to experiment with)

Steps:

Before you begin, I must say that you can't save unused "clay", so make sure you have enough stamps so you can use the entire contents (I got 4 oz. packages).

1. roll out the Model Magic to the desired thickness
2. dust the "clay" with the powder
3. press the stamp on the "clay"
4. remove carefully
5. cut or tear around the stamped "clay"
6. let dry overnight (see picture below)
7. brush the powder away
8. paint the "clay". The "clay" in the picture below was painted with watercolors
9. go over the raised surfaces with metallic rub-ons or a contrasting color (the picture below was painted with watercolors and the raised surfaces with copper metallic rub-ons)
10. embelish as desired (in the picture below I used Pearl-Ex with diamond glaze to give the heart some color, then sewed around it with metallic thread). If you sew on Model Magic, don't pull the thread too tight or it will cut through the "clay".

Told you it was easy!!! I hope you enjoy it!!