01
Learn the basics
What ACEOs are, the 2.5×3.5 standard, ACEO vs ATC, originals vs editions, and a short history of where it all began.
What is an ACEOArt Cards · Editions · Originals
Everything ACEOs.
ACEOs are tiny original artworks made to a single, magical size — 2.5 × 3.5 inches, exactly like a trading card. This is the warm, welcoming home for learning to make, sell, collect, and love them — whether you're picking up a brush for the first time or building a collection.
The 60-second version
So, what is an ACEO?
An ACEO — Art Cards, Editions & Originals — is a miniature artwork made to one fixed rule: it is always 2.5 × 3.5 inches, the exact size of a sports or trading card. That single constraint is the whole game.
- Originals are one-of-a-kind, hand-made cards in any medium
- Editions are limited, numbered prints of an artwork (e.g. giclée, 3/25)
- They're the cousin of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) — but ACEOs are made to be sold
- Collected on eBay, Etsy, at art fairs, and direct from artists worldwide
Where to begin
Six guides to the whole little world.
Pick a path. Each guide is built to be genuinely useful — for the artist making their first card and the collector hunting their next favourite.
02
Make your first
Choosing a substrate, cutting to size, mediums and techniques, a clear step-by-step, and the mistakes to skip.
How to make one03
Gather your supplies
Paper, paints, pens, brushes, fixative — plus the sleeves, toploaders, and mailers that keep cards safe.
Supplies guide04
Sell & collect
Where to sell, pricing originals vs editions, photographing listings, shipping safely, and smart collecting.
Sell & collect05
Get inspired
A filterable style gallery of example ACEOs by medium and subject — watercolour, ink, collage, animals, and more.
Style gallery06
Find your people
Forums, groups, swaps, challenges, and etiquette — how artists and collectors connect around tiny art.
The community
A useful distinction
ACEO or ATC?
Same size, different spirit. Here's the difference everyone asks about.
ACEO
Art Cards, Editions & Originals
Made to be sold (and collected). The "EO" — Editions & Originals — is the giveaway. Sold on eBay, Etsy, at fairs, and directly by artists. Always 2.5×3.5″.
ATC
Artist Trading Cards
The original 1990s movement — cards that are traded, never sold, hand to hand at swap events. Same 2.5×3.5″ size; ACEOs grew out of this tradition.
Want the long version? Read the full ACEO vs ATC breakdown →
A taste of the gallery
One size, a thousand styles.
The fixed 2.5×3.5 format is endlessly flexible. A few example styles — explore the full filterable gallery for more.
WatercolorLoose Watercolor
Soft washes and bloom — the most popular ACEO medium.
InkPen & Ink
High-contrast linework that reads beautifully at small scale.
Colored PencilColored Pencil
Layered, jewel-bright detail — forgiving and portable.
CollageMixed-Media Collage
Paper, paint, and found bits layered into a tiny world.
Reader favourites
Popular how-tos.
A
Cut a perfect 2.5×3.5
Mark, score, and trim cardstock to the exact card size with a ruler and craft knife — every time.
B
Sign & title the back
What to write on the reverse — title, medium, your name, date, and edition number for prints.
C
Photograph for a listing
Natural light, true colour, and clean crops so buyers see exactly what they'll receive.
D
Ship it safely
The reliable trio: sleeve, then rigid toploader, then a rigid mailer. Never just an envelope.
Find these and more in How to Make and Selling & Collecting.
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