ACEO: Art Card, Edition, Original. ACEOs are tiny artworks (exactly 2.5 x 3.5 inches) and, as the name implies, they can be prints or originals. Mine are all originals.
OK, I have to confess -- my studio is overflowing with ACEOs!
To make room for new work, I'm having an end-of-year sale. I've reduced prices and am loading artwork as fast as my little fingers can type to both eBay and Etsy:
When I set my boundary lines, I tend to fill up the space completely. However, a few of these doodles break that pattern and leave a lot of white space, such as #19 or #22.
This card is standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. It is an original and is signed on the back.
Now here's a slightly different one. This is in purple ink on purple rice paper. The paper is very delicate, so I've signed it very very lightly on the back to prevent the ink from bleeding through.
This card is standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. It is an original.
My ACEOs -- doodles, collages, and paintings -- are now available through eBay: http://shop.ebay.com/lifeneedsart/m.html
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. This one has some similarities to yesterday's doodle, but it feels less like a castle and more like a cafe or tea room. Yes?
Standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. Card is an original and signed on the back.
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always.
Standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. Card is an original and signed on the back.
I don't begin these doodles with a design in mind. I draw random lines to divide the card into sections and begin filling them in with patterns. I choose patterns based on what appeals to me, and the patterns I see around me. The cards evolve as I go.
Certainly not a novel process, but I'm enjoying it.
Sepia ink on illustration board. Materials are archival, as always.
Standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. Card is an original and signed on the back.
I don't begin these doodles with a design in mind. I draw random lines to divide the card into sections and begin filling them in with patterns. I choose patterns based on what appeals to me, and the patterns I see around me. The cards evolve as I go.
Certainly not a novel process, but I'm enjoying it.
Sepia ink on illustration board. Materials are archival, as always.
Standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. Card is an original and signed on the back.
I don't begin these doodles with a design in mind. I draw random lines to divide the card into sections and begin filling them in with patterns. I choose patterns based on what appeals to me, and the patterns I see around me. I'm especially fond of these contour lines. The cards evolve as I go.
Certainly not a novel process, but I'm enjoying it.
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always.
Standard ACEO size: 2.5 x 3.5. Card is an original and signed on the back.
I don't begin these doodles with a design in mind. I draw random lines to divide the card into sections and begin filling them in with patterns. I choose patterns based on what appeals to me, and the patterns I see around me. The cards evolve as I go.
Certainly not a novel process, but I'm enjoying it.
Are you ready for a Cyber Monday Sale on ACEOs? I'm working feverishly getting all the bargains lined up.
Certain ACEOs will go on sale for MONDAY ONLY! Stay tuned for details throughout the day..
UPDATE: 47 ACEOs are scheduled to go on sale on Cyber Monday. They will be available for 1 day only, starting at midnight! http://shop.ebay.com/lifeneedsart/m.html
Is anybody doing Zentangles? I just ran across them in an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine last weekend, tried one, and needless to say: I'm hooked!
To oversimplify the concept, Zentangles are made of lines and repetitive patterns put together in any way that pleases you. The process is meditative and contemplative, which I really enjoy. It's amazing -- regardless of how frazzled I may be when I start a Zentangle (and I've been super frazzled this week), after 15 minutes of doing this tiny drawing, I'm calm and focused. Lovely.
A classic Zentangle is 3 1/2 inches square. Since I have bazillions of spare ACEO blanks laying around, that's what I'm using. This one above is in pencil and I rather like the softness and shading in it. The upcoming ones will be ink.
If you're doing them, I'd love to see what you're doing.
It's a flower -- not a snowflake. It's cut from a different style of origami paper. The background is more intensely red than the others. Some purples and greens in the background, but very subtle. And a tiny splash of iridescent white.
It does have that same yellow stripe down the right side, though. Keep your eye on your mailboxes. This one might turn out to be my Christmas card this year.
Number 3 in this series. Same printed design on the origami paper, but a different style snowflake. This one almost reminds me of a flower, but I'll call it a snowflake anyway.
The background is more complex than the others, with more purples, greens, and even a little yellow.
All 3, of course, have a tiny yellow stripe running down the right side. That's the soft torn edge of the paper that I tinted yellow.
This next series of ACEOs features snowflakes and flowers, as I like to do, but is in a different color scheme than I've been using lately. I don't know if it's the change of season or what, but I'm leaning towards reds and pinks these days instead of the yellows, greens, and blues of the summer.
This ACEO has a lighter pink background than the others. The snowflake is delicately cut from my favorite origami paper.
Good news! I will be exhibiting at TWO art fairs this month! Stop by and see me and say hello. I'd love to see you and show you the new things I've been working on.
I've just launched a new line of blank greeting cards!
The cards have professionally printed images of my ACEO paintings on the front, and are blank on the inside. The back has my web address and the title of the painting (very discreet).
The cards themselves are really beautiful acid-free paper with a lovely deckle along the one edge. Each card comes with a matching envelope. They're large: 5 inches x almost 7 inches.
I'm posting the cards in my Etsy shop. In total, there will be 25 designs:
And, here we are -- number nine, the last in this series. The same idea as the others, but I like how the flowers are arranged on this fish. The bit of pink against the purple and green is a nice surprise.
I hope you've enjoyed this little underwater excursion; stay tuned to see what comes next.
This one is slightly different than the other fishies -- he's much bigger! Even though he's a big guy, he still seems like a sweetie.
I like how he's cropped along the bottom of the card.
As with the other cards in this series, the fish is cut from origami paper, and the background is painted with acrylics on paper. Standard 2.5 x 3.5 inches.
This treasury is a "BNR": Buy 'n Replace. Buy something from an Etsy shop listed in this treasury and she will replace it with an item from your Etsy shop. If you don't have an Etsy shop, that's ok. You can still buy an item anyway.
The rules are in the first comment under the pictures.
Kat has a wonderful Etsy shop full of fine art prints, ACEOs, greeting cards, graphic design services, and some knit and crocheted pieces. Take a minute and shop by her shop: http://H20Works.etsy.com/ .
Treasuries are short-lived events, so catch it before it expires on August 12.
And, here's another blue ACEO from my new series. If you're keeping score, you know there are only 3 blue ones in this series, so only one more of this color to come.
This cutout couldn't decide if it wanted to be hearts, a flower, or a snowflake. I kind of like it as a circle of hearts.
I've been working on a new series of ACEOs along with the series of art blocks that I'm doing for Artomat. There are 9 in the ACEO series: 3 in blue, 3 in yellow, and 3 in green. One green fishy ACEO has already been sent off to a new home. This is the second.
As with so many of my ACEOs, the background is painted with acrylics on paper. The snowflake is cut from my favorite miyabi chiyogami origami paper. Yes, I realize that this is August and snowflakes are a bit out of place, but oh, well. I like it anyway.
OK, I have to confess -- my studio is overflowing with ACEOs! 
Here's a doodle that grew in a whole different direction than so many of the others.
Sort of reminds me of a pinwheel, don't you think?
In contrast to yesterday's doodle, this one has every spare space filled up. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it feels very fancy.
When I set my boundary lines, I tend to fill up the space completely. However, a few of these doodles break that pattern and leave a lot of white space, such as #19 or #22.
Now here's a slightly different one. This is in purple ink on purple rice paper. The paper is very delicate, so I've signed it very very lightly on the back to prevent the ink from bleeding through.
So far, this is the only vertical doodle I've done. I tend to prefer the horizontal format, except for this one.
Guess I'm in the mood for New Year's Eve; this doodle feels a bit like bubbles and streamers, don't you think?
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. If the last 2 were a castle and a tea room, this one is more...jazz bar?
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. This one has some similarities to yesterday's doodle, but it feels less like a castle and more like a cafe or tea room. Yes?
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. I'm not entirely sure what this one is. Tapestries? A castle? Hm...
Purple ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on illustration board. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Ah, something different! This one is done with purple ink on patterned paper. Cool... :)
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on illustration board. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on illustration board. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Sepia ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always. 
Black ink on smooth cardstock. Materials are archival, as always.
Black ink on smooth cardstock.
Black ink on smooth white paper (standard ACEO size - 2.5 x 3.5 inches).
Sepia ink, standard ACEO size. See the Zentangle web site for the full scoop: http://www.zentangle.com
Sepia ink, standard ACEO size. See the Zentangle web site for the full scoop: http://www.zentangle.com
Sepia ink, standard ACEO size. See the Zentangle web site for the full scoop: http://www.zentangle.com
Sepia ink, standard ACEO size. See the Zentangle web site for the full scoop: http://www.zentangle.com
Sepia ink, standard ACEO size. I am having trouble coming up with titles for these, so they shall be known by numbers only. For now.
Another Zentangle; this one in sepia ink. Again on a standard sized ACEO card (2.5 x 3.5 inches).
Is anybody doing Zentangles? I just ran across them in an issue of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine last weekend, tried one, and needless to say: I'm hooked!
And...number 4.
Number 3 in this series. Same printed design on the origami paper, but a different style snowflake. This one almost reminds me of a flower, but I'll call it a snowflake anyway.
Another red snowflake, but in a more typical snowflake design than the last one.
Good news! I will be exhibiting at TWO art fairs this month! Stop by and see me and say hello. I'd love to see you and show you the new things I've been working on. 
And, here we are -- number nine, the last in this series. The same idea as the others, but I like how the flowers are arranged on this fish. The bit of pink against the purple and green is a nice surprise.
Number 8 in the series, this one is on a bright green background with bits of purple and orange. Unusual colors, but fishy doesn't mind.
Simple little striped fish with spirals inside and out. The background is painted with acrylics and the fish is cut from my favorite origami paper.
Kat from H20Works has been busy building another treasury, and this time she's included my Double Sweet Hearts.
And, here's another blue ACEO from my new series. If you're keeping score, you know there are only 3 blue ones in this series, so only one more of this color to come.
I've been working on a new series of ACEOs along with the series of art blocks that I'm doing for Artomat. There are 9 in the ACEO series: 3 in blue, 3 in yellow, and 3 in green. One green fishy ACEO has already been sent off to a new home. This is the second.
