If you can't afford to invest in Gold, here's a back up plan...

Or not. Heh.

Seriously, ACEO (short for Art Cards, Originals and Editions) or Sketch Cards (I use the terms pretty much interchangeably) are a terrific way to get into art collecting. Here are some reasons why.

1.  Most ACEO can be bought for less than 5 dollars. (based on a random sampling of ebay artists, your milage may vary). A lot of very talented artists are willing to let their product go CHEAP just to get it out to the public. That would be you. And if you include shipping within the US, you still have enough for McDonald's cheeseburger and maybe some small fries. Just don't touch your ACEO after you have consumed said cuisine.

2.  There are a wide variety of subjects that can be found in the world of ACEO and Sketch Cards. Civil War General Lee, General Grant, President Abe Lincoln, Batman, Captain (Shazam) Marvel, fairies, and dragons can be found, as of this writing, in my ebay sales . And that's just my sales. Imagine what other people are creating. Movie Stars, Cats, dogs, mermaids, portraits, buildings, collage, abstract, outsider art, plants, landscapes, and more!

3.  If you can't find what you want, you can commission someone to create it for you. Really. There are people that do commissions on those precious little 2.5 by 3.5 inch cards. In fact, I'm going to add that service to my listings, I think! 

4.  ACEO is one of the most serched topics under Art on ebay. Check ebay Pulse and look in the art category. A Google search turns up 1.7 million entries on ACEO as of this writing.

5.  2.5 inches by 3.5 inches is very easy to frame. There are many ways to display your ACEO or Sketch Card. They are the standard size of collectible card game cards, so you can already take advantage of your local comic book store or game shop to find plastic slips, card protecters, boxes and all of that. Plus, most reputable art stores carry 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch frames, plastic display holders, and even refrigerator magnet holders. Image having an art gallery on your fridge that wasn't done in fingerpaints and Crayola crayons. Just don't stick them on your computer. Or do a search on ebay for supplies, frames, or mattes.

6.  They are sooooo easy to carry with you. In addition to the above suggestions, you can stick ACEOs in a small photobook and carry them around to display. Show your friends your awesome art collection and make them think you're a connesuier.

7.  Buying an ACEO at a Buy It Now price encourages that artist to create more art, hopefully the kind you like. Maybe you can turn the sales-related communication into an opportunity to make suggestions for future works that you can buy.

8.   Most ACEOs are original art and do not have print copies made of them.  If you're in doubt as to the rarity of the work, ask the artist.

So, Art Cards/Sketch Cards present so many reasons why you should buy them. I'm sure you can come up with more. And contact me if you do!

Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know if this article helped you out or not.

Mike Leuszler
Artistprenuer