What Are ACEOs? The Art Collector’s Secret to Starting Small and Dreaming Big

ACEOs are small works of art measuring 2.5" x 3.5", the exact dimensions of a standard trading card. They can be created in any medium—watercolor, acrylic, ink, collage, or even mixed media—and may be either originals or limited edition prints. The only rule is their size.

Originally popularized on platforms like eBay in the early 2000s, ACEOs were a way for artists to create small, collectible artworks that could be traded and sold affordably. Today, they’ve grown into a beloved subgenre of art collecting, especially among fans of whimsical, nature-inspired, and folk-style art—like my own!