A booklet of 100% cotton paper, ready to paint on. This is the same paper I use to create my tiny paintings. It will accept my handmade watercolors wonderfully. The booklet is 4.5’’ high and 2.5’’ wide, and has a perforated edge for easy tearing so the sheet is standard ACEO size. Small is 5 sheets, and Large is 20

Artist trading cards (ATCs) and Art Cards, Editions and Originals (ACEOs) are small artworks that are 2.5’’x3.5’’ (64mm x 89mm), the size of a standard trading card. The idea of an artist trading card was conceived by Swiss artist M. Vänçi Stirnemannin 1997, who created 1,200 artworks that were displayed and then traded for artwork made by the viewers/ participants. The format was later picked up by other artists, and became an eBay phenomena, with participating artists of all levels, all over the world selling their small artworks. I was drawn to this format as a collector first. When I was young, I could afford original art! That was amazing to me! And it was tiny, and easy to move from apartment to apartment. And the best part of small art, is it speaks volumes in its intimacy. It is an experience to hold an original artwork in the palm of your hand. I have made over 500 of these little paintings that are out there in the world, and now I am asking you to join in on the fun. Create with me!  

Instructions: 

Tear off the paper before you paint! It’s just easier that way. Load the watercolor paint with water, and wait 3 minutes for the paint to reconstitute. Sketch out your design with a pencil. Load the area you are painting with water, then load your brush with paint, and introduce it to the paper. Have fun. Experiment. Have successes AND failures. That is learning! Tag me @alexakarabin and find other artists participating #alexakartchallenge #aceo #smallart