What I'm Working On - ACEOs in Progress

Here are a few of the ACEOs I've been working on - mostly nudes so far, but starting on a few angels, all drawn with Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1 (a couple of sticks showing at the bottom).  They are done on Strathmore illustration board (3.5 x 2.5").  Some of them are drawn straight onto the board, others are given a coat of watercolor or acrylic before I begin drawing.  I think it's easier to start with some color underneath, so I'll probably keep that up.  I love doing these little pieces and, surprisingly, they're not that easy to do - and I think some artists work on even smaller sizes!  Don't think I'll be doing that, but you never know😊!  

After these drawings are posted, I'll be going outside - the weeds are waiting - and I'm hoping to beat today's 95 degrees!  Hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

ACEO Tiny Landscape - original oil pastel landscape

I absolutely love these little (3.5 x 2.5") Colourfix trading cards - in addition to the nicely gritty texture that is fabulous for oil pastels, there is a white edge that surrounds the painting.  Really lovely!  I used Sennelier oil pastels from the Nature collection, then added the turquoisy color at the top.   So much fun and another good-for-the-soul activity.  Thanks for looking!

ACEO - Tiny Lida - original oil pastel portrait

This little portrait is on an Art Spectrum Colourfix ATC card.  There is a white border around the  surface - all the Colourfix paper has this border - very helpful when you frame your piece.   Such a wonderful surface to work on - Colourfix is great for oil pastel because it has just enough grit and accepts many layers.  It's quite a challenge to get a picture on such a small surface when using unsharpened oil pastels, but this practice keeps me from being so tight and helps me focus on the essentials of the drawing.  It's 3.5 x 2.5 inches - thanks for stopping by!

ACEO - Marcy - original acrylic portrait painting

Continuing with the acrylic paint, I did some ACEOs today.  These tiny (3.5 x 2.5") things are so much fun to do and actually are kind of relaxing.  Done on illustration board that I gessoed on both sides - didn't have to be gessoed, but I like the finish it gives to the paper.  Thanks for looking!

Polka Dot Bow - ACEO original oil pastel portrait painting

I could spend every minute doing ACEOs.  They're so much fun and it's easy to just let go and be expressive. This one makes me happy because of her expression.  It's painted on illustration board and for some reason, the oil pastel seems to dry - as dry as oil pastel ever gets - very quickly on this surface.  It's 3.5 x 2.5", of course (being sort of obsessive, I just had to go and say it!) - thanks so much for stopping by!

Lady in a Hat - original oil pastel Artist Trading Card

I love doing these tiny "just a taste" cards.  This one is done on Art Spectrum Colourfix - my favorite surface for these little 3.5 x 2.5" pieces.  I used unsharpened Sennelier oil pastels - makes it looser and no way can I get it too tight.  Thanks for looking!

Tiny Lia - original oil pastel portrait painting (ATC)

I am on an ACEO/ATC kick at the moment and have been using Caran d'Ache Neopastels instead of my usual Senneliers.  They are not as soft as the Senneliers and are easier to work with in such a small area without sharpening them.  See my post on my oil pastel blog.  I used a 3 1/2 x 2 1/2" piece of illustration board for this one - owing to my photography skills, it's a little warmer than in real life - will try tomorrow to get a photo in better light.  Thanks for looking!

"Cozy" - original ACEO oil pastel figurative painting

This tiny (3.5 x 2.5") piece is on Art Spectrum Colourfix ATC (Artist Trading Card) paper, the smallest version of their wonderful pastel paper.  It's wonderful for oil pastels, too.  I have this orange chair - my all time favorite - and it's so snug on a cold evening, plus perfect for models, as well - even when they didn't realize they were going to be models.  Working this small without sharpening my oil pastels forces me to be loose, which I hope will carry over to larger works.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

ACEO - Over Her Shoulder - original oil pastel portrait painting

I love to do these little ACEOs - they're only 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, but they can contain a lot of information and emotion.  This one is on Art Spectrum Colourfix in light blue.  The Colourfix has a white (unsanded) border all around, which I think gives a nice framed effect.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tiny Geisha - original oil pastel ACEO figurative painting

I did this little ATC or ACEO while listening to The Last Gunfight by Jeff Guinn.  Delicious.  It's a bit of the hard truth about the Old West and pretty much nothing like the western movies I loved in my childhood, nor even much like my all-time favorite movie, Tombstone.  I could watch that movie endlessly, I think, if I didn't have a ton of other things to do.  Tomorrow, I'll be back in reality, Old West style, listening to the last half of the book while I paint some tango dancers.  I realize westerns and tango dancers don't have much in common, but it's fun to lose myself in two entirely different worlds! 

Now a bit about my little painting.  Although tiny, these little ones do take time and some effort to get into the picture plane everything you want to say.  Sometimes, though, I just crave sitting bent over my table to work on these minis.  It's on 3.5 x 2.5" illustration board.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Woman on a Sofa ACEO - original oil pastel figurative ACEO

I had been working on a charcoal dancer drawing and was going to show the drawing's progress on my blog, but I got distracted somehow.  And the next thing I knew, I was working on this 2.5 x 3.5" piece.  These are so much fun to do - no pressure - simply cut loose and see what happens.  This little painting is done on illustration board.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tiny Little Portrait - original oil pastel portrait painting

This little portrait is done on 3.5 x 2.5" heavy paper (pastel-colored illustration board) and was a real challenge to do with unsharpened oil pastels.  Although it's a little more difficult to do, I like the looseness that the dull point gives.
As a dog lover (see my Able Assistant at right), I've been listening to a Chet and Bernie mystery
Dog On It and loving it.  Chet (the dog) makes so many funny comments about humans that I look at Roger and think to myself  'is that what he's thinking when he looks at me?' - such a fun book!  As soon as I finish this one, I'll begin another one in the series. 
Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!