Oil on board aceos??? Anyone know?

[RobinZ]

Okay to do oils and mount them either on wood or on cardboard? Does the thickness matter as long as it's 2.5 x 3.5? I am thinking of breaking out my oils again, I enjoyed using them and think I would do much more in a smaller size, but unsure about the support.

I have canvas, canvas paper, or masonite?

[Falconess]

Hi Robin,

I usually use watercolor paper or acrylic paper and I mount all my ACEO's on matte board.(I get precut 2.5" x 3.5" matte board from www.b-muse.com.) I like to think that they'll last longer that way. They still fit in the trading card sleeves... So, I don't know if this actually helped any, but I think as long as they still fit in typical displays, you should be fine using any kind of archival support...

[RobinZ]

Hi, Kat!! :wave:

Any idea about how thick it is? I guess that's the question, if it will fit into the sleeves okay.

[Falconess]

I just pulled out a piece and measured 1/16". I also just tried sticking two of them into one of the tc sleeves... 1/8" is about as big as you want to go to still fit in there. It was a tight squeeze, but it still fit. ;)

[RobinZ]

Thanks, Kat. Hmmm...

[KerryOriginals]

I work in oils and like to make canvas boards for my aceos. I use either canvas or linen and glue it to acid free matboard using an acid free glue. Also, I like to paint directly on the matboard after sizing it with either gesso or acrylic matte medium. They can be a tight fit, but, I have had no problems fitting them into trading card top loaders/sleeves. If you prefer, you can also work on watercolor paper in oils, but, it must be sized first to prevent the oil from rotting the paper.

[hillrune]

I bought a beautiful aceo painted with oils in the past so I checked to see how she mounted it...looks like on heavy watercolor paper. I was thinking it was illustration board. That would work too, wouldn't it?

There is something special about seeing the art cards in oils. They truly look miniature then.

Mary

[RobinZ]

Wow, thanks! I think I"m going to try this, I enjoy painting in oils, and a few weeks ago at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, saw lots of really cool miniatures. I just love them!

The ones that really blew me away were watercolor on ivory!! I never would have guessed...

Kerry, do you wrap it around the sides or cut the canvas flush with the matboard?

[champagneharley]

I think if I painted ACEOs in oil, I'd do them on the 'canvas paper' and not mount them.
Some people do them on canvas then back them with thick watercolor paper.
I've done acrylics on canvas and left them unmounted.
Most people want ACEOs that will fit inside trading card sleeves. Some top loaders allow for only thin-ish cards, too.
I own a watercolor on ivory, miniature, and they are awesome. You are so lucky to have seen a collection of these. This is the more traditional way of painting miniatures than other mediums/surfaces.
~Jillian

[hillrune]

Does that mean that ivory is more porous than I think? or that the watercolor wash is very sheer?

Mary

[champagneharley]

"Early miniaturists had painted in watercolour and gouache on vellum or prepared paper. The technique of painting miniatures in enamel on a metal surface was introduced in France in the 17th century and perfected by Jean Petitot. About 1700 the Italian painter Rosalba Carriera introduced the use of ivory as a ground that could provide a luminous, glowing surface for transparent pigments and heighten their effect. This technical innovation stimulated a great revival of miniature painting in the second half of the 18th century."
Hope this helps explain it.
Especially with portraits - layering watercolors made flesh look 'alive' as it glowed. As photography did not exist, this was the closest that someone could carry a likeness of a loved one around with them.
~Jillian

[hillrune]

Interesting, Jillian. Thanks!
Mary

[KerryOriginals]

Robin, I cut them flush. I make large sheets, using scraps of matboard and canvas, and cut to size when dry. Now these will warp some, (dry flat and weighted down) but since they are small sized, it is minimal. I usually apply a coat of gesso/acrylic medium to the back side as well as this helps to reduce warping.