Ivy Goddess Female Nude ACEO and Greeting Cards

I began to experiment with ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals) a few years ago.  I was doing henna designs on my own skin and even toyed with the idea of starting a side business and was inspired to incorporate the design concept into ACEOs.

Henna is a natural dye used for body art and to color hair.  Here is an example of a paisley design I did on my hand around 2004.

Paisley henna design before paste removal

I combined several techniques in the ACEO below.  First I stained watercolor paper with tea.  I then roughly sketched a female form and the ivy motif and then added a free-form spiral design inspired by henna.  I outlined the form in ink and added color with colored pencils.  I was really happy with the outcome and created a few more pieces along this vein which will be showcased in separate posts.

Ivy Goddess ACEO by P.J. Deneen

I titled this one "Ivy Goddess" and am selling the original ACEO at Etsy as well as cards with this design over at Cafe Press.

I love the tea staining but plan on experimenting with watercolors and indigo with both female and male figures in upcoming work.