How exact is 'exactly 3.5" x 2.5" '?

[ohduh!]

I've tried cutting down some heavy duty 185lb paper, and I have to say, I think these might be off by 1/16" or so. I'm not sure if that small a variance would disqualify the art as ACEO under the size rule. For those of you cutting your own, how exact is the rule?

[artistjillian]

As exact as you can. *grin* Main thing is that they fit in a trading card 'penny sleeve', so no larger, for sure. ~Jillian

[ohduh!]

Thanks Jillian. I can do "as exact as you can". 🙂

[jb5710]

To make it easy I take a playing card with those dimensions and place down on my paper, trace around it - then I cut just outside the trace - tape my paper down on a board and paint. After dry time, I remove tape, cut along the trace line - and there you have it. the right dimensions. JB

[kengillam]

I try and cut mine to exact dimensions, but I certainly am not going to complain if I received an ACEO that was a few mm out, I mean, what is the world coming too, lifes too short to worry about such things.

[robsfweak]

I use a paper cutter, one of those with a sliding blade for small crafts and photos. It has guidelines marked so it's fairly easy to get good straight and accurate cuts. These are for the most part handmade trading cards, so some evidence of a human hand makes them more appealing, in my opinion. I have ACEO's with a little 'wowie' in the corner or one side has a bow or a bobble, but, that's what makes it special. Penny 🙂

[sunshinesketches]

I use a quilter's plastic see-through ruler, with a blade on a cutting mat. It gives a nice crisp, straight edge, but even so, it's sometimes a mm or so off-kilter. It's barely noticable. For doing watercolours that have a margin around them, I use a template that I cut that I know is exact, and pencil around it with a very fine point. I also cut a "window" from cardboard that I use to check composition and colour balance when need to hide the margins, that sometimes look messy when I drag paint off into them. /Karen

[julee_bug]

Karen, thanks for the window tip I have, a time or two, gotten outside my boundries and had to cut closer to the subject than I liked. Had never thought of using a window to keep myself reigned in...

[sunshinesketches]

No problem, Julee. If it also helps, I've started keeping a sketch book where I work out my compositions before I transfer them to the actual work surface. My husband says he's going to auction off my sketch book when I become rich and famous. Hah! 😄

[artistjillian]

Be sure your playing card is 3.5x2.5" if you're using one as a guide (I do on occasions)- some aren't.

[ohduh!]

Thanks everyone! These are great ideas and also are encouraging. Thanks everyone!