The Official "Matt and Kenny post before, during, and after photos" Thread.

[Ze-man]

And to think you had reservations about pulling the trigger on restoring the #28

 

It's the second appearance of Batman!!

 

Love me some Tec 28, such a cool book.

 

I would have read it while taking a dump.

But that's how I roll.

 

 

I am thrilled to have you contribute so much awesomeness to the thread.

 

 

 

[MrBedrock]

Matt brought the Pep and Superboy, along with a few other examples, to SD. It is truly astounding how good the work is and how great the books look. The books feel supple and natural. And, while the restoration is apparent on close inspection, it so vastly superior to previous techniques in approximating the original look. Just amazing.

[Timely]

Excellent job guys, it's night & day.

[AJD]

Do those wrinkles/pits where paper was replaced go away in a later process?

 

It always seems to come back to pressing around here!

 

But yeah..those will most all go away after the book is worked on a bit more, assembled and pressed. Although in my defense, I did say it was obviously not pressed yet.

 

This was just such a good example of the new CT process we worked on, I thought it was worth posting as is. But let's not focus on that when there are pesky wrinkles to discuss.

 

 

 

The color work is just wonderful. Do you match by eye, or is there a systematic way to do it? I've been mixing model colours (enamels and acrylics at various times) for forty years now and have got pretty good, but matching an existing colour like that with acrylics would be hard because they shift colour as they dry.

 

My hat's off to you.

[DiceX]

And to think you had reservations about pulling the trigger on restoring the #28

 

It's the second appearance of Batman!!

 

Love me some Tec 28, such a cool book.

 

I would have read it while taking a dump.

But that's how I roll.

 

 

I am thrilled to have you contribute so much awesomeness to the thread.

 

 

 

I didn't say I'd wipe with it. I'd just read between contractions.

 

 

[Ze-man]

And to think you had reservations about pulling the trigger on restoring the #28

 

It's the second appearance of Batman!!

 

Love me some Tec 28, such a cool book.

 

I would have read it while taking a dump.

But that's how I roll.

 

 

I am thrilled to have you contribute so much awesomeness to the thread.

 

 

 

I didn't say I'd wipe with it. I'd just read between contractions.

 

 

Fiber is your friend.

 

[c-mack]

WOW! !!... so is something like this really set aside for Key GA? or can some of us low end collectors get in on this!?

[AJD]

Do those wrinkles/pits where paper was replaced go away in a later process?

 

It always seems to come back to pressing around here!

 

But yeah..those will most all go away after the book is worked on a bit more, assembled and pressed. Although in my defense, I did say it was obviously not pressed yet.

 

This was just such a good example of the new CT process we worked on, I thought it was worth posting as is. But let's not focus on that when there are pesky wrinkles to discuss.

 

 

 

The color work is just wonderful. Do you match by eye, or is there a systematic way to do it? I've been mixing model colours (enamels and acrylics at various times) for forty years now and have got pretty good, but matching an existing colour like that with acrylics would be hard because they shift colour as they dry.

 

Serious question there. How do you accurately predict the colour once it dries? Blues in particular darken noticeably.

[Illustrious]

I love these threads.

 

How long does it usually take to finish a comic that needs extensive restoration once you begin working on it? And what takes the longest, leafcasting or color touch?

[koollectablz]

wow, as ever amazing work on these!!!

 

For my own personal preference all I'd mention is that the whites seem to come out VERY white and that blue is REALLY blue.

 

Are you ever tempted to think screw it and correct a horrible miswrap as well? I mean I look at the superbly #1 and think its extensively restored already so why not give it maximum eye appeal.

 

Maybe I just really hate bad miswraps though!!!!

[Matt Nelson]

I love these threads.

 

How long does it usually take to finish a comic that needs extensive restoration once you begin working on it? And what takes the longest, leafcasting or color touch?

 

Color touch takes much longer than leafcasting, but we're working on getting that time down to lower costs. Extensive jobs can take 10-30 hours to complete, which is why the turn times are so long!

[Matt Nelson]

wow, as ever amazing work on these!!!

 

For my own personal preference all I'd mention is that the whites seem to come out VERY white and that blue is REALLY blue.

 

Are you ever tempted to think screw it and correct a horrible miswrap as well? I mean I look at the superbly #1 and think its extensively restored already so why not give it maximum eye appeal.

 

Maybe I just really hate bad miswraps though!!!!

 

We always restore a book right back to the way it was printed, which is why miscuts remain. It would be a lot more work to fill in all the edges, add the extra color and re-cut a cover to remove a miscut that large.

[Ze-man]

Do those wrinkles/pits where paper was replaced go away in a later process?

 

It always seems to come back to pressing around here!

 

But yeah..those will most all go away after the book is worked on a bit more, assembled and pressed. Although in my defense, I did say it was obviously not pressed yet.

 

This was just such a good example of the new CT process we worked on, I thought it was worth posting as is. But let's not focus on that when there are pesky wrinkles to discuss.

 

 

 

The color work is just wonderful. Do you match by eye, or is there a systematic way to do it? I've been mixing model colours (enamels and acrylics at various times) for forty years now and have got pretty good, but matching an existing colour like that with acrylics would be hard because they shift colour as they dry.

 

Serious question there. How do you accurately predict the colour once it dries? Blues in particular darken noticeably.

 

Sorry, I missed this earlier, was not ignoring you.

 

You hit the nail on the head, trying to anticipate how a mixed color will change as it dries is about the hardest part aside from accurately matching the color itself.

 

All I can say is it is it comes down to practice and experience. Oh, and a dash of luck thrown in too.

 

Basically knowing it will change(get darker) is the key.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ze-man]

We get asked all the time if we have examples of leaf casting to take around to Cons.

 

Typically we don't , unless we have client books on hand.

 

So I spent a few hours yesterday and leaf casted some rat chewed pages from a Detective Picture Stories #5.

 

Always loved the centerfold, and first Bruce Wayne prototype by Kane.

 

If ya wanna see them in person, they will be in Chicago.

 

For those that wont be, here are some photos.

 

Casted page sitting next to a few that were not.

 

 

Lots of before and afters. Both sides of each page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FFB]

It never ceases to amaze me how well you're able to match aged newsprint and make a seam that is invisible.

[zzutak]

It never ceases to amaze me how well you're able to match aged newsprint and make a seam that is invisible.

Ditto that. Awesome, awesome stuff. (thumbs u (thumbs u

[Ze-man]

More leaf casting spam!

 

Here is another book from the rat chewed pile. ( at least I think it was rats )

 

Washed, and leaf casted this cover to use as an example of how conservation might trump full blown extensive restoration when it is not cost effective.

 

Trying to repair, and piece fill a cover like this by hand would be a daunting, time consuming task. But thanks to leaf casting it allows for a much wider range of books in need of repair, to get it.

 

Basically took about 4 hours from start to finish.

 

No CT, just casted paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And one last silly one of the comic standing up all by itself.

 

[DiceX]

Just...wow...

 

 

[JazzMan]

That's awesome! Boy, there's some real work to be done to CT the inside of the front cover. I see much patience in your future Kenny.

[StuporMan]

Top-Notch work!