Need Help Storing Original Art 3 3

[Rick2you2]

Anyone know where I can find a storage binder that fits in size between the Itoya poster size and the 13 x 19 sized? Something holding art widths of a little over 15 inches.

[kbmcvay]

For my non-framed pieces I use those heavy cardboard slabs and mylar bags that Spencer Beck uses with one page in the front and another in the back. I keep all of them in a large plastic bin. Its worked perfectly for me for nearly 2 decades.

[timguerrero]

12 hours ago, kbmcvay said:

For my non-framed pieces I use those heavy cardboard slabs and mylar bags that Spencer Beck uses with one page in the front and another in the back. I keep all of them in a large plastic bin. Its worked perfectly for me for nearly 2 decades.

What Cardboard slabs? Very interested to know about them.

[kbmcvay]

9 hours ago, timguerrero said:

What Cardboard slabs? Very interested to know about them.

Here's my setup in pictures.

I use a Sterilite bin that's perfect for 11x17 pages. The "cardboard" is like a compressed slab that is very sturdy and durable, maybe a few centimetres thick but it would take a lot of force to snap it in half. They are great.

Apologies for the pictures. They are grainier than I expected. I guess I should have turned on the light but you should get the idea.

Edited April 29, 2020 by kbmcvay

[Drewsky]

1 hour ago, kbmcvay said:

Here's my setup in pictures.

I use a Sterilite bin that's perfect for 11x17 pages. The "cardboard" is like a compressed slab that is very sturdy and durable, maybe a few centimetres thick but it would take a lot of force to snap it in half. They are great.

Apologies for the pictures. They are grainier than I expected. I guess I should have turned on the light but you should get the idea.

That looks like thin Masonite board, that you can get cut at home depot. Great for shipping, but laying the page right against it is prob a bad thing. I bet it has acid that will attack the paper over time. You need to bag and board with acid free material. Not to go on a rant, but people think that the art is always safe, because damage takes time to show and they do not see it happening, but it is,  by acid, humidity, sun etc. Keeping the art in a controlled temp, dark place is best. If it is hung, it should be hung in a room without direct sunlight or any sunlight at all, on an interior wall, in a frame where the art does not touch the glass, with an acid free matte and backer, that was not glued or taped in. We have all seen disgusting yellow/brown or wavy pages. I have even been lied to from sellers about condition and received pages with frame or sun damage. Poor treatment/storage is how they got that way. They do make 11x17, 11.5x17.5 acid free bags and 11x17 acid free boards for art. IMO these are the best for storage. As for the bin, what you have looks fine, I keep mine bagged and boarded in portfolios and put the portfolios in giant zip lock bags.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Drewsky

[kbmcvay]

I

43 minutes ago, Drewsky said:

That looks like thin Masonite board, that you can get cut at home depot. Great for shipping, but laying the page right against it is prob a bad thing. I bet it has acid that will attack the paper over time. You need to bag and board with acid free material. Not to go on a rant, but people think that the art is always safe, because damage takes time to show and they do not see it happening, but it is,  by acid, humidity, sun etc. Keeping the art in a controlled temp, dark place is best. If it is hung, it should be hung in a room without direct sunlight or any sunlight at all, on an interior wall, in a frame where the art does not touch the glass, with an acid free matte and backer, that was not glued or taped in. We have all seen disgusting yellow/brown or wavy pages. I have even been lied to from sellers about condition and received pages with frame or sun damage. Poor treatment/storage is how they got that way. They do make 11x17, 11.5x17.5 acid free bags and 11x17 acid free boards for art. IMO these are the best for storage. As for the bin, what you have looks fine, I keep mine bagged and boarded in portfolios and put the portfolios in giant zip lock bags.

Thanks. I have had art that I have owned and still own since 2001/2002 stored with these boards/bags and I haven't seen any damage in 18+ years. They all look the same as the day I bought them but I may make changes based on your recommendations. All of the bags I use are from dealers so do you think they are okay? Should I get a portfolio and swap it out?

I store all my pages in that bin either in my basement or in a bedroom closet so they never get sun. My framed pages are on my basement walls.

For framing I use museum glass, acid free backs and matting and float the paper with rice paper hinges.

The framer I use uses the same techniques as the Smithsonian (they taught some class about it - I live in the DC area). Here's an example (forgive the reflections and lighting as its hard to get a good picture down there with the lighting right).

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by kbmcvay

[Drewsky]

1 hour ago, kbmcvay said:

I

Thanks. I have had art that I have owned and still own since 2001/2002 stored with these boards/bags and I haven't seen any damage in 18+ years. They all look the same as the day I bought them but I may make changes based on your recommendations. All of the bags I use are from dealers so do you think they are okay? Should I get a portfolio and swap it out?

I store all my pages in that bin either in my basement or in a bedroom closet so they never get sun. My framed pages are on my basement walls.

For framing I use museum glass, acid free backs and matting and float the paper with rice paper hinges.

The framer I use uses the same techniques as the Smithsonian (they taught some class about it - I live in the DC area). Here's an example (forgive the reflections and lighting as its hard to get a good picture down there with the lighting right).

 

 

All of the bags I use are from dealers so do you think they are okay? Yes, they are prob acid free art bags. But you may want to change them out every 10 years or so. They sell them at cons or on ebay or other spots like a local comic shop could order them and they are pretty cheap. They come in 11x17 for most comic art or you can get 11.5x17.5 for those pesky DC boards that are just to big for 11x17. Same with the 11x17 backer boards. Just like like comic bags and boards, only bigger. 

Should I get a portfolio and swap it out? Up to you. If you switch to portfolios, do not overload them, just buy more portfolios. I keep mine in giant 2 ft by 3 ft zip lock bags I got from Wallmart. 

I store all my pages in that bin either in my basement or in a bedroom closet so they never get sun: Good idea, you may want to keep them raised to prevent flood damage and perhaps cover the bin with a plastic sheet or zip lock bag in case a pipe bursts. Also, may want to run a dehumidifier if you have the option. 

My framed pages are on my basement walls: As long as the back the frame is not directly touching the wall, you should be fine. If it is touching, get cork or silicone dots to stick in each corner of the frame to raise it of the the wall. 

For framing I use museum glass, acid free backs and matting and float the paper with rice paper hinge: This all sounds good. The do it yourself, float frames or people that mount the art to a board are the problem. 

The main point is to enjoy the art while taking the best care of it as possible. Some people just do not get it and it drives me nuts. People share pics of there collections on facebook or here all the time and originals are in direct sunlight all day or touching the frame in float frames or they have it right below a water pipe or they are on an exterior wall that temperature shifts in the seasons. 

[kbmcvay]

47 minutes ago, Drewsky said:

 

All of the bags I use are from dealers so do you think they are okay? Yes, they are prob acid free art bags. But you may want to change them out every 10 years or so. They sell them at cons or on ebay or other spots like a local comic shop could order them and they are pretty cheap. They come in 11x17 for most comic art or you can get 11.5x17.5 for those pesky DC boards that are just to big for 11x17. Same with the 11x17 backer boards. Just like like comic bags and boards, only bigger. 

Should I get a portfolio and swap it out? Up to you. If you switch to portfolios, do not overload them, just buy more portfolios. I keep mine in giant 2 ft by 3 ft zip lock bags I got from Wallmart. 

I store all my pages in that bin either in my basement or in a bedroom closet so they never get sun: Good idea, you may want to keep them raised to prevent flood damage and perhaps cover the bin with a plastic sheet or zip lock bag in case a pipe bursts. Also, may want to run a dehumidifier if you have the option. 

My framed pages are on my basement walls: As long as the back the frame is not directly touching the wall, you should be fine. If it is touching, get cork or silicone dots to stick in each corner of the frame to raise it of the the wall. 

For framing I use museum glass, acid free backs and matting and float the paper with rice paper hinge: This all sounds good. The do it yourself, float frames or people that mount the art to a board are the problem. 

The main point is to enjoy the art while taking the best care of it as possible. Some people just do not get it and it drives me nuts. People share pics of there collections on facebook or here all the time and originals are in direct sunlight all day or touching the frame in float frames or they have it right below a water pipe or they are on an exterior wall that temperature shifts in the seasons. 

Thanks for the reply. Its always good to talk and give advice to each other in a positive way. Too often these forums (not just this one but forums in general) turn into a negative smart guy convention.

P.S. The frames come with silicone dots on all 4 corners from the framer so no problem there.

Edited April 29, 2020 by kbmcvay