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How do you store your art?
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50 posts in this topic

Thanks for all the posts here.  I'd love to see, and get links for, more storage set ups.  Draws and the like.

For those storing everything in portfolios, you blow my mind.  I have my art in alpha order, by artist then title, issue, etc.  If you're dropping art in to a portfolio, that seems like an OCD nightmare of managing it all.

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4 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

Thanks for all the posts here.  I'd love to see, and get links for, more storage set ups.  Draws and the like.

For those storing everything in portfolios, you blow my mind.  I have my art in alpha order, by artist then title, issue, etc.  If you're dropping art in to a portfolio, that seems like an OCD nightmare of managing it all.

How do you keep it in order? Do you drop them in top loaders and just store them alphabetically that way? 

Yes, the portfolios are difficult. I roughly store them by size, and type, moving them around as newer things are acquired. My document tables are also badly outdated. My intention is to set up tables with the raw data, and hyperlink an image to each line. And eventually, stop moving things around.

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49 minutes ago, Rick2you2 said:

How do you keep it in order? Do you drop them in top loaders and just store them alphabetically that way? 

Yes, the portfolios are difficult. I roughly store them by size, and type, moving them around as newer things are acquired. My document tables are also badly outdated. My intention is to set up tables with the raw data, and hyperlink an image to each line. And eventually, stop moving things around.

I don't know what top loaders are, to be honest.  I drop them in bags/mylers, and then flat after that.

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9 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

Thanks for all the posts here.  I'd love to see, and get links for, more storage set ups.  Draws and the like.

For those storing everything in portfolios, you blow my mind.  I have my art in alpha order, by artist then title, issue, etc.  If you're dropping art in to a portfolio, that seems like an OCD nightmare of managing it all.

I store mine in portfolios, or rather, my 1 portfolio. LOL. I keep them sorted by comic or character(s), non-alphabetically. There will be some shifting to be done as I get new pages, but my small collection is very manageable at the moment with less than 15 pages. Heh.

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10 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

If you're dropping art in to a portfolio, that seems like an OCD nightmare of managing it all.

I actually like having to rearrange portfolios when I get new pieces. Gives me an excuse to look at and handle art that might otherwise get a little neglected. 

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13 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

Thanks for all the posts here.  I'd love to see, and get links for, more storage set ups.  Draws and the like.

For those storing everything in portfolios, you blow my mind.  I have my art in alpha order, by artist then title, issue, etc.  If you're dropping art in to a portfolio, that seems like an OCD nightmare of managing it all.

Not really. I have ones for covers, certain artists and certain characters. For ones of more minor publishers, they get their own portfolio. The over size 16x20-22x28 Since I have fewer pieces that size some large portfolios have no specific theme.

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5 hours ago, BuraddoRun said:

I store mine in portfolios, or rather, my 1 portfolio. LOL. I keep them sorted by comic or character(s), non-alphabetically. There will be some shifting to be done as I get new pages, but my small collection is very manageable at the moment with less than 15 pages. Heh.

Size doesn’t matter.

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9 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

I don't know what top loaders are, to be honest.  I drop them in bags/mylers, and then flat after that.

When you wrote “bags/mylars”, that might be the same thing, or not. A top loader is a pair of Mylar sheets in which 3 sides are sealed together, leaving one side open. The art is dropped or loaded into the open side which is the top. Mylar is pretty rigid, not like a comic book bag, so I can’t tell if we are talking about the same thing.

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In my online searching I did manage to find the below draw cabinet which should do nicely for my modern heavy collection.  Maybe I'll augment with the portfolios I already have, and then some larger ones I just bought for my oversized pieces.

https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultra-heavy-dutyr-6-drawer-rolling-lockable-storage-cabinet-28-w-x-18-d-x-34-5-h-granite-gray.html

Worst case I find a different use for it around the house, but it looks sharp and has the bonus of a lock on it.

2020-09-15 06_57_13-Window.png

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12 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

How do you keep it in order?

At a certain point, the management of a large collection is better done at the spreadsheet level than the portfolio level. Example: Artwork X is tagged "Portfolio 12, sleeve 15" or (for me lol ) "the tallest stack...somewhere middle third. No reshuffling, cuz no order, means no hassle and also little/no risk of those loose word balloons coming off, etc. This method is approximately how Bob Bretall manages his 115k+ quantity comic book collection and how gajillions of eBay sellers manage the inventory of their home "warehouses".

7 hours ago, cloud cloddie said:

...and handle art...

See above ;)

7 hours ago, cloud cloddie said:

Gives me an excuse to...

If you need an excuse...you don't love your collection. Just send to me. I'll cover shipping :)

32 minutes ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

...and has the bonus of a lock on it.

Um, those sweet wheels kind of defeat that though, huh?

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4 minutes ago, vodou said:

Um, those sweet wheels kind of defeat that though, huh?

HAHA!  Well, I either won't be putting the wheels on, or the cabinet will be in an awkward location that wheels won't make it easier to move it around.  The lock just means little hands can't get in to it.

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2 hours ago, GotSuperPowers? said:

In my online searching I did manage to find the below draw cabinet which should do nicely for my modern heavy collection.  Maybe I'll augment with the portfolios I already have, and then some larger ones I just bought for my oversized pieces.

https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultra-heavy-dutyr-6-drawer-rolling-lockable-storage-cabinet-28-w-x-18-d-x-34-5-h-granite-gray.html

Worst case I find a different use for it around the house, but it looks sharp and has the bonus of a lock on it.

2020-09-15 06_57_13-Window.png

Looks good - will you post a review here when you get it?

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9 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

When you wrote “bags/mylars”, that might be the same thing, or not. A top loader is a pair of Mylar sheets in which 3 sides are sealed together, leaving one side open. The art is dropped or loaded into the open side which is the top. Mylar is pretty rigid, not like a comic book bag, so I can’t tell if we are talking about the same thing.

Top loader more commonly refers to non-mylar plastic holders. They are terrible for OA in my opinion as they tend to hold the pieces too tightly and provide minimal support or protection. They also aren't necessarily archival safe. Here's an example - https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Pro-11-Toploader-10ct/dp/B07MXWRLSX

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On 9/11/2020 at 11:15 AM, dichotomy said:

Does anyone condition the room that they keep their art in? I’ve just moved from a New England stone basement to West Coast upstairs, west facing bedroom (aka much more temp variation during 24 hour cycle). 
 

Recent events have me seriously considering a fire rated safe...

I run a dehumidifier in my art room 60% of the day.

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