Help with flattening and storing.

Information on shipping, storing and repairing your art, plus your reviews on products for art collecting, making, storing, etc..
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Codeblue
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Sat May 30, 2020 7:41 pm

I should prolly get some for the Mondos I have left. fudge's scuff when ya look at em.
RupertPupkin wrote:I live by this rule and this rule alone: people are drymounting idiots.
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bubbie
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Sat May 30, 2020 8:23 pm

Before I had a flat file and other means of storage, I built a “box” that I still keep under one of the beds. I utilized it again a few weekends ago for storing the prints that I want to get rid off. The original plan was to built it out of plywood, but I ended up putting it together from MDF because I already had half a sheet from another project, with the bottom lined with a couple of layers of acid free paper:

Image

Obviously works great for flattening as well, though the initial intent was storage.

In the photo above, there are probably 50+ prints, with 18x24 and 24x36 and everything in between stack on top of each other (two 18x24 per one 24x36, lying perpendicularly; everything in between is kind of random).

Since then I have built another one for oversized paper flattening and storage. It is roughly 48”x48”. A few weekends ago, I also loaded it with some stuff I need to get rid off and some to sort through further:

Image

This way nothing is on the way and you don’t ever see it unless you want to. Both boxes just sit under the beds. For the purpose of a photo, the cover is removed:

Image

It doesn’t really matter if you put glassine in between, in my opinion. Nothing will happen if you don’t. Sure, there are some inks that can get “scuffed” if you keep moving fudge around all the time and isn’t “gentle” enough, but I never had such an issue (but I don’t move fudge around all the time and am pretty anal about how I do things). I do it as a matter of habit. I would say about 99% of my prints are fully covered by a piece of acid free paper. Also, if I sell something, I just use the glassine layer, along with the craft paper, to roll the print. The sleeves are a pretty good thing, IMO. I have a few and always think I should get more, but never do. Maybe because things worked for me pretty well the way they are now. Pretty sure I only ever drymounted one corner up and that was because of me acting dumb (was an Obey offset, so no big deal).

For flattening, I just throw a print in one of the “boxes”, cover it with glassine, throw a piece of thick cardboard I have cut to specific size on top (I used to use a backing board, but found this cardboard to work better for me) and often times it is enough for the print to make itself flat in a matter of a few days without any additional weight. If I get something else before that print is flat enough to be moved to the “permanent” storage, I just throw the new print on top and repeat the process outlined above. For some prints, their own weight and the cardboard aren’t enough, so I just throw something on top of the cardboard. For the past few years this something has been the Primus Morrison print by Emek:

Image

It was shipped flat and I still have in that very box it was shipped in (maybe that’s the reason I still didn’t frame it, lol). One of my favourite prints.

On the other hand, many of the prints go straight to the flat file to be flattened and stored.

There is no rocking science to any of it, really, and a gazillion different ways to do it “properly” enough not to drymount things up. More often than not people follow an overkill procedure, but that works as well.
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Artlight
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Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:13 pm

Greetings everyone, I just discovered this place unfortunately a bit late, Long time after ordering and collecting art print posters since 2019. Didn't knew much except for the fact that everyone mentions they store mint, flat or in a portfolio, acid free. I thought It's time to start something instead of letting all those movies and game lithographs curl up bad, I have some posters which I got from local theaters around 10 of them but they are 11x18, they are a bit worn but they are flat. No issues at all. Then the 18x18 are 2 & 24x36 of 6, which are in tubes.

Anyways, so now I was thinking to buy a portfolio since I don't have the luxury to buy a flat file in the apartment. Baroque one is quite expensive at $170 with shipping, I also have to buy the Foam boards from amazon Excelsis Design pack of 15, nothing is cheap there with higher rating and also glassine paper is a must to flatten all of them out, it's pegging at $100 for just temporary storage and flattening out.

So the option I'm thinking instead of baroque is to buy the sleeves 24x36 and other sizes for the art prints, and then store them in a bag for prints. Can anyone of you kindly point out if there's anything for cheaper (If I go with the Portfolio + foam + glassine = $300) or tips.

Thank you for your patience :)
Last edited by Artlight on Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ygolohcysp
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Mon Jun 01, 2020 11:09 pm

You could go to Michaels or a framing shop and buy some acid free foam core and make yourself a sandwich. For the prints
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Artlight
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Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:35 am

ygolohcysp wrote:
Mon Jun 01, 2020 11:09 pm
You could go to Michaels or a framing shop and buy some acid free foam core and make yourself a sandwich. For the prints
Thanks, I called my local art shop, they have the foam cores but $10 for each asked whether they have any service for flattening out, except the Drymount and Spraymount nothing unfortunately. So I ended up ordering those on Amazon, just arrived. Waiting for the glassine paper, I got the glass weights as well. I hope I can flatten them out. As for holding them together, which clips should I use ? In the meantime I will try to look for the mylar bags / poly sleeves, if I do not find them, Baroque is the only option i'm afraid.
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Cinlabyrinth
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Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:54 am

just basic binder clips

you can get bags from framedestination https://www.framedestination.com/framin ... -bags.html


or mylar bags from bagsunlimited https://www.bagsunlimited.com/category/ ... er-sleeves

the mylar will be much more expensive because they are supposed to be safe for like 100 years or something
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Artlight
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Thu Jun 04, 2020 9:20 am

Cinlabyrinth wrote:
Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:54 am
just basic binder clips

you can get bags from framedestination https://www.framedestination.com/framin ... -bags.html


or mylar bags from bagsunlimited https://www.bagsunlimited.com/category/ ... er-sleeves

the mylar will be much more expensive because they are supposed to be safe for like 100 years or something
Great !! many thanks :notworthy: , I was trying to find these things with no success. ordering some mini clips today and will update soon.
crujonez
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Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm

what type of poster weights do you guys use? i saw baroque is selling some but shipping isn't till end of june. i can't use the pint glasses anymore. link would be appreciated
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wonkabars7
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Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:21 pm

crujonez wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm
what type of poster weights do you guys use? i saw baroque is selling some but shipping isn't till end of june. i can't use the pint glasses anymore. link would be appreciated
#books
dauster88
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Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:28 pm

crujonez wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm
what type of poster weights do you guys use? i saw baroque is selling some but shipping isn't till end of june. i can't use the pint glasses anymore. link would be appreciated
I have a set I bought from this seller on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/delainie?section_id=24350299

There are others on there as well if you search around.
crujonez
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Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:42 pm

cool thanks. i think i'll just use books. those etsy look nice as well. much appreciated
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bubbie
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Wed Jun 10, 2020 3:14 pm

I have never understood poster weights that are specifically made for this purpose. Why would one buy something that they already have shitload of in their household? Books, for instance, like wonka mentioned above.

Also, to flatten a poster with something that would cover the entire poster is the best way to go. I wasn’t kidding when I said the following above:
bubbie wrote:
Sat May 30, 2020 8:23 pm
For flattening, I just throw a print in one of the “boxes”, cover it with glassine, throw a piece of thick cardboard I have cut to specific size on top (I used to use a backing board, but found this cardboard to work better for me) and often times it is enough for the print to make itself flat in a matter of a few days without any additional weight. If I get something else before that print is flat enough to be moved to the “permanent” storage, I just throw the new print on top and repeat the process outlined above. For some prints, their own weight and the cardboard aren’t enough, so I just throw something on top of the cardboard. For the past few years this something has been the Primus Morrison print by Emek:

Image

It was shipped flat and I still have in that very box it was shipped in (maybe that’s the reason I still didn’t frame it, lol). One of my favourite prints.

On the other hand, many of the prints go straight to the flat file to be flattened and stored.
Here is the “flattening process“ with a backing board and a shitty mat on top of it (the backing board alone would do just fine and the mat wasn’t necessary, it’s just where I keep it, lol):

Image

Image

Here is the process where a cardboard or back board alone isn’t enough (where the “Primus box” in the description above comes into play, lol):

Image

Image

Image

This is the sucker that is under that box. Unintentionally, obviously, it was left in the tube for quite a while. It has been “flattening” for quite a while as well.

Image

There is faster way to do it, but I don’t really care at this time.
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Codeblue
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Thu Jun 11, 2020 7:07 pm

the weights are just to start the process, not for the "permanent" flattening. #duh

P.S. Books are better suited for when it stops curling so much. At first ya just want light pressure on the corners, which is why small weights are more suitable. In most situations, it prolly doesn't matter tho.
RupertPupkin wrote:I live by this rule and this rule alone: people are drymounting idiots.
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bubbie
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Fri Jun 12, 2020 2:11 am

Meh... There are still tons of other things in the house that one can use instead. Also, in regards to your last sentence,
bubbie wrote:
Sat May 30, 2020 8:23 pm
More often than not people follow an overkill procedure, but that works as well.
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