The Framers Forum

Hi All

I am after help and advice, I have just been given 2 very large and expensive Movie posters to frame.

We have decided on the moulding and we also have chosen non ref acrylic (would you have chsoen this)so far. But what i would like to know how do you and what do you use to fix the poster into position and what is the best backing.

Many thanks

we have recently done a few large old movie posters. Usually we back them with a conservation board liner, usually from a jumbo board, then foamcore and atrbak. fix in place, if required, with pass-through hinges, (slit in the barrier board style) I usually use filmoplast p90 but some people seem to prefer ph70 70 or starch and paper hinges. So long as it is reversible and does no damage to the poster then there are lenty of options. Its down to personal opinions about what's "right", or even what is "conservation", or what level of conservation you are aiming for, and that also comes down to the customer's pocket too. Conservation acrylic is not a budget material.
the regular non reflective acrylic which is smooth on one side is good for one or two mounts without appreciable distortion as a rule. the stuff which is diffused on both sides is not so good.
I would not like to put a poster up against glass without some spacing, but dont feel so bad about it up against acrylic or styrene. (thats just a personal thing).
You have to make a decent wage out of the job, so a lot of it is really down to you and the customer agreeing on the materials that are going into it. As a rule go for the best materials you can and let the customer know why you are recommending them. They will probably appreciate the advice and your honesty about where the money is going.

wireman wrote:
We have decided on the moulding and we also have chosen non ref acrylic (would you have chsoen this)so far. But what i would like to know how do you and what do you use to fix the poster into position and what is the best backing.

No, I would not have chosen non-reflective acrylic - or NR glass, because, as it reflects less light than standard glass, it therefore lets more in and so speeds up the artwork's demise!

Regards fixing and backing, pretty much what Kev said, just bearing in mind that any tape - and I mean ANY tape, that comes with adhesive already applied, whether activated with water or pressure - is NOT conservation/preservation quality.

If the only two options I could offer were .....

1. Dry mounting to MDF and glazing with Conservation Clear glass

2. Hingeing with wheat starch paste and handmade Japanese paper hinges, to the best quality cotton board you can buy (Alpharag artcare IMHO) and glazing with NR or standard clear glass.

I'd opt for the first option - light is going to be the biggest enemy - what's the point of hingeing with the best you can buy, to more of the same, if the image is going to fade?

How large is 'very large'?

Roboframer wrote:
just bearing in mind that any tape - and I mean ANY tape, that comes with adhesive already applied, whether activated with water or pressure - is NOT conservation/preservation quality.

I thought there was a cotton rag tape on the market that was pre-coated with starch paste?

wireman wrote:Hi All

I am after help and advice, I have just been given 2 very large and expensive Movie posters to frame.

We have decided on the moulding and we also have chosen non ref acrylic (would you have chosen this)so far. But what i would like to know how do you and what do you use to fix the poster into position and what is the best backing.

Many thanks

Firstly how much experience do you have of ;

[From the fact you have asked the question in the first place not enough].

A framing large works
B, Handling valuable works

If non of the above then I would recommend NOT continuing with the work and suggesting the customer take the work to a experienced framer..... MADNESS?

NOT REALLY The reason I say this is as a few of the qualified framers on here will know the experience cannot and should not be learnt on customers work. you have far more to lose compared with the profit you might make on taking on the job

As I cant edit the above post so ;

I didn't mean to come across aggressively..... if I did?

My post should start;
With the greatest respect to a fellow framer

kev Ive seen many pieces of artwork stuck to acrylic as to glass. if left in contact with most surfaces and moisture is added paper will stick to anything.

As to fading, no quality of glazing whether Museum or bogg standard will protect a piece of artwork form being effected by uv so if your customer wants to protect a work this way they will have to place it somewhere were there is little to no natural light.

Hi wireman

a few things that I would consider with jobs that are "very large" and "expensive", depending on the actual size...

acrylic glazing will certainly keep the weight down, I would use spacers (if floating), but if it is very large the acrylic could bow and create quite a distraction. So if glass is used instead the weight will go up alot and this will need to be taken into account with the strength of the frame and hanging method. This then leads to another potential problem.... if the poster is very valuable, should laminated glass be used? should the unthinkable happen and the glass get broken then this could damage the poster. and if this glass is used the weight will increase even more... and finally I would check that my insurance covers the value of the posters.

as to the mounting and backing, are they being floated? so as Kev said. Lion had an example of a useful floating technique on their stand at the fair.

If you give the size and some more info I am sure someone will give a good solution.

People just don't realise how monumental a frame is going to be. A poster may not look very big rolled up in a tube. If the poster were say, 40x50 (some are bigger) the frame is going to look enormous. Not to mention the sheer weight.

There have been a few topics on The Grumble about big movie posters. Apparently it is an acceptable practice to mount posters on fabric. This allows them to be fixed to stretcher bars (not actually stretched). This would make the job easier to manage. Of course you need to know someone who could do this (pass).

Movie posters were never meant to be framed. If it is valuable I would store it flat between sheets of ragboard laid on a solid board and stick it under the bed. Then get a repro and blu-tak it to the wall to look at.

prospero wrote: If it is valuable I would store it flat between sheets of ragboard laid on a solid board and stick it under the bed. Then get a repro and blu-tak it to the wall to look at.

Heres a couple of articles re the above:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/res_cons/conservat ... index.html

http://cool-palimpsest.stanford.edu/waa ... 7-203.html

gesso wrote: I thought there was a cotton rag tape on the market that was pre-coated with starch paste?

The best quality hingeing paper is made from pure kozo and the best quailty adhesive is freshly cooked starch paste - you've made it and you know what's in it - wheat/rice starch and your choice of water to mix.

If it comes ready applied it will need some sort of stabilzer/preservative, so it's not pure. Hayaku tape for example contains nylon, and the paper is not pure kozo. You can't just coat paper with pure starch paste, let it dry and then, months or years later re-activate it for use with water.

Anyway - making your own hinges and paste is simple and a lot cheaper than pre-coated stuff - you pay for convenience, in more ways than one!

Roboframer wrote: and your choice of water to mix.

nothing but Distilled surely? Or are we talking tap, eveian, or sparkling

gesso wrote: nothing but Distilled surely? Or are we talking tap, eveian, or sparkling

Well, I used to use spring water but now I use either that or distilled, some on TFG say that distilled water is 'hungry' and you should use bottled spring water! I brought that up once here and Áine raised some interesting points.

Here's the link and a link to TFG within.

http://theframersforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... 93&p=21807

Sorry double post

Heres another article that will indicate the level of care required IF you want to call yourself qualified to handle works on paper correctly

http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:Mpx ... cd=5&gl=uk

Bottled spring water at a push would suffice .. ……..however distilled or deionised water is the preferred liquid….

There is a good recipe and a how to do it in the article at this link http://www.frametek.com/HTML/Articles/Float.pdf Thanks to Greg of Frametek for providing it

Mineral deposits don't come in to it then?

Roboframer wrote:
Well, I used to use spring water but now I use either that or distilled, some on TFG say that distilled water is 'hungry' and you should use bottled spring water! I brought that up once here and Áine raised some interesting points.

Not suprised. She is still trying to get the stain out the carpet

I heard that ...