Amateur Linenbacking 101 by Pulpfixin

[Silhouette]

Nice work Charlie

[Charlie]

OK guys you have to check our work out on the NOES.  With the backing and touchups it took about and hour to back (wash, CT, deacid) and 3 hours to touch-up both of us going most times.  We revisited a few times.  We would work of a part and come back.  We did 99% with water soluble sticks and I had to do the lettering (mostly the black in between) with gauche (opaque) water colors. Not all the folds are completely undetectable but the majority are.  I had to work hard on the face and am very proud of it.  My wife there for a while just handed me colors (cause I am colorblind )... I kept referring to one of them specifically as Juicy Blue... Give me the "Juicy Blue". It was a great learning experience.  So with out further delay the Before & After Pictures... Click to enlarge.



I think Dave got a hell of a deal!  Now if it just rolls up nicely.  I am so scared to roll them for some reason... They are very tight when first taken off the frame...

[Neo]

 

[guest8]

Looks great!! Youve been doing some really nice work Charlie! I cant wait to see you else you have in store for me!!

[Charlie]

Updated the Blog....

http://pulpfixin.com/blog/2012/04/30/41/

Hey I want to give shout outs to the better backers in my other page I am creating...

Here is a list I have started:

Dario
Dan (backing to future)
Poster Conservation
Poster Science
The one Jeff just recomended.

Who else should I add?

Pretty much want people to know I am not trying to use the site in other fashion to inform and have fun...

[Silhouette]

It was a great learning experience.  So with out further delay the Before & After Pictures... Click to enlarge.

Wow again.

After watching what you have done not only am I extremely impressed but you have convinced me I should not give this a try...

[teamweapon]

OK guys you have to check our work out on the NOES.  With the backing and touchups it took about and hour to back (wash, CT, deacid) and 3 hours to touch-up both of us going most times.  We revisited a few times.  We would work of a part and come back.  We did 99% with water soluble sticks and I had to do the lettering (mostly the black in between) with gauche (opaque) water colors. Not all the folds are completely undetectable but the majority are.  I had to work hard on the face and am very proud of it.  My wife there for a while just handed me colors (cause I am colorblind )... I kept referring to one of them specifically as Juicy Blue... Give me the "Juicy Blue". It was a great learning experience.  So with out further delay the Before & After Pictures... Click to enlarge.



I think Dave got a hell of a deal!  Now if it just rolls up nicely.  I am so scared to roll them for some reason... They are very tight when first taken off the frame...

HOLY CRAP!
thats VERY impressive, i need to follow in your footsteps grass hopper 

[guest8]

Yeah Charlie and his waif are doing a great job!! I cant wait to get the posters back .. I am sure I will have an strong desire to get at least 2 -3 framed up and hanging so that I can finally appreciate them!!

Oh and Charlie, I saw in your blog that you guessed that I had multiples of NOES and thats why I was willing to send this one to you. That is incorrect ! I do not have multiples of any of those posters!! I just figured why not .. if it worked out they would look great and if not .. Its just a poster I can spend another 4 years finding new copies

[Charlie]

I do not have multiples of any of those posters!! I just figured why not .. if it worked out they would look great and if not .. Its just a poster I can spend another 4 years finding new copies

The pressure is on now... ... 

The GWTW ESB cleaned up nicely; you can still tell the yellowed area upon close inspection but at times with your eyes unfocused it all looks the same and is very close to white...  After that effort I started researching more into bleaching paper found some old UK conservator papers on different bleaching methods.  Thank God I washed that thing with a lot of water for a long time after bleaching; 1.0 liters/minute for 24 minutes was recommended (if I recall); I was going gallons per minute...  I could have also improved the chemistry by soaking in diluted solutions of vinegar and then alcohol prior to another deacidification and wash.  I did let it sit in the CaCO3 for around 30 minutes after bleaching so that should help buffer the remaining acids and stop the chloramine from deteriorating the cellulose...  I need two more washing bins before I bleach again just to be safe...  And I am going to try Calcium Hydroxide for the deacidification instead of CaCO3...  Lots to learn but what I am learning is that experience does appear to be the best teacher here.

[Charlie]

OK so experimented with paperfills tonight but with placing bits of paper versus paper pulp...  I have to say it was a lot easier than I thought it would be...  The little teflon bone burnished away my fears pretty quickly...  So Dirty Harry has three new corners!!! Let em dry, touch em up, and done...  Well i might put some fill in the pin holes... 

[Charlie]

Well the Never Ending Story is done and cut down.  I have to say that as a perfectionist I am not totally satisfied with the touch-ups.  We got the colors matched but experience what I am calling "raw fold sucktion"; Where the fold draws or sucks in more color than you want it to and from different angles the fold appears to be darker than it really is (from the angle you want it to be seen at)...  This did not happen on the NOES so I am not sure what the case was with the NES.  Perhaps there where some deeper pits in the folds or something.  Maybe I am being to hard on myself.  It still looks great.

Also, criticism would be really great at this point.  Do we suck (my wife is helping)? Are we doing so so?  I have never sent a poster that had folds to be backed and touched up so I have no frame of reference.  Pictures don't always tell the whole story so those of you that have sent stuff out please chime in with you stories and/or expectations... I would really appreciate it...



Started touching up the ESB GWTW OS but we had to stop; there are some blues and blue-greys on there that we simply don't have in 260 plus colors.  I hate to start mixing paint so we are going to hit the art store on Monday/Tuesday to see if they have any other shades...  The flat watercolors would really stand out on the shiny paper...

[stewart boyle]

Awesome Charlie.

Stew

[Neo]

 

From what I've heard, the fold lines are impossible to touch up perfectly on glossy stock.  Good work.

[Bruce]

Almost right, Neo. There is some stuff you can spray over the entire poster that evens out the light reflection.

Most auction houses love it, because it hides restoration. How good it will be in 10 years to have some stuff sprayed over the entire surface remains to be seen.

Bruce

[50s]

There is some stuff you can spray over the entire poster that evens out the light reflection.

Some restorers use hair spray... Another reason linen backing doesn't add much value - you might get a sprayed one.

[Charlie]

Some restorers use hair spray... Another reason linen backing doesn't add much value - you might get a sprayed one.

Wow? Hair Spray that can't be good...  I've heard of an archival workable fixative being applied (that can be erased off) to lock the water colors down as well as a matte finish (probably acrylic).  I imagine if you sprayed the entire thing with matte acrylic finish that it might actually work to reduce glare issues.  Now should you spray some type of fixitive to prevent water colors from rubbing off?  I know I gave Jon the option to lighten up blacks on his fighter poster by just wetting a q-tip.  But what about it laying there in storage; should the colors be locked down? Now you are giving me ideas to try Bruce...

That leads me to two good questions.

First: My wife and I were have a discussion last night while working on the GWTW ESB and the fold that runs though Leia's shirt.  I was of the opinion we should attempt to eliminate the folds, she said that she appreciated the poster for what it was and that placing color to just reduce distraction (vs. eliminating a fold) made it more genuine.  To hide the folds, a lot of color would have to go down and I guess I can see her point. It is a folded poster how perfect should it be?  I guess it depends on what the person having it done wants.  Opinions?

Second: Ted, others, and I were discussing LB in chat the other night and there seemed to be a differing of opinion regarding use of reversible processes.  Some were of the opinion that its not really revesible as the poster would have to be re-backed even if the old backing was removed (true).  But what about touch-ups? I recall that there was talk that if it looked good why would you worry about reversibility?  Thoughts?

[bigmike]

Charlie, posters are looking good!

Second: Ted, others, and I were discussing LB in chat the other night and there seemed to be a differing of opinion regarding use of reversible processes.  Some were of the opinion that its not really revesible as the poster would have to be re-backed even if the old backing was removed (true).  But what about touch-ups? I recall that there was talk that if it looked good why would you worry about reversibility?  Thoughts?

I know that you would need to reback the poster if it was reversible anyways.

However, in my opinion. I am not really concerned about the reversibility, AS long as it looks good.  If it looks good, then I am happy as its part of my collection. I would not be worried about the reversibility, but more over as to like what Bruce had said of what it looks like down the road.

[CSM]

Great job on the paper fill Charlie - you'll be a pro in no time!

[guest8]

I think your work looks great Charlie, I don't believe any restoration is going to be "perfect" unless you do work to the entire poster to match/blend all of the colors. So I think NES looks awesome int he pics!

As for the ESB .. That is a tough one, a poster can look aged and authentic and it lends to the character of the piece, making it something more than just a shiny new poster, but in a "collectibles" world everyone is all about condition. Now as nice as the ESB poster is anyone can buy another copy at any given time. They are all over the place, so if you had a choice between an old folded worn one that looked theater used or another prefect rolled copy, which would the buyer prefer? Assuming that cost is not an issue, I believe most wold opt for the rolled version. So with that in mind I would think that restoration would be the better route with this kind of poster. Now if they weren't as plentiful, it may be something to consider, so youd back the poster, so as to prevent it from degrading any further and not do any restoration so that the natural beauty of the poster can be appreciated.

[brude]

I think it is so cool that your wife is involved. 
Most women would leave their poster-obsessed husbands to their own distractions, but you guys have made this a family affair.
Nothing but good can come of this.
 

[bigmike]

Hey Charlie,
Would you ever make a video for youtube and show us how its done? (washing, linen backing, process, touching up, etc)

[Der Januskopf]

Hey Charlie,
Would you ever make a video for youtube and show us how its done? (washing, linen backing, process, touching up, etc)

And if you need any video pointers, Chris Cloutier (Posterfix) has a whole series on youtube, too.   

[guest4251]

Hiya! Sorry! I am very late for Charlies Linen Backing party.

So I had a look at some of the images and here's what I see.

Of course these are friendly pointers!

1. You want as much natural day light as possible. It looks like you guys are working in the evening with a single light? 
If schedule allows work in day time? open the curtains flood the room with as much natural light as possible for as accurate match as possible.

Two! right, a bit dark in the room, but I am trying to make out what you are using for touch ups. My guess is Caran d'Ache Neocolor II? If so, these are very soft/creamy/Oil based. They won dry, they will smudge any time, even few years down the road. They are reversible, but they most likely will leave oil stains in the tracks after removing. Also they are not really fine point. You want something with a super fine point for better detail and less intrusive fold touch ups.

I use Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils.

Anyhow, I am starting to feel like a party pooper. Maybe this should be my last post.

All the best,
dario.

[Charlie]

Hiya! Sorry! I am very late for Charlies Linen Backing party.

So I had a look at some of the images and here's what I see.

Of course these are friendly pointers!

1. You want as much natural day light as possible. It looks like you guys are working in the evening with a single light? 
If schedule allows work in day time? open the curtains flood the room with as much natural light as possible for as accurate match as possible.

Two! right, a bit dark in the room, but I am trying to make out what you are using for touch ups. My guess is Caran d'Ache Neocolor II? If so, these are very soft/creamy/Oil based. They won dry, they will smudge any time, even few years down the road. They are reversible, but they most likely will leave oil stains in the tracks after removing. Also they are not really fine point. You want something with a super fine point for better detail and less intrusive fold touch ups.

I use Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils.

Anyhow, I am starting to feel like a party pooper. Maybe this should be my last post.

All the best,
dario.

All I can do is chuckle... Thanks for the tips Dario, as always... We have been using a mix of Dewert Water Color pencils and the Neocolor II.  I tested the NeoIIs and they were very much reversible; I even redid the tear on the NES twice to get the greens right; not sure about the "stains' though.  I guess I'll have to stop using them....  They were so nice though. 

Dave, since these two are a now complete loss; I'll be happy to toss em for you.  I am sure I can find a spot for them on the wall where they won't get smudged. 

[Charlie]

Hey Charlie,
Would you ever make a video for youtube and show us how its done? (washing, linen backing, process, touching up, etc)

Yeah I was thinking I should do some skits and make fun of Cloture and some of the other backers...  The first one would have to be on Cloture for sure.  I was thinking of opening from a ladder in a leisure suit holding a cup of .  I'd do an opening to the music from Unforgiven;  wait I shouldn't give it all away.  I might have some fun with this....