Amateur Linenbacking 101 by Pulpfixin

[Charlie]

NeverEnding Story is up:

http://pulpfixin.com/blog/2012/05/12/neverending-story-british-quad-004a/

[Charlie]

I decided to play with steam to help remove old brown paper tape off the back of some of my posters. It worked really well.  And if you guys haven't tried Blue Moon Beer it is a really nice Belgian. 

Here are some pics.

Hang em' High 40" x 60"




Star is Born Insert w/Snipe

[50s]

Well done Charlie for trying different techniques and sharing the results. I am wondering, did the steam leach any brown out of the tape onto the paper (might be a bit hard to tell I guess)? If so, maybe try half the tape with steam and the other half bestine to see if there is any difference.

[Matt]

Well done Charlie for trying different techniques and sharing the results. I am wondering, did the steam leach any brown out of the tape onto the paper (might be a bit hard to tell I guess)? If so, maybe try half the tape with steam and the other half bestine to see if there is any difference.

Dito!

Btw, love your Av Steve.

[CSM]

What is that thing you are using Charlie?  Some sort of steamer?

[Charlie]

What is that thing you are using Charlie?  Some sort of steamer?

Yep. It is used to remove wallpaper...

[Charlie]

Well done Charlie for trying different techniques and sharing the results. I am wondering, did the steam leach any brown out of the tape onto the paper (might be a bit hard to tell I guess)? If so, maybe try half the tape with steam and the other half bestine to see if there is any difference.

Hey Steve,  not all the adhesive came up, but it appears to be water based so when I wash these any browning will come off.  However I didn't really notice any brown stuff.  I'll have to find another poster with some tape to try it out on...

[kovacs01]

Blue Moon Beer it is a really nice Belgian. 

Belgian???  Its made by Coors, which is in Colorado last time I checked.

[skyjackers]

The last time I checked Coors brewery was also in Burton-On-Trent, in the middle of the UK.

[kovacs01]

The last time I checked Coors brewery was also in Burton-On-Trent, in the middle of the UK.

True, the former Bass, and I know Coors bought up Molson too, so I assume they have some stuff in Canada as well.  But Blue Moon is American brewed.

Though to Charlies credit, I knew what he meant.  It is marketed as a "Belgian style" wheat beer.  But it is that just as much as Corona is Mexican (also Coors).

[Charlie]

I guess Belgian style is more appropriate.  I went through a whole IPA/cask phase when me and my buddy would hit one of those house brewery bars. There are so many matketed now I lose track.  Blue Moon is the best stuff IMO you can buy in a 12 pack at a standard grocery store.  The outmeal stouts and German pilsniers of the world require a trip to one of the larger liquor/wine markets... and then you have to remember the name of that beer you were drinking that had five or six descriptors versus two... lol

[guest8]

Corona isnt Mexican ?!?! 

[Bruce]

After you drink a 12 pack of Blue Moon, do you start speaking Belgian?

[brude]

After you drink a 12 pack of Blue Moon, do you start speaking Belgian?

 

A 12-pack of Blue Moon has me saying "Klaatu barada nikto!"
Obviously Belgian.

[erik1925]

After you drink a 12 pack of Blue Moon, do you start speaking Belgian?

 

[Der Januskopf]

After you drink a 12 pack of Blue Moon, do you start speaking Belgian?

That happens, too, if Belgian happens to be your mother('s) tongue.   

 

[CSM]

Yep. It is used to remove wallpaper...

Interesting.  Thanks.

[Charlie]

All of Dave's posters are backed! 

Did the Lost Boys and the Point Break.

Lost Boys

First to remove the duck/duct tape residue on the reverse.  What a bitch ended up having to gently work up the back layer to get it all off...  Plus it really made the corners fragile during backing.  After soaking for a while the entire top left panel started getting extremely fragile crazy fragile.







Before pic: 


When wet see the corners...




Point Break was much easier...


Pretty cool shot of them both drying.

[guest8]

Lookin' pretty awesome!!

[Charlie]

OK guys need some input.  It seems like after applying any watercolor medium (watercolor by brush, watercolor by pencil, etc) that the application comes out matte on a shiny poster and the only way to hide it is with the fixative.  I've tried adding gum arabic and that produces a sheen but it gets sticky and also dries different than when wet and often still a different finish than the poster.  

I was looking at several 1975 - now examples from Bruce's mini/major and unless the photos lie they seem to be all sprayed or is there a technique I am missing?  I tried the burnishing of the touch-ups as Dario suggested and yes it does help but not enough to hide the work.  I also went back and checked Dario's work on T's Suspiria and you can actually see the contrast on the folds he touched up. I don't think he worked on the reds though; T?

One technique that seems to work, is by taking a blending stick with a moistened tips and making a burnishing movement over the folds/crease to remove any excess.  This worked on the Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. But on significantly broken folds it can catch and perhaps worsen the situation...  

I am assuming that the same matte finish will appear with an airbrush application too...

I am going to the art store with my airbrush tomorrow; the better of my two guns didn't work.   The guy said bring it in and he can see what is going on.  So maybe news on that front this weekend...  I was thinking that adding gum arabic to a watercolor mix and applying it through an air brush may actually solve this enigma.  

That or just leave it matte finish...

[bigmike]

In my opinion, If I were to get something linenbacked. I would prefer whatever method works the best to make the poster look the best. As long as it is an archival solution. Then I wouldn't care if you use fixative (assuming the poster will look better).

[Charlie]

In my opinion, If I were to get something linenbacked. I would prefer whatever method works the best to make the poster look the best. As long as it is an archival solution. Then I wouldn't care if you use fixative (assuming the poster will look better).

I hate to lean this way but I am starting to with the modern posters.  Like Chris has been saying; I need to do some older paper - but somehow have not managed to yet.

I feel like there is a void out there; like I need to survey all the known backers and report back...  Maybe an anonymous survey...  Like a research paper.  Now I just need a conference to submit it to...   I've looked on over 15 backer's websites and only one reports the use of a fixative...  But on some of them you can tell from the before and after, just based on the sheen.

[bigmike]

Ask Poster Mountain, I believe in one of their blogs they stated they used it on a poster.

[erik1925]

Ask Poster Mountain, I believe in one of their blogs they stated they used it on a poster.

A correction. Poster Mountain does NOT use fixative or spray sealers of any kind.

I wrote to John and asked about this very issue and he said, that while some do use it, they do not and never have.  

[Charlie]

OK to clarify the fixative use from poster mountain.  They used it on a piece of artwork to protect it during backing...  Not to finish off a poster.  But why would a backer actually admit to using it anyway.  I am sure they all do something...  But that is what is so tiresome about this art.  No one will tell you anything or tell you the whole truth; especially the turn key tip...  It may even just come down to quality of the watercolors for all I know...

I snapped some pics of what I was talking about and then want to snap a full front on pic to see if good photography does eliminate some of the issues. 

In other news:  I went to the art store with my gun and the fluid needle was bent and when the guy who used it last put it up, he didn't clean the acrylic out.  It came down to about $40 in new parts or $70 for a new gun; so I just bought a new gun...  I am going to start playing with it here in a few minutes. I am going to mess around with the Heart Break Ridge and the Strange Bedfellows.  My thoughts/theories are that on older posters the matching of finish is a non issue...