Anime-Beta TNG

So when I got my cels, I took them to get professionally framed (one at Michael's, one at Joann's fabrics). They're all matted nice and pretty and they look really, really good. (I have archival glass in it, too.) I would think that they'd have enough experience to, like, NOT potentially ruin them, but I was getting nervous that something might happen. (These are my Weiss cels I'm talking about, both hand-painted and things.) They should be okay though if they were done professionally, right? Just wanted to check with you guys who have been at this a while. Thanks!!
-Brynstar

There are some other collectors who have had good experience with framing, so I'll let them chime in. But I do think that star-phoenix's suggestion of blackout curtains to exclude light while you are not viewing the cels is a good idea.

It really depends what you want to do, I bought a house last year. And I have an enormous collection at least to me! I have this idea, that I have not yet implemented but if I get to it I will let you guys know how it goes! I want to paint one wall of my art studio with the magnetic/chalk paint essentially making one wall a chalkboard. Then I wanted to scan my cels in really high quality and have them made into magnets for display! I think it will be a really great idea for my creative space! And also I will be able to enjoy my art without worrying about line fading!

And I have seen the effects of framing on production art and sunlight/artificial light is not your friend. Blackout curtains are your friend, also I would recommend that you take them out at least quarterly to air them out to get rid of the chemical build up and fumes that can happen with cels. My number one recommendation would be to pay attention to your art take flashless pictures and compare them weekly or monthly to track and see if they are fading visibly!

But most of all they are yours do with them what you will and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Have fun!

JD

Would that be a good idea to open them up and air them out? They're all sealed in the back and stuff which means I'd have to cut them open and take out the matting frames? ( sorry to ask dumb questions, I just want to make sure). You are so helpful! They're never in direct sunlight, just when my bedroom light is on, so I've been trying to stay careful with that.

I wouldn't recommend it… A long time ago, I had a few of my cels framed at Michaels using UV blocking glass and was very careful with the materials used. I hung them in a back bedroom, in an alcove with no direct light. I still noticed line fading after about a year. Subsequently, I took them all down and archived them in my cel books. Who's to say that hanging them was the direct cause of the fading; perhaps it could have happened anyway, but I figured it was preferable to be safe than sorry!

One of the things I haven't done is routinely check for vinegar syndrome. But after reading the horror stories on here, I'm resolving to check every year or so to ensure that there are no changes!

The thing is cels will deteriorate regardless of how careful you are. It has nothing to do with you, but the production process. I know for a fact that early vintage pieces made out of nitrate (the pre-1955 phase) would deteriorate the first 5-10 years and crinkle up. But, once they reach that steady state, they just remain like that, given that you don't put it out in the sunlight, in the oven, on ice, etc. Cels go through what I call the "L" curve where they deteriorate until they reach a steady state and then for the most part stay along a plateau. Granted, Acetate cels are made from a more stable material than Nitrates what they used for pre-155 Disney. However, the paint they used more recently compared to "the old days" are less permanent.

The best advice is to keep them in a stable environment in a light controlled room, in air conditioned climate. This will minimize the wear. I like to use museum grade UV plexi glass for display, but 100% acid free for all materials, which helps to absorb any acidity the cel emits.

I have not noticed any major issues with my Anime or Disney cels since I framed them. And I probably have about 50 framed pieces, which 90% of them I did myself.

As a person who has had a lot of framed artwork (cels and comic art) for many years I can hopefully allay some of your fears.

All of my pieces currently show no fading or damage. None of my art is in an area exposed to direct sunlight and about 10ft from any light source with none shining directly.
There is only one thing I wish I thought thru better and that if I could I would have had the art framed with UV protected plexiglass instead of using Museum Glass for them.
I used Museum glass because it protects from UV while not affecting the image viewed and not having the even the slightest refraction distortion.
Because I happen to live in California and we tend to have earthquakes I think I should have put up with a little less clearer image )not really much difference but I'm picky ) to have something unbreakable

Thanks so much, everyone! I feel better about this now. I appreciate your feedback!!