How to store cels?

[forangejuice]

So I'm pretty new to cel collecting and I'm looking to store the cels that I'm not framing. I probably want to use some kind of art portfolio so I can still look at them.
I've heard that itoya portfolios are good and to get poly bags for these but I have no idea where to get these or which ones to get :/
Thanks in advance
oh and I'm in the UK

[nowherekid85]

Itoya binders are great. I'm trying to switch to the ones that are multi ring binders since I like them better and they stand up better for me. Some people hang their binders on blanket hangers in their closets, but I haven't been able to find any of those. I know you're not supposed to store the binders with them laying flat on their sides.

BCW makes bags you can use. The Treasure size works good for me (10.5"x13.5"). I always put my cels in brand new bags when I get them. I've gotten my bags off of ebay or Amazon.

I also put pieces of microchamber paper in the bags too-in front of the cel, not behind where the paint actually is, to avoid it getting stuck on accident. Of course that kind of ruins the idea of flipping through your binder and getting a good look at the cels. But, if it helps with preservation, it's worth it, I think. I usually just look at my cels in my online gallery when I want to see a certain one again. The microchamber paper helps absorb...something...(there's a thread on microchamber paper on here where you can get more information on it.) You can buy this paper at bagsunlimited.

If you are going to frame some of your cels, make sure you're doing it properly. I've never had any of mine framed but I know you can't just put the cel in a regular frame. You pretty much have to have museum quality glass and make sure there are spaces between the cel and bg. That's just what I've gotten from browsing older threads on this topic. Proper framing is expensive.

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

I adore Itoya portfolios and the company also recently came out with new sizes. (I have wanted a 16x20 size for SO SO SO long it's not funny. Now they have one! ^_^) I'm lucky that I have an art store near me which orders in whichever sizes I want. You can see what exists here: http://www.itoya.com/ and you can usually find them for sale on Amazon and such places. I prefer the "Art Portfolio Presentation Album" style myself, but they have lots of options. I can say that the 11x14 size Presentation Album will fit over a standard (by US sizes, at least) hanger and I do hang some of my books in my closet.

Note about hanging them: Remember when you hang books in your closet to REALLY check your closet bar. Filled cel books are heavy! When I used to hang all of mine, I wound up collapsing the bar in my closet twice -- the second time was even after my husband had reinforced the bar with lead piping and sank it into the walls by several inches. Since my husband was tired of my fretting about the strength of the closet bar, he made me a set of shelves specifically sized for my 11x14 Itoyas. That is what I use to store most of them now, on their long side, standing up like books, and never packed too tightly. (Always make sure you can fairly easily slide your fingers between any two books.)

For bags, I really like Heiko. They're not the only bag out there, but they come in an amazing number of sizes and I really love how easy they are to get. You can order them right here: http://www.heikoinc.com/ I like their "Clear Poly Bags Sleeve", for which they also have a self-seal variety. (But I found more often than not, I didn't want to seal them with the seal strip, so I stopped getting the self-seal ones.)

Random side note: I never frame cels because the few I've briefly had framed were all damaged by light. (Even when displayed away from direct light and behind UV protective glass.) All that I had in frames, I took back out of the frames. Be very careful if you frame!

Good luck!!

[majinuub]

Like previously posted, Itoya books are the best way to keep your cels safe but try to store them upright so the cels/art do not stack and apply pressure to each other. You can buy them at almost any art store like Michael's. I do recommend buying an 11x17 so the cels themselves don't reach the center of the books(causing possible bending) or ones with rings like the one nowherekid85 mentioned.

I usually buy my bags from http://www.bagsunlimited.com, preferably the small music sheet bags. They are the perfect for standard sized cels. I place some of my larger cels in the storage boxes that they also sell.

As for the blanket hangers, the container store sells them if you're interested.

Also here's a link for the microchamber paper:

https://www.bagsunlimited.com/p-6191-mi ... paper.aspx

[forangejuice]

Thanks guys! I know what I'm doing now!