ph balanced paper?

miz ducky · Post by **miz ducky** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:39 pm

I have been thinking about this lately so I wanted to run this by the experts out there.

I think it would be nice if there was some non acidic tissue type paper that we could place behind our cels as a barrier.

I would like to prevent unstuck things from becoming stuck later. Cels stick to cel bags, sketches, eachother, and practically anything that we would typically use to store them.

I think that finding this sort of paper would be great because then even when the paint sticks to it, it's easily torn away from the cel and wouldn't hurt the paint.

So do you have a source where I can buy some ph balanced tissue paper?

miz ducky · Post by **miz ducky** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:56 pm

I suppose people just figured it was an easy answer and so no one thought it was worth mentioning.

I went to Hawaiian Graphics today (the local store for the artistically inclined) to buy more Itoya books. I happened to think about this while I was there and asked the clerk. Sure enough they had bags of LARGE sheets of ph balanced tissue paper.

It is "archivalware" brand (Item # 741-3041). 12 - 30"x40" sheets in a bag. They were sold for $11.05 at the shop that I went to.

I hope that this is useful for anyone else who might be interested.

Belldandy16 · Post by **Belldandy16** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:45 pm

yes! thank you so much!
so what do you do?
do you put them in bags with the paper on the back then put them in the portfolio's?

sorry im new to collecting here and i need to read up on how to store them properly (at present im keeping them in the itoya portfolios without the cel bags. is that okay for now? i dont have the money to buy the bags or paper right now)

thank you for the info!!!

miz ducky · Post by **miz ducky** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:54 pm

Yep I'll use the tissue paper to place behind the cel.

In most instances if a cel comes with a sketch, the sketch could become stuck to the cel paint. As mentioned in a different thread before (that actually got me thinking about this) the paper used in production sketches isn't special at all and isn't ph neutral, which could also be damaging to the cel.

I would put the tissue paper behind the cel and put them both in the bag. Then store them in my Itoya book (yes I only have one book for cels

... and it's not even full).

Of course it won't be of any help to ones that are already severely stuck, but I can prevent any others.

Moop · Post by **Moop** » Sat May 24, 2008 6:28 am

Wow. Hm. I've never heard of knowingly allowing anything to stick to the back of a cel...and I don't think that I'd recommend it. Even mild shifts in temperature will cause the paint to expand and contract - and the paper, too...but they'll do it at different rates. I'm not sure that this won't have a detrimental effect over the years.

Paint does stick to Mylar bags eventually, but I have yet to see it stick to an acid-free polypropylene bag. (Of course you should change them out annually, just to be safe.) Polypropylene is also what you should be placing between cel layers to prevent sticking, btw.

Honestly, I'm not sure that you are doing the best thing for your cels with the tissue paper. I have seen rice paper peel flecks of paint even before removal...which is reason enough for me to say you should probably stick with the methods that are tried and true.

duotrouble · Post by **duotrouble** » Mon May 26, 2008 2:18 am

Sorry ducky! I have to agree with Moop here. I wouldn't use any kind of paper with my cels and sketches. And switching your bags frequently should help. I've received several Sailor Moon cels with rice paper stuck to the back. I hated it. All of those cels are now sold. That's how much I hated it. So just be careful.

Belldandy16 · Post by **Belldandy16** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:07 am

where do you get the bags from?
thanks!

beatrush · Post by **beatrush** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:21 am

I usually get my cel bags from dealers but on ebay a seller called Intense Anime usually sells all kinda of sizes of bags.

http://stores.ebay.com/Intense-Anime_W0 ... 18Q2el1247

I've never used their cel bags before though.

A few cel sites offer them too.

birdie · Post by **birdie** » Mon May 26, 2008 2:48 pm

This is a one stop shop for portfolios, acid free storage boxes and archival bags:

http://www.archivalusa.com/

Belldandy16 wrote:sorry im new to collecting here and i need to read up on how to store them properly (at present im keeping them in the itoya portfolios without the cel bags. is that okay for now?

It's not a good idea to store your cels in the portfolio without something between it and the black paper, the cel will eventually stick to the paper. If they came in bags store them in the cel book in the bags. When you get some extra cash you can change out the bags.

Belldandy16 · Post by **Belldandy16** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:03 pm

thank you!
i actually had to get rid of a couple of the bags (whoever i bought them from smoked and there was a bad smoke smell on them so i got rid of the bags).

how long do you think theyll be okay till i can afford to buy new bags?

Edit,
oh where abouts are the bags on this site. are they under a different name where i can do a search for them?

edit (again)
is this them?
http://www.archivalusa.com/tpb81.html
and is that the correct size ill need? im not sure what the standard size of cels are.

thanks so much again!!!

beatrush · Post by **beatrush** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:28 pm

For standard sixe cels

http://www.archivalusa.com/10x15bag.html

For Large or Widescreen Cels

http://www.archivalusa.com/11x17bag.html

birdie · Post by **birdie** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:34 pm

Your average cel is approximately 10 1/2 inches by 9 inches. Best to buy bigger. Or you could buy those and cut the bag to hold them as long as the paint doesn't extend to the edge you would be safe. And the air would circulate freely too.