Animation Cel Framing
I have purchased an anitmation cel and wanted to ask for some help on how to go about framing it. Would you recommend getting it professionally framed, if so would any shop do a good job? Or should I just do it myself I do it myself, if so what are some things I should look out for so that I preserve the piece as much as possible?
I'm assuming I need a mat and a way to attach the piece to the mat, but there seem to be a myriad of options and I don't want to do irreperable damage to the cel.
Any help would be appreciated!
I'm assuming I need a mat and a way to attach the piece to the mat, but there seem to be a myriad of options and I don't want to do irreperable damage to the cel.
Any help would be appreciated!
Comments
Know that cels will not last, no matter what. Their composition degrades with time until it inevitably disintegrates. Disney spends millions on state of the art preservation facilities, climate controlled, zero light, and still cant prevent the breakdown on certain cels each year.
Which brings me to my point. If your cel is valuable or you wish to keep it around a long time, I would recommend not framing it. Keep it in a poly or Mylar bag, and in an archival cel book, and then place that in a room that doesn't have wild temp fluctuations, preferably in a closet.
If it's a cheap cel you just think looks cool, you can frame anywhere you want, just don't put it in direct light as that will fade much faster. Indirect light will fade with time but slower.
If it's an expensive or sentimental cel that you insist on framing, you'll need to spend a lot on an acid free backing and UV resistant glass which will add up. Even then, direct light can trash it so be weary, and know that even then, it could break down in time, making your expensive frame meaningles...until the next cel I guess.
I've had a thousand cels since 03 btw.
Originally posted by: startyde
What is the cel, what is the value?
Know that cels will not last, no matter what. Their composition degrades with time until it inevitably disintegrates. Disney spends millions on state of the art preservation facilities, climate controlled, zero light, and still cant prevent the breakdown on certain cels each year.
Which brings me to my point. If your cel is valuable or you wish to keep it around a long time, I would recommend not framing it. Keep it in a poly or Mylar bag, and in an archival cel book, and then place that in a room that doesn't have wild temp fluctuations, preferably in a closet.
If it's a cheap cel you just think looks cool, you can frame anywhere you want, just don't put it in direct light as that will fade much faster. Indirect light will fade with time but slower.
If it's an expensive or sentimental cel that you insist on framing, you'll need to spend a lot on an acid free backing and UV resistant glass which will add up. Even then, direct light can trash it so be weary, and know that even then, it could break down in time, making your expensive frame meaningles...until the next cel I guess.
I've had a thousand cels since 03 btw.
Thank you for the detailed reply! I will definitely keep this in mind as I weigh my options.