Baroque Portfolios, by met on Feb 12, 2019 21:58:17 GMT 1,

Feb 12, 2019 18:53:22 GMT 1 mrred11 said:

Hello all, 

I pre-ordered the popular Storage Portfolio from baroqueportfolios.com. 

I wont get it for awhile but my extra sheet are shipping this week. I was thinking about un tubing some of my prints and inserting them into the sheets while i wait for my Portfolio to arrive. The problem would be keeping them flat. 

I was thinking of inserting the print into the sheets and then sandwiching them between cardboard, making a stack of several prints and then resting a few books on the top of the stack. Or should i just wait for the Portfolio to arrive? haha (but either way i would have to flatten prints 

Portfolio
What do you guys think? 

How long have the prints been kept in tubes?

What do you know about the relevant paper, the types of inks used, and the printing techniques?

__________


It sounds like your plan needs altering. But more importantly, your timetable expectations as well. My impression is that there's a risk you could cause damage through poor handling techniques — and impatience.

As already mentioned by Villain Dillon, a print needs time to rest outside the tube. This is where waiting is crucial, especially when dealing with long-term storage in tubes. The last thing you should do is try forcing the print flat too early, before the paper fibres have had a chance to relax. Depending on the humidity conditions in your home or office, I suspect this resting period will take closer to a couple of weeks rather than just a few days.

Do not use portfolio sleeves for the initial flattening. Attempting to insert a print (which is keeping its rolled-up shape) into a sleeve can easily lead to accidental creasing.

After a couple of weeks outside its tube, very gradually unroll the print you're flattening. By "very gradually", I mean over the course of many days. With each step of the process:

(i) protect the newly-exposed, partially-unrolled print surface with acid-free tissue paper; and
(ii) place something heavy on top (e.g. books or magazines).

Eventually, the entire surface will be horizontal, covered with tissue paper and weights. Leave the print alone like this, and come back to it after another couple of weeks have passed. The paper should then retain a relatively flat shape on its own.

At this point, it will be far easier and safer to glide the artwork into a portfolio sleeve.

__________


Separate asides:

1.  I trust you will have chosen your sleeves carefully and gone for an archival option.

2.  White cotton gloves should of course be used whenever handling a print directly.

[3.  To speed up the flattening process, I myself set up a DIY humidification chamber at home — using large plastic storage boxes and water. But I would only recommend such a method to collectors who are extra attentive and cautious in temperament.]

Feb 12, 2019 18:53:22 GMT 1 mrred11 said:

Hello all, 

I pre-ordered the popular Storage Portfolio from baroqueportfolios.com. 

I wont get it for awhile but my extra sheet are shipping this week. I was thinking about un tubing some of my prints and inserting them into the sheets while i wait for my Portfolio to arrive. The problem would be keeping them flat. 

I was thinking of inserting the print into the sheets and then sandwiching them between cardboard, making a stack of several prints and then resting a few books on the top of the stack. Or should i just wait for the Portfolio to arrive? haha (but either way i would have to flatten prints 

Portfolio
What do you guys think? 

How long have the prints been kept in tubes?

What do you know about the relevant paper, the types of inks used, and the printing techniques?

__________


It sounds like your plan needs altering. But more importantly, your timetable expectations as well. My impression is that there's a risk you could cause damage through poor handling techniques — and impatience.

As already mentioned by Villain Dillon, a print needs time to rest outside the tube. This is where waiting is crucial, especially when dealing with long-term storage in tubes. The last thing you should do is try forcing the print flat too early, before the paper fibres have had a chance to relax. Depending on the humidity conditions in your home or office, I suspect this resting period will take closer to a couple of weeks rather than just a few days.

Do not use portfolio sleeves for the initial flattening. Attempting to insert a print (which is keeping its rolled-up shape) into a sleeve can easily lead to accidental creasing.

After a couple of weeks outside its tube, very gradually unroll the print you're flattening. By "very gradually", I mean over the course of many days. With each step of the process:

(i) protect the newly-exposed, partially-unrolled print surface with acid-free tissue paper; and
(ii) place something heavy on top (e.g. books or magazines).

Eventually, the entire surface will be horizontal, covered with tissue paper and weights. Leave the print alone like this, and come back to it after another couple of weeks have passed. The paper should then retain a relatively flat shape on its own.

At this point, it will be far easier and safer to glide the artwork into a portfolio sleeve.

__________


Separate asides:

1.  I trust you will have chosen your sleeves carefully and gone for an archival option.

2.  White cotton gloves should of course be used whenever handling a print directly.

[3.  To speed up the flattening process, I myself set up a DIY humidification chamber at home — using large plastic storage boxes and water. But I would only recommend such a method to collectors who are extra attentive and cautious in temperament.]