TLDR version: - use UV plexiglass (wipe with damp cloth when needed); - keep plexiglass as far away from cel surface as possible (use inserts); - avoid direct sunlight; - avoid temperature/humidity fluctuations;
+aztec005 Hi. It would necessitate a specific vid, which we could do, but i'd need the help of my framer/husband! i'll have to do it soon :). Meanwhile, here are some suggestions...i'd get a professional to do it, because you don't want the cel slipping, nor have it rip if you use the wrong materials to adhere it to the backing...the cel needs to be on acid free backing, with acid free tape but only a small piece on the top and the bottom. then it needs to be distanced from the glass by using a double mat. we use UV plexiglass to cover it. if you have a sketch (just one?) it depends on the image. some work best below, some above, some next to the color art. you can try it in all those ways and see what looks best to you. then you can have the framer do a double aperture (two holes, one for the art, one for the drawing) and put them together in the frame. Hope that helps!
now I've been collecting some cels from the 80's mostly filmation stuff from he man and blackstar ... now these are pretty cheap cels and I have a hard time paying too much for frame jobs, so I buy wood frames that cost about $15 from walmart and then the pre cut acid free double mats from walmart also so about $20 frame job. and for the background I use acid free drawing paper ... is this kind of set up good enough ... if from a more rare cartoon I would splurge on pro frame job
it really depends on when they are from...and how many. Lella of the ARL at Disney would say to buy archival boxes, and separate the cels between layers of acid free paper, keeping them in a controlled environment in terms of tempurature. and that's the best for older cels. newer ones, ones painted with acrylic, they are far less fragile. but they will still stick together...
I am having a Scooby Doo Where Are you re-framed and doing an upgraded acrylic supposed to be 90% one and new framing. It had slippage from tape so Kathleen is rebuilding it for me. Wondered if you had any thoughts. It is an oversized pan. cel.
Most cels from my years of research do not come with upgraded plexi vs. standard one. At least this is what I have heard. I wanted the oe that filters 90% on here even though the piece is not exposed to sunlight etc. no windows open and as you suggested placed on walls that are away from as much cold/heat as possible. This is a nice cel I wonder how I could upload you a screen-shot here? Probably at least 4-5 feet long. 1 1/2 to 2 ft. tall, so an extra long panoramic piece. The price with framing, rebuilding, and the new special plexi/acrylic with tax is $550, that is no new mats, as those I would have been looking at close to $800 something dollars, she explained it is over-sized and all this other. There is museum quality which she said is $1,000 only for the plexi,, which i could never afford, she stated it was not needed anyway. I always freak out on cleaning any plexi, literally I never have cleaned any of my pieces like the Altogether Now etc. due to my worries about it scuffing. I know how you suggested cleaning it, I also heard they make some special cleaner for that also, (plexi and micro-fibers). I have just been scared and use only cotton candy style fluffer to remove dust etc. I appreciate your opinion.
you can send a picture to the email on the artinsights website. but it may not be necessary. is it just to put back together and fix the tape, and change to UV plexi that it's $550?
@obscenenewg hi. yes, you can worry about the paint touching the background, but the alternative is raising the cel and leaving space, which is a bad idea, because depending on how much paint is on there, it can make it crack. on an original bkgd you def want to leave it, but lots of folks put a cel in between cel and bkgd. (still might get stuck to that cel tho) lots of stuck cels from disneyland mat era. inherent to the era. and those were on cheap litho bkgds...
sounds fine, honestly. if there is a cel that you want to make sure stays in good shape, "acid free" isn't enough, and the cel should be further distanced from the glass if possible--but for inexpensive cels i'm sure it's fine. as you know the outline is on the front, so just make sure it isn't touching the glass!
Hi, Thanks for sharing the great tips on how to take care of Cels. I have a question about Japanese Anime Cels. Is there a way to authenticate Japaneses anime cels or tell whether or not they are fake reproductions or real production cels? thanks!
As you know, I just answered via phone :) I'm not an expert on Anime, (i'm a believer in knowing a TON before giving advice) but as mentioned, check with anime societies, (there are bunches on college campuses) and if you know the company/show the art is supposed to be from, you can find them online. Some of them are quite patient and helpful about these things. Hope that helps!!
You mention adding a archive lined fillet spacer to the front to prevent the cel from contacting the glass or plexie in order to protect the inking on the surface of the cel. However, if you have a cel with a laser imaged background, is there any concern with the paint on the back of the cel adhering and the paint transferring to the background image or should it be suspended in some way away from the acetate? Or any suface for that matter, say even if you used white mat board. I would hate to have a cel "stuck" to the surface against which it is placed.
To be honest, I don't know how a laser background will be different than one that was printed in a more old fashioned way or as a litho. Laser prints definitely act differently when heated (for example, if a framer tries to drymount a laser print, often it just turns black...) I'm no chemist, so I don't know how they are different. Also, as to things getting stuck to a background or another cel, it happens, especially when a whole stack of cels are stored on top of each other for years...and there's a whole era at Disney (back when the art corner at Disney sold cels and had put them on cheap copy backgrounds) where the cels are stuck to the backgrounds. Like, ALL OF THEM are stuck to their backgrounds. If they aren't, I tend to suspect they've been restored. So having said all of that, I still don't recommend suspending the cels away from the acetate. For one thing, if the cels are painted with acrylic (not gouache) they are less likely to stick to their backgrounds, but for another I just don't think it can be made to look good, and there are other issues that could happen having the cel just floating suspended (and i'd question if they'd stay that way, unless suspended VERY far off the background). You can certainly try it. All that being said, if you've put a laser background behind a vintage cel, especially one from the 50s, i'd say that's not a great idea. Not perhaps that helpful, but those are my thoughts. Good luck! Leslie ArtInsights
@@artinsights I wasn't exactly sure how suspending the cel would work in all honesty. I was merely floating the idea out there. I wasn't sure if even setting them right on archival mat board could or would present a future issue. I know paint on acetate can act strange. I'm not surprised to hear of a passle of Disney cels stuck to a photo copy backgrounds. That said, the 2 cels I have currently are from the late 70s/mid 80s and set right on the background image they were provided with, though in truth I've never tried to separate them, so I don't actually know if there is a problem there. The cel I actually have in mind and the question concerns is a mid 80's Disney cel, since we are not going back as far as the 50s I would assume that it is relatively safe to assume it was painted with Acrylics. So, by your statement you tend to think (and I'm not holding you to anything here) that this would be less likely to have sticking issues. I'm currently debating between 2 cels from the same scene. One has a background and one doesn't, and both come unframed. If you were to put your finger on it, would a lithograph be the preferred/safest method for producing a background for display of a cel while maintaining long term integrity, or is there another method that you would recommend?
Hi. My first suggestion is to check Craigslist or the local paper for frame shops going out of business. Not a lot of companies just doing framing are thriving right now. also, the companies might be willing to take a small order from you (larsen juhl would be one)-what do you mean by custom wood mats?
A few questions. I got a cel from circa 1998. It looks mostly fine but I want to make sure it doesn't get damaged. Can I clean the cel part (not the actual paint, the transparent plastic it's painted on) with a microfiber cloth? There are some fingerprints on the corners. And should I use 100% rubbing alcohol or reverse osmosis water? I'm going to get a art portfolio binder and a magazine bag to hold the cel. Also, Can you tell if the cel has been damaged by sunlight? And if there are wrinkles in the plastic, what can be done about that?
Hello!I want to take time to ask you about something considering you´re an expert on this. I have some of my He-Man animation cels that are starting to wrinkle and I have found some of years completely destroyed. It is also strange than my Smurf and Disney cels are completely intact after years. Only Masters of the Universe show this. How can I take good care of them to avoid this? Can you help me? Thanks in advance!
How would you frame a multi-layered cel without damaging it? I know technically you shouldn't store multiple layers of cels in direct contact but when it comes to framing does it really matter if the layers stick as long as it's in the exact position? Is there any way to prevent sticking when multi layer framing? Also how would you protect these pieces with master painted backgrounds when framing?
Great video. I've just started collecting cels. I'm thinking of designing some custom wood mats to compliment my cels. I was debating whether or not to have them professionally framed, or try to do it myself. Any suggestions on where to find the materials to self-frame? (i.e. alpha mat, uv plexiglass, etc.)
Hello, I have a cell that I love but it has vinegar syndrome 😌 I don't know how to take care of it or who can help me repair it, any recommendations on how to take care of it or where to take it alive in Chicago 🙏
A website article I read awhile back, stated its best once an animation cel is framed the owner should, "let it breathe" once a year. Do you know about this practice? How long should I let my cel be in open air before I frame it back? Thanks
I do know about the practice, and don't think it's necessary. The folks who talked about that might have been referring to nitrate cellulose cels (pre-1945ish) but those on acetate, I'd argue, don't need it. and frankly I wouldn't even do it with nitrate cels. I think it would risk the paint cracking...but that's just my opinion. As to newer cels, I really don't think it's required.
I'm a pyrographer (burn images into wood). Currently, just a hobby. I really like to muck around with cartoon images. I've got some ideas for burning images into wood mats to compliment cels. Many of the cels available for reasonable prices aren't that fantastic, but placing an image on a thin wood mat might add to the overall presentation. I'll likely offset the cel so it shares centre space with the burnt image. This project is still a month off. Currently wroking on a large sign/pic.
I just bought a production cel from The Little Mermaid and i’d like to reframe it. It’s a dark scene where Ursula is making Ariel sign the contract. What colors would u go for? I was thinking black on black with a gold rim high lighting the cel. Any help would be appreciated.
@@artinsights purple fabric with gold filet and what color frame? Black or gold? Also do you have any Little Mermaid cels or sketches available for purchase?
@@MrKomninakis there's a dark purple fabric that looks like silk that matches the darker version of Ursula's tentacles. You can use a black frame and black fillet or a gold frame and gold fillet (i don't like mixing black and gold fillets and frames). I do have LM cels right now: artinsights.com/product-category/little-mermaid-art/
ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Online Unfortunately I can’t post a pic on the TH-cam comments section. I will give you a link you can follow. Bought it on EBay and the link has two pictures that show the cel. It’s pretty wrinkled and is a cel from Filmation in 1985. Is is from the Princess of Power tv show and should be your typical hand painted cel animation process from that time. I wonder if heating is up slightly is an option. I don’t want to damage the ink though. Any advice is appreciated and I’ll perform all restoration at my own risk.
@TheRealRussG just museum tape (the clear kind) and only a small piece. i've seen lots of framers put it all across the top which is a very bad idea. keep a small piece of tape to adhere the cels that belong together--just two on the top. that's my partner's suggestion.
Got a few questions. Do you need to put a hole in the back of the frame to let any gases escape? Is it also necessary to open the frame every few years to release any trapped gas?
is your art from before 1945? in that case i suppose you might, but i'd say it isn't necessary. there have been framed pieces from the cellulose era that have been just fine lo these many years. you should be fine just framing it in a wood frame as most would do.
The cell I got is a reproduction cel from a Don Bluth movie. Definitely post 1945. That is good, I feel relieved that I don't have to do that much maintenance. thanks.
they should definitely know where to put the tape. as to how close the drawing and cel are, remember there are many cels and drawings that have been put in piles for dozens of years and they are fine. i'm sure they'll be ok.
I see. My cel is touching paper though. Cel stacked on cel is safe, I guess but is it safe to stack cel on paper? Sorry if I appear a bit annoying but I want to make my cels last long.
I see you putting space between the glass and the front of the cel. Don't you have to worry about the paint touching the background? I've seen lots of cels stuck to a background.
I have an animation cell from the Beatles movie Yellow Submarine. The cells are stapled together in the corners and there is writing as to the scene on the outer edges of the cells. I just had it double matted and framed but the cells do not lay flat. When light hits it you can see its a plastic cell. What i dont like how the light reflects back at you from the cells. Is this normal?
How do you feel about the “official” seals that can often be found embossed or adhered to many cels? I’m asking the curators who received the crates of cells from the studio to please not ruin them with their added seal. In my opinion, the seal does not reflect what the original artist did, or represent the time period. What’s your opinion?
What I think hardly matters, since they'll do what they want anyway! but the problem is really that there are so many cels stolen from inside the studios, and I think some collectors want to feel like they are getting official work that is released directly, instead of pieces that were taken.
Interesting. I didn’t know stolen cels were common. I still imagine a rare jungle book or Cinderella piece would be looked at with a scowl if a third party decided they wanted to enhance the value with their own sticker. I know that doesn’t happen with old pieces. But conceptually, if you wouldn’t do it to more valuable pieces, why do it to newer ones... My purist brain imagines a stamp of approval on the the forehead of the Mona Lisa that’s says “verified by the Louvre”. Thank you for a good video.
@@unnecessaryexprmnt Appreciate the compliment on the video! Stolen cels are very common, but only from more recent films, largely because only Disney, WB, and Walter Lantz Studios had a program for selling art way back when. Lantz used to stamp the backgrounds, actually, Disney had the special mats or were cut down and put on litho or mat backgrounds, (and there was a seal on the back of those) and WB had actual signatures on the cels. SO the messing with the art thing has been around for a while! Recent movies like The Little Mermaid have a lot of stolen cels on the market, (especially LM) and that meant someone was INSIDE the studio doing the 5 finger discount (!!) I'd be pretty appalled if some rando stuck a seal on an original piece, but the more valuable the art gets, the more fakes will happen, so as much ways to authenticate as possible, from my perspective, are welcome! (but I get what you're saying...)
also how does one keep a cel with eyes in place over the cel of the body or face in the right place while you frame, without the upper cel of the eyes from shifting over and looking awkward? just acid free tape or something along the edge? or is there another trick?
not really. it depends on what kind of "wrinkles", and i'd say even then 98% won't correct. can you post a pic here or on my email for the gallery? (artinsights at gmail) trying to fix wrinkles through framing is a recipe for disaster, really.
Hello, I leave the cels in the plastic they were always sent in when I frame them. Is that ok? The cel you had on the table showing us the Matt was in plastic, I leave it in the plastic.... Let me know please, thank you
depends on the plastic you mean. the cel is made of plastic. if that's what you mean you'll good. if you mean additional plastic on top of that, no. take that off...
I have a few cels that I want to store in a photo album (or something like that) rather than a frame. Any suggestions as to what brand/type is the best for this?
+Seth C sorry--never saw this comment! I know the Animation Research Library at Disney has some recommendations on their site you can check there and it will say, but basically anything that is used for archival storage of paper will be fine, you just have to find something the right size!
@@artinsights I have also heard that, you cannot store multiple cels on top of each other as the pressure applied on the cels could damage their properties. I guess if we wanted to put on album, we need to find some way to isolate each cels instead of placing each cels on top?
Hi! Leslie from ArtInsights (and Cinema Siren) here. Most DreamWorks shows have no cels. The animation part of the studio post-dates when they stopped using them. That’s definitely true for HTTYD. As to Disney cels, I sell them at the gallery and ship to Canada. Email me at artinsights@gmail.com and let me know what you’re looking for and I can tell you if we have it or if anyone would (ie if cels exist from the show of interest) -remember that The Little Mermaid is the last hand painted feature from Disney. Thanks for watching!
I have an animation cel that I plan to frame, my question is do I need UV glass on my cel even if my room is a little dark? The room has curtains but a small amount of light still gets in.
As long as the art isn't in direct sunlight or doesn't get hot to the touch (which would be bad regardless of how much sunlight it got) you should be good. although i'll just throw out there that plexi is safer for cels unless you absolutely don't think it will ever break, because the cel includes the plastic AND the image and if the plastic gets cut it's very bad for the value. Good luck!
Its not enough. Cel change colors and fade with any kind of light not only sunlight. Cel must "breathe" inside a frame its not possible. Cel are not made to be framed.
TLDR version:
- use UV plexiglass (wipe with damp cloth when needed);
- keep plexiglass as far away from cel surface as possible (use inserts);
- avoid direct sunlight;
- avoid temperature/humidity fluctuations;
Its not enough. Cel change colors with any kind of light not only sunlight. Cel must "breathe" inside a frame its not possible.
can you actually show a demonstration on how to put a cel in a frame
please do a step by step demonstration on how to put the cels on the frames, also where to put the sketch art if its included with a cel
+aztec005 Hi. It would necessitate a specific vid, which we could do, but i'd need the help of my framer/husband! i'll have to do it soon :). Meanwhile, here are some suggestions...i'd get a professional to do it, because you don't want the cel slipping, nor have it rip if you use the wrong materials to adhere it to the backing...the cel needs to be on acid free backing, with acid free tape but only a small piece on the top and the bottom. then it needs to be distanced from the glass by using a double mat. we use UV plexiglass to cover it. if you have a sketch (just one?) it depends on the image. some work best below, some above, some next to the color art. you can try it in all those ways and see what looks best to you. then you can have the framer do a double aperture (two holes, one for the art, one for the drawing) and put them together in the frame. Hope that helps!
thanks i bought some cels from a show i loved growing up but im really paranoid on them being damaged
my city is very hot, and i'm planing to have one of mi cels display in a air conditioned room. Is this going to affect the cel??
Where can you find the proper frames ?
now I've been collecting some cels from the 80's mostly filmation stuff from he man and blackstar ... now these are pretty cheap cels and I have a hard time paying too much for frame jobs, so I buy wood frames that cost about $15 from walmart and then the pre cut acid free double mats from walmart also so about $20 frame job. and for the background I use acid free drawing paper ... is this kind of set up good enough ... if from a more rare cartoon I would splurge on pro frame job
it really depends on when they are from...and how many. Lella of the ARL at Disney would say to buy archival boxes, and separate the cels between layers of acid free paper, keeping them in a controlled environment in terms of tempurature. and that's the best for older cels. newer ones, ones painted with acrylic, they are far less fragile. but they will still stick together...
This is wonderful information thank you!
Thanks for the information. Very helpful.
I am having a Scooby Doo Where Are you re-framed and doing an upgraded acrylic supposed to be 90% one and new framing. It had slippage from tape so Kathleen is rebuilding it for me. Wondered if you had any thoughts. It is an oversized pan. cel.
Mikeski1969 what do you mean by upgraded acrylic 90% one?
Most cels from my years of research do not come with upgraded plexi vs. standard one. At least this is what I have heard. I wanted the oe that filters 90% on here even though the piece is not exposed to sunlight etc. no windows open and as you suggested placed on walls that are away from as much cold/heat as possible. This is a nice cel I wonder how I could upload you a screen-shot here? Probably at least 4-5 feet long. 1 1/2 to 2 ft. tall, so an extra long panoramic piece. The price with framing, rebuilding, and the new special plexi/acrylic with tax is $550, that is no new mats, as those I would have been looking at close to $800 something dollars, she explained it is over-sized and all this other. There is museum quality which she said is $1,000 only for the plexi,, which i could never afford, she stated it was not needed anyway. I always freak out on cleaning any plexi, literally I never have cleaned any of my pieces like the Altogether Now etc. due to my worries about it scuffing. I know how you suggested cleaning it, I also heard they make some special cleaner for that also, (plexi and micro-fibers). I have just been scared and use only cotton candy style fluffer to remove dust etc.
I appreciate your opinion.
you can send a picture to the email on the artinsights website. but it may not be necessary. is it just to put back together and fix the tape, and change to UV plexi that it's $550?
New frame, rebuild all, and the new 90% uv acrylic, no now mats or filets, i will send the picture now of the cel before slippage.
i cannot find the email
@obscenenewg hi. yes, you can worry about the paint touching the background, but the alternative is raising the cel and leaving space, which is a bad idea, because depending on how much paint is on there, it can make it crack. on an original bkgd you def want to leave it, but lots of folks put a cel in between cel and bkgd. (still might get stuck to that cel tho) lots of stuck cels from disneyland mat era. inherent to the era. and those were on cheap litho bkgds...
sounds fine, honestly. if there is a cel that you want to make sure stays in good shape, "acid free" isn't enough, and the cel should be further distanced from the glass if possible--but for inexpensive cels i'm sure it's fine. as you know the outline is on the front, so just make sure it isn't touching the glass!
Hi, Thanks for sharing the great tips on how to take care of Cels. I have a question about Japanese Anime Cels. Is there a way to authenticate Japaneses anime cels or tell whether or not they are fake reproductions or real production cels? thanks!
As you know, I just answered via phone :) I'm not an expert on Anime, (i'm a believer in knowing a TON before giving advice) but as mentioned, check with anime societies, (there are bunches on college campuses) and if you know the company/show the art is supposed to be from, you can find them online. Some of them are quite patient and helpful about these things. Hope that helps!!
You mention adding a archive lined fillet spacer to the front to prevent the cel from contacting the glass or plexie in order to protect the inking on the surface of the cel. However, if you have a cel with a laser imaged background, is there any concern with the paint on the back of the cel adhering and the paint transferring to the background image or should it be suspended in some way away from the acetate? Or any suface for that matter, say even if you used white mat board. I would hate to have a cel "stuck" to the surface against which it is placed.
To be honest, I don't know how a laser background will be different than one that was printed in a more old fashioned way or as a litho. Laser prints definitely act differently when heated (for example, if a framer tries to drymount a laser print, often it just turns black...) I'm no chemist, so I don't know how they are different. Also, as to things getting stuck to a background or another cel, it happens, especially when a whole stack of cels are stored on top of each other for years...and there's a whole era at Disney (back when the art corner at Disney sold cels and had put them on cheap copy backgrounds) where the cels are stuck to the backgrounds. Like, ALL OF THEM are stuck to their backgrounds. If they aren't, I tend to suspect they've been restored. So having said all of that, I still don't recommend suspending the cels away from the acetate. For one thing, if the cels are painted with acrylic (not gouache) they are less likely to stick to their backgrounds, but for another I just don't think it can be made to look good, and there are other issues that could happen having the cel just floating suspended (and i'd question if they'd stay that way, unless suspended VERY far off the background). You can certainly try it.
All that being said, if you've put a laser background behind a vintage cel, especially one from the 50s, i'd say that's not a great idea.
Not perhaps that helpful, but those are my thoughts. Good luck!
Leslie
ArtInsights
@@artinsights I wasn't exactly sure how suspending the cel would work in all honesty. I was merely floating the idea out there. I wasn't sure if even setting them right on archival mat board could or would present a future issue. I know paint on acetate can act strange. I'm not surprised to hear of a passle of Disney cels stuck to a photo copy backgrounds. That said, the 2 cels I have currently are from the late 70s/mid 80s and set right on the background image they were provided with, though in truth I've never tried to separate them, so I don't actually know if there is a problem there.
The cel I actually have in mind and the question concerns is a mid 80's Disney cel, since we are not going back as far as the 50s I would assume that it is relatively safe to assume it was painted with Acrylics. So, by your statement you tend to think (and I'm not holding you to anything here) that this would be less likely to have sticking issues. I'm currently debating between 2 cels from the same scene. One has a background and one doesn't, and both come unframed. If you were to put your finger on it, would a lithograph be the preferred/safest method for producing a background for display of a cel while maintaining long term integrity, or is there another method that you would recommend?
Great video! Quick question though. Can you tell me how I should go about storing a bunch of cels?
Hi. My first suggestion is to check Craigslist or the local paper for frame shops going out of business. Not a lot of companies just doing framing are thriving right now. also, the companies might be willing to take a small order from you (larsen juhl would be one)-what do you mean by custom wood mats?
A few questions. I got a cel from circa 1998.
It looks mostly fine but I want to make sure it doesn't get damaged.
Can I clean the cel part (not the actual paint, the transparent plastic it's painted on) with a microfiber cloth? There are some fingerprints on the corners. And should I use 100% rubbing alcohol or
reverse osmosis water?
I'm going to get a art portfolio binder and a
magazine bag to hold the cel. Also, Can you tell if the cel has been damaged by sunlight? And if there are wrinkles in the plastic, what can be done about that?
As a former animator with cels I can confirm it will do damage & the damage is unrepairable!
Hello!I want to take time to ask you about something considering you´re an expert on this. I have some of my He-Man animation cels that are starting to wrinkle and I have found some of years completely destroyed. It is also strange than my Smurf and Disney cels are completely intact after years. Only Masters of the Universe show this. How can I take good care of them to avoid this? Can you help me? Thanks in advance!
can you post the pics of the art here? i can see them and see if i can make any suggestions.
How would you frame a multi-layered cel without damaging it? I know technically you shouldn't store multiple layers of cels in direct contact but when it comes to framing does it really matter if the layers stick as long as it's in the exact position? Is there any way to prevent sticking when multi layer framing? Also how would you protect these pieces with master painted backgrounds when framing?
Great video. I've just started collecting cels. I'm thinking of designing some custom wood mats to compliment my cels. I was debating whether or not to have them professionally framed, or try to do it myself. Any suggestions on where to find the materials to self-frame? (i.e. alpha mat, uv plexiglass, etc.)
Hello, I have a cell that I love but it has vinegar syndrome 😌 I don't know how to take care of it or who can help me repair it, any recommendations on how to take care of it or where to take it alive in Chicago 🙏
A website article I read awhile back, stated its best once an animation cel is framed the owner should, "let it breathe" once a year. Do you know about this practice? How long should I let my cel be in open air before I frame it back? Thanks
I do know about the practice, and don't think it's necessary. The folks who talked about that might have been referring to nitrate cellulose cels (pre-1945ish) but those on acetate, I'd argue, don't need it. and frankly I wouldn't even do it with nitrate cels. I think it would risk the paint cracking...but that's just my opinion. As to newer cels, I really don't think it's required.
I'm a pyrographer (burn images into wood). Currently, just a hobby. I really like to muck around with cartoon images. I've got some ideas for burning images into wood mats to compliment cels. Many of the cels available for reasonable prices aren't that fantastic, but placing an image on a thin wood mat might add to the overall presentation. I'll likely offset the cel so it shares centre space with the burnt image. This project is still a month off. Currently wroking on a large sign/pic.
Whoa thanks for such a fast reply or any reply at all! I really appreciate the answer:)
I just bought a production cel from The Little Mermaid and i’d like to reframe it. It’s a dark scene where Ursula is making Ariel sign the contract. What colors would u go for? I was thinking black on black with a gold rim high lighting the cel. Any help would be appreciated.
Do you have a framer you trust? A dark purple fabric mat with a fillet? UV plexi of course.
@@artinsights purple fabric with gold filet and what color frame? Black or gold?
Also do you have any Little Mermaid cels or sketches available for purchase?
@@MrKomninakis there's a dark purple fabric that looks like silk that matches the darker version of Ursula's tentacles. You can use a black frame and black fillet or a gold frame and gold fillet (i don't like mixing black and gold fillets and frames). I do have LM cels right now: artinsights.com/product-category/little-mermaid-art/
I have one that is wrinkled cel. And idea on how I may flatten it back out?
Hi. It depends on what era it's from. Can you post a picture here and i'll answer my suggestion then?
ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Online Unfortunately I can’t post a pic on the TH-cam comments section. I will give you a link you can follow. Bought it on EBay and the link has two pictures that show the cel. It’s pretty wrinkled and is a cel from Filmation in 1985. Is is from the Princess of Power tv show and should be your typical hand painted cel animation process from that time. I wonder if heating is up slightly is an option. I don’t want to damage the ink though. Any advice is appreciated and I’ll perform all restoration at my own risk.
ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Online and I can also email a pic if needed. Thanks!
Any advice?
@TheRealRussG just museum tape (the clear kind) and only a small piece. i've seen lots of framers put it all across the top which is a very bad idea. keep a small piece of tape to adhere the cels that belong together--just two on the top. that's my partner's suggestion.
Got a few questions. Do you need to put a hole in the back of the frame to let any gases escape? Is it also necessary to open the frame every few years to release any trapped gas?
is your art from before 1945? in that case i suppose you might, but i'd say it isn't necessary. there have been framed pieces from the cellulose era that have been just fine lo these many years. you should be fine just framing it in a wood frame as most would do.
The cell I got is a reproduction cel from a Don Bluth movie. Definitely post 1945. That is good, I feel relieved that I don't have to do that much maintenance. thanks.
they should definitely know where to put the tape. as to how close the drawing and cel are, remember there are many cels and drawings that have been put in piles for dozens of years and they are fine. i'm sure they'll be ok.
I see. My cel is touching paper though.
Cel stacked on cel is safe, I guess but is it safe to stack cel on paper? Sorry if I appear a bit annoying but I want to make my cels last long.
I see you putting space between the glass and the front of the cel. Don't you have to worry about the paint touching the background? I've seen lots of cels stuck to a background.
I have an animation cell from the Beatles movie Yellow Submarine. The cells are stapled together in the corners and there is writing as to the scene on the outer edges of the cells. I just had it double matted and framed but the cells do not lay flat. When light hits it you can see its a plastic cell. What i dont like how the light reflects back at you from the cells. Is this normal?
How do you feel about the “official” seals that can often be found embossed or adhered to many cels? I’m asking the curators who received the crates of cells from the studio to please not ruin them with their added seal. In my opinion, the seal does not reflect what the original artist did, or represent the time period. What’s your opinion?
What I think hardly matters, since they'll do what they want anyway! but the problem is really that there are so many cels stolen from inside the studios, and I think some collectors want to feel like they are getting official work that is released directly, instead of pieces that were taken.
Interesting. I didn’t know stolen cels were common. I still imagine a rare jungle book or Cinderella piece would be looked at with a scowl if a third party decided they wanted to enhance the value with their own sticker. I know that doesn’t happen with old pieces. But conceptually, if you wouldn’t do it to more valuable pieces, why do it to newer ones... My purist brain imagines a stamp of approval on the the forehead of the Mona Lisa that’s says “verified by the Louvre”. Thank you for a good video.
@@unnecessaryexprmnt Appreciate the compliment on the video! Stolen cels are very common, but only from more recent films, largely because only Disney, WB, and Walter Lantz Studios had a program for selling art way back when. Lantz used to stamp the backgrounds, actually, Disney had the special mats or were cut down and put on litho or mat backgrounds, (and there was a seal on the back of those) and WB had actual signatures on the cels. SO the messing with the art thing has been around for a while! Recent movies like The Little Mermaid have a lot of stolen cels on the market, (especially LM) and that meant someone was INSIDE the studio doing the 5 finger discount (!!)
I'd be pretty appalled if some rando stuck a seal on an original piece, but the more valuable the art gets, the more fakes will happen, so as much ways to authenticate as possible, from my perspective, are welcome! (but I get what you're saying...)
also how does one keep a cel with eyes in place over the cel of the body or face in the right place while you frame, without the upper cel of the eyes from shifting over and looking awkward? just acid free tape or something along the edge? or is there another trick?
Any chance the WDCC of Ariel/Eric statue is for sale?
guess not lol. Even for a high price :)
Can wrinkles correct themselves if properly framed?
not really. it depends on what kind of "wrinkles", and i'd say even then 98% won't correct. can you post a pic here or on my email for the gallery? (artinsights at gmail) trying to fix wrinkles through framing is a recipe for disaster, really.
Yeah. I figured smashing it won't help. The only correct framing is where the item is loose in the frame and unframing won't damage the item.
I tracked down your web page and sent an email with the pics. Good addition to your rogues gallery of damaged cels, if nothing else.
Hello, I leave the cels in the plastic they were always sent in when I frame them. Is that ok? The cel you had on the table showing us the Matt was in plastic, I leave it in the plastic.... Let me know please, thank you
depends on the plastic you mean. the cel is made of plastic. if that's what you mean you'll good. if you mean additional plastic on top of that, no. take that off...
All my cels are in cased and placed in additional plastic they they were shipped in and how they've been kept from all the sellers.
I have a few cels that I want to store in a photo album (or something like that) rather than a frame. Any suggestions as to what brand/type is the best for this?
+Seth C sorry--never saw this comment! I know the Animation Research Library at Disney has some recommendations on their site you can check there and it will say, but basically anything that is used for archival storage of paper will be fine, you just have to find something the right size!
@@artinsights I have also heard that, you cannot store multiple cels on top of each other as the pressure applied on the cels could damage their properties. I guess if we wanted to put on album, we need to find some way to isolate each cels instead of placing each cels on top?
where can i buy film cells specifically from disney and dreamworks... i cant seem to find how to train your dragon film cells anywhere
also anyone know just where to get cells in general? (that have international shipping i live in canada)
Hi! Leslie from ArtInsights (and Cinema Siren) here. Most DreamWorks shows have no cels. The animation part of the studio post-dates when they stopped using them. That’s definitely true for HTTYD. As to Disney cels, I sell them at the gallery and ship to Canada. Email me at artinsights@gmail.com and let me know what you’re looking for and I can tell you if we have it or if anyone would (ie if cels exist from the show of interest) -remember that The Little Mermaid is the last hand painted feature from Disney. Thanks for watching!
“Train your dragon” films…
*_They’re CGI._*
I have an animation cel that I plan to frame, my question is do I need UV glass on my cel even if my room is a little dark? The room has curtains but a small amount of light still gets in.
As long as the art isn't in direct sunlight or doesn't get hot to the touch (which would be bad regardless of how much sunlight it got) you should be good. although i'll just throw out there that plexi is safer for cels unless you absolutely don't think it will ever break, because the cel includes the plastic AND the image and if the plastic gets cut it's very bad for the value. Good luck!
i just tack my cells to the wall. not in direct sunlight of course. is that a good method?
fucking idiot
@artinsights many thanks :)
tsubasa1988: it should be fine in the air conditioning as long as the door to the outside isn't opened and closed a lot...
Génial je possède des cellulo Dragon Ball Z
Its not enough. Cel change colors and fade with any kind of light not only sunlight. Cel must "breathe" inside a frame its not possible. Cel are not made to be framed.
i just tack my cells to the wall. not in direct sunlight of course. is that a good method?