To Linen Back, or not to Linen Back. What's Best?
If you are going to frame your cherished poster to display and enjoy, then linen backing or paper backing is the best way to go. Below, we'll discuss why. But first, what's the difference between 'linen backing' and 'paper backing'? And should I 'linen back' or 'paper back' my poster?
Well, the answer to the latter is short. 'Paper backing' is usually only done on card stock posters (eg. Window Cards, US Inserts, Lobby Cards). 'Linen Backing' is used for paper based/printed posters.
What is 'linen backing'?
Linen Backing is a process used by paper conservators to affix a paper collectible to a piece of linen (similar to the material of a painters’ canvas) and is stretched in a frame, an adhesive then applied, then a pre-stretched, damp, sheet of Japanese paper is laid to cover the canvas. Once dry, the linen is then ready to receive the poster. A movie poster is often cleaned in water with a suitable detergent to wash and carefully remove any surface contamination, dirt, or stains. The poster is then mounted onto the lining paper of the linen using a wheat starch glue, flattened, and left for a few days for everything to dry. During this time shrinkage occurs stretching the fold lines to become less visible. Once ready, the canvas is removed from the frame and can be rolled and dispatched to the customer or sent to a framer for framing. Restoration can also be undertaken during this process.
What are the benefits of 'linen backing' my poster?
With some exceptions, original movie posters printed before the 1980's were folded for distribution. These folds affect the appearance, and over time, can lift or separate the ink in these folds, and at worst folds and cross-folds can separate creating holes or tears. By backing a poster to a flat surface, linen backing completely flattens out the fold lines to improve the display and appearance.
If the poster requires, or the owner would like, any restoration to restore damaged areas, linen backing also provides a flat surface for the restoration artist to work.
The linen backing process will also clean and de-acidify the paper to help stabilise it. The process may also clean off any other contaminants that sit on the poster surface that could dis-colour/mark/degrade the paper and printed surface over time.
If you are looking to frame your poster, then linen backing provides an extra border of linen that allows the framer to attach your poster more easily to a back mat board at the edges of the linen border and display your poster in full. Trying to frame a non-linen backed poster usually requires the framer to fix the poster against the back mat board by taping it with archival tape (see diagram below). And some of the poster may be hidden by the Window Mat. If removable archival tape is used to fix your poster to the Back Mat Board, damage to your poster should not occur. But removing the tape later could still risk the edges being torn during unmounting or removal.
The choice to linen back, or not to linen back, is also a matter of personal taste. Some purists prefer not to linen back their posters or restore them in any way - keeping their current state. Even the most expensive paintings in the world are cleaned and restored periodically to continue viewing it as the artist intended and ensure the arts longevity for generations to come. Museums and art conservationists around the world can't be wrong. A framed linen backed poster will usually look and present better than a framed folded poster. Cleaning, de-acidifying, and linen backing stabilises the poster paper or card stock. Restoration can also return a rare piece to its former glory for you and everyone else to enjoy.
What next?
Once you’ve made a choice, then you may have questions about “How should I get it framed?” and “What are the do’s and don’ts of framing a poster for display?”. Well, these questions and more are answered here in our article Framing a poster: what are the do’s and don’ts?
In Australia, there are limited choices of businesses that linen back movie posters. But in Melbourne, you can check out Studio M.
Click on the link here to see what posters Movie Posters Australia has available that are already linen/paper backed and are ready to frame.
