Cel Bags
Plastic bags / sleeves made of Polypropylene or Polyethylene are a staple in the storage and preservation of animation art. They are usually referred to as 'Cel Bags' in the collecting community. They are safe to use for animation cels, sketches, and backgrounds. Another option for long term storage of paper art is Mylar. Mylar is available in thicker options and lasts longer than Polypropylene or Polyethylene bags. They are more expensive but they are graded for indefinite storage of paper based art. Please note that Mylar bags are NOT safe for animation cels. Mylar is known to stick to lineart/paint on cels so only use them for sketches.
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Examples of cel bags available on the market
.Tips for Using Cel Bags
- Check over you cels at least every year to air them out and check for vinegar syndrome
- Change the bags at least every couple of years (over time, cels out-gass fumes and the bag will ripple/warp)
- Put each cel layer (if layers are not stuck) in it's own cel bag
- Backgrounds and sketches should be bagged separately
- When bagging cels DO NOT seal the bag. Cels need to breathe!! Many collectors choose to cut off the sealing flap and leave one side of their cel bag open at all times. Other options include using a hole puncher to make holes in the cel bag or snipping off a corner of the cel bag. Another option is trimming the top and one side of the cel bag so there's an "L" shaped opening in the bag.
- When trimming cel bags DO NOT make any holes or cuts while the cel is still in the bag. Safety first !
Where to Buy
Polypropylene and Polyethylene bags for Cels or sketches
BCW Treasury Polypropylene Bags (10 x 13 in) at Amazon.com
LARGE Life Magazine/Large Sheet Music Sleeve (10 7/8 x 14 1/2 in) at BagsUnlimited.com (available as Polypropylene or Polyethylene, additional sizes available on site)
10 x 13 in Polypropylene Bags at ClearBags.com (additional sizes available on site)
Mylar for sketches/paper artwork
11 1/2 x 14 1/2" 2 mil Mylar Bags at http://www.bagsunlimited.com (additional sizes available on site)