Container Labels

• All boxes should have a label (see images below), including map folders.
• Print on foil-backed labels.
• Note restrictions in red on label.

Folder Titles

• Use pencil and print clearly.
• Label folders with:
  • Title
    • Folder titles should be clear and concise.
    • DO NOT title folders with a year or year range (<unittitle> and <unitdate> are 2 distinct elements).
    • Titles on a folder can be condensed versions of what is entered in the finding aid.
  • Date or date range of enclosed materials
  • Collection number
  • Box and Folder number (use the stamp)
• A "folder" can be another unit of enclosure (4 fold, expandable folder, envelope, etc.).

Description

• Describe by group wherever possible.
• Item level description is rare and reserved for the most valuable items and collections.
• Use approximate dates (circa), using clues from image (cars, dress, etc.).
• Lack of identification?  Add note to finding aid.  An example is below:
  • Note: Most of these photographs lack identification such as people, place, or event.  If you were a member of the Black Student Union from 2000-2010, a UB student during that time, or believe you can provide identification for photos in this collection, please contact University Archives. 

Storage and Handling

• Use cotton gloves
• Discrete
  • Photos with other objects, such as letters, should remain in place to maintain context.
  • "Bundle" photo with relating object within a folded piece of permalife paper (unless of high value and use).
• Collections, Series, or Subseries
  • Good condition, lower value and use
    • Group in envelopes within folder
  • Good condition, high value and use
    • Store in mylar enclosures (sized to photo) within folder
  • Fragile or torn photos (in pieces) of high value and use
    • Store in 4 fold enclosure
    • Backing board may be necessary
    • Flat storage may be necessary

Housing

• Prints and photographs should be de-framed with acidic mats removed
• De-framing of artwork should be decided on an as needed basis, in consultation with an archivist. 
• Prints should be stored flat in the smallest container applicable to a collection, or in a shared collection map drawer or oversize box. 
• Fragile or broken prints may need to be "sandwiched" between 2 pieces of archival mat board, and/or a 4 fold enclosure may be used.
• Assemblage or other 3 dimensional artwork may need to be stored in a sink mount (example: http://www.theconservationcenter.com/articles/2015/10/19/sink-matting).

Describe prints using this glossary with consultation of (consult How to Identify Prints, by Bamber Gascoigne).

Glossary/Identifying Artworks for Description

• Acrylic
  • Can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with the other media; can look “plastic-y”
  • Acrylic is very useful in mixed media, allowing use of pastel [oil & chalk], charcoal, pen, etc. on top of the dried acrylic painted surface. Mixing other bodies into the acrylic is possible - sand, rice, even pasta may be incorporated in the artwork.
• Aquatint
  • Magnified à looks like black lace; white spaces surrounded by squiggles
  • Imitates the effect of a watercolor wash
  • Gradations of tone
• Blueprints [architectural drawings or prints]
  • white images on blue backgrounds
• Blueprints prints [architectural drawings or prints]
  • blue images on white backgrounds
• Carpet
  • Rug of some size
  • Use geographical region to describe oriental rugs/carpets
• Cartoon see also Comic Strip
  • Pictorial images using wit to comment on such things as contemporary events, social habits, or political trends, usually executed in a broad or abbreviated manner.
• Casein
  • Dries to an even consistency with matte finish
  • Can resemble oil paint
• Chalk use Pastel
• Charcoal
  • Blacker than pencil; if not fixed, can “dust off”
  • Can produce precise line or resemble brushstrokes
• Ciborium
  • Covered chalice
• Comic Strip
  • Often serialized; 1 or more frames
• Conté
  • Graphite or charcoal mixed with wax or clay
  • Conte crayons are commonly black, gray, brown
• Copper-line Engraving
  • Pre-1820 intaglio prints are almost always on copper
  • Greater intensity of tone than a steel-engraving; heavier lines
• Drawing
  • Generally, has details greater than a sketch, such as shading.
• Drypoint
  • “Slashed” quality à with ink held on either side of line, a “warm blur”
  • Lines tend to be straight, short, or in very simple curves
  • A thin white line can appear with the black line
• Elevation [architectural drawing or print]
  • exterior view that closely resembles the natural appearance of the object
• Enamel
  • Transparent, opaque or opalescent [translucent] in color, glossy, and very smooth
• Engraving
  • Broad and narrow incisions; lines have pointed ends
  • More formal, artificial lines
• Etching
  • Lines are same width along their lengths with blunt ends
  • More fluid/languid lines, akin to drawing
• Film [movie] Use Motion Picture
• Floor plan [architectural drawing or print]
  • horizontal section of a building as it would appear if cut through by an intersecting plane
• Giclee
  • No screen or other mechanical devices are used and therefore there is no visible dot screen pattern.
  • Image has all the tonalities and hues of the original painting
• Gouache
  • Water-based, opaque
  • Less “wet-appearing” than watercolor
  • Often used in 20^th century cell animations/graphic design
• Gravure
  •  
• Illustration
  • Drawing/sketches, etc. designed to accompany text
• Intaglio print
  • Image is cut into material [like metal plates]
  • Steady, crisp lines with pointed ends
  • Variations in ink tone
  • Curved, parallel lines of various thickness creating a 3-d effect; crosshatching with dots for tonal areas
• Line engraving
  • Image made by linear means only [as opposed to stippling, aquatint, and other methods of producing tone]
• Linocuts
  • “Woodcut” using linoleum
  • Main consideration is to identify work as a relief print [see Relief print]
  • Large size and absence of wood grain, generally = a modern relief print using a composition material like linoleum
• Linoleum block print use Linocuts
• Lithograph
  • Flatness of image and lie of the ink
  • Evenness of printed tone (as opposed to intaglio print)
  • Unchanging density of ink between thin and thick lines
  • “dots” look like waxy crayon under magnification
    • Doesn’t make a complete/solid line
  • Tinted lithograph
    • Often a neat, rectangular shape of the tinting gives away that it is not hand-painted
  • Color lithograph
    • Crayon-shading and/or stipple effects of each printed color
• Lithographic crayon [or chalk]
  • Chalk-like effect on print
  • Magnified, an evenness of printed tone
• Maquette
  • Small model of a sculpture.
• Mixed media
  • Work with multiple materials and techniques
• Monoprint
  • Image is painted onto a surface, and then transferred to a print by rubbing or pressing.
  • Each print is unique.
• Mural
  • In any medium dominating a wall/ceiling; if a painting, use mural painting.
• Oil paint
  • Subtle blending of colors; vivid color with natural sheen and distinct contrast.
  • Surface translucency similar to human skin à ideal medium for portraits.
• Oil pastel
  • Characteristics similar to pastels and wax crayons.
• Pastel
  • Chalky consistency; needs to be fixed or it can easily mar.
  • Pastel covering the entire ground = Pastel Painting
  • Pastel Sketch or Pastel Drawing shows much of the ground
• Photo etching use Photogravure
• Photogravure
  • Printed photographic images.
  • Slightly broken edges; wide-tonal range; excellent reproduction of detail
  • Aquatint grain or fine irregular grain pattern that real photos lack; soft-edged dots
  • Variation in deposited ink- less in light areas; more in dark areas
• Plan [architectural drawing or print]
  • usually drawn to scale, with view looking down on an object, building, or scene from above
• Relief print
  • Key characteristic is how the ink lies: pressure of print produces a rim around each printed areas, especially at print edge and areas with ink surrounded by large area of white.
• Rug vs. Carpet
  • Carpet= rug of some size; mainly a floor covering
  • Rug is generally smaller; can have uses other that a floor covering
• Scratchboard
  • drawings are created using sharp knives and tools for etching into a thin layer of white China clay that is coated with black India ink visible scratches/gouges in paper
  • can also be made with several layers of multi-colored clay, so the pressure exerted on the instrument used determines the color that is revealed.
  • yields a highly detailed, precise and sometimes textured artwork.
• Screen print
  • Blended “rainbow” effect à subtle gradations of changing color
  • Overlapping layers of ink are visible
• Section [architectural drawing or print]
  • orthographic projection of an object as it would appear if cut through by an intersecting plane. 
  • Usually the slice is vertical and view is horizontal.
• Serigraph Use Screen print
• Silkscreen Use Screen print
• Site plans [architectural drawing or print]
  • describes location and orientation of building(s) on a plot of land and in relation to its context
• Sketch
  • Drawing without detail, such as shading.
• Tapestry
  • Heavy, woven textile, generally used to hang on walls, balconies, etc.
• Tempera
  • Smooth matte finish.
  • Because it cannot be applied in thick layers as oil paints can, tempera paintings rarely have the deep color saturation that oil paintings have.
• Wash drawing
  • artwork in which a fine layer of color—usually diluted ink, bistre, or watercolor—is spread with a brush over a broad surface evenly enough so that no brush marks are visible in the finished product.
  • Usually used in conjunction with lines made by a pen or pencil that define and outline, while the wash provides color, depth, and volume.
• Watercolor
  • Transparent quality; layering/wash of colors
• Wood engraving
  • Finely engraved line in white=wood engraving
  • Clear-edged shapes
  • Cut across the wood grain, creating a relief block [cutting away non-print areas- image is created by cutting out material; ex- a raised stamp]
  • Historical print?  Mainly used 1750-1900
• Woodblock print Use Woodcut
• Woodcut
  • Cut with the grain, on the plank side of wood.
  • Contrasting black and white; solid outlines
  • Modern woodcuts sometimes have visible wood grain in black areas
  • Historical print?  Mainly used pre-1750

Textile Housing

• Photograph all textiles before housing
• Always use unbuffered, undyed, acid-free enclosures
• Never fold needlework, beading, or leather
• Avoid folding textiles along painted areas

Canvas

• Canvas should be cleaned with a dirt sponge
• Do not use water
• Canvas flags and banners should be rolled and stored in a flat box
• Multiple flags may fit in one box

Knit

• Never roll or hang knit textiles (this includes knit wools).
• Store these in flat boxes and pad all creases with unbuffered tissue paper
• Folded textiles should be refolded along alternate creases once a year

Muslin

• Muslin textiles should be stuffed with unbuffered tissue paper along folds and placed in flat boxes
• Avoid folding painted textiles along paint, if this is unavoidable, stuff with unbuffered tissue paper
• Folded textiles should be refolded along alternate creases once a year

Silk

• Silk should be folded minimally, stuffed with unbuffered tissue paper along folds, and stored in a flat box
• Folded textiles should be refolded along alternate creases once a year

Synthetic and Polymer (rayon, nylon, polyester, etc.)

• Synthetic textiles should be rolled on a tube wrapped in Mylar, then covered with unbuffered tissue, unbleached muslin, or wrapped in folder stock

OR

• May be folded minimally, stuffed with unbuffered tissue paper along folds, and stored in a flat box
• Folded textiles should be refolded along alternate creases once a year

Vinyl

• Vinyl may be cleaned with soap that is heavily diluted in water and a dirt sponge
• Vinyl must be allowed to dry completely
• Vinyl textiles should be rolled on a tube wrapped in Mylar, then covered with unbuffered tissue, unbleached muslin, or wrapped in folder stock
• Rolled textiles can then be stored in a rolled storage tube

Wool

• Wool textiles should be folded minimally (if not rolled), stuffed with unbuffered tissue paper along folds, and stored in a flat box
• Avoid rolling knit wool as it stretches the fibers
• Folded textiles should be refolded along alternate creases once a year
• Wool textiles are heavy and should be stored no more than one item per box

Creating custom enclosures should be avoided.  However, if preservation needs of an item are significant, a custom enclosure can be created.  The most common is a 4-fold enclosure or tuxedo box.  Other enclosures can be modeled on existing archival containers, sized to fit a specific need.

Templates for custom book cradles, folder stock enclosures, and sink mats are under Forms and Templates: https://research.lib.buffalo.edu/processing/forms