Put This Book on Your Reading List!  

Copies in Seconds by David Owen

In David Owen's book, "Copies in Seconds", we begin to see the fascinating story of Chester Carlson's life as an Inventor among other talents that he practiced such as a publisher, engineer, physical chemist, patent attorney, physicist, and consultant.

Chester grew up in unspeakable poverty as a child, struggling as he became a teenager at the time of the Stock Market Crash in 1919 America. When he was nine years old his family lived in a small room in the back of a warehouse, insulated by stuffing newspapers in the many gaps between the boards and heated the space with a small stove. The snow in that winter of Northern California was 3 to 4 feet deep, and each morning his mother would use a hand mirror to flash a signal to a worried storekeeper in the valley below, to let him know they had survived another night. By the time he was twelve, he was rising each morning at four o'clock so that he could work 2 to 3 hours before school. When classes ended in the afternoon, he went to work again, traveling from job to job on a battered bicycle. He sold water, (Why didn't I think of that!), pulled weeds, picked fruit, harvested potatoes, swept sidewalks, washed store windows, sold fish, and raised guinea pigs for a research laboratory. He was a bill collector, a bill passer, and a mail boy, and he worked as a janitor for a number of local businesses. Chester—who was earning $50 or $60 a month by the time he entered high school—had become his family's principal provider. It is very clear to see his high degree of fortitude and persistence that would characterize his life-long efforts with his own invention. Chester's mother died when he was in high school, and despite the growing burden of his father's ill health and inability to work, Chester made good grades all through school and he began to think seriously about how he might use his talents to construct a better life. He wrote later: "I had read of Edison and other successful inventors, and the idea of making an invention appealed to me as one of the few available means to accomplish a change in one's economic status, while a the same time bring to focus my interest in technical things and making it possible to make a contribution to society as well." He told his cousin Roy he was "going to invent something big someday", and Roy took his ambition seriously.

We look more at Chester Carlson's imagination and persistence in the next newsletter.

  Giclee Fine Art Print Conservation  

To maximize the longevity of a giclee fine art reproduction it is important to care for it properly. CAD Supplies sells a full line of products from the finest canvas, acid free papers, UV protective coatings(liquid laminates), and impasto’s that can be used to enrich your prints and increase their value.

General Care:
As with any valued fine art piece, it is recommended that this print be displayed in indirect lighting conditions and away from any contact with moisture. Using archival materials for mats, backing and spacers, museum quality framing and UV protected glass/Plexiglas will add to the life of the print. The artwork should never directly touch the glass/Plexiglas.

Giclée prints on Paper:
The paper of the print itself needs to be handled carefully to prevent absorption of oils and/or marks from fingertips. Be careful to avoid dents and creases, since these can be very difficult or impossible to remove later.

Giclée prints on Canvas:
When stretching canvas prints, do not steam the back of the canvas to remove wrinkles. This can cause your image to turn yellow and if not properly dried, can allow fungus to grow. When stretching, use rounded stretcher bars and reduce the amount of tension by 10% to 20%, depending on the relative humidity and temperature. This should reduce any sagging of the print in the future. Of course, changes in relative humidity and temperature can cause sagging, even to originals. Always clean your canvas print with a dry, lint free cloth or soft brush. Never use a wet or moist cloth to clean your Giclée canvas print.

Storage:
Please store your final canvas or paper piece in an environment controlled for both humidity and temperature. Ideal conditions would be 70 degrees and 55% humidity. High humidity can cause yellow blooming. Keep all Giclée prints away from solvent-based materials such as oil paints and linseed oil, as the vapors can cause yellowing. Stretched pieces should be stored upright, not stacked, and all prints should be interleaved with paper dividers and never stored with any weight on top of them. Avoid tape coming in contact with the coated print as it can peel. This extra care given initially will allow you to enjoy your purchase for many years to come.

Enhancements:
If you choose to hand enhance your prints, please contact your sales representative. We will advise you on the proper products to use. The compatibility of hand enhancement materials used with Giclées has been one of our points of focus for the past five years. Through extensive research and testing, we now have available a stable of proven Impasto that can be used to enrich your prints and increase their value.