Brian's Gallery
Free Scrapbook Ideas
For Photo Restoration services
Don't Label Photos with Ballpoint Pens
In response to Photo Labeling Session with Parents,
it's important not to label pictures with ballpoint
pens.
It may sound like a good idea because it won't fade
with age, but as a beginning scrapbooker,
I know there are other dangers to using ballpoint pens.
Ink could bleed through and destroy the picture.
Also, pens can cause an indentation that travels
through the picture and causes a high point on the
front of the picture.
This high point will wear first.
If you must write on the back, always use an archival
pen (fade proof, water proof, acid-free)
found in scrapbook stores, art supply stores or even
craft sections of discount stores.
When labeling any photo, besides using the archival
pen, press lightly, choose a dark area of the photo,
never behind the faces to write the information.
Then, should the ink somehow manage to migrate through
the paper (even though it shouldn't if its is
archival),
it will not bleed through to such an important part of
the pictures. Other options: you might put the
information on acid free paper,
and then tape it to the back of the photo using
archival tape.
Or put the photo in an archival sheet protector with
the acid free paper behind instead of another photo
behind.
