finishing touches

First, many thanks to grad students Mandy Kirby and Laura Calonder for helping with case installation and clean up on Thursday. Mandy and I worked from about 9:30-Noon, and then Laura worked with me from Noon until about 3:30. It was a long day. We kicked a gecko out of the museum gallery (and apparently, s/he came right back in after we left, because I had to do it all over again on Saturday!!), arranged all the cases, swept the cobwebs out of the corners, and vacuumed.

Saturday, I put in another long day (11-5:45), and finished everything out (except for Team Two's coffin case). Most of this time was dedicated to applying the vinyl lettering and didactic panel on the entry wall. Since I am furloughed tomorrow and Tuesday, I had to do it while you guys were out (too risky to wait til opening day), but I took some photos at various stages, in order to show you how it is done.

There are several steps involved. First of all--you need all your tools at the ready. Those include 1) a long level, 2) a squeege-type tool, which the sign/graphics company will give you when you buy your letters (or you can use a credit-card if you don't have/get one of those  3) wide masking tape, 4) scissors, 5) a cloth to clean the wall of dust and grime before hand and 6) a step-ladder. 

I was applying two different types of lettering: 1) vinyl-cut lettering [the exhibit title/subtitle] and 2) a large text decal [the introductory interpretive panel].  Both of them came with paper backing and a protective front-paper covering. The backing protects the adhesive (on both the title lettering and the decal panel). As always, click on the photos to enlarge.

 

Placement/centering is the first step. I began with the exhibit title. Once it was level, I ran masking tape from top to bottom down the center (taping right across the front paper--top to bottom, holding it to the wall above and below). Next, I used masking tape to place the larger decal text panel, and then made sure I liked how they worked/looked together.

Now, I was ready to apply the title lettering. First, I carefully removed the tape on the left end of the title, pulled it back from the wall, and cut the backing paper (NOT the lettering and NOT the front paper!) along the center line (normally this cut should be straighter--not jagged like you see here in this after-photo; but I was working alone on a ladder. You can also make this backing paper center-cut before you ever tape to the wall. Again, cut the backing paper in between the letters).  At this point, the right end of the sign is firmly affixed with masking tape and the left side is hanging free, held only by the center-line masking tape.  Holding your squeege in the right hand, begin (using your left hand) to pull the backing paper from the center cut out to the left, slowly and carefully squeeqeing the letters to the wall as you go. Remember that you are doing this by running the squeege across the front paper, in slow, overlapping motions, pressing air bubbles out and the lettering (which has adhesive on it) to the wall--until the entire left side of the sign is adhered to the wall, with only the protective front paper left (as you see in the photo ABOVE).

Next, you'll  move the center line of masking tape over to the left just a few inches so that it frees up the backing paper at the center line. Once that is completely secure, remove the masking tape holding the far-right end of the sign to the wall, and repeat the process, pulling the backing paper away from the lettering from the center out, squeeging as you go along. When all the backing paper is off, use the squeege to really make sure all of the letters (edges and curves) are affixed to the wall. Then slowly and carefully begin to pull the protective front paper off. Use the squeege to help with this. If you pull the front paper from the left to the right, then keep the squeege in your right-hand, and pull the paper back against it with your left hand (that way, if you can see the letters are not sticking to the wall, you can run the squeege back over the front-paper again, and then pull it back off slowly). Your goal is to leave the letters on the wall!

NOTE: the textured dry-wall in the museum (along with the semi-gloss paint) sometimes requires a little more pressure than one would use if applying vinyl-cut letters to glass or some perfectly 'flat' surface.

Okay, now for the large "decal" (this panel has too much text to apply as cut-vinyl lettering [like the title], but decals have their own challenges...)

The first step was to run a long piece of masking tape (or better yet, two--for extra hold) along the top edge of the panel. This basically serves as a "hinge" holding the leveled panel to the wall. Remember, there are 3 layers here--the backing paper (1) that covers the adhesive on back of the printed transparency panel (2), and the protective front paper (3), that you'll be pressing your squeege against, to adhere the panel to the wall.

Once the masking tape hinge is in place, lift the panel from the bottom (freeing the masking tape on your lower corners--just get rid of those pieces of tape so they don't get in the way), and at one of the two top corners, carefully begin to peel the backing paper away and then (eventually at a 180 degree angle)  down from top, exposing at least 6" or so of the decal. Holding the exposed decal area away from the wall, use the squeege to begin pressing (start at the center of the decal and move to the right, left and top) in order to adhere it to the wall, removing air bubbles as you go. As you continue to peel the backing paper lower and lower, always squeege from the (vertical) center line out (versus trying to smooth from one edge all the way to the other).  Once you've pulled the backing paper entirely off, continue smoothing the decal, removing air bubbles and firmly affixing the adhesive panel to the wall.

Once you are confident that the panel is fully adhered, carefully remove the masking tape hinge, and then--starting in one of the upper corners--slowly begin to pull away the protective front paper. Again, keep the squeege in one hand pressed to the paper, and use the other hand to pull the paper back against the squeege edge. If the panel pulls away from the wall, do NOT squeeqe directly on the decal--rather, cover the portion in question with the protective paper and re-squeege until it adheres (note: using the squeege directly on the decal will scratch the printed lettering AND the transparent vinyl).

And there you have it. This is basically a professionally-printed and thicker mil "transparency" than the clear label transparencies we've used elsewhere on the gallery wall (as photo captions, for the acknowledgements, etc.) Speaking of which, I will be reprinting the "Acknowledgments" panel to include a few more peoples whose names have come in, but you can see below how I've laid those out for now. If you think of other names/places, please email them to me.

I'll be in on Wednesday morning by 10:30 am. The final jobs are cleaning the glass gallery doors (front and back with windex), sweeping the workroom (especially around the computer desk), and a final run of the vacuum in the gallery. The banquet tables, in the (2nd) photo below, are set up for the caterers. 

I am uploading (to SacCT) the handout Carrie prepped for the exhibit, and Michele's flyer--which has been up on SacCT--is now also available on the Museum website. See you Wednesday!