Why can’t I use a ballpoint pen to write on the back of photos?
I've heard that you shouldn't use a ballpoint pen to write on the backs of photos. Why shouldn't I, does it do something to harm the photograph?
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I've heard that you shouldn't use a ballpoint pen to write on the backs of photos. Why shouldn't I, does it do something to harm the photograph?
March 26th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Because it makes an imprint on the photograph. You do not need to see backward writing on your pictures, do you? I will always write on a photo with a Sharpie marker. Over time, nearly all inks will affect them, so I would advise simply writing with a pencil.
March 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
It’s because ink has chemicals in it which may deteriorate the photo image over time.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:08 am
The ball of the pen will push your writing through to the other side, also it can bleed and cause odd markings on your photograph.
March 31st, 2009 at 3:06 am
Sharpie definately works the best. Unfortunately I have made that mistake before on my pictures from a trip to Italy….most upsetting.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:26 am
I’ve discovered that writing on the back of a photograph with a ballpoint could make a lifted crease on the shiny side of the picture. Whilst not ruining the appearance it can easily be noticed and somewhat harms the desired surface of the photograph. It’s more beneficial to apply some kind of permanent marker pen.
April 1st, 2009 at 12:56 pm
You need to utilise an acid free pen, normal ballpens tend to feature acid in their ink. What will happen over time is that you will notice a yellow color seeping about the ink. This will finally carry-over to the photograph and make it likewise discolor and fade.
If you’ve ageing pictures that have pen marks, it’s a good idea to make copies of them at a Kodak picture station, or you’ll be able to merely scan and copy to a flash card or CD and get them printed at a digital photo center.
Sprays such as Archival Mist and Make It Acid Free aren’t advisable for photographs. The most effective thing you’ll be able to do is to store your photographs in an acid free sleeve for your photo album or use buffered paper to mat the photo and preclude more acid from spreading. You could likewise utilise an acid-free photograph album. Do remember though that not all albums are acid free.
A pen I’d advocate is a permanent photograph marking pen that may be got hold in a craft store. Additional types of acid-free permanent pens you are able to use would be a soft-tipped pigment pen like Pigment Pro or Micron pen available from Marvy Uchida. These 2 pens are employed by graphic designers, however they’re great for scrapbook writing.