Fifth Element Blueprints - Display Ideas?

[Lumpy]

Hey All,

I recently picked up (PropStore) some original blueprints used
to create the sets for two scenes from The Fifth Element.

They are not pristine but definately display worthy.

Looking for suggestions / ideas on how to best display these
suckers.

They are approx. 36" x 55".

Originally thought about just doing a plain o frame job.

Maybe sandwiched in glass/plexiglass?

I don't know. Help me out.

Lumpy

 

[Amish Trooper]

Wow nice snag. What are the blueprints of?

 

[Lumpy]

Wow nice snag. What are the blueprints of?

It was the only thing I could afford off the PropStore. lol

They look much better in person, these are the pics from PropStore.

Diva Suite Blueprint -
"The printed drawing shows the general arrangement of the
Diva’s suite and hallway. Measures approximately 134cm x
84cm (53" x 33"). "

Undercarriage Blueprint -
"The printed drawing shows the detail of the plans and sections
of the exterior tarmac, shuttle undercarriage. Measures approximately 130cm x 83cm (51" x 32.5"). "

 

[Amish Trooper]

Ah I looked at those too and wondered on how to display them. I thought maybe getting some nice screen shots of the finished set and frame and mat the original and overlay it somehow in the corners with the finished product.

 

[Rik1138]

Hey, careful if those are _real_ blueprints. Any exposure to light will cause them to fade rapidly, and you will be left with blank sheets of paper. Blueprints were not designed to be 'displayed', and the chemical process used to make them eventually causes the paper to become brittle. I'm not even sure if UV protective glass will protect them (anyone know for sure?), it might just be exposure to air that causes them to degrade. (That's why the edges always look lighter, and the paper turns brown. The parts that are 'exposed' go first...)

Your best bet would be to find someplace that can make high-quality copies of them, and will be careful with them (in fact, I'd do this regardless, just to preserve a copy of them), and frame/display the copies. Keep the originals rolled up, sealed in poster tubes or something. You can probably even have the contrast adjusted on the copies to make the designs more visible. Check around town for places that deal with making/reproducing blueprints.

If you want them to last 'forever', seek out the help of someone that deals with archiving paper (maybe at a local museum or university). Encapsulating them would be best, but probably quite expensive...

But don't just slap them in a frame and hang them on a wall... You will regret it.

(Modern 'blueprints' that I've seen are just print outs using large printers/plotters. They usually aren't even blue anymore, they look like large photocopies. These are much less fragile (like anything from a laser printer or something), but from your pictures you appear to have real blueprints.)

 

[Lumpy]

Definately looking into getting them scanned.

Probably use a scanned copy to mount or do up some sort
of framed montage display.

I'll grab some Alvin blueprint tubes to store the originals.

I don't have to wall space to hang a 36x55" picture anyways.
Well not anywhere the wife will let me.

 

[Wes]

Yea if those are ammonia based blueprints you need to get them sealed up. I wouldn't even roll them up. They will last much longer in flat files.

Find a local reprographics company that deals in large format plotters. They should have some of the blackout sleeves and the seperator pages you can put in between them just like when you would buy blueprint paper. Plus they can scan them with a large format scanner for a fairly cheap price.

Like Rik said though, most modern blueprints are just color plots, but have someone look to be sure. Yours do look real.

 

[Wes]

Try these guys Lumpy

Digicopy Imaging & Reprographics
103, 300-5th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3C4
Tel: (403) 920-0445

digicopy.ca

 

[Lumpy]

Try these guys Lumpy

Digicopy Imaging & Reprographics
103, 300-5th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3C4
Tel: (403) 920-0445

digicopy.ca

Thanks!

I'm going to try a local (Red Deer) company here first.
If that doesn't work out I'll head to Calgary/Edmonton.

Any online suppliers for blueprint storage items you guys
could recommend?

 

[Wes]

This company is pretty good.

Engineering Tools and Supplies, Blueprint Storage, Surveying Equipment, Measuring Tools -

 

[Lumpy]

This company is pretty good.

Engineering Tools and Supplies, Blueprint Storage, Surveying Equipment, Measuring Tools -

Haven't found anything to fit these yet. Are UK blueprints non-standard
size? 33x55"? I'll double check measurements when my 3 1/2 year shred-o-matic son goes to bed.

 

[Amish Trooper]

Hey Lumpy if you do decide to copy these will there possibly be a small run available to a few of us. I wouldn't mind having a smaller version to frame.

 

[Lumpy]

Most likely I'll do a run of some sort. I'll see how they look
after I get them scanned.

Won't be right away but in the next little while.

Hey Lumpy if you do decide to copy these will there possibly be a small run available to a few of us. I wouldn't mind having a smaller version to frame.

 

[GreseDraka]

I would be in if you did a small run also!

 

[blastmaster]

Those are awesome,
I would frame them up nice with a Matt but make the Matt an inch or so bigger than the Blue print and have it hover in the middle and get a screen grab of the actual set and frame the same way next to it, and put those babies on the wall!!!!!