Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Shipping Artwork: Paintings.

 
 
One of the greatest challenges for artists
is safely shipping artwork which is also cost effective. 
 
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The selected Artwork.
 
 
Two paintings on panel with their frames.
 
 
The needed tools ...
 
 
1. A T-Square or decent straight edge.
2. A fresh Sharpie Marker - blue or black.
3. A measuring tape.
4. A mat knife with fresh blades.
(Please be careful when you're using the knife)    
 
 
 
The needed material(s) ...

 
1. 1 sheet of 1" 4' x 8' insulation foam.
Which can be purchased
at Lowes for $16-$21. 
 

 
2. Large sheets of cardboard.
Which can be purchased or gotten for free
at a moving and storage facility.
 
 
 
 
3. Shrink Wrap.
 
 
 
 
4. At least 2 rolls of
2 1/2" Stotch Heavy Duty Packing Tape
and roll of regular Stotch tape.
 
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First wrap the artwork in shrink wrap,
making sure any and all varnishes are fully dry.
 
The Shrink Wrap creates a barrier
 to keep the artwork clean and dust free.
 
 

 
As you can see
the 1" foam holds up well underneath
my weight of 145lbs.
 
 

 
If, you're planning on shipping
2 paintings at once,
start by creating a sandwich
using the largest painting.
 
If, you're planning on shipping
2 canvases at once,
then I would recommend
placing a third piece of foam
between the two canvases,
face to face.


 
Then create the side walls.
 
 
 
 
Place the largest painting facing up
then place a carboard spacer on top
then place the second painting
face to face.
 



(The above technique works best
with paintings which are on panel.)

 
 
 
Find the half way mark on the artwork
 so, the paintings are evenly spaced
so, fillers can be easily made. 
 
 

 
Fill the voids with foam.
 

 
Making sure everything is snug and in place.
 

 
Once all the foam pieces are cut and fitted
it's time to tape all the edges and corners thoroughly.
 
 

 
At this point, the foam box is now waterproof because
all the seams are covered with at least 2 layers of tape.
 
And remember to make sure you mark
which side you want your receiver
to open your package easily and safely.
 
 

 
Then, the last step,
is the carboard skin,
which is made in the same 
fashion as the foam box. 
 
The cardboard acts
as a clean presentation and
also protects the foam 
should any damage(s) occur
during shipping. 
 
After the last step
 it's time to ship your artwork!
 
The overall weight for
this package is roughly 33lbs.
 
Stay tuned for more!!
 
Cheers, ~ Polly ~ 
 

1 comment:

Renea Luong said...

Thanks for these packaging tips! I believe that the way you pack your artworks is equally important as the courier that'll ship them. That being said, you must choose a reputable shipping company that guarantees your products' safety and conforms to international shipping standards.