Note: He does admit that not all of us will have mountains of the stuff on hand, and suggests at the 6:25 mark using sheets of Styrofoam. Pretty slick, ay? In this first video, our host tackles his oil painting pack job by using foam board and a mini roll of shrink wrap to make what he calls a painting sandwich. When your gallery/show returns this box, you will be able to reuse it over and over again. Done with the Glassine, he turns to his massive stash of bubble wrap, keeping the flat side against the surface of the painting. Ship smaller works of art in a new, double-wall corrugated box that will minimize movement and offer adequate space for padding. The host of our second video is a real stickler for protection. Oil paintings are delicate items that require utmost care when being handled or transported to another location. Pack the art as if you yourself were to be the one unpacking it later. The following are essential tips on how to pack and ship oil paintings. No matter how you pack, please do not use “popcorn” packing material. Step 13: Making the Note: Our painting sandwich maker uses peanuts for protection – and makes a decent mess of things. Once you get the hang of it, you should be able to build this packing system in an hour or less. Packing Paintings for Galleries & Shows By Susan Blackwood. To keep it in place he uses artist tape rather than packing tape or even masking tape. Step 12: Bring the sides up, folding the wings around the corner. Step 6: Mark and cut another piece of styrofoam to the same size as the bottom piece. Packing Paintings for Galleries and Shows, Artistic Goals: The First of Three Elements of One Artist Goal Plan, For the most updated articles, please visit the, Plastic sheet or a large plastic bag to wrap the painting, Corrugated cardboard - can be purchased or you can use cardboard from large boxes like mattress boxes and appliance boxes ( free at stores ), Construction Styrofoam (comes in various thicknesses from 1" to 2½" - the larger the painting the thicker the Styrofoam (purchase from lumbar yards), Reinforced brown paper packing tape (optional), Water and sponge for wetting the brown packing tape. the bubble wrap. If you have that skill on your list of offered services, Get an instant movers quote on HireAHelper.com. Here is an excellent way to pack your paintings for shipping. If you have that skill on your list of offered services, you may just get the call over someone else. (, is a real stickler for protection. Note: Our painting sandwich maker uses peanuts for protection – and makes a decent mess of things. Measure the height of the cardboard box and add 1/8th inch to it. var hireahelperAffiliateWidgetOpts={affiliateKey:'383633',advancedOpts:{showHeader:false,straightToHelperList:true,showDatePickerIcon:false,dateSelector:'#hhWidgetDateInput',zipSelector:'#hhWidgetZipInput',autoQuery:false,utmSource:'blog.hireahelper.com',utmContent:'topofeverypost'}}, jQuery(function($) {var datePicker = $('#hhWidgetDateInput');$(".blog").scroll(function() {datePicker.datepicker('hide');$('#ui-datepicker-div').blur();});$(window).resize(function() {datePicker.datepicker('hide');$('#ui-datepicker-div').blur();});}), [Synopsis: Packing higher-end art calls for special materials and top-notch techniques.]. Step 10: Using the knife cut one line only in each corner. Your galleries will love it and so will OPA and other shows. Use masking tape or painter’s tape. Grab a mirror carton or custom-size a box and pack the corners with packing paper and tape it up well. our host tackles his oil painting pack job by using foam board and a mini roll of shrink wrap to make what he calls a painting sandwich. Finally, at about 14:50 he talks about putting cardboard corners on before the bubble wrap. Step 17: Reinforce the corners and open edges of the box with brown paper reinforced packing tape. But the day may come (if it hasn’t already), A mini roll of plastic wrap (on a handy-dandy dispenser), For that ultimate professional touch, we’ll arm ourselves with a couple of new weapons, namely, and a type of water-resistant, grease-resistant paper called. Moving? . Thinking about moving? Sticky tape like duct or packing tape will leave remnants behind and could ruin the glass. Common mistakes artists make when packing artwork Artwork Shipping Mistake #1: Using packing peanuts! Now add to that dimension the width of the Styrofoam that you are using. Step 16: Secure the sides with plastic packing tape. We may or may not encounter a customer with fine artwork. It's all specially curated for you in our "I'm Moving" section. To encase your Styrofoam package you have the following options: Option 1: Slide the Styrofoam package into an existing cardboard box (if you have one); cut down the box to fit or fill in the gaps with bubble wrap. The measurement is now 36" x 42". Option 2: Making a cardboard “skin” for the Styrofoam package. In this example a 24" x 30" painting with a 4" frame width makes the outer dimensions 32" x 38". We suggest sticking with packing paper. Here are the Materials that you will need: This protects the frame’s finish from rubbing off while it is in transit. Build a customized crate, or take your artwork to a nearby The UPS Store ® location for professional packing backed by the Pack & Ship Guarantee. It is reusable, relatively inexpensive and extremely sturdy. Step 5: Cut strips to fit all around the frame. Pretty slick, ay? Here is an excellent way to pack your paintings for shipping. Step 2: Measure the outer dimension of the frame. And he uses PLENTY of the stuff, in two different bubble sizes! Therefore, make the bottom Styrofoam layer measurement 2 inches bigger on each side than the outside measurement of the frame. Without proper packing and protection, the paint on these works of art can crack, flake or even fade. Mark the cardboard the size of the Styrofoam package adding the height of the Styrofoam package on each side. It also keeps packing particles off of the painting. We may not need to go nearly as crazy – unless our customers want us to. Put the title of the painting, size and your name on the side and the top, along with your return address. Put the name of the painting, the size and your name on the side and top of the Styrofoam for easy identification. It is reusable, relatively inexpensive and extremely sturdy. We suggest sticking with packing paper. But they do exist, and what if those people are looking for someone who knows how to handle their oil paintings or other expensive paintings? Your galleries will love it and so will OPA and other shows. Long steel ruler or straight edge for marking, cutting and scoring lines. All rights reserved. (36" x 24" in our example), tape the layers together. First, he breaks out his Glassine at about the, Finally, at about 14:50 he talks about putting cardboard corners on. Watch from the 1:43 mark to hear the (probably obvious) reasons why. But they do exist, and what if those people are looking for someone who knows how to handle their oil paintings or other expensive paintings? First, he breaks out his Glassine at about the 1:23 mark. Cut the new piece of cardboard about 1/8th inch larger on each side. Mark your lines (36"x 42") on the Styrofoam with a marker. This makes it easier for a show/gallery to find your box in their storage and get your painting back to you safely in the correct box. But so are his customers. Pretty slick, ay? We come across large picture frames and mirrors often enough to know how to pack them. Whether your move is off in the distance or you already have one foot out the door, you'll learn about everything you should expect through our useful how-to's, cool articles and much more. If the glass breaks during the moving process, it can destroy the painting. It goes to about 3:50.). Making an X prevents the glass from shattering completely if it breaks, protecting the painting. But so are his customers. For rookies or veterans alike, our "I'm a Mover" section is filled with extensive industry news, crucial protips and in-depth guides written by industry professionals. Step 4: Center the painting onto the Styrofoam. (Start at the 2:35 mark. You have just created a sturdy interior package for your painting, but it needs an outside layer of cardboard before you ship it. We may or may not encounter a customer with fine artwork. Wrap them in newsprint – or better yet, large sheets of kraft paper or that brown paper the big guys always have on hand. And, as the guys in the following two videos prove, the ability to wield a tape gun can really come in handy. He also ensures the safety of the piece by placing a piece of cardboard over the front/glass side. Draw lines, score, and cut one line in each corner. In this first video, our host tackles his oil painting pack job by using foam board and a mini roll of shrink wrap to make what he calls a painting sandwich. © 2017 HireAHelper LLC. Make an X across the glass with masking tape if the painting is framed. For the specialized packing we are about to attack upon we’ll need a few things we might not normally have on hand: For that ultimate professional touch, we’ll arm ourselves with a couple of new weapons, namely artist tape and a type of water-resistant, grease-resistant paper called Glassine.