10 Pack 30x5x24 Cardboard Box Packing Shipping Carton Art Framed Picture Canvas
Introduction
I have been in the gallery business organization since 1993. Though I now own Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale and Pinetop, AZ, I started in the business organization on the ground floor. My outset job was in the backroom, shipping artwork for a Western art gallery in Scottsdale. The gallery had a loftier sales book, so I got a lot of experience packing, crating, and shipping art of every shape and size. I shipped paintings and sculptures large and small and learned what was of import in making sure artwork arrived safely.
Over the years I certainly learned some lessons the difficult way – not every piece arrived safely. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, artwork would be damaged by the delivery company, and sometimes, I would neglect a small item, resulting in a shipping disaster. Somewhen I became quite skillful at it, and even though I somewhen moved into a sales position and ultimately opened my ain gallery, I connected to sneak into the shipping room from time to fourth dimension to go along in practice. To this day I volition sometimes pack and transport a piece myself – there's something satisfying near the physical human action of shipping a piece of artwork.
Aircraft is both science and art, and I would like to share with you some of the lessons and techniques I've learned over the years.
While aircraft is near second nature to me, I know that it poses a perplexing challenge for many artists and gallerists. I know this commencement hand: Some of the boxes I receive at the gallery are packed atrociously. From these boxes it is clear many artists either don't know how to ship their work effectively or they know just don't care very much. I promise I can make your life a piddling easier the next time you have to ship a painting.
While this post will focus on shipping two-dimensional art – paintings, prints, photographs – I hope to accept a companion mail on aircraft sculpture in the side by side several months.
Disclaimer
While the advice I'm sharing with you comes from years of practice and experience, in that location are no guarantees in the arena of shipping fine fine art. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, artwork gets damaged in transit. I cannot guarantee every piece you lot ship using the techniques below will make it safely, but this will help you better your odds.
Another important thing to call up is that each painting provides its own unique challenges. While these guidelines will work in most cases, occasionally you will take to adapt them to meet the needs of your private situation.
My Goals when Aircraft Art
When shipping artwork, before I begin I have three key goals in mind. I accept listed them here in descending order of importance.
Safety
One of the worst imaginable calls in the fine art business is from a client who has received a piece of artwork damaged in transit. No affair how great a work of art is, no thing how well you lot have served your collector, if the artwork arrives damaged your customer is going to exist upset. Later we'll discuss how to mitigate your client'south frustration and turn the disaster into an opportunity to provide infrequent customer service, but it's far better to avoid the damage in the first place.
In my feel, nigh impairment can be avoided with careful planning and packing, and this should be goal #one when you are shipping fine art.
Professionalism
I take frequently declared that artists and gallerists are every bit much in the performance fine art business organisation every bit the visual art business. We desire to convey to the collector that the work of art they just bought, or are considering ownership, is a masterpiece. Everything nosotros exercise in relationship to the concrete piece of work of fine art should reinforce this bulletin. When handling the fine art, we should do so respectfully and most reverentially. This applies to how the art is shipped likewise. When the art arrives on your client's doorstep, y'all want the packaging to look similar it is worthy of the artwork within, not something that roughshod off the recycling truck.
Efficiency / Economy / Ecology
Finally, I don't want my shipping expenses to eat then far into my profit margin that the sale becomes unprofitable. While safety and professionalism certainly come up first, those concerns take to be counterbalanced against your costs. Yes, you lot could lease a jet and hand-deliver the artwork to your client to make sure information technology arrives safely and professionally, but this approach would be neither economical nor efficient (probably not all that ecologically friendly either). Ultimately, I want to ship the artwork for the to the lowest degree cost, while still maintaining rubber and professionalism. These factors can be balanced, and I am going to requite you advice that will salve you money.
Nosotros are also fortunate to live during a "dark-green" revolution, when recycled materials and free energy efficient transport is becoming more easily attainable. I try to use recycled materials wherever possible, and many transportation companies will allow you to buy carbon offsets for your shipments inexpensively. With a lilliputian careful planning you can minimize the ecology touch of your art aircraft activity.
The Right Tools for the Chore
My begetter-in-law is an attorney past 24-hour interval and an avid woodworker by night and weekend. He has an astonishing woodshop where he crafts fine furniture. I stand in awe of the finely detailed and precise work he does in the shop. His success is equal parts skill, practice, talent, and creativity. He can envision a piece of furniture and so engineer and execute a design that allows him to manifest the furniture precisely to his vision.
While his talent, skill, and creativity are vital to execute his work, none of it would be possible without the vast array of tools he has assembled over a lifetime of woodworking.
Fortunately shipping is far less exacting than fine article of furniture making, but the importance of having and using the correct tools is coordinating. Your shipping volition exist simpler and safer if you lot accept the right tools.
For about $100 you lot tin can assemble a bones shipping toolkit. I have v favorite tools I use consistently when shipping. While there may be a few boosted tools that volition come in handy from time to time, these tools are a good place to start.
Don't skimp on these tools. Yous may pay a little more than to get loftier quality tools, only this investment will quickly pay off in increased productivity and professionalism. A good tool volition last years; you'll want to rid yourself of a poor ane as apace as possible. In other words, you'll actually spend less in the long run by buying and maintaining good quality tools.
My Shipping Toolkit Contains the Following:
Pocketknife (Box Cutter)
A high quality, heavy-duty box cutter with lots of blades is one of your most important, almost used tools. Once you first shipping seriously, you are going to exist cut cardboard like crazy. If your knife isn't sturdy and sharp, your cuts are going to be messy. A dull, or rickety pocketknife volition cause the cardboard to crumple and buckle rather than cut.
I change the razor blades in my knife later on every v packages – more oftentimes if necessary. Blades are cheap, specially if y'all purchase them in bulk.
Tape Gun
For my record gun, I prefer i with a handle that holds 2" packing tape. Notice one that provides a way to arrange the gun's resistance, usually through a knob or screw on the tape roller. Y'all'll run into why this is of import later when I evidence you how to near finer use the gun.
T-Foursquare
A good T-Square volition aid you lot make straight, fifty-fifty cuts when modifying your boxes. The T-foursquare is primarily used past builders who are installing drywall, which is typically 48" broad. I am going to recommend you buy your cardboard in 48" widths, which makes this the perfect tool for measuring your cuts.
Sharpie
Naught beats a Sharpie for mark your paper-thin for cutting. A pencil works too, and some might argue that an errant pencil mark is easier to conceal or erase, only I like to become my score marks down quickly and boldly so at that place is no room for doubt. A marking line is hard to miss or confuse and is therefore ideal for marking up your packing materials.
I purchase the versatile Sharpie markers by the dozens so I never have to worry about running curt.
Box Sizer
All of the other tools in this list accept been adequately mutual and are like shooting fish in a barrel to find at your local hardware store. The last tool in my toolkit, the box sizer, is a tad more than specialized and may demand to be ordered online. But information technology is indispensable one time you get the hang of using it. In essence, it is an adaptable tool that allows you lot to create even and smooth scores on cardboard. These scores so permit yous to fold the paper-thin wherever you need. With a box sizer you can alter boxes to fit your exact needs or even create boxes from raw cardboard. I really utilise this tool far more frequently when packing sculpture, simply it besides often comes in handy when battle upwardly paintings.
Supplies
Just as having the right tools on hand makes it easier to pack your fine art professionally, having the right supplies on hand volition simplify your shipping life and salvage you a lot of running around when you lot brand a auction.
While packaging suppliers offer an overwhelming variety of supplies – boxes in every shape and size, tapes in every width, big bubbles, small-scale bubbling, peanuts – you tin can see virtually of your packing needs with just a minor arsenal.
Again, the goal is to be able to do the almost with the least.
Hither are the supplies I try to have in my inventory at all times. While I occasionally have to special order a box for a item work of art, 9 times out of ten I tin pack whatever two-dimensional artwork that comes my way using just these supplies:
Boxes
For my painting shipments I have three principal picture box sizes that I use.
28" x 4" x 24"
37" x 4 3/8" x 30"
36" x half dozen" 10 42"
Your supplier's sizes may vary slightly, but most will have boxes very shut to these dimensions.
The two larger sizes are both telescoping boxes. Telescoping motion-picture show boxes are terrific considering you can use but one if the artwork fits, or, if the work is larger than a unmarried box, you lot tin can slide two boxes together to make a larger box. With a piffling surgery you can even slide four boxes together to adapt still larger pieces.
The boxes are relatively cheap, and, when used properly, provide sufficient protection to keep your art safety in transit.
Palette Record & Wrap (4" wide & 24" wide)
This versatile plastic wrap is perfect for giving your art a protective skin earlier boxing. Information technology is very similar to the plastic wrap you lot use in the kitchen to cover casseroles and other food y'all want to keep fresh in the refrigerator. As the name implies, its chief function is to wrap boxes on shipping palettes, merely I will show you below how you lot can use the wrap as a protective coating around your art to protect against scratches and scuffs.
48" ten 96" Cardboard Pads (single & double wall)
These are large, flat sheets of cardboard that can be used anytime you need extra padding or wrapping. You lot'll see that I utilize these pads to provide an actress layer of cardboard between your art and the earth, but you tin can also use them when you are customizing a box and end up with a gap, or when you need extra padding on a corner.
Bubble Wrap
Your kids (or grandkids (or y'all!)) beloved stomping on bubble wrap to create the satisfying petty "pop." Information technology might exist a trivial difficult to believe that something that pops and then easily has incredible ability to protect your precious paintings. While whatever individual bubble is piece of cake to pop, a sheet of the bubbles, working in concert, draws a surprising corporeality of strength by distributing pressure and touch beyond a wide area.
Bubble wrap both cushions the fine art and fills infinite, preventing unwanted motion within your packaging. When aircraft paintings, chimera wrap should exist your filler of choice – never use styrofoam peanuts when shipping paintings (more than on this later).
I order 2 to 4 rolls at a time so that I e'er have enough on hand. I do occasionally use the small bubble diversity, only the vast majority of my shipments require me to use the larger, 1" bubble rolls.
I used to guild both 36" and 24" broad rolls, but I found that I used far more than of the 24" and, in the interest of space, decided to order only the 24" width, figuring that I tin can always apply more sheets for those occasions when I need more width.
I also always lodge bubble wrap that is already perforated at 12" intervals. The perforations brand measuring and cutting much easier and cleaner, and information technology costs the same as the not-perforated rolls.
We suspend the rolls on wires from the ceiling in our supply room so that the curlicue is out of the way and yet easy to access and unroll.
Packing Tape
I'yard only going to say this in one case, but I'one thousand going to say it emphatically:
Purchase the very best packing tape yous can afford!
I know we're all on budgets, and nosotros have to stretch to make those budgets meet our ever-increasing needs. While I understand that every penny counts, packing record is not an surface area where you should be pinching those pennies.
I take received packages before where the art was literally falling out of the box because the tape had failed to concur. Cheap tape is harder to apply and harder to cut, and information technology doesn't stick. You will stop up having to use two to three times as much tape to secure your boxes, and even then you risk it not working effectively.
Cheap packing tape may actually finish up costing yous more, not to mention a customer, especially if your artwork is damaged because the tape fails.
I always use 3.5 mil (that'south 3.5 thousandths of an inch) thick record in 2" wide rolls. This will normally be the heaviest duty selection bachelor, only, when in doubtfulness, ask your supplier what their all-time tape is, or simply purchase their most expensive option.
"Fragile" Stickers
I tin't remember where I heard information technology, merely someone once said, "Plastering 'fragile' labels all over a package only ensures that the delivery company volition toss the packet nether-hand instead of throwing it over-hand."
This is probably true. I imagine that delivery visitor employees go pretty allowed to those stickers afterward a while.
Notwithstanding, I use large delicate stickers on every shipment. The freight company might not pay much attention to them, but they make me experience amend, and they allow my clients know I intendance.
Packaging Procedures
Now that nosotros accept our tools and supplies together, we're set to begin battle our first piece of art. Ideally, you would have a defended shipping area in your studio where you proceed all of your supplies and tools and accept a big table to work from. If this isn't the instance, clear the largest flat surface you can observe – your dining room table is probably the next best candidate as it's better to work at table acme than on the floor.
Sizing
The commencement step in packing a painting is determining which boxes and materials you lot are going to use and then planning how to use them optimally. This process begins by measuring your artwork.
I get-go by determining which outer box I am going to utilize. My general rule of thumb is that I want to find a box that gives me a minimum clearance of well-nigh 2" all the way around the artwork.
As an illustration, let's say nosotros have an eighteen" x 18" painting that is 1.five" deep. Nosotros volition therefore need an outer box that is at least 22" x 22" and about five.v" thick.
In this instance, I would use my 28" 10 iv" x 24" box. This is a trivial bigger than we need, but because this package isn't large enough to incur dimensional weight (run across section on dimensional weight below) we are going to exist charged past the weight of the box, not the size. And so this box volition work only fine.
You'll discover that the box depth isn't going to requite me a full ii" clearance front end and back, merely I'll have over an inch. If the piece isn't extremely delicate, this is okay. Depth isn't as big of an issue every bit height and width because the edges and corners are the most impairment-prone areas of the artwork. Nosotros are too going to be double-boxing our artwork, which gives us an added layer of protection.
The ultimate goal of sizing is to give ourselves enough room to buffer the artwork from the outside world and to see our freight company's padding requirements. Most of the freight companies will but comprehend damage in packaging that gives you this 2" buffer. Be sure and read your freight company'due south damage and packaging policy to ostend you are coming together their requirements.
Dimensional Weight
Another consideration when planning packaging is your freight company'due south dimensional weight policy. If your commitment company e'er charged you lot shipping fees based purely on the weight of your parcel, calculating and minimizing your shipping costs would exist pretty easy. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Because the size of a bundle impacts the number of packages a freight company can movement only as much equally the weight does, the companies take come up with a way to account for both dimensions by computing the "dimensional weight" of a package. If a packet exceeds a sure size threshold, the carrier volition charge you based on the size or the actual weight, whichever is greater.
Though this sounds complicated, information technology'south really pretty easy to figure out. Just contact your delivery company and ask them how they summate dimensional weight and what their size thresholds are. Many of the companies will list this info on their websites. The formula typically looks something like this:
Fifty x Due west x H / 166
and the visitor might say that any package that has a full volume over 5,184 cubic inches has to use the dimensional weight formula or the bodily weight, whichever is greater.
This happens to be UPS's current dimensional weight policy, which is why I'm using it hither, merely these formulas can change from fourth dimension to time, so make sure you lot are using upward-to-date information.
In our example then, nosotros would first figure out the volume of our box. Since we are using a 28" x 4" x 24" box, we multiply those 3 dimensions to calculate our volume, which happens to measure out to ii,688 cubic inches. Since nosotros are well under their five,184 cubic inch threshold, we don't accept to worry virtually a big charge for dimensional weight.
When shipping larger artwork, yous tin often run head offset into this result. Let's say nosotros had a painting that required a bigger box. If we used our 37" x 4 iii/viii" x 30" box, nosotros would find that our volume comes to v,550 cubic inches. Since we've passed their threshold of 5,184 cubic inches, we have to gene in the dimensional weight (five,550/166), which comes to a full of 33 lbs. So, even if the painting simply weighs ten lbs, we're going to exist charged for 33 lbs since the size takes upward so much space in their shipping van. Call up of this extra charge as leasing van space.
Knowing this, if you notice that the box has a lot of empty infinite inside, it might make sense to apply a smaller box or to cut it down with the box sizer so that we avert the dimensional weight charge. In this case if nosotros took merely 3" of the length or top of the box, we would be at 5,100 cubic inches and would only exist charged for our bodily weight.
It nonetheless might not be worth the hassle to cut the box down or get another box, but at the very least you should be enlightened of the impact that size has on your shipping costs.
Size Restrictions
You should also exist aware that many of the mutual carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and the US Postal Service have unique size restrictions. Bank check with them to notice out what those restrictions are. Exceeding these size restrictions will cause you to incur additional fees or forcefulness you to seek out another delivery option.
The size of the artwork dictates the size of the final packet, and there are going to exist times when yous simply accept to go over the threshold for dimensional weight and comport the additional costs. This is non the end of the world, though, and you should certainly never compromise the safety of your artwork only to shave off a few inches to remain under the thresholds. Once again, damaged artwork costs you far more than slightly higher shipping fees.
I will discuss how to transport larger artwork in more depth below.
A Protective Skin of Plastic
I mentioned above that ane of my essential supplies is palette wrap. I use the plastic wrap to protect paintings and frames from scratches and scuffs. There's zero complicated about applying the wrap, but the secret is to pull the wrap tightly around the artwork, applying pressure level the entire fourth dimension you are wrapping the painting so the wrap doesn't become bunched or tangled. With our example painting at eighteen" x eighteen" nosotros but need to go around the art once to cover the entire surface. Still, with larger pieces y'all should pass the wrap over the surface multiple times to cover all of the artwork.
This next tip is hard to explain on paper, only as you wrap a larger slice yous'll see exactly what I mean:
Commencement wrapping on the back of the artwork.
Your natural tendency is going to be to start on the forepart, but if you start on the back and wrap at a directly angle all the way around one time, you lot can and then pull the wrap diagonally downwardly the back side of the artwork to get-go your side by side row of wrap. By having your diagonals on the back, the front of the artwork is covered with polish, direct rows of plastic, which non just protects the art itself, but likewise looks attractive to the customer upon opening. It'due south a small thing, merely information technology volition brand the wrapping chore await more professional person.
Finally, and I'1000 not sure if this is superstition or science, advisedly cut small slits in the back of the plastic and so that the art tin breathe. I can't imagine breathability being a huge event for the brief time most artwork spends in transit, but 1 could imagine a slice of artwork wrapped for as well long having issues with trapped moisture or peachy. I don't know if this has been proven scientifically, but I can't run across any harm in giving the art some air, so I practise it.
Cardboard Padding
Now that we have given the artwork a skin of tightly wrapped plastic, we're ready to add a thicker, stiffer layer of protective cardboard. This inner layer of cardboard is going to create a kind of second box that will greatly diminish the possibility of having a foreign object pierce or scuff your artwork. This box will besides help absorb shock if the package is dropped. Near shipping companies crave that freight exist double-boxed before covering it for damage, and in my feel, this layer of cardboard has always satisfied the requirement for a second box.
As mentioned earlier, I always have 48" x 96" sheets of paper-thin in inventory. I proceed both single-wall and double-wall sheets on paw, but I almost e'er use the single-wall. It's much, much easier to cut and fold, and in most cases it is more than sufficient protection. I only use double-wall cardboard when I am dealing with extremely heavy or frail fine art.
Y'all will discover that the cardboard has a grain that runs the 48" length. This makes the board easier to fold parallel to the 48" side. I try to plan my folds so that they are on this axis. Typically, the all-time and most efficient style to achieve this is to accept the longest side of the painting as well parallel to this 48" side. You can then measure the width of the painting and double it, measure the depth of the painting and double that, then add a few inches for good measure out and mark the paper-thin using your T-square and Sharpie. Use your box cutter to make your cut. Now measure the length of the painting, add four inches, and cutting the cardboard to the proper length (this cut will be perpendicular to your original 48" side, and therefore is against the grain of the cardboard).
Now, lay the cardboard flat, place the artwork roughly in the eye, and fold the ends over. Tape the overlap to seal the cardboard closed. The cardboard will naturally fold over the corners of your artwork if y'all've followed my instructions about following the grain.
The ends of the inner-box will be open, and because we allowed four extra inches at the end, you lot should have about two inches of empty space at either cease. Instead of cutting and folding this actress space, simply squeeze the sides together to form a kind of triangle and tape it closed. Past taping the ends in this way, you are creating an additional buffer at the end of the artwork that will act as a great stupor absorber. I mentioned earlier that the edges of the artwork or frame are the virtually prone areas for damage, and past giving yourself this extra cushion, you have given the ii ends of your artwork an almost impenetrable barrier.
Bubble Wrapping
Our final inner layer is chimera wrap. Just like we did when we were wrapping the plastic effectually the fine art, we want to go on some tension on the bubble wrap every bit nosotros are applying information technology to the artwork. Keeping the wrap tight volition allow us to maintain clean edges and prevent bunching. I commonly apply only one layer of wrap to the large flat sides of the art – the bubble wrap isn't doing much in the way of protection hither anyway. Adjacent, I almost always utilise a second layer of bubble wrap around the edges of the artwork. I exercise this by measuring enough chimera to completely circumvolve the edges of the artwork. I fold the bubble in half lengthwise and then tape it to the edges of the painting. For our example artwork, we would need nigh 72" (18" x 4"), but I would add together an extra foot or 2 to accommodate the layer of cardboard nosotros added and to take into account the fact that the corners will steal several inches from u.s. due to the book of the bubbles.
The Outer Box
Now we are ready to slide this whole, bully package into the paper-thin box. We desire to fill this outer box as completely every bit possible. The number 1 cause of impairment to frames and corners of the artwork is motility allowed by extra space in the box. You can go well-nigh eliminating this space in 1 of two ways. First, you can cut the box down to size (equally mentioned above in the section on sizing), or you tin can fill any voids with bubble wrap. Either option is adequate if you don't take a lot of extra space. I ordinarily choose the bubble wrap considering it takes less time than performing surgery on the box. Just keep the guidelines on carrier size restrictions in listen when making this decision.
If you do end up cutting the box down, I suggest you use your T-square and Sharpie to create straight cuts. Your box will look much better if all of your cuts are straight.
I won't become into a lot of detail about modifying the boxes because every surgical operation is going to be different depending on the size and shape of your art. It will exist easier to get adept results if you lot record 1 terminate of the box closed so that you are dealing with the box in its three-D form instead of flat. If you minimize the cuts (I ordinarily only take one continuous cut all the mode around the box), you can telescope the parts of the box together to eliminate your extra space. Telescoping is slap-up considering information technology reduces waste and adds an extra layer of cardboard wherever the boxes overlap.
Taping
I consider sloppy taping a fundamental sin, and I want to devote an unabridged section of this document to the subject field of taping.
The first step to skilful taping is to use good record. I said it above, but it bears repeating: Use the highest quality record you tin can find. Not just does good tape adhere ameliorate, information technology's easier to apply.
The next hole-and-corner to proficient taping is tension. Nearly every packing tape gun allows you to control tension with a knob on the tape wheel. I suspect that many beginning shippers (and perhaps even some experienced ones) don't pay much attention to the tension, or they mistakenly remember that the tension should exist minimized so the record rolls off more easily. Depression tension volition cause your record to bunch and fold as you are sealing your box, and it will also brand information technology nearly impossible to cutting the tape.
To get the right tension, I first prepare it to where it is then tight that I can't pull the tape off the curlicue without straining, and so I loosen it just a little so that I no longer take to tug to get the tape off. In other words, yous want the tension just before it becomes incommunicable to dispense.
Applying the tape is a two-handed operation. When starting on a new seam, I hold the record gun in my right manus and utilise my left mitt to concur the tape down at its starting bespeak on the box. I pull the tape gun back to unroll plenty tape to cover the seam, but I do this several inches above the surface of the box. In one case I have plenty tape, I keep it tight, line it up with the seam, and then lower it onto the box – keeping tension on the tape by pulling the gun.
Cutting the tape is an fine art. If you've tried it unsuccessfully, you know what I mean. I once saw someone pull out a scissors every time the tape needed to be cut because she hadn't mastered the art of using the tape gun's built-in bract.
A video, or even better, an in-person tutorial would piece of work best hither, but since I can't practise that, I'chiliad going to do my all-time to draw the cutting procedure.
I want to maintain this tension on the tape, so I'm going to continue pulling the tape gun toward me. Of grade, pulling on the tape gun causes information technology to dispense more record, and nosotros don't want that to happen correct now. I utilise my correct thumb as a restriction, holding the roll in place. I now have a couple of taut inches of record extending from the box to the gun. The rest is in the wrist. I want the saw-blade knife on the gun to get-go cut on one side of the record. I'm not trying to cutting the whole width at once. I make this happen by turning my wrist in a clockwise motion while maintaining tension.
In curt, the record cutting process is a combination of tension created by my thumb property the tape scroll while I pull on the gun and twisting my wrist and so the bract tin can bite through the tape.
Piece of cake!
I encourage y'all to record all of the seams of your outer box, including the short seams at the ends of each flap. This may seem like overkill, but any untaped seam is a potential snag, and if something catches under the seam, your box could easily be ripped open.
I besides always apply tape all the fashion around the length and width of the parcel to tighten everything upwardly.
Dealing with Glass
For those of you who are shipping watercolors, photography, prints, or annihilation else behind a panel of drinking glass, let me first say I'm sad. Shipping artwork behind glass is almost infinitely more than hard than shipping anything else. Glass is and then susceptible to slap-up in transit that some carriers refuse to insure annihilation that involves information technology.
Because the slightest jolt or tension tin cause your glass to shatter, it is fifty-fifty more important that you provide ample padding and eliminate all possible movement.
As important every bit breakage prevention is, I feel it'due south even more of import to retrieve about harm control. Basically, if the glass does break, you desire to apply added protection so it doesn't scratch, slash, or otherwise mangle your artwork. When I ship anything out with glass in it, I simply assume it's going to break and so focus on making sure the shards don't destroy my artwork.
Many shipping supply companies sell 8-12" broad masking tape that is peculiarly created for drinking glass coverage (it doesn't leave a sticky mucilage residue on the glass when you remove information technology). Y'all can apply this tape to the entire surface of the glass, and, if the glass should happen to break, the resulting shards will stick to the record instead of slashing your artwork to shreds. 3M besides makes a articulate moving-picture show that does the same affair.
Some other approach is to get out of the glass aircraft business altogether. I know of an creative person who does pastels, which are, of course, displayed behind drinking glass. When a piece is sold, the artist takes the artwork to his framer, has the framer remove the drinking glass and replace it with a sheet of clear plastic. He ships the piece to the client's local framer where he covers the cost of new drinking glass. The artist has congenital the cost of doing this into his pricing. I'thou not sure this would work for everyone, but it'southward certainly an choice to keep in mind.
Shipping
Now that we take the artwork professionally boxed up, we're fix to get it on its style. There are a number of options bachelor when it comes to choosing a commitment company, and I don't want to endorse any one in particular. Everyone seems to develop favorites, and if you lot've found one that works for you, stick with it. If yous are dissatisfied, keep trying unlike companies until you find one that makes you comfy.
There are two general classes of delivery companies: the common carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, that primarily handle modest to moderately sized packages, and the larger freight companies and freight forwarders that deal with larger shipments.
Generally, we will send anything that is 30" ten 40" or smaller using one of the common carriers. Anything larger volition ship via a freight company or truck line.
If you are shipping infrequently, you can simply driblet the package off at i of the carrier'due south retail locations, give them the delivery address and let them do the remainder. You will be paying retail, merely you'll also exist saving yourself time and effort.
If you program to send in any kind of book, however, you should fix up an account with the carrier and ship using their online service. This will save yous money, and frequently yous tin schedule a delivery driver to pick upwardly the bundle from your studio, saving you a drive likewise.
If you start shipping in even higher book, say an average of 10 pieces or more per month, you should talk to a sales representative for the visitor and ask if any volume discounts are available and if they would apply to your state of affairs. Depending on your volume, the savings could be significant.
Most of these companies offering a variety of options for delivery fourth dimension. Ground shipments can take anywhere from a couple of days to over a week, depending on the altitude and accessibility of your customer. You tin also utilise their three-solar day, 2-day, and overnight express services.
In theory, these expedited services are both faster and safer (the less time a bundle is in the delivery company'due south hands, the fewer opportunities they will have to damage it!), but the costs are and so prohibitive, especially for larger packages, that in nearly cases ground service is the only practical pick.
For larger pieces you can use one of the trucking lines like Conway or freight forwarders like Bellair Express. The freight forwarders may ship the fine art via air, truck, or railroad train, depending on your timing needs and budget. Unfortunately, many of these companies will only pick up from a commercial address (rather than from a private address) and may be unwilling to come up to your studio, no matter how hard you try to convince them information technology is a business.
For more than on shipping large work, see the section below on dealing with big paintings.
Some Things to Avoid
Up to now we've discussed what y'all should do to ship your fine art safely and effectively. At present I would like to discuss some practices you should avoid.
Don't Allow Bubble Wrap to Come in Straight Contact with Your Art
Recently we received a painting the artist wrapped using merely bubble wrap. As I mentioned above, bubble wrap is bang-up for padding your art in transit, just it should not come up in direct contact with the art.
When we unwrapped the painting, nosotros could see that the bubble had stuck to the varnish. Removing information technology left an banner of the chimera wrap on the surface of the entire painting. From certain angles you could see the perfectly spaced imprints of the bubbling. Nosotros had to accept the artwork re-varnished before we could present it to a client who had already purchased it.
Sometimes when delivering a slice of artwork directly to a client, I will wrap the painting with but bubble wrap, just when I do this I make sure the bubbles are facing out then the flat side of the bubble wrap is turned toward the painting.
Don't Reuse Ugly Boxes
Recycling is both environmentally conscious and economical, merely every cardboard box has a lifespan. Avoid pressing a box into service beyond that lifespan, especially if you are shipping to a customer.
Even a new box is going to show signs of wear and tear when it arrives at your customer's doorstep. Using an old box is inviting problem. As an artist, you want your client to feel that they are buying one of your masterpieces. You lot are sending the client exactly the opposite bulletin if you evidence them you feel the artwork isn't even worth the toll of a new box.
Don't Utilize Styrofoam Peanuts when Shipping Paintings
Every bit I stated in the shipping procedures section, bubble wrap is the correct material for filling voids in your boxes. Never utilize peanuts for this purpose.
There are two main reasons for this. The first, and I'll admit information technology's a personal pet peeve, is that peanuts make a huge mess. This is specially true when you are aircraft two-dimensional artwork. In that location is simply no way to become a painting, photo or print out of a box filled with peanuts without disgorging them all over the unpacking area. Peanuts are very difficult to make clean up – they scatter before the broom and ofttimes, if they've picked up a static charge, volition literally jump out of the garbage can.
Second, and this is more important, peanuts don't work in a painting box and can actually crusade damage. Peanuts will settle to the bottom of the box, and as the box gets jostled near in transit, the bottom of the box will flex and expand, allowing more peanuts to concentrate there. The infinite at the pinnacle of the box volition be left unprotected.
Peanuts are great for packing sculptures – they accept no place in a painting box.
Insurance
In spite of your best efforts in padding and protecting your artwork, damage is inevitable. In one case your artwork leaves your easily, it is passing into a vast and complicated shipping network with lots of moving parts. In that location is no style to completely eliminate the possibility of damage, then you should plan for its eventuality and consider purchasing insurance to protect against loss.
You can insure yourself against loss in several means. First, you tin buy the carrier's insurance each time you transport a bundle. The delivery companies unremarkably offer some minimal coverage by default, but this is usually just a few hundred dollars. For an additional charge you can add more than coverage. You should exist aware, all the same, that some of the companies limit their liability to $500 for fine art. Over again, these policies are always changing, so information technology's worth visiting your shipping company's website or calling them to ostend their limits for fine fine art.
If you are only occasionally aircraft, carrier insurance is probably the simplest and most efficient way to insure the work with the least hassle. If you ship regularly still, it makes sense to have a business insurance policy that covers your fine art not only while information technology is in transit, but at all times. Y'all'll pay far less in the long run for this kind of insurance than y'all will for the carrier coverage.
Talk to a business insurance agent and they will be able to get yous a quote. We have a business policy with a fine arts "floater," as well every bit an inland marine policy that gives u.s.a. additional coverage for artwork. I'll be honest, I don't know what "floater" ways or how something called "inland marine" protects art, but we worked closely with our agent to become the right coverage, and we have always been protected on the rare occasions our art has suffered impairment.
There is, of course, another option: You tin insure yourself. If y'all feel that the likelihood of damage is small enough, or that the cost of insurance is as well high, you can just cover the cost of whatsoever damage yourself.
I suspect most artists follow this course, and I tin't fault those who exercise; there are but so many dollars to go around, and insurance can't always be a peak priority. Often, impairment is repairable, and since you lot made the fine art you probably take the perfect skillset to repair it!
Dealing with Damage
On the rare occasion that damage occurs, the manner in which you react will affect your relationship with your customer and the likelihood that you will recover amercement from your shipping visitor or insurance policy.
Start and foremost, it's of import that you follow the procedures laid out before to send the artwork safely. You are in a far better position if your client feels that yous did everything in your power to protect the artwork. You are also far more than probable to file a successful claim with the shipping or insurance company if yous accept met their shipping requirements.
Reassure your client that your are doing everything in your power to rectify the state of affairs. There have been times where we accept provided an firsthand refund for their purchase and so worked to get a replacement piece from the artist.
Typically, when damage occurs, the shipping company will return the artwork to you. When the piece arrives, talk to both the aircraft company and your insurance adjuster to discover out how they would like you to proceed. Document the damage to the packaging and to the artwork per their instructions. You can never take besides many photos or too much documentation.
Provide the aircraft visitor or insurance bureau all of the information they need in a timely fashion.
Shipping Larger Works
As I mentioned in the introduction, I savor shipping artwork from time to time. When I get-go opened my gallery, I would ship everything from the smallest sculpture to the largest painting.
The techniques I've shared here work great for paintings up to well-nigh 48" x 48". Any artwork larger than this almost always requires a wooden crate for shipment. In the early days of my gallery I had admission to a cracking woodshop, and I would build the crates myself.
I felt I non only enjoyed shipping, but was certainly saving money by doing all of the work myself. Imagine my surprise when, several years subsequently opening the gallery, I had a local art crater send a big painting and discovered that the full charges for his crating and shipping services came to less than what it would have cost me to send the slice myself.
Considering the shipper did such a big volume of shipping, he was able to achieve economies of scale with his materials and got a huge volume discount in his freight charges. It was actually costing me more to send the fine art myself, especially if I factored in the fourth dimension.
You will probably observe this to be the case for you also. When shipping big artwork, it will probably ultimately save you money to find someone locally to ship the work for yous. Talk to other artists in your area and inquire if they've constitute someone who does a adept job at a reasonable price. Unless you already accept the tools and woodworking experience, information technology simply isn't worth the endeavor to ship larger pieces yourself.
Conclusion
Aircraft artwork tin be a challenge and frustration, but it has actually never been easier to ship than it is today. With the right tools, supplies and shipping procedures, y'all can transport your artwork safely and efficiently.
What have yous learned past aircraft your artwork? Do you have any tips or advice that might help other artists? Just want to share feedback on this article? Leave your comments below.
Source: https://reddotblog.com/how-to-ship-paintings-a-step-by-step-guide-for-artists-and-galleries-21/
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