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HOW TO PACK AND SHIP YOUR WORK



When you select packaging for your work, you need to ensure that the work will be safe during transportation, especially for fragile materials. You can select the best way of packing your work based on the size and medium used.

There are multiple ways to pack 2D artwork such as:

  • Flat Packing
  • Tube Packing
  • Crating



1. Flat Packing

In flat packing, the artwork is wrapped in butter paper, secured onto two pieces of hardboard, bubble wrapped and packed in cardboard.

A rigid container or a crate is not used.

Materials Required:

  • Butter paper / Glassine paper / acid-free archival tissue paper
  • Plastic sheeting / poly wrap / heavy plastic bag
  • Bubble wrap
  • Ply wood / Foam board at least ½” thick / two-ply cardboard / any other hard board
  • Packing tape
  • Cardboard to wrap the package in
  • Cardboard box (optional)




2. Tube Packing

This type of packaging is when the artwork is carefully rolled onto a pipe

and inserted into a mailing tube with caps on either end to seal it.

OR

The work is wrapped in butter paper and carefully rolled into a mailing tube with caps on either end to seal it.

Materials Required:

  • Butter paper / Glassine paper / acid-free archival tissue paper
  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing tape
  • Mailing tube with plastic end caps (depending on the size of your canvas / artwork).
  • A second tube of smaller diameter for inner support (You’ll roll your artwork around this tube and insert it inside the larger tube.) (optional – this is useful if the artwork is larger than A3 size)





3. Crating

Crating is when an artwork is packed in a customized container for the work.

Note: Crating can be used for packing framed works.

Materials Required:

  • Butter paper / Glassine paper / acid-free archival tissue paper
  • Plastic sheeting / poly wrap / heavy plastic bag
  • Bubble wrap
  • Foam board at least ½” thick / two-ply cardboard
  • Packing tape
  • Cardboard to wrap the package in
  • Painters tape (if packing a glass frame)
  • Shredded or wadded white paper
  • Very sturdy cardboard box if framed artwork is small / Custom wooden crate if framed artwork is large


Do’s

Protect artwork from moisture (therefore, use a plastic sheet to cover the package, you can also use tape to seal areas of the package where you think water can enter from).

Make sure the board / box you are securing the artwork in is larger than the artwork by at least 2- 3 inches (you can tape the artwork— which is wrapped in butter paper—in the middle of the board/box to secure it)

Make sure to secure the package in bubble wrap and tape it well.

Fix the shipping label to the package and cover it (completely) with clear tape so it does not come off during shipment (Shipping label should have 1. The name of the buyer; 2. Their address and 3. Their contact number so the buyer can be reached by the courier service if need be).

If you are sending framed artwork, use artist tape / masking tape (a wide one) to tape the glass in a star pattern (that way, if it were to break during transit it wouldn’t damage your artwork).


Dont’s

Do not use tape on the artwork (front or back) (always wrap artwork in butter paper, so you can tape the bubble wrap to position and secure the artwork while preparing the package). 

If you are rolling your artwork, make sure you roll it with butter paper and do not roll it too tightly.


Resources

https://support.saatchiart.com/hc/en-us/articles/205288937-How-do-I-package-a-painting-

https://www.artandwriting.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2019-Shipping-Packing-Instructions.pdf

https://reddotblog.com/how-to-ship-paintings-a-step-by-step-guide-for-artists-and-galleries/

https://adcfineart.com/blogs/news/how-to-pack-paintings-for-shipping