How Can I Send A Drawing By Mail
Introduction
I accept been in the gallery business since 1993. Though I now own Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale and Pinetop, AZ, I started in the business concern on the footing floor. My first task was in the backroom, shipping artwork for a Western art gallery in Scottsdale. The gallery had a high 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 important in making sure artwork arrived safely.
Over the years I certainly learned some lessons the hard way – not every slice arrived safely. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, artwork would be damaged by the commitment company, and sometimes, I would neglect a minor detail, resulting in a shipping disaster. Eventually I became quite practiced at it, and even though I somewhen moved into a sales position and ultimately opened my own gallery, I continued to sneak into the shipping room from time to time to go on in practise. To this day I will sometimes pack and send a slice myself – there'south something satisfying about the concrete act of shipping a slice of artwork.
Shipping is both science and art, and I would like to share with you lot some of the lessons and techniques I've learned over the years.
While aircraft is about 2d nature to me, I know that information technology poses a perplexing challenge for many artists and gallerists. I know this first 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 send their work effectively or they know but don't care very much. I promise I tin can brand your life a petty easier the adjacent time you have to ship a painting.
While this post will focus on aircraft 2-dimensional fine art – paintings, prints, photographs – I hope to take a companion postal service 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, there are no guarantees in the loonshit of aircraft fine art. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, artwork gets damaged in transit. I cannot guarantee every piece you ship using the techniques below will arrive safely, but this will assistance you lot improve your odds.
Another of import affair to remember is that each painting provides its own unique challenges. While these guidelines will piece of work in most cases, occasionally y'all will have to adapt them to encounter the needs of your individual situation.
My Goals when Shipping Art
When shipping artwork, before I begin I take iii key goals in mind. I accept listed them here in descending guild of importance.
Safe
1 of the worst imaginable calls in the art business organization is from a client who has received a piece of artwork damaged in transit. No matter how great a work of art is, no affair how well you accept served your collector, if the artwork arrives damaged your client is going to be upset. Afterward we'll talk over how to mitigate your client's frustration and plough the disaster into an opportunity to provide exceptional customer service, merely it's far better to avoid the damage in the first place.
In my experience, most damage can be avoided with careful planning and packing, and this should exist goal #1 when y'all are shipping art.
Professionalism
I have oft declared that artists and gallerists are as much in the performance art business organization every bit the visual art business. We want to convey to the collector that the work of art they only bought, or are considering buying, is a masterpiece. Everything nosotros do in human relationship to the concrete work of art should reinforce this message. When handling the art, nosotros should exercise then respectfully and almost reverentially. This applies to how the art is shipped also. When the art arrives on your client's doorstep, you want the packaging to look similar it is worthy of the artwork within, not something that brutal off the recycling truck.
Efficiency / Economy / Ecology
Finally, I don't desire my aircraft expenses to eat so far into my turn a profit margin that the sale becomes unprofitable. While safety and professionalism certainly come first, those concerns take to be balanced against your costs. Yes, you lot could lease a jet and hand-deliver the artwork to your client to make sure it arrives safely and professionally, just this approach would be neither economical nor efficient (probably non all that ecologically friendly either). Ultimately, I want to ship the artwork for the least price, while still maintaining safety and professionalism. These factors can be counterbalanced, and I am going to give yous communication that will salve yous money.
We are as well fortunate to live during a "greenish" revolution, when recycled materials and free energy efficient send is becoming more easily accessible. I try to utilize recycled materials wherever possible, and many transportation companies will allow you to buy carbon offsets for your shipments inexpensively. With a little conscientious planning y'all tin can minimize the environmental impact of your art aircraft activity.
The Right Tools for the Job
My father-in-police force is an chaser by day and an gorging woodworker by night and weekend. He has an amazing woodshop where he crafts fine piece of 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 inventiveness. He can envision a piece of furniture then engineer and execute a design that allows him to manifest the furniture precisely to his vision.
While his talent, skill, and inventiveness are vital to execute his work, none of it would be possible without the vast assortment of tools he has assembled over a lifetime of woodworking.
Fortunately aircraft is far less exacting than fine furniture making, but the importance of having and using the right tools is analogous. Your shipping will exist simpler and safer if you take the correct tools.
For about $100 you can get together a basic shipping toolkit. I have five favorite tools I apply consistently when shipping. While there may be a few boosted tools that will come up in handy from time to time, these tools are a skillful identify to offset.
Don't skimp on these tools. You may pay a little more to become high quality tools, but this investment will quickly pay off in increased productivity and professionalism. A good tool will last years; you'll want to rid yourself of a poor ane as speedily every bit possible. In other words, y'all'll actually spend less in the long run past buying and maintaining good quality tools.
My Shipping Toolkit Contains the Following:
Knife (Box Cutter)
A high quality, heavy-duty box cutter with lots of blades is one of your most important, well-nigh used tools. Once yous start aircraft seriously, you are going to exist cutting cardboard similar crazy. If your knife isn't sturdy and sharp, your cuts are going to be messy. A slow, or rickety knife will cause the cardboard to crumple and buckle rather than cut.
I alter the razor blades in my knife after every five packages – more than frequently if necessary. Blades are cheap, especially if yous buy them in bulk.
Tape Gun
For my tape gun, I prefer 1 with a handle that holds ii" packing tape. Find one that provides a way to adjust the gun's resistance, normally through a knob or spiral on the tape roller. You'll see why this is important afterward when I show you how to well-nigh effectively use the gun.
T-Foursquare
A good T-Square will aid you make straight, even cuts when modifying your boxes. The T-square is primarily used by builders who are installing drywall, which is typically 48" wide. I am going to recommend you buy your paper-thin in 48" widths, which makes this the perfect tool for measuring your cuts.
Sharpie
Nothing beats a Sharpie for marking your cardboard for cutting. A pencil works besides, and some might argue that an errant pencil mark is easier to conceal or erase, but I like to go my score marks downwardly quickly and boldly so there is no room for doubt. A marking line is hard to miss or confuse and is therefore ideal for marker upward your packing materials.
I buy the versatile Sharpie markers by the dozens and then I never have to worry virtually running brusk.
Box Sizer
All of the other tools in this list have been fairly mutual and are easy 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. Only it is indispensable one time you lot get the hang of using information technology. In essence, it is an adjustable tool that allows you to create even and smooth scores on cardboard. These scores and then allow you to fold the paper-thin wherever y'all need. With a box sizer y'all can modify boxes to fit your exact needs or fifty-fifty create boxes from raw cardboard. I really use this tool far more than ofttimes when packing sculpture, just information technology besides often comes in handy when battle up paintings.
Supplies
Just as having the right tools on hand makes it easier to pack your fine art professionally, having the correct supplies on hand volition simplify your shipping life and relieve you a lot of running around when you make a sale.
While packaging suppliers offering an overwhelming variety of supplies – boxes in every shape and size, tapes in every width, big bubbling, small bubbles, peanuts – you can meet near of your packing needs with just a small arsenal.
Again, the goal is to be able to practice the most with the least.
Here are the supplies I effort to have in my inventory at all times. While I occasionally have to special gild a box for a detail piece of work of fine art, ix times out of ten I can pack any two-dimensional artwork that comes my style using just these supplies:
Boxes
For my painting shipments I have three principal pic box sizes that I employ.
28" x 4" x 24"
37" x 4 3/8" x thirty"
36" x 6" x 42"
Your supplier's sizes may vary slightly, but near volition have boxes very close to these dimensions.
The 2 larger sizes are both telescoping boxes. Telescoping picture boxes are terrific considering you lot tin use only 1 if the artwork fits, or, if the work is larger than a single box, you can slide two boxes together to brand a larger box. With a piddling surgery yous can even slide four boxes together to accommodate still larger pieces.
The boxes are relatively inexpensive, and, when used properly, provide sufficient protection to keep your art safe in transit.
Palette Tape & Wrap (4" broad & 24" wide)
This versatile plastic wrap is perfect for giving your art a protective peel before boxing. Information technology is very similar to the plastic wrap you use in the kitchen to cover casseroles and other nutrient you want to keep fresh in the refrigerator. As the name implies, its main function is to wrap boxes on shipping palettes, but I will prove you lot below how you tin use the wrap as a protective coating around your art to protect against scratches and scuffs.
48" x 96" Cardboard Pads (single & double wall)
These are big, apartment sheets of cardboard that can be used anytime y'all need extra padding or wrapping. Yous'll see that I use these pads to provide an extra layer of paper-thin between your art and the world, only you lot tin also use them when you are customizing a box and finish up with a gap, or when you demand extra padding on a corner.
Bubble Wrap
Your kids (or grandkids (or yous!)) love stomping on bubble wrap to create the satisfying little "pop." Information technology might be a little difficult to believe that something that pops so easily has incredible ability to protect your precious paintings. While whatever private chimera is easy to pop, a sail of the bubbling, working in concert, draws a surprising corporeality of strength by distributing pressure and affect beyond a wide area.
Bubble wrap both cushions the art and fills space, preventing unwanted motility within your packaging. When aircraft paintings, chimera wrap should be your filler of choice – never employ styrofoam peanuts when aircraft paintings (more on this later).
I order two to 4 rolls at a time so that I always have plenty on hand. I do occasionally use the small-scale bubble diverseness, but the vast bulk of my shipments require me to use the larger, i" bubble rolls.
I used to lodge both 36" and 24" wide rolls, but I plant that I used far more of the 24" and, in the interest of space, decided to order only the 24" width, figuring that I can e'er use more than sheets for those occasions when I demand more width.
I also ever order bubble wrap that is already perforated at 12" intervals. The perforations brand measuring and cutting much easier and cleaner, and it costs the same as the not-perforated rolls.
We suspend the rolls on wires from the ceiling in our supply room so that the roll is out of the way and yet easy to admission and unroll.
Packing Tape
I'm only going to say this one time, but I'm going to say it emphatically:
Buy the very all-time packing tape you tin afford!
I know we're all on budgets, and we have to stretch to make those budgets see our always-increasing needs. While I empathize that every penny counts, packing tape is not an expanse where you should be pinching those pennies.
I have received packages before where the art was literally falling out of the box because the tape had failed to hold. Cheap tape is harder to apply and harder to cut, and it doesn't stick. You will end up having to use two to 3 times as much record to secure your boxes, and even then yous risk information technology not working finer.
Inexpensive packing tape may actually end up costing you more, not to mention a client, especially if your artwork is damaged because the record fails.
I always use three.5 mil (that's 3.5 thousandths of an inch) thick tape in 2" wide rolls. This volition normally be the heaviest duty choice available, but, when in doubt, ask your supplier what their best tape is, or just buy their nigh expensive selection.
"Fragile" Stickers
I can't remember where I heard it, but someone once said, "Plastering 'delicate' labels all over a packet but ensures that the commitment company will toss the parcel under-manus instead of throwing it over-manus."
This is probably true. I imagine that commitment company employees become pretty allowed to those stickers after a while.
Fifty-fifty so, I use large frail stickers on every shipment. The freight company might not pay much attention to them, but they make me feel better, and they let my clients know I care.
Packaging Procedures
At present that we have our tools and supplies together, we're ready to brainstorm boxing our first piece of art. Ideally, you would accept a dedicated shipping area in your studio where you continue all of your supplies and tools and have a large tabular array to piece of work from. If this isn't the case, clear the largest flat surface you can find – your dining room table is probably the next all-time candidate as it's improve to work at table height than on the floor.
Sizing
The kickoff step in packing a painting is determining which boxes and materials you are going to utilise and so planning how to use them optimally. This process begins by measuring your artwork.
I get-go past determining which outer box I am going to use. My general dominion of thumb is that I desire to notice a box that gives me a minimum clearance of about ii" all the way around the artwork.
Every bit an illustration, permit's say nosotros have an xviii" x 18" painting that is 1.5" deep. Nosotros will therefore need an outer box that is at least 22" x 22" and near five.v" thick.
In this instance, I would use my 28" ten 4" x 24" box. This is a picayune bigger than we need, simply because this bundle isn't large enough to incur dimensional weight (see section on dimensional weight below) we are going to exist charged by the weight of the box, not the size. And then this box will work simply fine.
You'll detect that the box depth isn't going to give me a full 2" clearance front end and back, but I'll have over an inch. If the piece isn't extremely delicate, this is okay. Depth isn't as large of an upshot as pinnacle and width because the edges and corners are the most harm-prone areas of the artwork. We are as well 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 globe and to run into our freight company's padding requirements. Near of the freight companies will merely cover damage in packaging that gives you this 2" buffer. Be sure and read your freight company'due south impairment and packaging policy to confirm you are meeting their requirements.
Dimensional Weight
Some other consideration when planning packaging is your freight company'southward dimensional weight policy. If your delivery company always charged you shipping fees based purely on the weight of your packet, computing and minimizing your shipping costs would be pretty easy. Unfortunately, this is not the instance. Because the size of a package impacts the number of packages a freight company can move simply as much as the weight does, the companies have come with a manner to account for both dimensions by calculating the "dimensional weight" of a package. If a bundle exceeds a certain size threshold, the carrier will charge you based on the size or the actual weight, whichever is greater.
Though this sounds complicated, it'south really pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to figure out. But contact your commitment company and ask them how they calculate dimensional weight and what their size thresholds are. Many of the companies volition list this info on their websites. The formula typically looks something like this:
L x West x H / 166
and the visitor might say that any package that has a full volume over 5,184 cubic inches has to employ the dimensional weight formula or the bodily weight, whichever is greater.
This happens to be UPS'due south current dimensional weight policy, which is why I'grand using it here, simply these formulas can change from fourth dimension to time, so brand sure yous are using up-to-date information.
In our instance so, we would commencement figure out the book of our box. Since we are using a 28" x 4" x 24" box, we multiply those three dimensions to calculate our volume, which happens to measure out to 2,688 cubic inches. Since nosotros are well under their v,184 cubic inch threshold, we don't have to worry about a big accuse for dimensional weight.
When shipping larger artwork, you can often run head starting time into this issue. Let'due south say nosotros had a painting that required a bigger box. If we used our 37" x 4 3/8" x 30" box, nosotros would find that our volume comes to 5,550 cubic inches. Since we've passed their threshold of 5,184 cubic inches, nosotros have to factor in the dimensional weight (5,550/166), which comes to a full of 33 lbs. So, even if the painting merely weighs 10 lbs, we're going to be charged for 33 lbs since the size takes upwardly so much infinite in their shipping van. Think of this extra charge as leasing van infinite.
Knowing this, if you find that the box has a lot of empty infinite inside, it might make sense to use a smaller box or to cut information technology down with the box sizer so that nosotros avoid the dimensional weight accuse. In this instance if we took simply iii" of the length or meridian of the box, we would be at 5,100 cubic inches and would only be charged for our actual weight.
Information technology however might not be worth the hassle to cutting the box down or get another box, but at the very least you should be aware of the impact that size has on your shipping costs.
Size Restrictions
You should also be aware that many of the common carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and the US Postal Service accept unique size restrictions. Check with them to notice out what those restrictions are. Exceeding these size restrictions will cause you to incur additional fees or force yous to seek out another delivery option.
The size of the artwork dictates the size of the final package, and there are going to be times when you lot simply have to get over the threshold for dimensional weight and conduct the additional costs. This is not the finish of the globe, though, and you should certainly never compromise the safety of your artwork simply to shave off a few inches to remain nether the thresholds. Over again, damaged artwork costs you far more than slightly college aircraft fees.
I will hash out how to send larger artwork in more depth below.
A Protective Skin of Plastic
I mentioned in a higher place that 1 of my essential supplies is palette wrap. I use the plastic wrap to protect paintings and frames from scratches and scuffs. There'due south nothing complicated about applying the wrap, but the secret is to pull the wrap tightly around the artwork, applying pressure level the entire fourth dimension y'all are wrapping the painting and so the wrap doesn't become bunched or tangled. With our instance painting at 18" x 18" nosotros only need to get around the art once to cover the unabridged surface. However, 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, but every bit you wrap a larger slice y'all'll run across exactly what I mean:
Start wrapping on the back of the artwork.
Your natural tendency is going to be to start on the front, simply if you lot start on the back and wrap at a straight bending all the way around once, y'all tin and so pull the wrap diagonally downward the dorsum side of the artwork to start your next row of wrap. By having your diagonals on the back, the front of the artwork is covered with polish, straight rows of plastic, which non simply protects the art itself, but also looks bonny to the customer upon opening. It's a small thing, but information technology will make the wrapping job look more than professional person.
Finally, and I'm not certain if this is superstition or scientific discipline, advisedly cut small slits in the dorsum of the plastic so that the art can breathe. I tin can't imagine breathability being a huge issue for the brief time most artwork spends in transit, but one could imagine a piece of artwork wrapped for likewise long having issues with trapped moisture or cracking. I don't know if this has been proven scientifically, but I can't see any harm in giving the art some air, so I do it.
Cardboard Padding
Now that we have given the artwork a skin of tightly wrapped plastic, nosotros'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 also assistance absorb shock if the package is dropped. Most shipping companies require that freight exist double-boxed before covering it for damage, and in my experience, this layer of cardboard has always satisfied the requirement for a second box.
As mentioned earlier, I always have 48" 10 96" sheets of paper-thin in inventory. I continue both single-wall and double-wall sheets on hand, but I almost always employ the unmarried-wall. It'south much, much easier to cut and fold, and in most cases it is more than sufficient protection. I just use double-wall cardboard when I am dealing with extremely heavy or delicate fine art.
Y'all will notice that the cardboard has a grain that runs the 48" length. This makes the lath easier to fold parallel to the 48" side. I effort to plan my folds then that they are on this axis. Typically, the best and nearly efficient manner to accomplish this is to have the longest side of the painting also parallel to this 48" side. You tin and 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 mensurate and marking the cardboard using your T-square and Sharpie. Use your box cutter to brand your cut. At present measure the length of the painting, add four inches, and cutting the paper-thin to the proper length (this cut volition be perpendicular to your original 48" side, and therefore is confronting the grain of the cardboard).
Now, lay the cardboard flat, identify the artwork roughly in the middle, and fold the ends over. Tape the overlap to seal the cardboard airtight. The cardboard volition naturally fold over the corners of your artwork if yous've followed my instructions well-nigh following the grain.
The ends of the inner-box will be open, and because nosotros allowed four extra inches at the end, y'all should have most 2 inches of empty infinite at either end. Instead of cutting and folding this extra space, simply squeeze the sides together to form a kind of triangle and tape it closed. Past taping the ends in this style, you are creating an additional buffer at the cease of the artwork that will act as a great daze absorber. I mentioned before that the edges of the artwork or frame are the most prone areas for damage, and past giving yourself this actress cushion, you accept given the two ends of your artwork an about impenetrable barrier.
Bubble Wrapping
Our final inner layer is chimera wrap. Simply like we did when we were wrapping the plastic around the art, we want to keep some tension on the bubble wrap every bit we are applying it to the artwork. Keeping the wrap tight will permit us to maintain clean edges and prevent bunching. I usually apply just ane layer of wrap to the large flat sides of the fine art – the chimera wrap isn't doing much in the way of protection here anyhow. Next, I most always apply a second layer of bubble wrap effectually the edges of the artwork. I do this past measuring enough bubble 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 about 72" (18" x 4"), but I would add an extra human foot or two to conform the layer of cardboard we added and to accept into account the fact that the corners will steal several inches from us due to the book of the bubbles.
The Outer Box
Now nosotros are ready to slide this whole, neat package into the cardboard box. We desire to fill up this outer box equally completely equally possible. The number one cause of impairment to frames and corners of the artwork is movement immune by extra infinite in the box. Yous can become near eliminating this space in one of two means. Showtime, you tin can cutting the box down to size (every bit mentioned above in the section on sizing), or you lot can fill whatsoever voids with bubble wrap. Either option is acceptable if you don't accept a lot of actress infinite. I usually cull the chimera wrap considering information technology takes less time than performing surgery on the box. Just keep the guidelines on carrier size restrictions in heed when making this determination.
If you practice terminate upward cutting the box down, I advise 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 go into a lot of detail about modifying the boxes because every surgical performance is going to be different depending on the size and shape of your art. Information technology will be easier to get good results if yous tape one end of the box airtight so that y'all are dealing with the box in its 3-D form instead of flat. If y'all minimize the cuts (I unremarkably only accept ane continuous cut all the mode around the box), yous tin telescope the parts of the box together to eliminate your actress space. Telescoping is nifty because it reduces waste and adds an extra layer of cardboard wherever the boxes overlap.
Taping
I consider sloppy taping a cardinal sin, and I want to devote an entire section of this document to the subject of taping.
The first pace to good taping is to use proficient tape. I said it above, but it bears repeating: Utilize the highest quality tape you lot can notice. Not only does adept tape adhere meliorate, information technology's easier to apply.
The next secret to expert taping is tension. Most every packing record gun allows y'all to command tension with a knob on the tape wheel. I suspect that many beginning shippers (and perhaps fifty-fifty some experienced ones) don't pay much attention to the tension, or they mistakenly think that the tension should be minimized so the tape rolls off more easily. Low tension will cause your tape to bunch and fold equally you lot are sealing your box, and it volition also get in nearly impossible to cut the tape.
To get the right tension, I first set it to where information technology is so tight that I can't pull the tape off the gyre without straining, then I loosen it simply a little and then that I no longer have to tug to get the tape off. In other words, you desire the tension just before it becomes impossible to dispense.
Applying the tape is a two-handed performance. When starting on a new seam, I concord the tape gun in my correct hand and employ my left hand to hold the record down at its starting point on the box. I pull the tape gun dorsum to unroll enough tape to cover the seam, but I do this several inches above the surface of the box. Once I have plenty tape, I keep it tight, line information technology up with the seam, and so lower information technology onto the box – keeping tension on the tape by pulling the gun.
Cutting the tape is an fine art. If you've tried information technology unsuccessfully, you know what I hateful. I in one case saw someone pull out a pair of scissors every time the tape needed to be cut because she hadn't mastered the art of using the record gun's built-in bract.
A video, or even better, an in-person tutorial would work all-time here, but since I tin can't do that, I'thousand going to exercise my all-time to describe the cutting procedure.
I desire to maintain this tension on the record, so I'chiliad going to continue pulling the tape gun toward me. Of form, pulling on the tape gun causes it to dispense more tape, and we don't want that to happen right now. I employ my correct pollex equally a brake, holding the whorl in place. I now take a couple of taut inches of tape extending from the box to the gun. The balance is in the wrist. I want the saw-blade knife on the gun to start cutting on one side of the tape. I'k not trying to cut the whole width at one time. I make this happen by turning my wrist in a clockwise motility while maintaining tension.
In brusque, the tape cutting procedure is a combination of tension created by my thumb holding the tape coil while I pull on the gun and twisting my wrist so the blade tin can seize with teeth through the tape.
Like shooting fish in a barrel!
I encourage y'all to tape all of the seams of your outer box, including the short seams at the ends of each flap. This may seem similar overkill, but any untaped seam is a potential snag, and if something catches under the seam, your box could hands be ripped open.
I besides always use tape all the way around the length and width of the packet to tighten everything up.
Dealing with Drinking glass
For those of y'all who are shipping watercolors, photography, prints, or anything else behind a panel of glass, let me first say I'k sorry. Shipping artwork behind drinking glass is about infinitely more difficult than aircraft anything else. Glass is and so susceptible to smashing in transit that some carriers refuse to insure anything that involves it.
Considering the slightest jolt or tension can cause your glass to shatter, information technology is even more than of import that you provide aplenty padding and eliminate all possible movement.
Every bit important as breakage prevention is, I feel it'due south even more important to call up about harm control. Basically, if the glass does pause, you want to apply added protection then it doesn't scratch, slash, or otherwise mangle your artwork. When I ship anything out with drinking glass in it, I simply assume information technology's going to suspension and so focus on making sure the shards don't destroy my artwork.
Many shipping supply companies sell 8-12" broad masking record that is peculiarly created for glass coverage (it doesn't get out a viscous gum residue on the glass when yous remove it). You 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 tape instead of slashing your artwork to shreds. 3M also makes a clear film that does the same thing.
Some other approach is to go out of the glass shipping business altogether. I know of an artist who does pastels, which are, of form, displayed backside glass. When a piece is sold, the artist takes the artwork to his framer, has the framer remove the glass and replace it with a canvass of clear plastic. He ships the piece to the client's local framer where he covers the cost of new glass. The artist has built the cost of doing this into his pricing. I'm non sure this would work for anybody, only it's certainly an choice to keep in mind.
Shipping
Now that we accept the artwork professionally boxed up, we're ready to go it on its style. There are a number of options available when it comes to choosing a commitment visitor, and I don't want to endorse any 1 in particular. Everyone seems to develop favorites, and if you've found 1 that works for you, stick with it. If you lot are dissatisfied, proceed trying different companies until you find one that makes y'all comfortable.
There are two general classes of delivery companies: the common carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, that primarily handle pocket-sized 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" x xl" or smaller using one of the common carriers. Anything larger will transport via a freight company or truck line.
If you are shipping infrequently, yous can simply driblet the package off at one of the carrier's retail locations, give them the delivery address and let them practise the residual. You lot volition be paying retail, but you lot'll too be saving yourself time and endeavour.
If you programme to transport in whatsoever kind of volume, however, you should ready up an account with the carrier and ship using their online service. This will relieve you lot coin, and ofttimes y'all tin schedule a delivery driver to selection up the parcel from your studio, saving y'all a drive as well.
If you start aircraft in even college volume, say an average of 10 pieces or more per month, you should talk to a sales representative for the company and ask if whatsoever volume discounts are available and if they would apply to your situation. Depending on your book, the savings could be significant.
About of these companies offer a diversity of options for commitment time. Footing shipments can take anywhere from a couple of days to over a week, depending on the distance and accessibility of your client. Y'all tin can also use their 3-day, 2-mean solar day, and overnight express services.
In theory, these expedited services are both faster and safer (the less time a package is in the commitment company's hands, the fewer opportunities they will have to damage it!), only the costs are and so prohibitive, particularly for larger packages, that in nearly cases ground service is the only practical option.
For larger pieces yous tin can use one of the trucking lines similar Conway or freight forwarders similar Bellair Limited. The freight forwarders may send the art via air, truck, or train, depending on your timing needs and budget. Unfortunately, many of these companies will just pick up from a commercial accost (rather than from a private accost) and may exist unwilling to come to your studio, no matter how hard you try to convince them it is a concern.
For more on shipping large piece of work, come across the section beneath on dealing with large paintings.
Some Things to Avoid
Up to at present we've discussed what you lot should exercise to ship your art safely and effectively. Now I would like to discuss some practices you should avoid.
Don't Allow Chimera Wrap to Come in Direct Contact with Your Art
Recently nosotros received a painting the artist wrapped using only bubble wrap. As I mentioned above, bubble wrap is smashing for padding your fine art in transit, simply it should not come in direct contact with the art.
When nosotros unwrapped the painting, we could come across that the bubble had stuck to the varnish. Removing it left an banner of the bubble wrap on the surface of the unabridged painting. From certain angles you could see the perfectly spaced imprints of the bubbles. Nosotros had to take the artwork re-varnished before we could present it to a client who had already purchased it.
Sometimes when delivering a piece of artwork directly to a client, I will wrap the painting with only chimera wrap, but when I practise this I make certain the bubbles are facing out so the flat side of the bubble wrap is turned toward the painting.
Don't Reuse Ugly Boxes
Recycling is both environmentally conscious and economic, but every cardboard box has a lifespan. Avoid pressing a box into service beyond that lifespan, especially if you are shipping to a client.
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 trouble. As an artist, yous want your client to feel that they are buying one of your masterpieces. You are sending the client exactly the opposite message if yous show them you feel the artwork isn't even worth the cost of a new box.
Don't Use Styrofoam Peanuts when Aircraft Paintings
As I stated in the shipping procedures section, bubble wrap is the correct cloth for filling voids in your boxes. Never use peanuts for this purpose.
There are 2 main reasons for this. The offset, and I'll admit it's a personal pet peeve, is that peanuts brand a huge mess. This is especially true when yous are aircraft 2-dimensional artwork. In that location is merely no mode to get a painting, photo or print out of a box filled with peanuts without disgorging them all over the unpacking expanse. Peanuts are very hard to clean up – they scatter before the broom and oftentimes, if they've picked up a static charge, volition literally spring out of the garbage can.
Second, and this is more important, peanuts don't piece of work in a painting box and tin can actually cause damage. Peanuts will settle to the bottom of the box, and as the box gets jostled virtually in transit, the bottom of the box will flex and aggrandize, assuasive more peanuts to concentrate there. The space at the summit of the box will be left unprotected.
Peanuts are keen for packing sculptures – they have no place in a painting box.
Insurance
In spite of your best efforts in padding and protecting your artwork, impairment is inevitable. Once 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 manner to completely eliminate the possibility of damage, then you lot should plan for its eventuality and consider purchasing insurance to protect confronting loss.
Yous can insure yourself confronting loss in several ways. First, you can buy the carrier'south insurance each fourth dimension yous ship a bundle. The delivery companies usually offer some minimal coverage by default, but this is ordinarily merely a few hundred dollars. For an additional charge y'all can add more coverage. You should be aware, nevertheless, that some of the companies limit their liability to $500 for fine art. Once more, these policies are e'er irresolute, so it'south worth visiting your shipping company'south website or calling them to confirm their limits for fine fine art.
If you lot are merely occasionally aircraft, carrier insurance is probably the simplest and most efficient way to insure the piece of work with the least hassle. If you ship regularly even so, it makes sense to have a business organisation insurance policy that covers your art not just while it is in transit, merely at all times. You'll pay far less in the long run for this kind of insurance than you will for the carrier coverage.
Talk to a concern insurance agent and they will be able to become you a quote. Nosotros have a business policy with a fine arts "floater," every bit well as an inland marine policy that gives the states additional coverage for artwork. I'll be honest, I don't know what "floater" means or how something called "inland marine" protects fine art, just we worked closely with our amanuensis to get the correct coverage, and we have always been protected on the rare occasions our art has suffered damage.
At that place is, of course, another choice: You tin can insure yourself. If you feel that the likelihood of impairment is modest enough, or that the price of insurance is too high, you can merely encompass the cost of whatsoever damage yourself.
I doubtable most artists follow this course, and I tin't fault those who do; in that location are only and then many dollars to go effectually, and insurance can't always be a top priority. Ofttimes, harm is repairable, and since y'all made the art you probably accept the perfect skillset to repair it!
Dealing with Damage
On the rare occasion that damage occurs, the mode in which you react will bear on your human relationship with your client and the likelihood that yous volition recover damages from your shipping company or insurance policy.
Starting time and foremost, it's important that you follow the procedures laid out earlier to ship the artwork safely. You are in a far better position if your client feels that you did everything in your power to protect the artwork. You are besides far more than likely to file a successful claim with the shipping or insurance company if you have met their aircraft requirements.
Reassure your customer that your are doing everything in your power to rectify the situation. At that place have been times where we have provided an immediate refund for their purchase so worked to get a replacement piece from the creative person.
Typically, when damage occurs, the shipping company will return the artwork to you. When the slice arrives, talk to both the aircraft company and your insurance adjuster to notice out how they would similar you to proceed. Certificate the damage to the packaging and to the artwork per their instructions. You tin can never accept too many photos or likewise much documentation.
Provide the aircraft company or insurance bureau all of the information they need in a timely manner.
Aircraft Larger Works
Equally I mentioned in the introduction, I relish shipping artwork from time to time. When I start opened my gallery, I would send everything from the smallest sculpture to the largest painting.
The techniques I've shared here piece of work bully for paintings up to near 48" x 48". Any artwork larger than this almost e'er requires a wooden crate for shipment. In the early days of my gallery I had access to a great woodshop, and I would build the crates myself.
I felt I not just enjoyed shipping, but was certainly saving money by doing all of the piece of work myself. Imagine my surprise when, several years subsequently opening the gallery, I had a local fine art crater ship a large painting and discovered that the total charges for his crating and shipping services came to less than what information technology would have cost me to ship the slice myself.
Considering the shipper did such a large book 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 than to ship the fine art myself, specially if I factored in the time.
Yous will probably find this to be the example for you likewise. When shipping large artwork, it volition probably ultimately save y'all coin to find someone locally to ship the work for you. Talk to other artists in your area and ask if they've found someone who does a good job at a reasonable cost. Unless you already have the tools and woodworking experience, it merely isn't worth the effort to ship larger pieces yourself.
Conclusion
Aircraft artwork can be a challenge and frustration, but it has really never been easier to ship than it is today. With the right tools, supplies and shipping procedures, you can transport your artwork safely and efficiently.
What have you learned by shipping your artwork? Do you take any tips or communication that might help other artists? Just desire to share feedback on this commodity? Leave your comments below.
Source: https://reddotblog.com/how-to-ship-paintings-a-step-by-step-guide-for-artists-and-galleries-21/
Posted by: rosstooll1958.blogspot.com
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