Transporting and Storing Paintings
When you have completed a number of canvases, or only one, you'll want to store?or?travel with your piece. You should consider purchasing a flat file drawer cabinet to keep your pieces safe. If you want to travel, you'll need to invest in proper materials for transporting and protecting your art. Perhaps you have a collection of paintings that need to be shipped or perhaps you have a painting to give as a gift. No matter what, there are many options of packing materials and painting transport methods to choose from.
Transporting Paintings
Question: HI, I have a gallery show opening soon and I have no idea what sort of packaging material I need to transport and protect my paintings in, or where to get it. Can you help? THANKS Hello, That is not an easy question to answer. We use "corner protectors" from Cylix (http://www.peepsquirrel.com/) & Bubble-wrap and boxes from Uline (www.Uline.com.) You can tell them we sent you. There are companies that specialize in transporting artwork. Go to www.google.com and type in a search for "protect paintings during transport." Here are some more tips on transporting paintings from ArtLine: Tips For Shipping Art When you ship a work of art, its fate is in the hands of strangers. Fortunately, mishaps are infrequent. All the same, poor packaging is the single greatest cause of damage. Moreover, indifferent labeling and ignorance as to what takes place after the artwork leaves your studio are prescriptions for trouble. For many years, galleries, museums, artists and owners of artworks have grappled with how to pack and transport a work of art safely and securely. It?s never been anyone?s favorite part of the business. Some people believe safe packing and shipping are serious problems only in the cases of centuries-old works of art. But problems of fragility is not limited to the Old Masters. Modern and contemporary artists often use experimental artistic methods. Painting can crack, flake, or simply fall apart. Though the needs of each artist are likely to be different, all shippers need to consider these time-tested factors when shipping artwork: the physical characteristics of the object, the distance to be transported, mode of transportation, value of the item?s), the time of year it is to be shipped, and the number of locations where the art may be unloaded will each determine the levels of interior and exterior packing requirements. You should choose appropriate interior packing materials and exterior packing requirements. You should choose appropriate interior packing materials and exterior boxes, crates or traveling cases based on all these criteria. Paintings: Why is specialized packing of art objects critical? Breakage or partial damage can occur if they are packed carelessly or incorrectly. Also, correct wrapping materials must be used to prevent mold, moisture, tarnish, abrasion or other damage to the integrity of the objects. Are there different levels of packing requirements? Yes. The physical characteristics of the object, the distance to be transported, mode of transportation, the time of the year it is to be shipped, and the number of locations where the art may be unloaded will determine the levels of interior and exterior packing requirements. You should choose appropriate interior packing materials and exterior boxes, crates or traveling cases based on all these criteria. Methods: It is important for the packer to be aware of what the artwork is made of before choosing the wrapping materials. Materials not properly "matched" can result in damage. For example, some synthetic foam wraps produce "off gases" which can result in damage the surface of paintings. Other materials do not allow the art to "breathe" and mold can result. Unrefined materials can also cause abrasion. At no time will the risk of damage be greater than during transportation, so packing materials must be selected wisely. Even under the most controlled ravel situations weather changes and movement are bound to exceed the relative stability of storage and display areas. Proper packing materials can help to reduce these stresses on your art. The objective of proper wrapping is to keep the object free of dust and dirt, to pad it, and to protect it from water, moisture and spills. It is recommended that your work be covered first in a wrapping of soft, acid-free, moisture-absorbent material, such as glassine or tissue paper. This wrapping will keep the work clean and absorb any condensation that may form due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. A secondary plastic wrapping will shield the work in the event of accidental flooding or spills. Remember that at the same time that plastic wrapping shields water from the outside, it can also act to trap moisture on the inside. As a general rule, the waterproofing shield should only be used in conjunction with a primary layer of moisture-absorbent material to counteract this tendency. Crating is recommended for all long distance travel or for transporting any particular fragile or vulnerable object. The primary purpose of a crate is to protect against damage from handling. Crates can also be constructed to provide an environment that is water-repellent, thermally insulated, and shock absorbent. At lease three principles govern the proper placement of an object within a crate. The objects suspended in a cushioned space. The packing materials are arranged so that they maximize thermal insulation. The packing materials are organized in a manner that facilitates easy reassembling and safe return of the object, if necessary. For a packing crate to be fully effective, it must fulfill a variety of functions. They include: Support the art work Protect the contents from impact and puncture without serious distortion. Maintain a sealed environment Protect against intrusion of rain and snow Survive a variety of handling without compromise of any of the above functions Provide handles or mechanisms for lifting and moving Re-usable Packaging: Send your important pieces in a Strongbox by Airfloat?, the protective solution to shipping framed art. Your art is safely encased in three layers of protection: two layers of convoluted foam and one layer of Perf-Pack foam. Customize the Perf-Pack layer to your specifications in a matter of minutes. Simply remove perforated squares to form an opening that precisely encases your treasure. These multiple layers work together to provide superior shock absorption, guarding your art from bumps and scrapes during shipping. Strongbox is available with Puncture Guard liners, providing the strength of plywood without the weight. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.Copyright ? 2003, ArtLine - Lile International Companies - All rights reserved Good luck! Jacob www.MadisonArtShop.com