Abstract Art Gallery

Shipping art is pretty popular right now. That's about the only way to get it from point A to point B in many parts of the world. So with this in mind, we want to provide helpful tips, hints, and pointers for do-it-yourselfers about how to pack, ship, and insure art in order to maximize our chances of getting it safely and securely to wherever we want it to go: No matter what we're shipping, we pack it neat and pack it well. Our packages should look at least as good as our art. First impressions count in the art world and as silly as it might sound, our buyers see our packaging first. We always leave space between the top, bottom and edges of the art, and the sides of the package. The larger the art, the greater the distance should be between the where the art stops and the packaging starts. Two to six inch buffers are reasonable for most art. After the art is packed but before sealing the package, we make sure all vacant or leftover spaces are filled tight. Depending on what we're shipping and how fragile it is, we can fill vacant space with crushed paper, foam, Styrofoam, peanuts, air-pillows, etc. This prevents the art from shifting while in transit. Pack tightly, but not so tight that unnecessary pressure is placed on the art. We shake our package both before and after we seal it to make sure nothing is loose or moving around. If something is moving now, it's only going to get worse once the package is in transit. We always shake before we send. Depending on what we are shipping and how much protection it needs while in transit, packing materials might include heavy (5 mil) plastic for wrapping, bubble wrap or peanuts or air cushions for insulation, two- or four-ply corrugated cardboard for boxing depending on the size of the art, custom-built wooden crates, industrial foam planking for insulating tops, bottoms or sides (like the kinds used in housing construction- two inches thick for larger art, one inch thick for smaller art), and heavy-duty fiberglass filament packing tape to hold everything together. Good resources for free larger-sized cardboard boxes or sheets can be bike stores, appliance stores, stores selling flat-panel screens or TVs, and other retail outlets or warehouses that deal in larger sized products. We always call ahead to see if they give used cardboard boxes or packaging away. We make sure the package is entirely sealed, especially along the edges and corners. There should be no loose or exposed areas or weak spots that can catch on sharp edges or objects or otherwise be easily wedged open. We do whatever is necessary to prevent smears, rubbing, or friction damage to the art. We make sure sensitive surfaces and mediums are adequately packed, separated or otherwise protected from their immediate surroundings. For example, when shipping prints, posters or works on paper, protecting exposed surfaces with glassine, barrier paper, or similar substrate is recommended. If we are packing and shipping unframed prints, posters, graphics or works on paper, we put them between crisscrossed pieces of heavy cardboard on both top and bottom makes the packages difficult to bend. We don't forget to leave space between the edges of the print and the edges of the package. With works framed under glass, we crisscross packing tape across the glass to minimize damage in case of breakage. The tape helps to keep the glass from shattering onto the art, shifting around while in transit, and causing problems. Both sides of works on canvas should be protected with difficult-to-puncture coverings like plywood, masonite, plastic sheeting, etc. We take comprehensive pictures of the art before, during, and after we pack it-- detail