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When I was first approached to write an article on artwork shipping tips for artists, my first thought was to get lost in transit post-haste! To this day, shipping my artwork remains the single biggest anxiety producing procedure after nearly 25 years shipping because I have to relinquish control and no matter how diligent I am, I know things can go wrong - and do.
For example, I had a portrait delivered, tracked and signed for, but the client said he did not receive it. There was no recourse except a full refund as I did not take out insurance. Who knows where that painting is? I also had a portrait get lost in British customs for weeks. Luckily it finally showed up probably because my custom forms were correct or just pure luck.
I decided if I was going to share some tips I have found helpful in my art shipping career, I would enlist my first-class shipper Robert Eftekhari of PostalAnnex, in Agoura Hills, C.A. who has been in the shipping business some 27 years. Here are some suggestions to help artists avoid running into shipping mistakes because what you don't know will surely end up costing you. This is not the shipping bible though so use at your own risk. Please do not return to sender.
Rather like 'mail in' and 'mail out', this sticky subject falls into two distinct boxes of tips, package and shipping. Packing competently is a huge part of your overall success and the good news is that is the part YOU have control over, unlike shipping.
PACKING TIPS:
Make (pen) pals: This is the biggest tip of all to build and nurture a relationship with a knowledgeable shipper/packer in your area who has been in business for a while. Robert, my shipping pal, has helped me get out of quite a few jams and I know a lot of top-notch artists in my area also also use his services. Ask questions of your shipper. Be a squeaky wheel. Shop around. Read the Yelp reviews. I did.
Don't re-cycle: Old moving boxes for packaging artwork (or just any old cardboard box from your storage area) is a bad idea as it will be of a lesser quality and weight. "These packages go on conveyor belts with UPS, FedEx and the Post Office. They need to be high quality" advises Robert. There is a weight rating on cardboard sheets, for sale at packing supply stores. The lesser is 75 pounds, the higher quality 275. Fly higher.
Pass on the peanuts: Peanuts are not enough protection on their own around artwork. Plus, if you are shipping to an art gallery, or an art competition, they hate peanuts as they make for an unholy mess unpacking and a difficult repack.
It's a wrap. Saatchi Art, (https://www.saatchiart.com) perhaps the biggest shipper of artwork worldwide, advised me recently in email instructions co-ordinating on shipping a large painting of mine to Africa: "The most common type of damage we've encountered is abrasion of the artwork's surface due to inadequate wrapping and padding". It added: "Works of art that are loose inside the package will almost always get damaged. The friction due to rapid movement and handling of your package will cause damage to the work if it's not properly padded and stabilized. The corners of flat artworks are especially susceptible to damage if the work isn't secure inside the package. " Here's a great video Saatchi recommends for FedEx packing tips https://youtu.be/d8zNtyAx8c4
Go solo: Ship artworks separately to the same destination. Period. No matter what.
Play to a Packed House: There are many ways to pack a painting. All artists do it differently it seems. Remember your artwork will travel perhaps through many different fingertips, harried custom 'unwraps' and weather changes. Here's the method I use, most of which I learned from Robert. Wrap a painting in Glassine, a PH neutral archival paper available through good art stores. Bubble wrap should be avoided at all costs near an oil painting's surface. In winter months I also add a plastic sheet wrap over this. Wet tarmacs, anyone? No bin liners though as this is not professional looking. You are judged on how your painting arrives to the client. Then I wrap the painting in a "glove" of single sheet cardboard. A lot of artists chose foam board here instead. It comes in varying degrees of thickness, also available at art supply stores. Over half an inch thick is recommended, the thicker the better. I prefer cardboard. At this point I like to use cardboard or Styrofoam 'corners' which you can make yourself to my cardboard on my paintings edges . Then you can place a strap around the cardboard or use good quality packing tape to secure. I place this box inside a second box of "double walled" cardboard for a 'floating effect'. Usually I will have this made by Robert, especially if it's a large painting. You can add some peanuts or bubble wrap at this point to fill in extra space around the cardboard cocoon.
Feeling fragile? Use the mail stickers "fragile", "this side up", and "do not lay flat". Clearly mark "to and from" addresses on the box in permanent black marker in case the stick-on UPS/FedEx/USPS shipping label falls off and water hits the ink.
Feeling fresh? Even with glassine paper, if the painting is too fresh, it should not be shipped: "You have to feel it, touch it and make sure it's dry. Never rush into shipping something!" says Robert.
Go Custom: Custom made Air Float System boxes are a wonderful shipping option if you don't want the hassle of packing yourself. It ships a custom "egg crate -like" foam lined cardboard box to you to custom pack your painting in and then you just ship. I have had my portrait agency return these custom shipping boxes to me so I can reuse them as they remain very sturdy. https://airfloatsystems.com
Crate-full: High value artworks, including sculptures, are best packed in a wooden crate versus cardboard. A forklift can go through cardboard but not a wooden crate. Make a foam padding around the edges of crate with a minimum of 2 inch cushioning both sides suggests Robert. The next steps, from my research, are similar as for paintings shipped in cardboard. Protect, protect, protect, creating an "inner crate", if you will, from heavy duty foam core, or cardboard, Glassine, plastic sheeting for moisture protection, extra bubble wrap as necessary, making sure the painting in the inner crate is sealed or screwed down to satisfaction.
Glass half full: Use Glass Skin for shipping paintings with glass. The extra-wide, low tack adhesive tape is applied over glass surface providing large coverage. It seems UPS and Fed Ex do not insure anything that has glass on it. Technically the glass has to be removed. Be aware that small cracks in glass can be invisible to the naked eye. If your box is dropped it will shatter and the glass could go into your painting.
Roll Ups: I have removed a large canvas from stretcher bars and sent in a roll internationally to save money. The client can then have a framer re-stretch the artwork on stretcher bars on arrival. Consider using a PVC pipe, trimmed to your specs at a hardware store, for the exterior roll for extra safety rather than cardboard. You can also put a smaller cardboard roll within the larger PCV roll, the inner roll wrapped in bubble wrap for some extra safety. Make sure you roll caps are super secure.
SHIPPING TIPS:
Fly high: Go air travel with higher value items, it's better to go with an air service (whether it is UPS or Fed Ex or USPS) rather than ground because there is less handling, no travel alongside heavy boxes on the truck/train going from one state to another in different weather changes. Less handling means less chances of something going wrong.
Size counts: Keep the size of the cardboard shipping box as small as possible as you will be charged per square inch. Weight is less important than box size when it comes to pricing cardboard box shipping.
Insurance counts: One thing to be careful of shipping internationally, is the insurance with the courier. Most insurance companies do not insure a "one of a kind" item, says Robert. Fed Ex doesn't insure artwork more than about $500. With UPS you can buy extra insurance on your package up to about $50,000. Check the small print and restrictions. "Let's say you have a Van Gogh painting and you want to insure it with a carrier like UPS. You can insure it but when you go to file a claim, they say 'what kind of art piece was it?' You reply it was a one of kind piece, the artist is dead, and it can't be reproduced. They are going to say 'Sorry your claim is declined because you shipped something that was irreplaceable'. Also, FedEx has a lot of limitations on what it they insure and what they do not insure. One should take out a third party insurance company for such artwork to be safe and it be made clear it is a one of a kind item for very expensive items.
The dotted line: Anything valued over $1,000 one should ask for a signature/confirmation. Technically now, with Fed Ex and UPS, if you don't pay for signature/confirmation and you leave package at the door, too bad. You don't have insurance or any recourse because you didn't ask for signature/confirmation. Always check with the recipient if someone is going to be home. If they say we are going to be home all day, you might skip the insurance. Just hope they don't do a coffee dash and forget the arriving package left of the doorstep. If you are shipping to a business, you don't need a signature as a business has to get a signature anyway but on a higher valued item Robert advises to still get a signature regardless.
Weekends off: Stay clear of shipping/travel on the weekends. Ship on a Monday. Most zip codes in the U.S. will get there by air by Friday. There are some exceptions to zip codes taking longer travel.
Remember, If you send by ground, a package is probably going to get there the following week and it's going to sit somewhere lingering Saturday and Sunday. Personally, I always use two day FedEx commercial rate aiming for no weekend travel. I have my clients take out their own insurance on my paintings at the start of shipping. Once the painting leaves my studio doors I have it in my contract that I am no longer liable for damage. I also have my clients usually pay for the professional pack.
Sit on it: Keep track of your package, with a tracking number, to see if your package is moving or not. Many times it is not where you think it is. Don't assume it's going to be fine. Always follow up from day one of shipping. It's better to catch a mistake early in the shipping process.
Tariff Terror: A quality shipper will help you fill out the customs' form, declare the value, insure it, if it's insurable, or add in details of a third party insurance you have personally taken out. An artist shipping overseas should use a reputable shipper as they will know the correct custom forms. Each country has very different import rules, tariffs, and forms which are impossible to list here. Find out import taxes/duties/tariffs of your shipping country available online usually. You can also contact a country's Embassy for help. Get your paperwork correct. Signing up with Saatchi is a great way to get your feet wet selling and shipping your artwork internationally. https://www.saatchiart.com
Let's Be Honest: Be aware that your package will very likely be opened on import to another country. A lot of fraud goes on. Put copies of all paperwork inside, especially your contact information. You can never provide customs with too much information. You can however provide too little and pay the price. It goes without saying, be honest in the declared price value of your painting and what's inside your package.
Sincerely,
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