'Windswept Meadow' 8x10 pastel ©Karen Margulis
$125 Purchase with paypal or check HERE
I've got my shipping down to a science. Since I have been a member of Daily Painters.com for 6 years and now Daily Paintworks, I have shipped many pastel paintings to their new homes. And the method I use has not failed me. My paintings arrive safe and sound. I only ship unframed paintings. If I ship a framed piece to a show I use an airfloat box. So what is my shipping method? I make a foamcore sandwich! Here's how I do it:
A painting all ready to ship safely wrapped in it's foamcore sandwich
- Cut the foamcore so that it is a few inches larger than the painting. I use a utility knife. I cut a double wide piece, score it in the middle so that it can fold shut.
- Tape painting inside the foamcore using white artist tape. I hinge the tape. See my post on hinging tape here.
- Cut a piece of glassine paper slightly larger than the painting and tape it down to cover the painting. I usually only tape two sides so the glassine can be lifted to view the painting. I get my glassine on rolls and cut it to fit. A roll lasts me a long time.
- Close the cover of the foamcore sandwich and tape shut. I have printed a label with instructions that I put on the foamcore (see below)
- I slip my foamcore sandwich into a clearbag that has a self adhesive strip. I include some business cards, a bio, pastel care information and a thank you card.
- I have just started to wrap the whole package in nice gift wrap with a handmade card.
The finished package with my information and business cards
The painting is all wrapped and ready to ship
The painting is now ready to be slipped into a padded envelope or Priority Mail box depending on it's size. If it is over 8x10 then I have to make my own box from a couple of Priority Mail boxes. I save my Dakota and Blick paper order boxes for shipping large paintings. I use USPS for all of my shipping and after shipping hundreds of paintings I have never had a problem (knocking on wood here!)
I hope that if you are an artist or a buyer you have found this post useful. I'd love for you to join this site or sign up for email updates (sign-up on the right)
I hope that if you are an artist or a buyer you have found this post useful. I'd love for you to join this site or sign up for email updates (sign-up on the right)
21 comments:
Great informative post Karen...thanks!
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Great process! I use a similar process for shipping my Oil Pastels, but am still learning! Thank you for sharing your method :)
Great post Karen! What a professional and beautiful way to package your work.
thank you for sharing your method. It looks simple and safe!
Thanks everyone for the comments! I'd love to learn other methods for shipping unframed work!
Thank you for your experice Karen!
Thank you, thank you Karen. Up to now I have shipped my paintings covered with glasine paper and rolled up in a tube. I like your method better especially that you gift wrap it.
Thanks Anita. It has worked great for me!!
Thank you so much for this post, Karen..It was very informative. I have ruined a few paintings by not packing it correctly...
I was trying to figure out how to send my grandson's portrait to California when I found your post. Thanks so much!!
Thank you Deb! I hope you'll come back often!
Great tip, Karen, thank you for showing how you do it.
I often ship plein air panel oil paintings that are oversize for one priority mail box. I'd love to see a step by step of how you make oversize boxes out of existing priority mail ones, if you have a chance some time.
Thanks, Karen
Thanks Karen! I'd be happy to. Great idea for a new post! Look for it soon :)
Thank you Karen ... I'll look forward to seeing it.
Karen
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I had always wondered how one would safely ship a soft pastel painting. Your work is lovely!
can u substitute something different than clear bag...my piece is 16" x20"?
Diane I get several sizes of clear bags including ones for 16x20. Zip locks work but aren't archival or don't look as good!
This was just what I needed! I create botanical illustrations and I've been looking for a better shipping method. This post was the best one I found for shipping any kind of delicate drawing.
For others, shipping a drawing sandwiched in cardboard is not enough, the post office can and will bend it.
Hi Karen, thank you so much for sharing this information - I was so impressed with your beautiful work & the professional finishing touches to the gift wrapped package. I have to ship a large pastel painting 27" x 19" to US, can I get a self-seal bag that size?
Thank you Val, Yes you can! You can find a huge variety of sizes at www.clearbags.com I also sometimes yes two smaller bag and cut them down the side to fit then retake with clear packing tape.
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