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  • July 5, 2019 at 2:42 pm #475337
    pattonm
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        As a recent graduate from art school, I am brand new to the art-selling game. I have recently sold an 11×14 acrylic painting on canvas to a family friend. I am in North Carolina and the painting is going to Georgia, so I’m trying to figure out the least expensive way to ship it (USPS? Flat rate boxes? UPS? etc.)

        There’s so much different information online, so I find asking others simplifies things.

        As far as packaging to protect the painting, I’ve read about several different ways to do it- it’s overwhelming. I’ve seen people wrap paintings first in either brown paper, tissue paper, baking paper, or plastic wrap. Which is best? Then I assume bubble wrap would be next, and then sandwiching it between foam core or cardboard? Again, I want to know the best way to do this without spending too much on materials.

        Thanks so much in advance!

        July 5, 2019 at 5:33 pm #850761
        DaveCrow
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            I would avoid anything with a texture touching the painting surface. Plastic wrap, bubble wrap, etc. Especially if the painting is warm in transit the texture can imprint itself in the paint.

            "Let the paint be paint" --John Marin

            July 5, 2019 at 6:34 pm #850759
            Robin
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                Congrats on the sale!!!

                I have successfully shipped hundreds of that exact size and I wrap in freezer paper, shiny side in, then use two of these priority boxes https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/priority-mail-box—1097-P_O_1097
                taped together since it’s just a smidge too short. I do one bubble wrap, large bubbles, pointing out, and if I need to, I use crumpled bubble or pillows that I recycle or get from neighbors to pad the space. It’s important that there by no shifting around inside the box.

                It shouldn’t cost you more than $7 to $10 to ship that short distance.

                I’ve shipped well over a thousand paintings this way with only one fail, and that one encountered a fork lift t-boning it and spearing it right through the box, canvas and out the other end.

                Since I’ve had to fight with them to pay, I am self insuring now. I’ve paid al,ost $4,000 for insurance all these years and am having to fight them for the one time I filed a claim.

                Robin

                July 6, 2019 at 7:30 pm #850762
                members
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                    Baking parchment won’t stick to hardly anything, and doesn’t leave anything behind, either, so I often cover or wrap shipped art in it. A sturdy box, and/or another layer of cardboard inside, will help protect it from dents. As long as the artwork is protected by rigid cardboard inside the package, you can fill in the empty space with other packing material and the cardboard protects the art from getting any impressions of bubble wrap, etc.

                    July 20, 2019 at 10:02 pm #850764
                    contumacious
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                        The safest material to use as a cover sheet is called Silicone Release Paper. That material is recommended by many reliable sources and conservators. You can get some most likely from any place that has a heated dry mounting press or order it online.

                        July 21, 2019 at 5:16 pm #850760
                        Robin
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                            Just wanted to mention that I talked to someone in accounting at the post office about my second claim denial (they claim they can’t figure out if the customer paid me or not since it went through Etsy’s payment processor), and she told me that anything worth over $200 is automatically denied and you have to hit their deadlines for the two appeals before they will pay. They are hoping you get frustrated and forget about it.

                            Since you have to mail the second appeal, she suggests sending it with proof of delivery.

                            I am about to mail my final appeal, and if it’s denied, I’m going to my congresswoman, who is brand new to my gerrymandered district and is running for re-election. It is not right to pay for insurance and have them take your money and then not pay out.

                            Robin

                            August 1, 2019 at 9:46 am #850763
                            Mike L
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                                Maybe check out Pirate Ship[/URL] for commercial postal rates which are considerably lower than the counter (retail) rates at the Post Office or USPS.COM. You don’t have to be a business to use the service.

                                There’s already a lot of good advice about how to package it, so I won’t add anything to that. But, you’ll need to know the dimensions and weight of the package, not the painting, whether using USPS, FEDEX, UPS or other shipping service. However, a fair estimate will give a good idea of the cost – just don’t depend on an estimate to pay for the shipping because all the services are very picky about it.

                                Practice religion freely and freedom religiously.

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