Shipping art 101
Shipping is one of the parts of the art business that is completely out of our control.
Although this is the case, there are steps you can take prior to the shipping process to ensure your art arrives at its final destination in pristine condition.
This is my story:
I work at an ups store as my day job, and have had to ship my art, plus many other people’s art in all shapes, forms, materials, age, and value.
here are some tips and tricks i’ve collected over my time for packaging art to help others who have little idea where to start or just need a few tips here and there.
I hope you find this guide useful.
** Disclaimer: These are simply my tips and tricks for submitting art and I cannot guarantee that your art will not be damaged. Regardless of our best efforts to create an “indestructible” package, damage does occur during transit. these tips are shared in the hope that the chances of that happening are kept to a minimum.
** Most of these tips are geared toward shippers in the US, as that’s where I live and am most used to. These tips may need to be adjusted or changed depending on the carriers available in your country.
I’ll try to add a link to where I purchased each shipping supply accordingly. disclosure that some may contain affiliate links. Remember to pay close attention to the different sizes.
Also, I talk about ups a lot in this blog post simply because it’s the shipping service I’m most familiar with. I don’t have a FedEx nearby, but they are quite similar in terms of services.
A complete guide on how to submit artwork
How to package your art
Packaging prints and art on paper
Depending on the size, it’s best to send it in a rigid envelope or mailing tube.
Smaller pieces are typically shipped more economically in a rigid envelope and larger pieces are more economically shipped rolled in a tube.
Tips and tricks for submitting art prints
use plastic sleeves to protect artwork from weather during transit.
add a foam board or cardboard backing behind your artwork; then insert this into a rigid envelope. this makes the envelope more rigid.
use “do not fold” decals.
if shipping in a mailing tube, make sure the lids are taped shut and there are no moving parts inside of the tube when sending shake it. (Consider using newspaper crumpled up toward the ends of the tube if your art is slipping around the inside.
For high-value art pieces, consider protecting the tube by enclosing it in another tube or a long cardboard box. Mail tubes can occasionally dent during transit, so this ensures another layer of protection for those really high-value, irreplaceable shipments. (**make sure nothing moves when you shake the pack!**)
Packaging of paintings on canvas or panels
tips and tricks for packaging fine art
Use an oversized plastic bag or wrap your artwork. this helps protect your artwork from contact with cardboard, bubble wrap, or whatever padding you’re using in your packaging.
use corner protectors. Whether you include this factor in your packaging, it can make or break a work of art, so use it! make your own (using small bubble wrap to wrap the corners) or buy them in bulk here. sometimes I reuse the ones that come with the frames I buy.
wrap your art with bubbles! I add at least 2 layers of large bubble wrap around the piece. (Proper packaging per ups guidelines suggests having at least 2 inches of protection on all sides of the item being shipped).
Depending on the value of the art, I sometimes use cardboard planks on both sides of the canvas to add a layer of protection (you can buy them on amazon or just reuse them from the old packaging). using Styrofoam boards is also an option.
Use a new shipping box!
Packaging material can be reused if it is in good condition, but if you are declaring any value on your artwork, please use a new box.
For a package to be considered properly packaged, a new box is strongly recommended.
I get my photo boxes from amazon, but you can also buy shipping boxes from uline.
be sure to use a shipping box instead of a moving box. A moving box costs much less than a shipping box, but they can’t handle heavy weight and be constantly moved. There will always be a stamp on the shipping boxes saying where they were made and up to what weight they can hold.
for very large paintings (more than 3 feet in two dimensions ) or paintings with a very high value, I recommend getting a double corrugated box. otherwise a single wall box works fine.
I recommend side loading boxes, because they are more adjustable than top loading ones. If one dimension doesn’t work, it takes much less effort to cut or add more to one end of the box.
Boxes are less expensive when you buy them in bulk. if you don’t need that many boxes, you can buy one at your local packaging store (*cough cough* oops store *cough)
Add padding to your package
for the environment and, in fact, are banned in several states in the US)
You can also get huge pre-inflated rolls for about $13 on amazon here, if you’re interested.
The correct way to use padding in a box is to “overflow” the box so that it is very difficult to close it. this ensures that nothing moves in the box when you shake it because everything is tight inside. if you shake the box, you should hear little to no movement inside (I know, that’s a weird explanation, but that’s what I do every time I finish packing a box. I shake it. if there are loose pieces in there, it’s not good .)
*optional: add one or two fragile stickers. I admit it doesn’t make as much of a difference as good packaging, but it’s still nice to add.
according to ups standards, proper packaging must be able to withstand a 4 foot drop (the height of the conveyor system). if you are sure that your box can do that, you have made yourself a very good box 😉
how to package and ship other forms of art
now for shipping details on other items (eg ceramics, sculptures, etc.)
Minor adjustments will need to be made for different items, but generally, enclose the item in a plastic bag (these here are 2 mil, not too thin) to protect the item if the box will get wet. add newspaper and large or small bubble wrap as appropriate.
Be sure to add at least two inches of padding (bubble wrap, not paper) on all sides if the item is fragile or high value.
For shipping multiple pieces of pottery or for items with sharp points or edges, you can use foam sheets like these.
if the item is too complicated to pack yourself, you can always take it to an ups store or other packing shop to have it packed.
when the ups store packs an item, you have the pack & shipping guarantee, which means that that ups store assumes the responsibility to package the item correctly according to ups standards. If your package is damaged, you are automatically guaranteed a refund in the amount of the value you declared on your package.
Otherwise, if you packed it yourself, ups will inspect it to make sure it has been packed properly before verifying the refund for the declared value amount you added to your package.
services to use to submit art
shipping art prints (or other small, lightweight, low-value items)
To save costs, I usually ship small art prints via the United States Postal Service.
Domestic shipping on most prints will cost around $5.00 via First Class Parcel Service and if they get lost they can always be reprinted.
FYI: If your package weighs more than 1 pound, it will be more expensive: that’s when the price goes up to around $10 or more.
submission of original works of art
I personally do not ship original art with the United States Postal Service.
The tracking and claims system is not very reliable and therefore I have heard too many horror stories about high value items being lost and not a penny being returned to the sender.
I recommend sending anything of value through fedex or ups.
both are similar services, but I’ll talk mainly about ups, as that’s the carrier I’m most familiar with.
Tips
if you ship through a ups store, get a quote for your package here.
ups guarantees its delivery dates unless you specify otherwise. If your package is late (and it wasn’t due to severe weather or conditions over which UPS has no control), contact the UPS Store and they can start the refund process for you.
Be sure to declare the value of your item. Declaring value is different from insurance and most carriers will only allow you to declare the value of the item. this means that you must be able to prove the value of the item in the event of loss or damage during shipment.
Proof would include receipts, bills, repair costs or any listing of the item found online.
(for ups) if your item is lost or damaged, it is not recommended that you handle it yourself with ups, unless you used your own shipping account number. if you shipped through the ups store (not sure about fedex rules on that, sorry!), contact that ups store first (not the company) and tell the ups store what what happened. they will initiate a tracer or start the claims process accordingly. If you go ahead and talk to ups without talking to the ups store that shipped your package, the claim process will likely be delayed longer than it should be.
corrupted packages are stressful, so hopefully this will help if unfortunately it ever comes to that.
You can also set up a shipping account through ups or fedex through their website. if you use their services often as a business, you will be able to get a better rate than the retail shipping price.
If you choose this option, print your own shipping label and drop it off at an appropriate drop-off location or have a driver pick up the package at your location (there may often be an additional fee for this option)
here are some additional shipping cost tips
If you ship, there is an increased shipping cost price when a box dimension exceeds 30 inches.
If you want to spend less than $100 on artwork shipping, please keep box dimensions under 30 inches.
shipping to alaska and hawaii may cost a little more (sometimes almost as much as international shipping). keep this in mind.
Below is a chart that compares and contrasts different shipping methods you can use for packages of different sizes. Please note that prices change over time; For the most accurate prices, check the dimensions and weight of your own package on each shipping service’s estimating sites.
As you can see, there is a big increase in shipping prices when you ship from one coast of the United States to another.
international shipment of works of art
International shipping is much more complicated. I usually leave the shipping service we use to the buyer as they will be paying the cost of shipping the artwork.
here are some tips and advice on international shipping, so that both you and your buyer are well informed about international shipping. remember, clear communication is key!
U.S. Postal Service international shipping is the least expensive service: although I find that most international shipping will cost at least $100. be sure to get an estimate beforehand so the buyer is aware.
Transit time can take anywhere from 2 weeks to several months.
Tracking is often only available within the United States (although there are some exceptions). once it leaves the us uu. and enters another country, they use their own tracking system and carriers.
Other international carriers include dhl, ups and fedex. these are more reliable, but are more expensive.
These carriers often guarantee their delivery dates and have a much better tracking system, even if they are out of the country.
dhl specializes in international shipping and therefore they are the most reliable (in my opinion)
Most artists, when shipping large original canvas artwork internationally, remove the canvas from the racks, roll the artwork, and ship it in a tube. It is safer for the artwork and less expensive for the buyer to re-stretch it upon delivery rather than shipping it fully stretched.
go to your local ups store or fedex office and they will create customs documents for you. otherwise, you will be responsible for including all necessary documentation with the package.
With high value items come tax fees, charges that must be paid by the recipient when they receive the package. that tax rate depends on the cost of the item and the country it is being shipped to. I recommend informing the buyer in advance and searching on google what the tax costs are for that country.
Make sure you have the receiver’s phone number – this is generally required for all international packages.
There are some artworks that are simply too large to ship with regular shipping.
Instead, these parts can be packed and shipped by freight. ups stores will handle the packing and freight for you and will be able to give you a quote.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find companies that focus specifically on shipping artwork.
a quick google search can help you locate the one closest to you.
Just a reminder to declare the value of your freight shipment!
Freight shipping is expensive: it can cost you $500 or more; keep this in mind.
The cheapest option is to remove the canvas from the frame, ship it in a tube, and re-stretch the painting. this will be less expensive than freight shipping.
And now we come to the end of the blog post! I’m so sorry this blog post was so long and heavy, but I hope you’ve learned something new that you can add to your packing and shipping knowledge bank!
If you have any questions or anything I haven’t addressed in this blog post, feel free to comment below.
and thanks for taking your time to go through my blog – it’s an honor… as always 🙂
until next time my friends,
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