Preparation | Packing| Transport | Storage
A move with a longer transport route can mean stress for your artwork in different ways. Taking into account climatic changes or mechanical stress, you are now faced with the challenge of properly transporting your painting from location A to B. In order to prepare you for a move of your artwork, I would like to give you some tips.
Preparation
First of all, there is the question of the right packaging. However, before you start packing, you should clean the work space where you will wrap your artwork. Please make sure that the surface is dry after cleaning.
Tip: Wearing gloves (e.g. cotton) when removing the artwork from the wall will protect the painting surface and framing from skin grease on your hands.
Packaging
"How do I pack my artwork safely?"
As transport packaging, I recommend bubble wrap and a suitable, sturdy cardboard box or a wooden transport box if your painting is traveling for a very long time in a fully loaded transport vehicle, e.g. across countries.
When packing, the air bubbles should be on the outside, otherwise they may leave unwanted marks on the surface of the painting. If necessary, pad the empty space in the box well to protect your painting from possible shocks during transportation.
For very short transport distances (e.g., walking), a fleece or blanket can be used instead of plastic wrap and cardboard. Make sure that the material is smooth and not linty, otherwise it could get caught in the surface and damage your artwork.
If your painting is framed, a corner protector is useful to protect the delicate edges.
Transport
"What should I consider when transporting?"
An additional marking on the packaging, on which side the surface of the painting and the top edge of the artwork are located, will make it easier for you and your move assistants to safely handle the artwork during transport as well as to unpack it later.
Keep the transport time as short as possible and choose a time of day that does not mean too much temperature fluctuation for your painting. For example, avoid long waiting times or leaving your artwork in the car under strong sunlight in summer.
Transport your artwork with the painting layer surface (topic marking) facing up, e.g. in the trunk, or standing upright and fix it lightly so that it does not slide back and forth or even tip over during the journey. Please do not place any other heavy objects on it.
When you arrive at your destination, remove the bubble wrap as soon as possible to prevent moisture from accumulating.
Storage
"Can't hang up your artwork right away?"
If your artwork needs to be stored a little longer after a move and cannot be hung immediately, please do not choose durable plastic packaging to avoid unwanted mold. Your piece of art wants to breathe.
Packaging is not essential for storing your artwork. If your painting stands upright, place it as it would hang on the wall.
When storing multiple pieces, make sure they are not stacked on top of each other in a lying position. If you store your paintings standing up, make sure they are not leaning too close to each other so that the layers of paint are touching.
A balanced room climate also plays an important role in storage. Therefore, storage in the cellar or in a very dry attic is rather less recommended. You can find more tips on the room climate in the blog post: Tips for hanging and loving care
As soon as I discover a more environmentally friendly and practicable alternative to bubble wrap that works well for transporting artwork for extended periods of time without damaging the surface, there will be a suitable addition or a new post in the packaging category. Privately and also when shipping my work, I try to reuse packaging materials from previous orders as often as possible.
You still have questions?
If you are still unsure about the best way to transport your painting from point A to point B, please feel free to send me a short message via the contact form on my website. I will be glad to get in touch with you afterwards.
Shown artwork: UNENDLICHES GLÜCK (no longer available)
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