How to Safely Transport Art Canvases to a Craft Show

When artists create paintings their focus is typically on issues of aesthetics. Concerns over the substrate, basis, painting materials and the overall durability or integrity of the work are typically either built into the working manner, or non. Usually, final amongst the concerns for the piece of work is its stability in regards to its storage and/or shipping. An artist may accept looked at any given painting hundreds of times to assure information technology meets certain criteria of the testify, event, or new owner; simply, in order for the piece of work to survive, it is disquisitional to wait at the work from the unusual perspective of the mover. How delicate is this work? How heavy is it? What are the dimensions? Are there any special concerns for this object that demand to exist considered? Successfully transporting artwork hinges on several primal factors. Understanding what sort of things tin can become wrong and what precautionary measures must be taken, will greatly reduce potential bug.

Figure one

Paintings constructed with acrylic artist paints seem indestructible compared to many more than delicate painting mediums such as gouache, watercolor, encaustics and tempera, or cartoon mediums such as pastels or charcoal. The common understanding of the advantage of acrylic paints over oil is that they will non endure the bug caused by oil paints' embrittlement over fourth dimension. Under most weather condition, acrylic paintings remain flexible and are able to withstand considerable abuse. It is just this sense of ease of care that artists have presumed, which has led to carelessness and acquired significant bug when transporting or moving acrylic paintings.There are many helpful resources for artists to consult before packaging and transporting works. This outcome of Just Pigment offers some excerpts from these resources. The purpose of this article is not to recreate those resources, which are rich with examples and suggestions, but to examine some of the significant issues with works completed in acrylic that may non specifically be covered in this compilation of literature. A resources listing is included at the cease of this article for invaluable references regarding appropriate care when moving and storing acrylic paintings.

Applied Considerations

(or the disclaimer up front)
This article is organized starting with the well-nigh protective of all the packaging techniques, crating. This is done to phone call specific attention to all-time practices; realizing that artists more often than not find other creative ways to transport work. Best practices are provided for these other methods as well, with the of import caveat that none of these methods is without chance. As 1 moves down the ladder of best practices, the risk significantly increases that something untoward may happen to the work.

What is beingness protected?
Acrylic paintings have several unique attributes that create value equally a fine artists' medium, only these attributes can too be significantfactors for concern in addressing the packaging and moving of the paintings. Nether most environmental atmospheric condition, acrylic paintings are very flexible, which dramatically reduces the potential for cracking in about situations, all the same the price paid for this flexibility is a softer film; one that can be scratched, scuffed and marred easily. This is even more of a claiming when working with very matte or underbound acrylic paintings (significant overloaded with paint or other solids, exceeding the critical ratios of pigment to binder). Another holding of this flexible paint surface is the relative permeable nature of the waterborne acrylic. This property allows for dirt or pollutants to become embedded (especially in a fresher film). Finally, the most significant property of the acrylic motion picture (once again particularly representative of fresh films) is the potential tackiness of the surface.

The nature of the acrylic surface leads to one inevitable conclusion: that for an acrylic painting, information technology is critical to protect the painting's surface. This is probably obvious to every reader so far, but every bit opposed to oil paint films in which the greatest danger is fracturing the painting's pic, protecting the acrylic painting does crave at least some dissimilar considerations. Although protecting the painting'southward surface must exist the primary directive for packing and shipping acrylic paintings, it does not provide for all the
necessary considerations.

Acrylic pigment films become brittle at low temperatures, usually effectually 40° F. Transit by air freight or in unheated trucks in cold winter conditions can effect in cracked paint films due to vibration during
transit. The obvious way to prevent this problem is to send in a temperature controlled truck. In the case of shipment by air, steps must be taken to assure that the paint layer does not vibrate during transit. The use of a rigid backing board will sufficiently dampen transit vibrations.

Physical Considerations of Artwork

How a painting is constructed is crucial in determining the potential methods of transportation.
A canvass can be transported either stretched or unstretched and therefore, information technology'due south important to consider the consequences of both. A rolled canvass may ship more easily and cost efficiently, just when it arrives it will have to be unrolled and re-stretched – both actions may damage the artwork. Rolled, the surface is seemingly protected, yet in this status, intendance must be taken to avoid the potential of the painting surface picking upwardly fibers in the overlying canvas. If the stretched canvas is to be moved, the surface and back must be protected and the corners must be able to sustain an impact from handling. Additionally, if the piece of work is transported in cold weather, provisions must be made for reducing shock to the painting surface. These problems will exist addressed later in the commodity.

A panel painting or works attached to rigid board will likewise demand the surface and corners protected and although information technology is significantly protected from vibration, information technology volition take to potentially withstand other objects being stacked on top of it.

The age of artwork is also of importance during moving.
While acrylics dry out very quickly, they can take much longer to fully cure. Film thickness, materials used and environmental factors determine the time required for paint films to cure. An uncured acrylic moving picture will be softer and more than prone to blocking and ferrotyping, while an older, more fully cured piece will exist less prone to damage.

The Bear on of Pigment Picture show Curing During Shipment

There are four stages involved in the drying of acrylic paint films (Come across Figure 1). The offset stage is a paint film retains its shape every bit information technology cures. If a partially cured painting is rolled upwards for shipping and stays rolled while the film cures, it will be very difficult to level out the canvass when unrolled. This rolled film volition be more likely to crack as information technology's unrolled, especially under lower temperatures. Folded paintings would endure even more so.the initial evaporation of water occurring at a linear charge per unit, throughout which the paint remains wet and workable. The 2nd stage begins every bit the acrylic solids in the film become more compacted. In the third phase of drying, the acrylic polymer solids – more or less spherical in shape – brainstorm deforming as a effect of capillary activeness caused by the flow of water to the surface, thus eliminating interstitial area and forming a continuous, honey-comb like structure. At this point, the paint picture feels dry to the bear on. The terminal stage of drying involves the final evaporation of water and coalescing solvent, particle compaction, along with chain entanglement of the polymer solids, forming a continuous motion picture. Critical properties such as adhesion, hardness and clarity are non completed until the moving-picture show is fully cured. (For more than information about acrylic film formation, refer to the Gilded "Technical Notes on Drying" Information Sheet). An acrylic motion-picture show is at its greatest hazard during this curing process.If the artwork is shipped earlier the pigment has been immune to fully cure, several negative situations can occur. Since the pigment film is withal developing, it has the greatest risk of adhering to anything and everything with which it comes in contact. Packing materials such as glassine and cardboard tin become permanently bonded to the paint surface. Two paintings facing and in contact with each other can hands become bonded together, well-nigh probable resulting in the harm of both surfaces. Additionally, a fresh paint motion-picture show is more likely to concenter dirt and dust particles that will potentially become permanently embedded in the paint motion picture. Thick paint films can develop cracks and crazes during excessive movement while curing. Cold temperatures tin harm the picture germination process and may even result in early delamination. Temperatures below 49° F do not allow for the proper alignment and deformation of the polymers.

Packing Artwork For Shipping

Figure 2, Art in Transit Handbook, National Gallery of Art, Washington

A new gear up of parameters is created each time artwork is transported. Ideally, the best shipping method for any acrylic painting is 1 where nothing is allowed to touch the surface of the work. Information technology cannot exist stressed plenty that most damage in shipping occurs considering something came in contact with the painting surface, causing one or more of the post-obit types of damage:

Ferrotyping

• The transfer of texture from the packing materials to the surface of the painting.

• Sheen alteration in high spots.

• Unwanted texture created on smooth surfaces, or the reverse.

Back and Along Movement Across the Painting Surface

• Marring

• Glassy matte surfaces

• Physical loss of paint

• Blocking/Materials adhering to the surface

• Paper, plastic and other packing items physically attaching to the painting surface.

• Attempting removal may pull up paint or harm substrates.

• Most likely permanent harm

Bully

• This by and large requires sharp impact to substrate or surface at temperatures below 45° F.

• This can besides occur when a painting, still drying, receives a gentle affect.

If you want your paintings to have the best chance for longevity, put each painting into its own packing container. This eliminates the opportunity for surface contact, assuring a greater run a risk that the artwork will get in without damage. Conscientious planning and packing will increase the likelihood that the support will also remain undamaged. Of course, this is also the most expensive ways of packing and ship, and admittedly, artists are forced to brand pregnant compromises in aircraft. Withal it must at least exist an important consideration before going to lesser protective methods.

Packing Cases For Artwork

For a packing example to be most effective, it must fulfill these functions:

• Back up the painting, insulation and cushioning foams

• Protect the contents from impact and puncture without serious distortion

• Maintain a sealed environment

• Protect against intrusion of wet

• Provide handles for lifting and moving

• Survive a multi-venue tour without compromise of any of the above functions

Example Dimensions and Size Limitations
The volume of the instance depends on the size and number of paintings to be packed, thickness of thermal insulation and thickness of cushioning materials used. The type and amount of cream materials to be used in the packing case must be determined prior to case construction. There are limitations to the size case that can be accommodated past transport vehicles. For dimension and weight requirements contact your local transportation service.

Case Materials
The majority of cases are even so constructed from plywood, which has inherent advantages over
aluminum and fiberglass. Plywood has a high strength-to-weight ratio, provides some insulation, some relative humidity buffering, and is relatively cheap.

Puncture Resistance
If plywood is used equally a construction material, the thickness of the plywood has a considerable effect on the puncture resistance of the sides of the case. Plywood thicknesses between iii/8 inch and 1/ii inch are typically found on minor-to-medium sized cases, upwardly to 72 inches long. Plywood thicknesses upward to 3/4 inches are found in the larger cases.

Impact Resistance and Structural Rigidity
The construction methods of the example, especially where materials are joined, have a meaning issue on the strength as well as the rigidity of the case. A instance having edges and corners that are well joined can accept over 10 times the strength and ane-hundred times the rigidity of a case that has corners and edges that are poorly joined. It is recommended that the edges and corners be both screwed and glued together.

Provisions for Lifting
For cases light enough to be lifted by one or two people, handholds should be provided on the case. For cases requiring mechanical means for lifting, such as forklifts, blocks (skids) should exist provided that allow the forklift tines to slide under the case.

Instance Stability and Topple Resistance
Big packing cases containing a single painting tin exist loftier and narrow. This tin can brand them unstable and decumbent to topple even if slightly jarred. Provisions should be made to prevent such accidents.

Vibration and Shock Protection For Canvas Paintings

Effigy 3, Fine art in Transit Handbook, National Gallery of Fine art, Washington

Backboards
It is appropriate to attach backboards to the reverse of all paintings to reduce the potential of damage acquired by puncture, vibration and shock.l A stiff backing board volition enclose an air cavity behind the painting. As a consequence, the painting's tendency to vibrate is reduced due to the stiffening effect of air trapped between the backboard and the reverse of the painting canvas.

• A flexible backboard may accept limited effectiveness. Relatively stiff materials are best for backboards, or securing the center of a flexible backboard to the cross braces on larger works.

• Large stretchers unremarkably accept crossbars. Several pocket-size pieces of the backboard textile should be cut and attached to each open rectangle bordered by crossbars and outer stretcher members, if possible.

Backboard with Cream

During handling and transport, slack canvases on large paintings can strike the crossbars of the stretchers. This can be avoided past attaching pieces of foam to the backboard. (Meet Effigy iii)

• The foam should be very close to the back of the sail without actually touching information technology.

• A low-density polyester urethane foam works well considering information technology is soft and relatively lightweight. Polyester urethane foams are not chemically stable and should not be left behind the painting for extended periods. Many factors touch on the rate of the foam's deterioration, making information technology impossible to approximate how long the cream tin can stay backside the painting.

• The foam tin can be attached to the backboard with double-stick tape or hot gum. The foam must be securely attached to ensure that at that place is no risk of it pulling away from the backboard and coming in direct contact with the sheet.

• The backboard should be secured to the stretcher with screws.

Stretcher Lining
Stretcher lining is a procedure developed past Peter Booth at the Tate Gallery for reducing the vibration of a sail painting. It involves attaching to the reverse of the original stretcher a new piece of fabric, preferably a thin merely exceptionally stiff cloth such as polyester sailcloth. The painting is not in whatsoever mode disturbed. The procedure should not be dislocated with the process conservators call "lining," which is a process where the original canvas is adhered to a new textile in lodge to strengthen it.With the fabric in position, there is less risk of crossbar-related cracks developing through impact, as a continuous surface, rather than the crossbar's edges, would be contacted. A farther reward has been demonstrated in vibration tests showing a marked reduction of sail displacement in response to depression-frequency vibration.

Method of Attaching the Stretcher Lining:

• Cutting a piece of material approximately the aforementioned size as the painting.

• Temporarily attach it to the back of the stretcher with a few staples.

• Cut out curved segments of the textile to allow infinite for the crossbar(s) and wedges (stretcher keys).

• Remove the staples to gratuitous the fabric that should be folded and inserted between the canvass and crossbar(s).

• Once the fabric is unfolded and correctly positioned, attach fabric forth the edges to the dorsum face up of the stretcher.

• Stretch the cloth while attaching information technology. (See Figure 4)

Aircraft Neckband

Museums often use a shipping neckband to protect their paintings. The wooden collar adds rigidity to the construction and a backing board tin can be attached to the back of the neckband. The collar should project beyond the face of the painting and so a rigid embrace of foam cadre tin be attached to the surrounding neckband without touching the confront of the painting. The entire parcel of collar, backboard, and confront comprehend tin can then be wrapped in plastic without fear of impairment to the painting surface.

Soft Packing

Figure four, Art in Transit Handbook, National Gallery of Fine art, Washington

If soft packing is chosen, so information technology should be limited to local moves. The National Gallery of Art recommends a wooden collar or travel frame should be attached to the reverse of the painting or frame for protection. Nothing should touch the surface of the painting. Any materials used to wrap it should exist kept above the surface and made of non-annoying materials. Foam should be used around the painting to offer temperature insulation and daze protection.One trend in art transportation that must exist acknowledged is the increasing employ of soft packing, as
the price of exhibitions and the associated shipment of paintings increases. Soft packing is common for graphic works such as prints and drawings and the practice has spread from commercial galleries and artists to museums. Soft packing is the replacement of plywood sided cases, with one having cardboard or cream sides.No work of art should exist soft packed unless the establishment is willing to take a chance major damage. Also, while there is all-encompassing experience in soft packing, there has been little scientific research into how the best protection can be offered at minimal price.

Rolling Paintings

Of course, in that location will exist times when rolling a painting is the only style to transport work, simply the following tips tin can assistance minimize risks:

• Let acceptable time for the paint film to completely cure.

• Place an interleaf of polyethylene plastic no less than iv ml thick onto the surface of the canvas before rolling. It should exist cleaned of release agents, dust and other contaminants. Do not use chimera wrap, plastic wrap or sparse plastics for this purpose, because they will likely ferrotype the painting surface.

• Ringlet and unroll paintings at room temperature. Rolling while common cold may outcome in bang-up, peculiarly in thick paint films.

• Roll relatively loosely to reduce the take a chance of ferrotyping or adhesion.

• Gyre with the pigment moving picture facing outward. Rolling with the paint picture show facing in increases tension by causing pinch of the paint motion picture.

• Once packed, tape securely, but not also tightly.

• Gyre up the sheet as evenly as possible.

• Use a paper-thin core six inches or greater. Tighter rolling increases the compression of the film.

• Put the rolled canvas into a larger tube. Use additional packing cloth to clinch that the inner tube fits snugly in the larger tube.

• Whenever possible, the tube should exist kept upright to reduce weight on any one side. This is most of import for big canvases.

• Exercise not shop paintings rolled up for extended periods of fourth dimension. Unroll the painting as soon equally reasonably possible.

• Sonotubes® are a production used by many artists who roll their artwork for transportation. Sonotubes® can exist found at world wide web.sonoco.com.

Marking Containers and Unpacking Instructions

If the painting is going to exist opened by someone other than the sender, an envelope with explicit instructions for unpacking and repacking should be securely taped to the outside of the container. The taped envelope should read, "To avoid damage, read beginning before unpacking," or something similar. These instructions get invaluable if in that location is a dispute about whatsoever damage occurring during shipping, unpacking or repacking afterward an exhibit. Be sure to urge that all packing materials be kept with the crate(s). Do not assume that the person who unpacks will be the same person to repack the artwork. If the painting is being shipped to another country, it's imperative that documentation in languages of those countries be used, and then that an unwary inspector does not carelessly open up a container without proper precautions. Check with all applicable agencies equally to the preferred documentation.

Artwork Storage and Transportation Resources

While the risks and problems surrounding the transportation of art are formidable, they are not insurmountable. Educational activity on this issue will let transportation of artwork with minimum adventure and expense. There are professionals dedicated to but this task and they may exist hired if the artwork is
sufficiently valuable. There is also literature that can give guidance in this expanse. Some helpful resources are listed in this article. If you have any further questions regarding this effect, feel free to contact the Gilt Technical Support Section at i-800-959-6543 or go to www.goldenpaints.com.

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Source: https://justpaint.org/safe-handling-and-transportation-of-acrylic-paintings/

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