Please include the size of art you’re shipping, and where you get the materials for shipping.
I’ve had GREAT luck with EZArtShippers. They come in 4 sizes (small, medium, large & XL). You can ship anything from 12"x16" to 31"x42". I get them from Jerry’s Artorama.
I’m eyeing boxes like EZart shippers, but right now, for pieces over about 16x20 inches, I make my own boxes by recycling cardboard and packing materials. Smaller items, I’ve got padded envelopes that work.
Thanks for posting this. I was thinking about it just today, wondering what to do about bigger sizes, so this came along at just the right time.
U-Haul has wonderful boxes that are meant for art and mirrors. You can also buy a styrofoam corners kit. I’ve shipped as large as 40 x 32" successfully with them. I like that I can buy one or two as needed, not having to buy online and store.
I am looking for shipping supplies for larger works on paper, so I really don’t need those great looking boxes. With my smaller works, I ship them matted and in bubble mailers or priorty mailers from the usps. But I have a couple of larger works that when matted will be 16 x 20 inches. I haven’t been able to locate mailers that large unless I buy a case of 100. I could just ship them without mats, but that may mess up my karma Would making my own package work for the postal service? Anyone have a source for larger mailing envelopes that are available in smaller quantities?
Most of my sales are small, 8x10 or smaller and usually done on panels. I ship them in flat rate Priority Mail padded envelopes. These are great because the post office will deliver them and a lot of other mailing boxes and supplies right to your door for free.
First thing I do is wrap the painting in glassine paper to protect the surface of the painting. Then I sandwich the painting between two 9x12 cardboard pads. These pads will fit nicely into the envelope and they can be purchased on Ebay quite cheaply. Then I just drop the envelope off at the post office.
Larger paintings than that get wrapped in brown craft paper, then wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a box that allows for at least one inch of free space all the way around the painting, which is filled with newspaper. Those boxes I will buy from websites like Uline.com.
I’ve never had one complaint about a damaged painting that I’ve sent out.