When you’re having an art show, you’re going to need to transport your art. I’ve done it incorrectly several times, resulting in damaging my art work, so I will do my best to explain the correct way to transport art work here.
Art prints or photographic prints:
Usually for an art show these will be framed, but if for whatever reason they are not, here are several options for safely transporting them.
1. For fewer or bigger prints, you can put them in a portfolio. This is a great one I found on Amazon, it’s maybe a little pricey but it’s very professional and durable: Alvin Prestige Studio Series Art Portfolio 20″ x 26″ – 1-1/2″ Gusset
2. If you just have a stack of 8×10 prints you can transport them in a regular cardboard box.
Unframed art work:
I’ve transported unframed art a couple of ways, so I’ll tell you both but I think option #2 is the better one.
1. Stack them face to face and back to back in the back seat or trunk of a car (or cab of a truck). I would put blankets or towels underneath and also around the art as needed to ensure they don’t slide around at all.
IMPORTANT: Do not leave the art sitting in a hot car. If the paintings are acrylic or have any sort of varnish on them, they will stick together and get damaged.
2. This is the much safer way to transport unframed art: Get some packing supplies including boxes, cardboard and tape. You can either get some individual mirror/picture boxes like these: Mirror & Picture Boxes (30″x40″) – 5 Sets
Wrap the art with acid free paper to protect it, then wrap it in bubble wrap and tape it. Then place it securely in an individual box or, less preferred, stack them in a larger box, using extra bubble wrap as needed to make sure the art doesn’t slide around.
IMPORTANT: Do not leave the art sitting in a hot car. If the paintings are acrylic or have any sort of varnish on them, they will stick together and get damaged.
Framed art work:
You would transport framed art work almost the same way as unframed art work, except that you would not need to wrap it in acid free paper and I would recommend putting plenty of bubble wrap around it to protect the glass. You should also put cardboard or foam corner guards on the corners to additionally protect the frame.