PACKING OIL PAINTING CANVASES AND PANELS FOR TRAVEL
1. First decide what size your canvas or panel will be. You will need a pencil, ruler or straight edge, X-acto knife and duck tape. The following are directions for storing four 8 x 10 inch oil panels or canvas.
2. With a sheet of foamboard or 1/4 inch thick cardboard cut two strips 1/2 inch longer in length to anticipate the fold and the thickness of the foamboard or cardboard. For example, for an oil panel that is 8 x 10 inches the two strips will be 18 1/2 inches long by 1-inch wide depending on how thick your painting panel or your canvas is.
3. Next, tape with duck tape two pieces together lining then up end to end so that you have a 36 1/2 inch long x 1 inch wide long strip for your 8 x 10 inch painting. Then bend the taped 36 1/2 inch strip tightly around the corners of the painting making sure the wet painting is face up as if you were strapping the edge of the painting. Then tape with duck tape the two ends that come together to make the last corner tightly to close the frame. If this is done tightly enough the painting won't move forward.
4. Now lift the painting up and tape with duck tape four strips about two inches long on the back of the painting and tightly to the strips. This should keep the painting from also coming forward.
5. Lastly, I pre-cut cardboard rectangles that serve as lids that are slightly larger than the painting at 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches to cover the painting for further protection. I also tape the lids to the strips. Then I store the paintings on top of each other using a 9 x 11 x 4 inch cardboard postal box to store up to 4 paintings. I label each painting so that I can tell which paintings they are and from which location. When I get home I untape the foamboard/cardboard strapping and free the painting. No holes, no smudges, just ready to sign and totally protected!
If this has helped you let me know. I'd love to see how my method of packaging paintings for travel has helped you. If you would like me to come and demonstrate a workshop on this and other helpful hints please contact me at [email protected]. Happy Plein Air Painting!
