3 Easy Steps to Wrapping Your Prints for Transport

Welcome to my blog.

I have packed the limited edition print Pandanus by Tate Adams ready for freighting to the Print Council of Australia, Melb.

My skills of wrapping artworks were refined from my experience of working in an art gallery. I believe your duty of care is to ensure the buyer receives their purchased print in the same condition as when they bought it. This demonstrates that you are building a relationship beyond the point of sale. If your buyer has a pleasurable experience throughout the process of purchasing they are likely to buy from you again. It would be terrible for a customer to return their purchase due to a bad experience which would lead to no further relationship or sales.

I have used all recycled materials found in my studio to pack the prints. I keep all packing materials that are suitable for reuse in the transport of my prints or artists books. In this instance I have use the paper and card board that was protecting printmaking paper previously delivered to my studio.

Step I. Place acid free tissue, or butchers paper, between each print to avoid the etching ink from rubbing and transferring to the back of the print sitting on top. Then wrap the stack of prints in paper and tape closed tightly.

Step 2. Cut a thick piece card board to a size slightly larger than the paper including four edges the thickness of the stack of prints. I perforate these edges and fold.  I then cut another piece of card to fit as the top piece to create a lid. Tape your cardboard box closed tightly so there is no movement or chance that it will come open in transport.

Step.3 Wrap your box in a layer of bubble wrap and tape it closed. Then cut for lengths of card the thickness of the edges, perforate the center and fold around the corners. Tape these in place to ensure the corners do not get damaged if dropped. Then wrap in a sheet of plastic to to avoid any water contact (I live in the tropics). Then place a clear label with your return address.

Happy printmaking,
Warmly,
Jo Lankester

P.S Discover the secrets to building a sustainable printmaking business www.howtogetstartedinprintmaking.com

P.P.S Our strength grows out of our weakness.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Restoration of Engravings, Drawings, Books, and Other Works on Paper (Getty Trust Publications: Getty Conservation Institute)