Painting in a suitcase

Kimberly Dow · 09-08-2005, 05:27 PM

Im traveling soon and have a painting I want to take that will fit in my suitcase. Im going to cushion it well. It's abs, so I expect no problems with it. My question is this - what should be touching the painting directly? It isn't framed - so whatever I wrap it in will be touching the dry paint directly...with shoes and clothing packed in around it as well.

Cindy Procious · 09-09-2005, 07:30 AM

Kim, I don't know what the experts will say, but I think that unless it's totally dry (like over 6 months done) I wouldn't put it in a suitcase. Unless you want to peel whatever you wrapped it in off because it stuck to it, and spend a couple days tweezing off lint & whatnot.

The solution is to frame it. Then put cardboard over the frame, and wrap it tight. Then you can put it in your suitcase.

I could be wrong, though.

Chris Saper · 09-09-2005, 10:13 AM

I think Cindy's solution is the simplest and most practical. Even if all you do is find an old frame to stand in for the trip.

I was once in a class with a student from out of state who had located some little devices that looked like push-pins with pins on both ends. He put the pins in the corners (which the frame rabbet would eventually cover) of both right sides of the wet paintings so that they faced each other, then wrapped them with brown paper and tape.

You could do the same with some stiff cardboard. I don't recall ever seeing the pins, but then I haven't really looked

.

Jen Reinstadler · 09-09-2005, 12:55 PM

I spoke to a gallery director who shipped paintings to clients on a regular basis. He said that he had no problem just wrapping it in bubble wrap. Of course, he absolutely refused to deal with anything that was wet and everything shipped out of his gallery was framed.

Michele Rushworth · 09-09-2005, 05:35 PM

I've had bubble wrap stick and leave little bubble patterns on a painting I thought was dry.

I agree with the above suggestions that unless the painting is, say a year old and VERY dry, not to have anything touching the paint itself. You can use push pins on the corners and then put a piece of cardboard over the top of that, so the cardboard is held away from the painting. I've also made a "pochade box" out of foam core to keep "not quite dry" paintings away from anything else while being transported.

Kimberly Dow · 09-09-2005, 06:48 PM

Thanks everyone. I may not do it now. If I frame it or add much around it, I dont think it will fit - it was a close call. ah well.