Painting in a suitcase

[Kimberly Dow]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Terri Ficenec]

Hi Kim...
What I do for delivering finished paintings might work for you... I get:
* 2 pieces of foam core cut to the dimensions of the painting
* 2 inch wide strips of foam core cut the length of each of the four sides
* a couple of ~2x6" pieces of foam core, and some scrap foam core
* a roll of clear packing tape (I bet you've got lots of that!)

Note: my local art supply store cuts the foam core for me, no charge

I make a 2 inch deep box with the foam core and packing tape that is the dimensions of the painting + a strip of foam core all the way around. (see below. . . )

The box opens like a book... with a 'bottom' and a lid. The 'bottom' has a patch of foam core fixed in it at the side each corner that leave just a little gap between the bottom of the box wide enough for the canvas to slide under... face up... this keeps the wet surface away from the lid when the box is shut. The lid has the 2x6 inch pieces as little flaps at the side to keep the 'sides' of the box from flaring near the open end... it helps if the top panel is a smidge longer than the bottom so that these flaps fit around the bottoms sides. . . (sounds more complicated than it is. . .

This box is light, fairly cheap, provides some protection to the painting and would probably still fit in your suit case... though what I usually do is make handles out of strips of packing tape and carry it like a briefcase.

[Kimberly Dow]

Terri - thank you for the explanation and the drawing! This might just work. I will let you know.