How to Ship Artwork Safely
Packing and shipping artwork is where a lot of sales quietly go wrong. A broken piece, a cracked frame, a lost shipment — all recoverable, but all expensive to the artist's time, money, and reputation. Here's how to keep that from happening.
Before anything else: document the work
Before a piece leaves the studio, photograph it from multiple angles, including the back, the frame, the edges, and any existing marks or repairs. These images are what you'll need if you have to file an insurance claim, demonstrate prior condition, or prove the work left undamaged.
Keep condition photos attached to the artwork record along with the shipping date and carrier. Without that, disputes over damage become he-said-she-said, and you will lose.
Packing by medium
Works on paper
Flat pack between two rigid sheets (acid-free backing board inside, corrugated cardboard outside). Glassine or interleaving paper directly against the surface. For anything valuable, add a layer of foam board, then box. Mark clearly as "Do Not Bend."
Unframed canvases
Face-to-face pack two canvases with glassine between, cardboard corners, wrapped in bubble wrap, in a snug box. Never tape directly to the canvas or stretcher. For single canvases, use a picture box with internal edge guards.
Framed work
Tape an X across the glass to contain shards if it breaks. Corner protectors, bubble wrap, then foam-lined cardboard or, for anything over about US$1,500 or travelling by air, a custom wooden crate.
Sculpture
Custom crate with foam inserts cut to the exact profile of the work. Immobilize the piece completely — it should not be able to shift inside the crate. For heavy work, use a forkliftable base.
Materials that are worth paying for
- Acid-free tissue and glassine
- Archival foam board (Gatorboard, not craft foam)
- Cardboard corner protectors
- Double-wall cardboard boxes, not single-wall
- Fragile tape and "This Way Up" arrows
- For framed work: corrugated cardboard or custom crates
Skimping on packing materials is the single most common source of in-transit damage. Good materials for a mid-sized work usually cost somewhere between US$25 and US$80, which is small insurance against a broken piece.
Carriers: what to use when
Rough guidelines:
- Small works under ~US$500: Standard tracked parcel (UPS, FedEx, Royal Mail, USPS) with additional insurance purchased.
- Mid-range US$500–US$5,000: FedEx or UPS with declared value, signed delivery, and a proper box. Avoid ground for fragile work in bad weather.
- Over ~US$5,000 or international: A fine art shipper. Not a general parcel carrier. The cost difference is real but so is the care.
- Anything oversized or fragile at any price: Fine art shipper with a proper crate.
Insurance
Most carriers cap their standard liability low — often around US$100 per package. Additional declared value or third-party shipping insurance is non-optional for anything valuable.
Keep documentation for every shipment: a signed condition report before packing, a packing checklist, tracking numbers, and dated photos of the packed parcel. If you ever need to file a claim, those records determine whether it's paid. You can read more about art documentation for insurance for a deeper guide.
International shipping and customs
Crossing borders adds paperwork. A commercial invoice, accurate HS code (artwork is usually 9701–9703 depending on medium), correct declared value, and artist statement may all be required. Undervaluing a shipment to save on duty is a false economy — it invalidates insurance.
For gallery loans and consignments across borders, a carnet is sometimes the right instrument. A fine art shipper will walk you through this; a general parcel carrier will not.
Who pays for what
Decide this before it becomes a problem. Typical arrangements:
- Direct sale: buyer usually pays shipping, quoted in advance and added to the invoice.
- Gallery consignment: negotiated. Outbound often the artist, inbound often the gallery. Put it in the consignment agreement.
- Returns from consignment: specify in writing who is responsible and under what deadline.
Unwritten assumptions about shipping are one of the easiest ways for artist-gallery relationships to sour. Put it on paper.
After it ships
Send tracking to the recipient immediately. Update the artwork record with the shipment date, carrier, and destination. When it arrives, ask the recipient to inspect and acknowledge condition on delivery.
Keep the packaging and all documentation until the buyer confirms the work arrived in good condition. If something is wrong, you need the materials to demonstrate prior packing care — and for the carrier's claim process.
Log every shipment against the artwork
Artwork Codex lets you record current location, consignment status, and sale details next to each piece — so you always know where a work is and when it shipped.
Free plan covers consignment and location tracking for up to 5 artworks.