I have to ship a painting, and it needs to come off the stretchers. Whats the best way to roll it for shipment?
Any time a canvas is removed from the stretchers there is a chance the artwork could be damaged. However, when rolling up a painting cannot be avoided steps can be taken to minimize the chance something could go wrong. Paintings should only be rolled paint side out to avoid compressing the paint film. When removing a canvas from stretchers, it’s best to work with the canvas face down, flat on a clean cloth or sheet. Take extreme care not to puncture or tear the canvas; avoid creasing or folding, as the paint may crack. Never allow acrylic painted surfaces to touch other like surfaces or any slick, impermeable material for prolonged periods, as the high adhesive power of acrylics can cause permanent sticking, especially in hot environments. Cover oil paintings with archival glassine sheets (Item No: 39305) (acrylics should be covered with more porous paper to avoid sticking) and roll the canvas around a wide core of cardboard or PVC pipe. Wrap the roll with bubble wrap followed by cardb
