Transporting Paintings Safely

Transporting paintings safely is critical. A sudden stop, a carelessly repacked bubble wrap bundle, or a canvas rubbing against an unprotected surface can damage work that took weeks to complete. I’ve seen many tears when an artist brings me a painting and the surface is scratched from sliding in their car or their lovable canine traveling companion stood on it. These are the methods and materials I recommend to my clients — practical, inexpensive, and genuinely protective.

The DIY Reflectix Carrier — for Dry Paintings

Minneapolis painter Kevin Komadina, who travels nationally for gallery shows and exhibitions, introduced me to this solution. It’s become my top recommendation for transporting dry paintings of any size.

Reflectix Double Reflective Insulation is a bubble-wrap-style material with a foil facing on both sides. It’s rigid enough to protect, flexible enough to fold, and completely customizable to any painting size. A roll costs between $10–$50 depending on size and is available at Home Depot, Menards, or on Amazon. Total build time is about twenty minutes.

One firm rule: the painting must be completely dry — including any varnish — before going into a Reflectix carrier. The interior surface, while smooth, will contact your painting face if the carrier flexes. For additional protection, place a sheet of glassine between the painting surface and the carrier interior. Glassine is a smooth, acid-free interleaving paper used in fine art shipping — your local art supply store carries it, and it’s inexpensive.

One of my clients eliminated years of bubble wrap repacking stress with this carrier. Her husband called it a marriage-saver. I’ll take their word for it.

DIY Custom Transporting Paintings Safely Carrier

Materials you will need.

Reflectix Double Reflective Insulation Rolls

Instructions

Step 1 — Measure and Cut

The width of your Reflectix piece should equal the long edge of the painting plus 6 inches. The height should equal twice the short edge plus 12 inches.

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Step 2 — Fold

Fold the Reflectix in half so the back end extends 6 inches longer than the front.

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Step 3 — Tape the Sides

Tape both side seams with Gorilla or duct tape, running the full length of each seam. Apply tape to both the inside and outside of each seam — no exposed adhesive should remain. Reinforce the bottom seam with an additional layer.

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Step 4 — The Top Flap

The extra 6 inches of backing folds forward over the opening to seal the painting inside.

Transporting paintings safely - DIY Custom Artwork Carrier

Step 5 — Sealing

Use painter’s tape or a low-tack tape to seal the flap. Fold the last half-inch of tape back on itself so it’s easy to pull open later. Alternatively, insert the painting face-away from you and tuck the flap inside against the back — no tape required, like closing a sandwich bag.

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An Art Fair Presentation Idea Worth Stealing

Minnesota painter Leanne Hanson takes the Reflectix carrier one step further. When a painting sells at a show, the carrier goes with it. Before the show, she tapes to the outside: the painting title, an artist statement, her contact information, and a certificate of authenticity.

The buyer walks out with a painting that’s protected, professionally presented, and personally connected to the artist who made it. The carrier becomes part of the sale rather than an afterthought.

The same approach works for shipping — a Reflectix carrier inside a properly sized box is a clean, professional solution for gallery submissions and collector shipments. I’ve had artists ship me paintings that are packed in with pieces of foam and paper and other loose packing. A couple hard drops by the shipper and all the materials move around and rub on the painting. Put the painting in this carrier and then put foam around that in the box.

Wet Panel Carriers — for Plein Air Painters

If you’re transporting wet paintings from the field, a dedicated wet panel carrier is the right tool. The panels are slotted to hold paintings without surface contact, and most accommodate multiple works at once. I recommend cleaning your carrier periodically — compressed air works well for dried pigment, and a water rinse with upside-down drying handles the rest.

If you don’t have a wet panel carrier, a box with wax paper or cloth between paintings works in a pinch — but be cautious with thick impasto.

Recommended carriers:

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Bringing Work to My Studio

If you’re having paintings professionally photographed, the Reflectix carrier makes drop-off straightforward — especially for large work or paintings with thick impasto. Please let me know in advance if a painting is freshly varnished or has significant texture, so I can plan handling accordingly.

Dust is worth mentioning here: even a light coat of dust on a varnished painting shows in photography. Varnish in a clean environment, and keep your carriers clean between uses.

Artwork Photography in Minneapolis

If your paintings are destined for competition submissions, print sales, gallery applications, or your portfolio, professional photography is worth doing once and doing right. I’ve been photographing paintings for Twin Cities artists for over 15 years — color accurate, glare-free, high resolution.

See pricing and what’s included →

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