pastel packaging for shipment

Summer's End II, protective packaging

Three days to go on the auction for Summer's End II. I am packaging it for shipping by USPS Medium Flat Rate Box.

Supplies:
Your pastel painting
Crystal Clear bag
double sided adhesive tape
removable "Scotch" tape
Archival (or not) foam core 3/8"
craft knife
Artist's tape

1. Measure your painting and cut two pieces of 3/8"  thick foam core 1" larger on all sides. Set one piece of foam aside - this will your cover. For the base piece of foam core, apply a small piece of dbl sided tape where each of the corners of your painting will be. Carefully center your painting and gently press each corner to attach it to the base foam. (Use a slip-sheet between your fingers and the pastel surface when pressing.)

2. Cut four  3/4" wide foam core strips (one for each side of the painting). I cut the side pieces slightly shorter than the length of the side to leave a "gutter" for any pastel dust or expansion. Now  cut additional 3/4" inch wide strips to stack the strips so they are a minimum of 1/4" higher than the painting surface all the way around. In this case I needed only two 3/8" thick pieces on each side because the painting is Wallis Belgium Mist on 4-ply board.

3. With dbl sided tape, attach 4 of the strips snug against the painting edges.

4. With dbl sided tape, attach another foam core strip on top of the existing strip on each of the two sides of the painting.

5. With dbl sided tape, attach another foam core strip on top of the existing foam core strips at the top and bottom of the painting carefully overlapping the edge of the painting by 1/16". This will hold the painting in place if your small adhesive tabs in each corner fail.

6. To apply the Crystal Clear Bag: Apply small tabs of dbl sided tape to top and bottom foam core strips to attach a Crystal Clear bag stretched taunt over the painting. The bad does not touch the painting surface. Apply removable "Scotch" tape courtesy tabs to each side to hold the taunt bag in place.

7. To ship, cover with the other piece of foam core, tape with courtesy tabs on each side, wrap in bubble wrap, then into a box containing additional cushioning (foam, packing peanuts, etc.). Voila! Pastel is packaged for safe shipment.