The Entire Package

It's funny how you do things in your life along the way. These things may be random and not what your are wanting to do, but there is a season in your life where the thing just has to be done.

Mine was working at FedEx.

Kinko's to be exact. If you know this business, then you are old.

Kinko's got eaten up by FedEx in the early 2000s. I just happened to be there, helped train and transition the folks to the new procedures and service offerings. It was a blast and I got to know some really great people.

I was at Kinko's initially so I could get discounted printing for my art when I first moved back to the Tennessee from Montréal, Quebec.

So now I learned how to do shipping AND packaging.

Here I am, 20 years later, packaging up precious parcels of paintings... Even these are custom made.

Just so you know, it doesn't matter how many fragile stickers you have on a package, it still could be "unfragiled" by the time it reaches its destination.

In this example, I reuse as much packaging as I can. This process appeases my technical brain parts by the strategy of "what do I have?" and the "how to make it strong".

I've used some regular foam board, created a barrier so the matted painting will stay away from the edges. The painting itself is wrapped in paper to avoid friction in the mail and possible scratching.

A secret for items with fragile corners? Extend the packaging on all sides. This way, any corners that get dinged, are of only the packaging.

I'm going to spell it out. Original painting has an acid free matting and backing. This is wrapped in thick kraft paper. Top facing up. IGNORE any Christmas gift wrapping techniques. You want the tape on the TOP. You do not want the painting to be flipped. More handling, more accidents. Then the foam core surrounds this. Not shown in the photo, I then lightly glue another foam piece on top, weak glue on one corner. This is then marked for the recipient to "pull this corner up".

THEN there is a nice and neat layer of re-usded cardboard to surround this. All edges are sealed with tape.

That's it!

There's something about making the packaging precious along with the painting. I want people to enjoy the entire interaction of ordering a painting to receiving it – to enjoying it for years to come!

PS: Every commissioned painting has a little som'n som'n inside.

No spoiler! I'll have to post the painting later once I know the recipient has it.

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This entire blog is written by me. All grammar or poor writing is 100% my own. Thanks for enjoying! I mean, if you did enjoy this. I may be putting words in your mouth. See you again soon!