How to transport paintings on an airplane: methods, recommendations. How to pack paintings for moving The technical side of the issue of transporting a painting

Transporting a painting is a difficult, responsible task. Perhaps you are planning to move a painting that you painted on vacation to decorate the walls of your apartment with it. Or perhaps you are the director of a museum and you need to transport a Rembrandt painting from the Louvre to the Hermitage. In any case, our advice will help you transport and pack the painting without cracking or damaging it.

Transportation of paintings is not an easy process, requiring even a transport company highest professionalism- exactly the same, which distinguishes the transportation of LLC "New Level". And the first thing that will need to be done is to pack the picture.

The packaging of the picture must meet several requirements at once. First of all, it should protect the cargo from damage during shaking and jolts during the transportation of the picture. The packaging of the painting must not cause damage to the frame, stretcher, canvas and layers of paint on it. If it is necessary to transport an expensive painting over a long distance, the packaging of the painting must maintain the microclimate familiar to the canvas.

You can transport the painting and pack it different ways. Several packaging options:

  1. How to pack a picture in a frame.

This is a fairly simple case of transporting a painting, because the protruding frame already gives the canvas some protection. Wrap the picture tightly with stretch film or food packaging film (we recommend using food film for transporting the picture as it is softer). Hint - hold the roll of film with the side to be unwound towards the picture, not towards you, this will allow you to tighten the packaging more tightly. Roll up not only the front side, but also the edges of the picture. Then wrap the picture in bubble wrap or polyethylene foam (it is also a substrate for the laminate) so that the edges and joints of the film fall on reverse side and not on the front. Fill the protruding edges of the package to make an “envelope”, glue it crosswise with adhesive tape, glue the edges and joints of the film with it, so that the air remaining inside softens the shocks when transporting the picture. Take two large sheets of corrugated cardboard (the size of the picture you want to pack, taking into account the thickness of the frame) and lay the picture between them. Bend the edges of the cardboard sheets inward, glue all the joints with tape and glue the packaging of the picture crosswise again.

For strength, you can pack the picture not in corrugated cardboard, but between two sheets of plywood or hardboard. You can also order a rigid crate from New Level LLC, or purchase a special case for transporting a painting at an art store. In this form, you can safely transport the picture by car, train or plane.

  1. How to pack a painting on a stretcher.

Technically, packing a painting on a stretcher for shipping is not too different from shipping a painting in a frame. But do not forget that in this case the canvas is more prone to bumps and bumps during the transportation of the picture. Therefore, do not save on packaging materials, transport the paintings in a rigid crate and entrust the transportation of the painting to a reliable transport company New Level LLC!

  1. How to pack a painting without a frame.

This method of transporting a painting is very difficult - when folding, there is a risk of cracking on the paint layer. In many ways - due to the fact that many, fearing for the integrity of the paint, fold the canvas with paint inside. This is mistake! To avoid cracks, fold the painting with the canvas on the inside, the paint on the outside! If the picture is old, cover it with gelatin and spread it with tracing paper.

It is better to wind the canvas for transporting the picture on a strong tube so that the picture does not collapse under its own weight. For the same purpose, you can fill the space in the tube with soft packaging. Place the folded picture carefully into the drawing tube. If the tube is not at hand, you can transport the picture in a plastic pipe of the appropriate length. In this case, the ends of the pipe should be closed with cardboard plugs and sealed with tape.

  1. How to transport a wet painting?

Packing and transporting a wet painting is not an easy task. Any contact with the packaging will leave a mark on the paint layer. It is most reasonable to purchase a special wardrobe trunk for transporting wet paintings, but a few tricks will make it possible to get by with improvised means.

Naturally, wet paintings are transported exclusively on stretchers. For transportation it is better to take two wet paintings exactly the same size. Place them right side up. with a small gap. When packing pictures, in no case do not let them touch the front sides!

Using a staple gun, attach strips of rigid corrugated board to the sides of the stretchers to keep the pictures from touching each other. Technically, four cardboard corners at the corners of both transported paintings can be dispensed with, but continuous fastening improves the strength of the packaging of the paintings.

Do you plan to transport the second painting? Use plywood (you can use corrugated packaging, but this reduces reliability) or hardboard screen of similar dimensions. Make sure that the thickness of the screen allows you to attach the cardboard spacer, otherwise you will have to fix the construction brackets around the perimeter of the transported picture and fix the screen to them. In an art store, you can also purchase special brackets for transporting a wet painting.

After that, wrap the resulting two-picture construction with cling film and pack the transported pictures as described above.

Do not forget that the transportation of the painting in any case does not imply pushing, shaking, and especially the pressure of other goods. Warn the movers of the transport company that the painting should be transported on top of other cargo, or order a painting transportation service from New Level LLC, and your painting will be transported by default in compliance with safety requirements!

  1. How to transport a painting - a museum exhibit?

A separate issue is the transportation of a painting that is museum exhibit, and having a high artistic and commercial value. To transport such a painting is a very difficult and responsible task, which is best entrusted to a professional carrier company New Level LLC. Before transporting a painting-museum exhibit, the restoration commission must give permission for its transportation without fail. An oil painting or a damaged tempera can only be transported between museums and restoration workshops.

For the transportation of paintings of high artistic value, special coatings are used. Most often it is mica tape - a special packaging material, which is a two-layer paper made of special types of wood, lined from the inside with a mica-bitumen-lacquer filler. To transport the picture, air bubble wrap, foam packaging is also used. Such paintings are packed only in cases made of waterproof plywood with a rigid crate. The fastening of the package should protect the transported painting as much as possible from mechanical impact from the packaging or other goods, shaking and vibration during the transportation of the painting, as well as temperature changes.

Transportation of paintings of high value is allowed only in vehicles with regulated indicators of temperature and humidity, while the conditions in the body must exactly correspond to the conditions of storage and exposure of the painting. Before packaging the painting, the packaging materials must be stored for at least two weeks in the same room where the painting is stored.

In the case of a high cost of the transported painting, it is desirable to clarify the route of transportation of the painting, provide the car and the driver with tracking and communication equipment, and organize armed escort for the transportation of the painting. While these measures are standard for high value shipments, make sure the shipping company follows these guidelines. Better yet, entrust the transportation of the picture to a proven and reliable transport company, New Level LLC, whose range of services includes all measures to ensure the safety of the cargo!

If you plan to transport paintings across the state border, do not forget to contact the local department of the Ministry of Culture for a certificate of permission to export cultural objects. Otherwise, the transportation of paintings through customs may not be allowed.

When transporting a painting by plane, it is possible to pack the painting (on top of the packaging described above) in a plastic folder big size. Most airlines check in this packed picture as hand luggage. Try to take a place near the evacuation gate to be able to place a large-format picture.

And remember. The best way to transport a painting - trust the professional and reliable transport company New Level LLC, which has established itself in the market for transporting works of art. Our drivers have experience in delivering paintings, and the loaders are equipped with the necessary packaging materials, which allows New Level LLC to provide a full range of services for packaging and preparing paintings for transportation. In this case, you will save yourself the hassle of packing and transporting the picture - and worrying about your canvases.

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Data on the topic of transporting paintings by plane is offered on many forums, but scrolling through the message feed, it is possible to immediately realize that their authors quite often offer information that contradicts each other. We have tried to put together the main requirements for the air transportation of works of art and invite you to familiarize yourself with them later. But, given that any company serves passengers according to its own rules, it is better to contact the company manager in advance to clarify the details of how to transport paintings by plane.

The technical side of the issue of transporting the painting Transportation in a tube

In order to transport the painting by plane, it is necessary to remove the canvas from the stretcher and roll it into a roll with the pattern inside. Then it will be easiest to choose a tube of the appropriate size for the roll. Before being placed in a tube, it is recommended to wrap the canvas with cardboard or paper and glue the ends with adhesive tape.

Shipping in a box

In some cases, rolling a work of art into a roll threatens to lose its presentation. For example, craquelures can appear on the oil layer, in addition, there is a risk of tearing the paper web. Paintings under such conditions are transported in a special plastic folder for painters or a wooden box.

The picture is allowed to be transported both in the cargo compartment of the aircraft and in the cabin. Along with this, if the size of the box does not allow it to be placed in the compartment for hand luggage above your seat, it is possible to ask the flight attendant for help in finding a suitable place for the picture.

How to transport a work of art by plane without trouble? Yes, quite: a place near the emergency exit, and next to you there will be a lot of space in order to lean the picture against the wall at your feet.

Shipping antique paintings in airplane

When exporting works of art abroad, quite often it comes to antiques. The canvas may have been painted a couple of centuries ago, and unnecessary manipulations with it can harm the integrity of the canvas, and the frame in many cases has a high treasure. Please note that during unloading and loading a fragile item may be irretrievably broken.

In order to avoid similar misunderstandings, follow a simple condition: the transportation of paintings by air must be carried out in wooden boxes, and the works of art themselves must be wrapped in pimply cellophane.

We remind you that any company sets personal requirements for the weight and dimensions of hand luggage, on the basis of which the rules for transporting paintings by plane are created.

For example, Aeroflot allows you to carry hand luggage on board, weighing up to 15 kg in business class, 10 kg in comfort and economy class, the dimensions of hand luggage are the same for everyone - up to 115 cm by the sum of three sides.

How do I legally arrange baggage in the form of a painting for transportation by plane?

You already understand how to transport a painting by plane across Russia. Now let's look at the question of how to transport works of art across the border, taking into account the design of all necessary documents. So that the transportation of paintings by plane does not cause problems, go ahead to assess the works of art and take permits for their export.

To do this, you need to contact the Work for the Preservation of Cultural Treasures and the Department of Culture of the Russian Federation.

In order to receive a timely response to the request, it is necessary to provide these authorities with the following documents:

    a request for the transportation of a painting abroad;

    certificate of registration of a legal entity / photocopy of a passport;

    details of the canvas: artist, year of painting, dimensions of the canvas, name of technique, certificate or check from the author;

    3 photos of the canvas in full size, signed with the details of the canvas.

Transporting paintings by air to another country may require additional fees and customs declarations, at a time when the work of art represents a high cultural treasure for the country. In another case, guided by the rules for transporting antiques by plane, you may not be allowed to leave Russia.

Few connoisseurs of painting know how to transport paintings correctly. Carefully read the information provided - this will help bring the canvases in complete safety.

Preparatory stage: what you need for reliable packaging

Today, many homes and even offices have paintings. Painting donated by friends or colleagues is an object dear to the heart. Some canvases are also of artistic value and cost fabulous money. Whatever the price of the work, the need to transport the canvases causes concern for the owner. Here the question arises: how to transport the picture, so as not to damage or spoil it? To deliver the painting in complete safety, you should carefully prepare. First, select and buy the right amount of packaging materials. What will we need?

  • thick paper or cardboard;
  • stretch film;
  • air bubble film;
  • plywood;
  • scotch.

Proper packaging guarantees complete safety for your canvas. You can protect not only the canvas itself, but also the frame. There are several options for packaging painting. Your actions depend on the chosen method of transporting the painting, weather conditions and other factors. Let's figure it out this issue in detail.

Instructions: how to properly pack a painting

Paintings are delicate things. Striking the canvas can cause damage to the paint layer of the canvas. In addition, during transportation, dents and small cracks are often formed in the paintings, which are very difficult to restore. In addition to mechanical damage, the canvases are sensitive to temperature changes, moisture, and sunlight. These factors can irrevocably spoil the picture! With careless handling, not only the canvas, but also the frame can suffer. How to pack a painting for transportation to avoid problems?

Packing a picture in a frame

The specialists of moving companies have seen from their own experience that it is more convenient to transport paintings in frames. Why? The protruding part of the frame creates additional protection for the canvas. Painting is packaged in several layers. Initially, wrap the picture with stretch film - close the canvas and the edges of the frame well. The second layer of packaging is air bubble wrap. By wrapping the picture, you create a soft shock-absorbing cushion that protects the canvas from mechanical damage. To prevent the edges of the wrapper from coming apart, fix the joints with tape.

In no case do not stick adhesive tape to the frame or canvas - noticeable traces may remain.



Now the picture in the envelope can be placed in a rigid package. Finding a suitable size box is problematic - make the container yourself! Lay the canvas between two sheets of cardboard or thick paper and fold the edges of the sheets inward. Cover the resulting design with adhesive tape. For expensive items, packaging is often created not from cardboard, but from plywood. Rigid material will better protect against shaking and atmospheric influences.

Packing canvas and frame separately

Transporting a canvas without a frame is a complicated procedure. It is important to have certain skills here. Initially, it is necessary to very carefully and carefully disconnect the canvas from the frame. The frame is packed separately, and the canvas itself is transported rolled up in a tube. The canvas is wound on a strong tube, wrapped with tracing paper on top. When folding the canvas, there is a high risk of damage to it, damage to the paint layer.

A typical mistake of many connoisseurs of painting is that the canvas is folded with the front part inward. You can't do that! Roll the canvas the other way around - paint out.

You didn’t prepare for the move and didn’t prepare the tube in time? It doesn't matter, use improvised means. Pictures can be transported in a plastic tube - close the ends with cardboard caps.


Packing the frame also requires some skill. Most often, the corners of the frame suffer on the road. They need quality protection. Wrap the corners in cardboard or thick paper and secure with tape. Pack the frame itself in polyethylene or bubble wrap. Your paintings are now ready to travel!

Rules for transporting paintings

No matter how reliable the packaging of the paintings is, they should be transported with extreme care. At every step, your canvases are in danger. Inaccurate loading, shaking and bumps when driving over bumps, bad weather conditions, temperature fluctuations are just a small part of the troubles encountered during transportation. What steps should be taken to make the trip go smoothly?

  • Plan your route in advance. Choose the road with the least number of obstacles in the form of holes and bumps.
  • Warn the driver about the presence of valuable cargo in the back of the car - let him choose a safe speed.
  • During loading and unloading, take the paintings on a frame or stretcher. Never touch the canvas.
  • Packed pictures and frames securely fasten in the back of the van. Does not allow them to move while riding. Particularly sensitive to vibrations are large canvases.


And how to transport a picture, which is an artistic value? Expensive and valuable specimens are transported in specialized compartments. In such cars, it is possible to maintain an optimal level of humidity and temperature in the body. Ideally, valuable painting is best insured before transportation.

There is no confidence in the correctness of self-transportation of paintings? Contact the professionals. It is better to pay for the services of specialists than to regret damaged art objects.


Moving in cold weather? Remember, paint hardens in the cold and may crack. Upon arrival, do not unpack the canvases immediately, let the temperature of the canvas gradually equalize with the air temperature in the room. Here are, perhaps, the main secrets to protect your paintings from the dangers of moving.


Paintings are property that is difficult to value. Its cost depends on a lot of factors - quality, artistic value, fame of the artist. From the point of view of transportation, a painting is a fragile cargo that requires careful packaging and careful transportation. And if we are talking about crossing the border, then also declaring. If the painting is a national treasure, it will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to take it out of the country.

How are paintings shipped?

Works of art can be irrevocably damaged: if a regular cargo can be purchased again, having received compensation from a transport company or insurance, then you are unlikely to find a painting identical to the damaged one (unless we are talking about a mass-produced product). Yes, oil paintings are restored, but restoration is not always possible.

Negative factors in the transportation of paintings

  1. Mechanical effects: shaking, shock, excessive load on the frame. The most susceptible to these influences are paintings under glass (for example, watercolor), as well as works without frames made on paper. However, it is possible to ruin an oil painting if it is not well protected. Therefore, in any case, the paintings are packed in boxes or laid out on pallets.
  2. Mud and water. Neither one nor the other is terrible for the work done oil paints: after minor restoration, they will become like new (dried oil can even be washed). Another thing is watercolor, graphics, paintings made with tempera. Even if the works are placed under glass, they can deteriorate: frames with glass are not tight enough, and water, dirt, and just dust can get inside. Paper, unlike oil on canvas, cannot be washed. Therefore, such paintings protect from water and dirt.
  3. Changes in temperature and humidity. Many paintings can only be stored under certain conditions. It's not just about temperature, it's also about humidity. Yes, paper high level moisture, the paper may get wet, warp, or become moldy. Too low humidity makes the paper brittle. Old works are especially sensitive to changes in humidity levels.

How to protect paintings from dirt and water, but at the same time not increase the level of humidity? Film and other sealed packaging are not suitable: without air circulation, moisture begins to condense and the paper gets wet. Therefore, most often, paintings are protected from dust by wrapping them in wrapping paper, and transported in special vehicles or compartments prepared for valuable cargo.

How are paintings transported?

Wholesale paintings are rarely transported. However, sometimes it is required. They use air transport, ships, trains, cars, that is, all types of transport.

air transportation

Airplanes are used, as a rule, to transport especially valuable paintings. These can be works of art by famous artists, classics of the past. In the cargo compartment where the painting will be located, optimal conditions must be created. The mode is selected depending on the material and technique used by the artist.

Sea transport

If we are talking about large consignments of goods, paintings that are not of particular artistic value are usually transported by sea. These can be decorative elements created in China and purchased by a trading company from Russia. They are transported in sealed containers, with other cargo, on pallets or in strong boxes.

Railway transport

This type of transport is used for the transportation of wholesale lots, much less often for single paintings. They are placed in a container or a closed freight wagon. As on a ship, it is important to ensure tightness and optimal temperature conditions.

Cars

Cars are used as an auxiliary transport for the transportation of bulk shipments, as well as the main means of delivery when it comes to short distances. The picture is packed, installed on a pallet, or somehow fixed in the back of a car.

Transportation of paintings across the state border

With intercity transportation, as well as with delivery works of art from other countries to Russia, usually there are no problems. Another thing is if you need to take the picture out of the country. The goals can be different: an exhibition, a gift, just a sale to a foreign buyer. Export of works of art that represent cultural value and are registered with the state, is prohibited.

Thus, you need to prepare to pass the border. The ease of registration depends on what kind of items you are carrying:

  1. A wholesale batch of paintings made by the factory method will be allowed to cross the border without any problems if all documents are issued for the goods (in particular, bills, invoices, etc.);
  2. Still raw pictures (those that were painted a day or two before departure and did not have time to dry). The customs officer will certainly let such paintings through, but there is still a risk of delay: customs officers are not required to understand the art and techniques of painting and may not let even a raw canvas through.
  3. Finished author's works. They will have the most trouble.

Even if you painted the picture yourself, and not just bought it from some artist, you need to prove to customs officers that it has no cultural value (at least not yet), that is, it is not registered with the state and is not part of national treasure. They do this in the department of Rossvyazokhrankultura, where they issue a referral for examination by specialists, and then provide a certificate. Experts check if the painting is a work famous artist whose work has become the property of Russia. If not, you will receive a certificate and be able to clear customs. It is worth making out in advance - a few weeks before the trip.

If the painting has a cultural value, you need to obtain special permission from government authorities to transport it abroad. Otherwise, criminal liability is possible.

Information on the topic of transporting paintings by plane is offered on many forums, but scrolling through the message feed, you can immediately understand that their authors often offer information that contradicts each other. We have tried to put together the basic requirements for the air transportation of works of art and invite you to read them further. However, given that each airline serves passengers according to its own regulations, it is better to contact the company manager in advance to clarify the details of how to transport the paintings on the plane.

The technical side of the issue of transporting the painting

Transportation in a tube

To transport a painting by plane, you need to remove the canvas from the stretcher and roll it into a roll with the pattern inside. Further, it will be easiest to choose a tube of the appropriate size for the roll. Before being placed in a tube, it is recommended to wrap the canvas with cardboard or paper and glue the ends with adhesive tape.

Shipping in a box

In some cases, folding a work of art into a roll threatens to lose its presentation. For example, craquelure may appear on the oil layer, and there is also a risk of tearing the paper web. Pictures in this case are transported in a special plastic folder for artists or a wooden box. The picture is allowed to be transported both in the luggage compartment of the aircraft and in the cabin. However, if the size of the box does not allow it to be placed in the carry-on compartment above your seat, you can contact the flight attendant for help in finding a suitable place for the picture.

How to transport a work of art by plane without problems? Yes, it's very simple: buy a place near the emergency exit, and next to you there will be a lot of space to lean the picture against the wall at your feet.

Transportation of antique paintings by plane

When exporting works of art abroad, we are often talking about antiques. The canvas can be painted centuries ago, and unnecessary manipulation with it can harm the integrity of the canvas, and the frame in many cases is of high value. Please note that during loading and unloading a fragile item may be irreparably damaged. To avoid such misunderstandings, observe a simple condition: the transportation of paintings by air must be carried out in wooden boxes, and the works of art themselves must be wrapped in pimply cellophane.

We remind you that each airline sets its own requirements for the dimensions and weight of hand luggage, on the basis of which the rules for transporting paintings by plane are created.

For example, Aeroflot allows you to carry hand luggage on board, weighing up to 15 kg in business class, 10 kg in economy and comfort class, the dimensions of hand luggage are the same for everyone - up to 115 cm on the sum of three sides.

How do I legally arrange baggage in the form of a painting for transportation by plane?

You already know how to transport a painting by plane across Russia. Now let's look at the question of how to transport works of art across the border, taking into account the design of all required documents. To ensure that the transportation of paintings by plane does not cause problems, it is necessary to evaluate works of art in advance and obtain permits for their export. To do this, you need to contact the Service for the Preservation of Cultural Property and the Department of Culture of the Russian Federation.

To get a prompt response to the request, you need to provide these authorities with the following documents:

    application for the transportation of the painting abroad;

    registration certificate legal entity/ photocopy of the international passport;

    details of the canvas: artist, year of painting, dimensions of the canvas, name of technique, certificate or check from the author;

    3 photos of the canvas in full size, signed with the details of the canvas.

Transportation of paintings by air to another country may require additional values ​​in the customs declaration and payment of duties - when the work of art is of high cultural value for the country. Otherwise, following the rules for transporting antiques by plane, you may not be allowed to leave Russia.


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