A practical guide to packing and shipping your original artwork to our Bristol studio for high-resolution copying or scanning — protecting your work in transit, every step.
We strongly advise against shipping framed or glazed pieces — glass breaks in transit, and damage to a frame can mean damage to the artwork inside.
Always remove your artwork from its frame before packing. Stretched or mounted canvases ship safely. You can leave an overmount in place provided it can be easily removed at our end.
Four simple stages. The aim is a snug, immovable parcel where the artwork sits between protective layers and never touches the outer box.
For delicate works, lay acid-free tissue paper over both the front and back of the piece.
Tape the artwork in its tissue to a sturdy backing card slightly larger than the work itself. For extra security, fold paper triangles around each corner and tape them to the card.
Place a second layer — kraft paper works well — around the tissue-wrapped artwork.
Secure the kraft paper with masking tape, smoothing it flat. This second layer protects against moisture and adds a clean, professional finish.
Place one or two sheets of corrugated cardboard or mount board on each side of the artwork. The cardboard should extend at least 2″ (50mm) beyond the work in every direction.
Tape the cardboard sandwich together so the layers can't shift, and the corners of your original are fully protected from impact.
Choose a cardboard box close to the size of your wrapped artwork. Add padding — bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or scrunched paper — to fill any gaps.
The artwork should fit snugly inside, unable to move. The two things that protect your work are oversized cardboard layers and a tight fit in the box.
Choose a shipping company with a track record for handling parcels carefully. Over the years we've found two carriers consistently more conscientious than the rest.
Royal Mail's parcel arm. Reliable insurance options, signature on delivery, and dependable tracking. A good default choice for most artwork shipments within the UK.
Strong international coverage and careful handling on standard services. We particularly recommend UPS for fragile or higher-value pieces, especially when shipping from outside the UK.
Always insure your artwork for its full replacement value — or at minimum the price at which it was sold. Insurance adds to the cost but secures gentler handling and gives you peace of mind. Read the small print: some policies have specific packing requirements that must be met for a claim to be valid.
If you're shipping to a customer or to us, share these three rules with whoever is taking delivery. They make the difference between a successful insurance claim and a rejected one.
Make sure someone is home to sign for the parcel. Missed deliveries get returned to depot — extra handling means extra risk.
Check the packaging carefully. If anything looks damaged, sign for the parcel as "damaged" — never as "unchecked". This single word is what most insurance claims hinge on.
Hold on to your tracking number, receipt, and any correspondence with the carrier. If a claim needs filing, you'll need the paper trail.
Hand-finished in our Bristol studio since 1982. Employee-owned. Hahnemühle & Canson Certified Print Studio.
We offer two professional copying services — high-resolution flatbed scanning for works up to A3, and studio photography for larger pieces, three-dimensional work, or anything that won’t lay flat. Each service has its own set pricing so you can see exactly what you’ll pay before you order. If you’d like advice on packing or shipping a specific piece first, we’re a phone call away.