Purchase Guide: Transporting

Transporting and Shipping Art and Art Supplies

Creating a piece of art can be a deeply personal, private experience, a product of feelings and compulsions that are not easily conveyed to others through speech or writing. Art does no good as a form of expression, however, if it is kept hidden away in the studio! At some point, artists must trust their own talent and effort enough to share their work with the world.

Of course, the world isn't always the safest place for your artwork—or your art supplies!

Whether our art supplies must brave cross-country shipping or simply the overhead bin on an airplane, sometimes it seems as if our stuff is simply too heavy, too fragile, or too scattered to safely be moved to a place where it can be enjoyed. Anyone who's ever received a battered package from baggage claim knows that it's sometimes not easy entrusting valued art and supplies to the rigors of travel. Luckily, we've learned a few tricks that make transporting slightly more practical.

As the world's largest online discount art and craft supply store, MisterArt.com knows what you need to post, pack, and ship your art or supplies down the street or around the globe. We send out hundreds of orders every day that arrive on-time and undamaged. Whether you're shipping prints to a buyer in the next state or just looking for a bag to keep your markers from rattling around on your car's floorboard, MisterArt.com has transporting options to make your life easier. This overview will give you an idea of how we can help you get your art and supplies safely from the studio to the gallery and beyond.

Carry Bags

Carry bags are great for transporting a lot of art, supplies, and personal effects at the same time. Carry bags typically have ergonomic straps or handles to make moving your stuff a snap. They're also useful for collecting all of your art supplies in one place, helping ensure that nothing gets lost or stolen.

There are a variety of different styles of carry bags available from MisterArt.com. The best carry bag for you depends on your budget and what you will be using it to transport.

Tote Bags—These sturdy canvas bags have nearly unlimited uses and last practically forever. Tote bags feature long, durable handles, and because they are made of non-rigid material, they can easily be filled to the point of bulging. Once emptied, tote bags can be collapsed and folded away. Some tote bags available from MisterArt are decorated with colorful designs and others are plain, waiting for you to decorate them! Pack your sketch pads, pencils, and a sack lunch inside and hit the road in style.

Palette Bags—For all your gear! Palette bags are a great way to organize all of your pencils, brushes, paints, and tools… they'll never go missing or mysteriously break again! Stash your entire palette inside and you've got a handy portable studio wherever you go. These resilient bags will take a pounding so your art supplies don't have to.

Transporting Cases and Pouches

Cases and pouches are perfect for keeping all of your art supplies together, so you can grab them on the go without worrying about something getting lost. Some pouches have nearly unlimited uses, while others are designed to hold and protect specific supplies. Using a case or pouch, you can transport and store your brushes, pencils, drawings, and other art supplies without worrying about them getting wet or dirty.

Finding the best case or pouch for you depends largely on what you'll be putting inside of it. MisterArt.com has a variety of different pouches and cases available at everyday discount prices.

Paintbrush Cases—Paintbrush cases and pouches are specially designed to collect and protect all of your paintbrushes for easy storage and transport. Paintbrush cases come in many different sizes and styles, so it's a good idea to decide how many brushes you'd like to fit inside before making a decision on which to buy.

Resealing Zipper Bags—These pouches are perfect for packaging, parts storage, and paper protection. Clear to allow easy identification of their contents, these durable bags can hold anything from pens to prints. Larger zipper bags are great for art and paperwork that needs to be handled often.

Portable Files—Take your filing cabinet with you! These handy file folders are designed and built for carrying important papers, brochures, and other items in one convenient pouch. Organize tickets, receipts, business cards, coupons, and more with one of these handy organizers. They make a nice gift for the organizationally challenged, too.

Shipping Labels and Seals

Unpacking your art supplies after storage or transportation can get frustrating quickly, especially if you can't remember where you put something you need! The best way to make sure that you don't misplace something while organizing it is by carefully labeling all of your stored materials. By taking a minute to label your stuff, you can save yourself the trouble of looking through a bunch of boxes, bags, and bins when you're trying to find that fan brush you KNEW was in the closet!

MisterArt.com carries a wide variety of seals and labels, from name tags to Post-It notes, at everyday discounted prices.

Packing and Shipping Material

Your art supplies are at their most vulnerable when the need arises to move your workspace or ship your supplies through the mail. When packing and shipping your art supplies, it's important to find materials that will provide maximum protection during their journey. The ideal packing and shipping materials are very durable yet light, in order to cut down on weight and save you money on postage.

MisterArt.com has everyday discounts on everything you need to pack and ship your art and supplies!

Tape—Tape is often the best, easiest way to seal boxes and envelopes for transport. MisterArt.com carries a variety of packing and shipping tapes of varying width and strength. It's a good idea to pick the lightest tape you can find that you are sure will keep your box or envelope sealed.

Envelopes—Perfect for transporting artwork, prints, documents, and other flat media. Envelopes are typically lightweight, cutting down on postage. Some are rigid or padded to help protect their contents.

Wrapping and Packing Paper—Wrapping and packing paper is a versatile tool that can be used for sealing packages securely for protection during transport or for packing into the empty space in a package to prevent its contents from ratting around. Wrapping and packing paper is perfect for making sure your package doesn't arrive broken or busted open.

Tubes—Tubes are ideal for packing and shipping large flat media such as prints, paintings, posters, and documents. Many tubes are made of lightweight paper products so that they can be posted cheaply, but others are made of more durable and rigid material for repeated use. Simply roll up your artwork and seal it up securely.

Tape—Tape is often the best, easiest way to seal boxes and envelopes for transport. MisterArt.com carries a variety of packing and shipping tapes of varying width and strength. It's a good idea to pick the lightest tape you can find that you are sure will keep your box or envelope sealed.

Envelopes—Perfect for transporting artwork, prints, documents, and other flat media. Envelopes are typically lightweight, cutting down on postage. Some are rigid or padded to help protect their contents.

Wrapping and Packing Paper—Wrapping and packing paper is a versatile tool that can be used for sealing packages securely for protection during transport or for packing into the empty space in a package to prevent its contents from ratting around. Wrapping and packing paper is perfect for making sure your package doesn't arrive broken or busted open.

Tubes—Tubes are ideal for packing and shipping large flat media such as prints, paintings, posters, and documents. Many tubes are made of lightweight paper products so that they can be posted cheaply, but others are made of more durable and rigid material for repeated use. Simply roll up your artwork and seal it up securely.