Packing a Tsaroychis Print So It Arrives Whole

A print survives transit on preparation, not luck. Glass, corners and moisture each fail differently, and each demands its own countermeasure before the box is sealed.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

The safest way to ship a Yiannis Tsaroychis print is flat, in a rigid double-walled box at least 5 cm larger than the print on every side. Protect the surface with glassine, add rigid boards on both faces, pad all six sides, and leave a 5 cm buffer of crush material so the box can absorb an impact without reaching the print.

Why Prints Break in Transit

Prints rarely fail at the image. They fail at the edges, at the corners, and at the glass if one is fitted. A parcel dropped on its end sends force straight into the shortest dimension, and that is where an unprotected print cracks or dents. Understanding the failure point tells you where the protection belongs.

Moisture is the quieter risk. A parcel left on a wet doorstep or moved through a humid hold can buckle paper that was packed perfectly in every other respect. A polyethylene sleeve around the print, sealed but not airtight, costs little and removes most of that exposure. Anyone researching how to ship a Yiannis Tsaroychis print safely should budget for both problems, impact and damp, before spending a cent on anything else.

The Packing Sequence Step by Step

Work on a clean, dry table larger than the print. Wash and dry your hands first, or use cotton gloves. Paper shows every smudge, and a grease mark on a print is permanent once the parcel leaves. Lay the print face up and let it acclimatise to the room for an hour before you begin.

The order matters more than the materials. Glassine against the surface, then a sleeve, then rigid boards cut 5 cm larger than the print on all sides, then corner protectors, then the box. A canvas with no glass, such as a piece like the Farm in Normandy canvas, still needs the rigid sandwich, because a stretched canvas dents permanently where something presses into it. A framed poster behind glass needs one extra layer, as this Seine and Eiffel Tower canvas and similar flat editions make clear.

Six steps, in order

Cover the printed surface with glassine, never plastic wrap that touches ink directly.
Slide the sleeved print between two rigid boards, each cut 5 cm larger on every side.
Fit corner protectors or fold cardboard guards over each corner.
Wrap the sandwich in two layers of bubble wrap, bubbles facing out, taped closed.
Choose a double-walled box with at least 5 cm of space on all six sides.
Fill every gap with crumpled paper or foam so nothing shifts when shaken.

Choosing a Carrier and Covering Yourself

Packing decides whether a print survives a knock. The carrier decides how hard the knocks are. For anything framed or larger than about 50 cm on its long side, a tracked courier service beats postal mail, because the parcel is handled fewer times and every handoff is logged. Insure the parcel for its replacement value and keep the receipt.

Photograph the packed print from two angles before sealing the box, then photograph the sealed parcel with the label visible. If a claim is ever needed, those images are the difference between a refund and an argument. Auvrique editions shipped to buyers follow this same flat-box logic, and readers weighing what arrives versus what to repack can compare formats through a Frieseke canvas size guide or the notes on shipping times for a Tsaroychis print. When a canvas like the Iona canvas travels rolled rather than stretched, the tube replaces the box and the same rigid-buffer principle applies.

Most parcels that fail were packed by someone who trusted the box more than the buffer.

Print type	Main risk	Key countermeasure
Paper print, unframed	Creasing and edge dents	Rigid board sandwich, flat box
Framed print behind glass	Glass shattering onto the image	Glass tape in a grid, face-safe padding
Stretched canvas	Pressure dents and corner damage	Corner protectors, 5 cm buffer all round

Protection by print type

Key takeaways

Pack prints flat in a rigid double-walled box with 5 cm of crush material on all six sides.
Use glassine against the printed surface and a polyethylene sleeve against moisture.
Grid-tape any glass before wrapping so shards cannot cut the image if it breaks.
Photograph the packed parcel before sealing and insure it for replacement value.

Related questions

Can I ship a print in a mailing tube instead of a box?

Yes, for unframed paper prints with no backing. Roll it around a tube of at least 8 cm diameter with glassine against the surface, insert it loosely so it can be withdrawn without bending, and cap both ends. Framed prints and stretched canvases must always travel flat.

Should I remove the glass before shipping a framed print?

If the frame is valuable and you are confident reassembling it, shipping the print separately reduces shatter risk considerably. If not, run glass tape across the whole surface in a grid so any breakage holds together instead of scoring the print underneath.

How much insurance should I take on a shipped print?

Insure for the replacement cost of an equivalent edition, not the original purchase price if it has changed. Keep the packing receipts and photographs. Couriers routinely decline claims for artwork packed in single-walled boxes, so the double-walled box is part of the claim itself.

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