If you've been following along, you already know the story behind my FDNY Black Sunday memorial drawing — one of the most meaningful and emotionally significant commissions I've ever taken on.
What I didn't share was what happened after it was finished.
Buckle up.
How It Started
Jeff Cool had commissioned me for this deeply personal piece — four fallen FDNY firefighters in front of Heaven's Gate, with three survivors looking on. After months of work the drawing was finished, sealed, and ready to go home to Jeff.
I rolled it carefully between two pieces of thick paper, packaged it in one of those heavy duty tube mailers — the kind that could knock someone out if you swung it hard enough — and dropped it at FedEx.
I sent Jeff the tracking number and waited.
The Delivery
It didn't arrive on the expected day. Then it arrived a day late.
Looking like this.
The tube was broken. The drawing was ripped, creased, and wrinkled. And the FedEx driver was going to leave it on the doorstep without a word — Jeff happened to see him and stopped him. Not that it made much difference. The response from the driver, and later from FedEx customer service, was essentially the same: couldn't care less.
Jeff refused the package. The drawing went back to FedEx and I genuinely thought it was gone forever.
Jeff spent hours on the phone trying to get answers. I told him to give me a little time and let's see what happens.
About two weeks later — the drawing came back to me. Taped up, but in roughly the same condition as when Jeff had seen it. Not worse. That felt like a small miracle.
How I Fixed It
I wasn't ready to give up. I did my research, made a plan, and told Jeff I was going to try to save it — but that if it didn't work I would redraw the entire piece from scratch.
Here's exactly what I did:
Step 1: Removing the Wrinkles & Creases
- Place the artwork face down on a clean surface over a piece of sketch or copy paper
- Lightly mist the back of the paper with water using a fine mist spray bottle held 6–8 inches away. Don't over-wet
- Cover with another piece of sketch or newsprint paper, then sandwich between two smooth flat panels — I used aluminum, but anything solid works
- Stack heavy books or weights on top to press flat
- Every 2 hours, swap the damp sketch paper for dry paper and replace the weights. Repeat for 4–6 cycles until the paper no longer feels damp
- Once dry, place fresh dry paper underneath, replace the board and weights, and leave for 24–72 hours until completely dry
The most important thing: the water needs to evaporate evenly so the paper fibers contract at the same rate. Rushing this step will make things worse.
Step 2: Repairing the Tears
I used archival repair tape — specifically a very thin mending tissue used by conservators to repair important documents and books. It's pressure sensitive, non-yellowing, removable with solvents, and pH neutral.
- Cut the tape to size and apply it along the tear on the reverse side of the paper
- Burnish it down with a bone folder — I wanted to be absolutely sure it was secure
- Avoid touching the sticky side with your fingers — acidic fingerprints can cause damage over time. Trim the end you're holding or use tweezers
- You may need to lightly draw over the tear on the front to make it disappear completely
Step 3: Mounting for Stability
I used spray adhesive to mount the repaired drawing onto a smooth aluminum panel slightly larger than the piece itself. This added stability and made sure it would never shift or wrinkle again.
Step 4: Professional Framing
After everything I had been through with this piece I was not about to take any more chances. I took it to Kat's Custom Picture Framing in San Antonio — and Kat was absolutely amazing. She treated it with the care it deserved.
Shipping It — The Right Way This Time
Once framed I went to UPS. Definitely not FedEx.
I packaged it like my life depended on it. Extra padding, larger outer box, protection on every single side. I have learned my lesson the hard way.
When you get right up close you can see a few small areas of imperfection. But step back a foot and they disappear completely. Jeff was pleased — and more importantly, he was able to keep the original drawing. That mattered more than anything.
What I Want You to Take Away
If you're an artist shipping your work — or if you've ever had a piece damaged in transit — here's what I learned:
- Package it better than you think you need to. Then add more padding.
- Wrinkled artwork can be fixed — don't panic
- Torn paper can be repaired — archival mending tissue is your best friend
- Find a framer you trust completely and let them do their job
And if you've had a shipping nightmare of your own — I'd love to hear how you handled it in the comments. 🎨
XO, Kris
References:
- How to Flatten a Buckled Painting - Strathmore Artist Papers
- How to Flatten Wrinkled Paper - Art New York (artnyfair.com)
- How to Repair Drawing Paper: 9 Ways to Rescue Your Artwork (wildlifeartstore.com)
