by Marcela Murad
Traveling With Your Paints
I personally choose to pack my paints in my checked luggage, but on small trips I preferr to have only a carry on. I have talked to many people who travel with their supplies, and most of them have had no problem with their equipment in carry-on luggage, unless they had liquid airbrush paints. Make sure all liquids in your carry on are in a clear ziploc bag, and meet security requirements in terms of fluid ounces. Airports in the USA and abroad have different rules regarding what you can and cannot have, but here’s a great trick-
The TSA has an excellent app; with it, you can type the name of an item in a “Can I Bring?” field for instant answers. It also features security wait times, plus a guide to TSA rules for travelers. The free app is available for iPhone and Android. Get more information at TSA.gov.
Packing your paints
I found that the best way to package my paint for traveling is by wrapping them in a black towel and securing them with rubber bands. No need to bring my kit because the box is heavy, I just lay out my paints on the black towel when I get to my event. It’s important that your liquid bling is closed tightly. Because I use the metal tips and normally throw away the tops, I wrap the tips in aluminum foil when I travel. The pressure on the plane will cause them to expand, and if they are not securely covered, glitter will be all over the place. This holds true to anything else that has the possibility of spilling. I prefer to carry my brushes and my Ben Nye Lumiere Powders in my carry on because of how delicate they are. To keep the tips safe from bending, I roll my brushes in a bamboo placemat. If you are traveling with an air compressor for your airbrush machine, make sure to research the TSA rules and just like the paints, wrap it in a towel for safe travels.
Worried about your luggage getting lost with your paints in it?
Many bags get lost when paper airport tags get ripped off. To track your paints every move- invest in a smarter luggage tag. Several high-tech brands of tags feature codes or microchips that travelers can use to detect lost luggage. Www.supertags.com for example, contains unique codes with which airline personnel can trace off-track luggage. Www.reboundtag.com is another sophisticated bag-tag brand, tracks missing luggage anywhere in the world and returned to you while your details remain secure. These tags are integrated with baggage handling companies so that you can receive automatic updates by phone and email when your bag is found. Your tags can also be set as anonymous so that the finder can only send you SMS and email messages through their website and cannot see your personal details.
The best way to claim a lost bag is with photos
If your bag is missing and you’re attempting to get it back, photo evidence will help. Take a picture of the outside of your bag with your cell phone to show the airline staff member who is helping you locate it. It’s also wise to take a quick photo of your baggage-claim ticket, in case you lose it. Snap a picture of the inside of your bag as well; this will come in handy in case you need to file an insurance claim for your lost belongings.
Beware of hidden fees – the less expensive ticket can cost you more!
It’s almost standard now for airlines to charge for checked bags on domestic flights. Now you have to watch out for sneaky carry-on bag fees too. Some airlines are catching on to the fact that most travelers prefer not to check a bag. Spirit, for example, just jacked up its carry-on fee to $100. (Pay ahead of time, and it will “only” cost you $35). Allegiant Air also charges between $10 and $30 for carry-ons. Keep that in mind and remember that you’ll have to pay that fee each way. This guide is a comparison of airlines fees- good to have handy when purchasing airline tickets!
Heather and I will be on the road to many different cities in the USA and are in the process of planning the Retreat for Artist Entrepreneurs and FABAIC in 2017. We hope you get a chance to hop on a plane and meet us along the way!
<3 Marcela
