Shipping Shipping to Faceup Artists

Make sure they will include a faceup protector (or include one when you ship your doll)! Pack your head in very securely, I usually pack heads with several layers of newspaper at the bottom of the box, and more on top, and many layers of bubble wrap around the head until when you put it in the box, you can tell it is unable to move and secure. If the artist is attaching eyelashes, make sure they will be taking precautions so those don't get messed up or avoid having them use eyelashes and apply them yourselves when the head is back home! I don't have a ton of advice on shipping services, but the more carefully you package your head, the more likely they will make it back in pristine condition!

 

Hello!

USPS Priority Mail is usually reliable and reasonably fast. I've also had good luck with UPS. Just make sure the box is a good size (not too small), sturdy, and cover up any old addresses or markings if you're reusing a box. You can also order official USPS boxes online for free.

As mentioned above, wrap the head securely with bubble wrap and pad around it with paper or packing peanuts so the head can't move around in the box. Please do NOT use packing tape to secure the bubble wrap - that requires a sharp tool to undo, which could potentially damage the head. I recommend invisible tape or washi tape.

A face shield is absolutely recommended, especially if the artist is applying eyelashes.

Lastly, I always recommend insuring the package for enough that it would cover replacing the head as well as the commission cost in case of loss or damage. In over 15 years and sending many hundreds of commission packages, I've only experienced five or so times when something got lost or damaged, but it's good to be prepared.

I hope this helps!

 

If you looking for trustworthy, find artists who keep up to date on their portfolios or update regularly their works. Also, check with artist if they charge separate for eyelash and application- some artists charge separate or don’t even apply any. Someone earlier said face mask- if you want the artist to apply eyelashes, be sure to ship one or check with artist to purchase one if you don’t have one handy. I use cheapest USPS mail service but get insurance when sending my dolls. I don’t know of any artists in the US to avoid- I only know about 3 in the Americas that keep their portfolios up to date and have had lots of clients: Komorebi and Steppencat (both in US) and Bunny Faceup (Canada). I haven’t commission Komorebi or Bunny- I was able to commission Steppencat just this month. All their styles are lovely - really depends what you’re looking for