A recent trip from Toronto, Canada to South East Asia was an amazing experience in many ways, and I learned a lot, primarily in regards to travelling with all my art gear.It was a business trip and I was scheduled to lead 3 x collaborative painting events on a cruise ship. I have packed for and performed these event experiences dozens of times, but in Canada - not internationally. So for many reasons, I had to prepare in a completely different way which included having a Plan B back up just in case my paint was confiscated or my luggage was lost.
The Overview
International Transportation Act Letter + MSDS [Material Safety Data Sheet] paperwork clearly on top of paints that are in airtight ziplock bags and packed in checked baggage.
The Research
The most helpful part of my search was calling manufacturers and artists who I know have travelled to different countries. The general advice was you should have no problems if you have MSDS paperwork on top of paints packed in an airtight ziplock bag, all in your checked luggage. The best discovery is that Golden Artist Paints has an Air Transport Document designed just for these situations.
Of course, there are no guarantees. Artists paints are in a grey zone for Air Transport carries and security since most of the rules are vague, out of date and sometimes confusing as to what is allowed, restricted or prohibited. For example: On Air Canada’s website, there is a section about paint, but no mention of acrylic paint. It states that Tubes of oil-based and latex paint used by artists are accepted provided the material is packaged in absorbent material and placed in a heavy, plastic leak-proof bag/container.
Some art material manufacturers recommend calling the airline in advance to verify their policies, so I called Cathay Pacific and a baggage representative explained that paint is acceptable only if it is identified as non-flammable directly on the label, even with an MSDS. Acrylic paint is not flammable, but there is no label on any brand tubes to state this ... it's on the MSDS though. So his response was distressing, albeit understandably on the side of caution and their black and white rules; yet there is no reason not to accept MSDS sheets as that is what they are for. It's funny now, as in the end I had no problems with Cathay Pacific at all - in fact, they were fantastic! I wouldn't recommend a call to the airline though ... unless the rep on the other end is an artist, it will probably be a moot waste of time.
