Using Artist Tape Without Tearing Your Paper, cheapjoes.com

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Joe Miller demonstrates how he uses artist tape in a way so that he doesn't tear the paper when pulling it back up.

Here is a transcription for those that can't turn their speakers up.

Hello again, I'm Joe with Cheap Joe's and today I would like to show you about how to use artist tape. Lots of people use artist tape and some folks tell me that when they do use it, it tends to tear their paper up when they take the tape off. I'm going to show you how to use it and not tear the paper off. It's a very useful masking type fluid product without using masking fluid.
What I have here is a roll of the artist tape. Its acid free and its archival type stuff, which probably wouldn't matter too much. You take the tape and instead of directly putting it on the paper from the roll, be sure you put it on a piece of clothing like that or you can put it on your pants or wherever. And then take it off and put it on your painting where you're going to be painting. Never put it directly from the roll of tape to your painting because that's the point that it may tear the paper. This way it will stay on there. Move it up that way, have a little wrinkle in it won't matter. Put it down on the paper just like that and that's the way you want to tape it.

I take my artist tape and I peel off whatever amount I think I need. I'm going to do this stretch right up through here. I have it here and instead of putting it directly on the paper and then taking it off, I'm actually going to put it on my shirt just like that or on a pant leg or wherever. And that will take enough tack off of the paper to keep it from tearing the paper. And then I'm going to place the tape up here, it may have some wrinkles in it to go along that line but it really won't matter. Mash it down very well and then I have some color already mixed up. I'm just going to pick up some of this color and start painting right over the tape so I don't have to worry about that bottom line where there actually is going to be a snowfield in there. And by putting that tape in there it will protect that snow area when you take the tape off. You should let it dry but in the essence of time and speed here I'm going ahead and taking it off to let you see. Now I'm carefully pulling the tape off and look at that, look at that. Isn't that fun? And there is a way to use masking tape without tearing the paper.

Remember now when you're using the tape; take it off of the roll. Don't put it directly on the paper. Put it on your shirt or on your pants or wherever. Then take it off and put it on the paper. That way it won't tear your paper when you take it up. It's wonderful, works great, but can be hard to use that way. This makes it so easy. Thank you for your business. Come back soon because we have more tips coming up.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• watercolor
• painting
• artist
• tape

[AmandaLC2011]

Thank you so much!

[ellisuni]

Been using this method for years, and it's great for pieces that you haven't over pre-wetted. But I found that if I OVER soak a section, then color may still leak underneath the tape.

[neothemagical]

This is actually useful in other places as well.

[theINSIGHTSchannel]

Thank you for this very valuable advice!

[JuliaSeiko]

Hi Joe,

I was wondering if it's okay to tape a paper that you soaked and is still kinda damp. Will it ruin the paper?

[deezynar]

Thanks, Joe.  Great tip.

[angiecat33]

awesome tip, great colors in your painting

[invalidacess]

really nice wat you doing even putting every word u say on the description for those that cant hear anything is a good idea. good job.

[tresjolielily]

Can't wait to try this technique!