Beautiful Tape-Resist Art

Sometimes we do an art project that I absolutely fall in love with, and this is one of those times.

Tape resist is nothing new. The process has been around forever. In fact, we did it years ago in my daycare when the kids were really young. Back then, we used white cardboard and our homemade watercolour paints, and the project turned out great.

Fast-forward a few years when we did the project again, but instead of using white cardboard as a canvas, we used actual art canvases that I picked up at the dollar store. 

And wow! What a difference. The art was absolutely gorgeous, and because we used real canvases, the kids could proudly display their art on a wall in their bedroom or play room.

You'll Also Love: DIY Bath Paints — Kid & Tub Safe

Tape-resist art is wonderful for kids of all ages because it’s process-based. Even toddlers can make beautiful and unique art this way. Older kids can create geometrical art, or they can plan a piece with a specific image in mind. It’s a great way to introduce children to the concept of negative space too.

On this day, we started with a piece of name art, and that was so fun to make that we went on to create some geometrical pieces. It’s amazing to watch your piece change from a blank canvas to a colourful mess and finally to a crisp design.

Let me show you how to do it.

What You'll Need:

• canvas from the dollar store (you can also use a heavy-weight paper or cardboard)
• painter’s tape
• scissors
• acrylic craft paint
• paintbrushes

How It's Made:

To start, make a design on your canvas with the painter’s tape. Painter’s tape is preferred over masking tape, especially if you’re using paper or cardboard for your canvas. It’s low-tack — meaning it’s not as sticky as masking tape so it’s easy to position, re-position and remove.

Press the edges of the tape down firmly on the canvas to prevent paint from seeping underneath during the next step.

Next, paint your canvas. For a piece of name art, brush the paint right over the tape. For the most impressive results, use bright, bold or dark colours. The more contrast between the paint colours and the white canvas underneath the tape, the better.

If you’re making a geometrical design like the one in the collage below, you’ll want to keep each section a separate colour and be careful to not paint over the tape in the adjacent sections.

Let your painting dry slightly before proceeding.

And now, for the big reveal!

Lift an edge of the tape, and gently pull it up and away from your painting.

Watch as the crisp, clean lines of your design appear in the negative space on the canvas.