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Taping for straight lines?
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Message
Posted
I just finished an acrylic painting on a stretched canvas... as of now the 1 inch sides of the canvas have bleed from the front and look all messy. I want to paint a solid color around the edge but I want the edge to be extremely straight (and my technique is nowhere near being able to do this). I haven't sealed the painting yet. Can I utilize some kind of tape that is suitable for temporary placement on acrylic to help in making the lines straight without damaging the painting? Masking tape maybe?
Here in the US we have the basic white skin colored masking tape, but also various other painters tapes when adhesives that form more sealed bonds to prevent bleed. Would love a recommendation.
Posted
I have low-tack masking tape, it’s a mid blue colour and I would expect it to do the job you’re after. From Amazon as I recall!
You’ve done the right thing by not continuing the painting around the edges of the stretched canvas, which is a complete no in my book.
I’ve never seen them painted in a colour either, I don’t like that idea - it has to be white for me, preferably the original canvas, splashes and all… it’s an original piece of art, all part of the painting process!
Good luck whatever way you choose, why not share some of your work with other artists on the gallery, or this forum if you have a work in progress.
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
Just as well we are all different the world would be boring if not. I like mine left white but not with splashes etc as Alan does.
After I have varnished/ sealed my painting and all is dry. I j paint it white , I find I don't need any masking tape of any kind . .I put my painting onto a support horizontally on a table ...supported if it is a canvas with the edges on work level. Just paint neatly up to the edge . I find the varnish just repels the new paint . I don't have any probs.
Posted
If you want pristine untouched natural canvas edges, use the low-tack masking tape around the edges before you start painting… job done! No painting needed…
I’ve not come across this Frog Tape, but is it low-tack like the blue stuff that I’ve got?
Which incidentally, is 3M Scotch tape ref:3434
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
I use yellow Frog tape (low tack) a lot with acrylics and so long has the paint has had a short time to dry it never lifts. If you can’t afford framing costs then painting the edges is ok by me as it means you can hang without a frame. If you use a shadow frame (like a tray that the painting sits in) you can probably get away with doing nothing so long as there is a few millimetres of overlap.
Edited
by Andrew Roles
Posted
I’ve got yellow frog tape which works well - you can even use it a few times. But I never paint around the edge of a canvas - unless to touch it up with white, hiding any paint marks. Occasionally, as Alan suggests, I tape around the edges prior to painting, especially if it’s a dark background, but not usually, luckily I have a steady hand.
Posted
I don’t use tape at all, I just paint the sides carefully. I paint the sides in white, but it depends what I’m painting, sometimes I continue the painting over the sides. I even varnish the sides on occasions, as well as the painting! I paint on deep sided canvases. When I painted this one, I took the paint over the sides.
