Tape Resist is a fun and easy art process for kids of all ages, and a great activity for home or the classroom. Grab the tape and the paint, and let the kids get creative today!
One of my daycare kids’ favourite art techniques is tape resist. All of the kids love it – from the toddlers, straight through to the teens. I love it too because it’s so quick and easy to set up, so it’s great for home, art class, art camp, or as an activity at a kids’ art party. All you need is canvas, a roll of painter’s tape and some paint.
The older kids recently spent a day crafting with me, and as we approached the end of our day, they spotted a few dollar store canvases that I had tucked away in the craft room, and they asked to do one last art activity.
I asked what they’d like to make, and the answer was unanimous: resist art!
We gathered the canvases, the tape and some acrylic craft paint, and headed to the craft table where each child made a unique piece of art. In the past, when we’ve done tape resist, they’ve all made the same thing i.e. these stained glass jars and our Father’s Day mugs and bowls, but this time, I left it up to the kids to make whatever they wanted.
I love how they all came up with completely different ideas for their paintings.
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Supplies:
- painter’s tape (we used 2 different widths)
- canvas
- acrylic craft paint
- paintbrushes
- paint pallet
*Note: If you don’t have a dollar store canvas, cardboard makes a great substitute. Just prime the panel of a cereal box or a cardboard box.
Painter’s tape or masking tape?
If you’re using an actual art canvas, you can use low-tack masking tape, or even regular masking tape. You could probably even use transparent tape. If you’re making your art on a piece of thick paper, poster board or cardboard, you’ll need to use painter’s tape. It’s not as sticky as masking tape, so it won’t rip the paper or cardboard when you pull it off.
You can find painter’s tape at any hardware store or paint store, but I just buy mine at the Dollar store.
How-To:
The kids taped a design on their canvas and then they painted in the sections of their designs.
One of the hooligans chose to make a Canadian flag. I love how she paint a heart in the middle of the flag, instead of a maple leaf. She did the same thing when we painted our Canada Day Rocks last month.
Another hooligan made her name with the tape, and painted the background in rainbow colours.
The O and the A were tricky, but she patiently tore her tape into small pieces and twisted some of the longer pieces to make it work.
Another child chose to make a chevron pattern with pieces of tape.
And the youngest hooligan taped an abstract design on her canvas.
And of course, the most satisfying part of the project is pulling of the tape to reveal the finished design.
What a super art activity for kids!
Great for fine motor development, a fun way to experiment with colours, shapes and patterns, and another fine piece of homemade art for the kids to take home and hang in their bedrooms.
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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