January 29, 2024

Recently, a customer stopped by the store with an adhesive problem. She'd been through what seemed like a dozen different types of tape to layer on her acrylic paintings. All left residue after removal. This actually stumped me, so I chatted with an acrylic and mixed media artist whom I knew would know about tapes and residue and she shared quite a bit of information with me. Below, I'll break her info into some main points. We dug into this over about an hour of conversation, so I'm sure there will be more info if you really want to dig into it.

First: be sure the first layer of acrylic that you are applying the tape to is completely cured. It can take time after acrylic SEEMS dry for it to actually be 'finished' or 'cured'. Up to two weeks even. Applying layers on top of uncured paint can cause the chemical makeup to alter and result in a change in texture or finish.

Second: the types of tape you use are important. Stick to a low-tack tape that is easily removed. Artist tape, low-adhesive painter's tape, etc. These will have the least residue and breakdown. If your paint is fully cured before applying these tapes and you are still getting residue left behind on removal, it could be possible to remove the residue with a plastic eraser (like Moo, Staedtler or Tombow) or with a small amount of rubbing alcohol. If you try either of these removal methods, be gentle. Slow and easy is going to get you better results and less possibility of damaging the surface.

Third: If you still are struggling with results, the next product to try will be a Grafix masking film. This is a film made for masking and removing to build layers in graphic applications. It is made in sheets rather than strips, so you can cut exact shapes for your work.

Final option: This is for the patient artists. If you build layers of tape facing each other, so that only the edges have adhesive rather than the whole strip, this will lessen the surface area touched with adhesive. This would make it easier to remove and hopefully cut residue left. If you DO still have residue with this technique, your paint is not curing enough (go back to step one).

When experimenting with mixed media or pushing your chosen media further, there aren't always quick answers. Keep pushing through and making art!

Thank you to Janelle Schrag for all your input about adhesive and acrylics!

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