Washi Tape reviews

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I have a particular artist’s book/ art journal project in mind. My design idea includes a very specific color of washi tape- white. I initially wanted masking tape colored but I think the white is a better fit for my idea. The secondary part of the project includes green graph style tape. Anyway, this led me down the path of washi addiction.

I always test my ideas before spending a lot of time and money on them. I headed to Michael’s with my 40% off coupon in hand to buy some washi tape. The only variety they had was the Tim Holtz line called symphony. At $8 for 2 rolls I was appalled at the price but figured with my coupon it was only $4. I brought it home and began to test my idea and also do a little art journaling. I was instantly disappointed. The tape didn’t stick to my heavily applied layers of acrylic paint. It also didn’t stick to itself well. I liked the look of the page but ended up having to use double sided tape to get it to stick to my page and itself.

Being a mixed media artist I work heavily in acrylic paint in my journal. Many layers of it some heavily applied. I glue shit to my page and torture it into submission. I often refer to my pages as having been muscled into what I want them to do. So I need a tape that STICKS to acrylic, ink, watercolor, collage as well as raw paper. I get really angry with companies that label their products as MIXED media and it clearly doesn’t work with one of the media. This is not Tim Holtz’s fault. He doesn’t work in crazy layers of acrylic paint like I do, he works in thin layers. I’m sure the tape will stick to dauber applied craft acrylic. I need tape that sticks to artist grade acrylic and gel mediums.

I tweeted my disappointment. (Not one word from Ranger btw…) I got a ton of response from other art journalers- try this brand try that brand, I have good luck with x brand. Though sad I placed a couple of orders on Etsy for 2 different brands of Japanese Washi tapes. One I ordered through Washimatta and another through PrettyTape. Both arrived promptly and very cutely packaged.

The PrettyTape package of the gridded tape arrived first. So cutely packaged! I tore off a piece and found it was VERY sticky. The tape felt stronger than the Ranger tape as well. I stuck it to the first heavily acrylic covered page in my journal and it stuck, no peeling of the corners, no lifting just strong sticking to the page. I also peeled the tape off the packaging and used it to stick a penny to the page, it stuck well, though I had peeled it off a glassine envelope. I poured glaze medium over the top of it and let it dry. No color lifting, no curling of the edges and again just sticking. PrettyTape washi tape has a vote of confidence from me. The tape sticks everywhere and doesn’t peel up.

I decided to take part in a little retail therapy in the clearance section at AC Moore after a rough week at work. I shockingly happened up $3 packages of 7 Gypsies colored masking tapes. These are more like American Masking tape than the washi tape but were super cool. At $3 a roll I could not pass them up. I grabbed a package each of the available colors. Spending $6 for a total of 6 colors was a steam. These are a peel and stick tape with a backing. The colors are grungy and rough, the way I like them. I used them to stick a medication package to my journal page. They stick, with no lifting or peeling. I used them again on another page and added a glaze of color over the top and I noticed some peeling but I didn’t burnish them down well on that page. The verdict: For clearance steals the 7 Gypsies tape was awesome. I suspect that it was what we call in the industry a “miss-pick*” as I’ve never seen any other 7 Gypsies product in that location.

The Washimatta tape arrived last, as it came the whole way from Japan. Again super cute packaging, opening these tapes was like opening a gift. I love it. The perfect white tape is perfect for my project. She also included a super thin roll of bright blue tape. It’s very cool. I pulled a piece off the roll and could feel that it had strong sticking power immediately. I stuck it to the same page as the other tapes and again burnished it with my fingers, it stuck, strongly and cleanly. I peeled up one corner and stuck it back down, perfect sticking. I’ve not added a wash of color to the tape as I’m not planning on using it in that manner. But in a typical art journal application of sticking to acrylic paint, it sticks and well. Washimatta tapes get a double thumbs up. I can recommend them.

I’ve got to tell you, like anything that comes in patterns and colors you can get really addicted to washi tape. It’s super cool, adds a perfect line of color to an art journal page and is fast. I’m looking at those solidly colored pieces of tape I bought and imagining them with rubber stamped patterns, sharpie drawings and other embellishments. No need to buy all the funky patterns, or even that many colors. Buy a few rolls of plain colors and ADD to them the patterns you want or a glaze to alter the colors. I’ve seen a whole host of great tips and hints on how to do this online. I’ll get my rubber stamps out for UStream one of these days. I wouldn't have bought it except for my project but I'm glad I've gotten to play around with it.

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Art Field Trip

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I’ve been traveling here and there on Saturdays or Sundays with my friend Jane on what we’re calling Art Field Trips. Essentially these are  set days to talk about art, gripe  and make art.

This Saturday we traveled to Salem, MA. It was an easy trip for the 2 of us as I live just over the bridge. Salem’s downtown area turns into a giant street fair for the entire month of October. I avoid Salem most of the time but taking the train in wasn’t bad at all.

We got there at 10am and it was windy. IN the sun it wasn’t bad but the wind really made it rough to sketch. I got in a good 15 minute sketch of the bell. We walked to Gulu Gulu for lunch had a great meal and spent some time sketching in the warm cozy café.

We had a lot of fun. Our next trip is scheduled for October 30th. We’re going to go to Starbucks, set up a still life and draw.

Emotional Event

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Those of you who follow me on twitter saw my pathetic tweet: I didn't expect this to be an emotional event, failure is hard for me. I got more than a few DM and tweets asking the same question, “Is everything okay?”

While it’s still an in motion event and I can’t write much about it right now, but will in about a week. I can tell you this: I’ve made a decision that leaves me emotional but also relieved. I strive to be the best in all that I do and I’ve been struggling with this choice for some weeks now and finally have decided that the best thing is to follow my heart and not my mind, though it is hard for me.*

I have been frustrated, angry and sad for the last few weeks and I’ve been harping on it. Today while talking to my friend I told her, “I’m harping on this and I need to stop.” It hit me that I need take some action. I’ve taken that needed action and it will make my life much more positive in the future. Right now it’s a tough choice.

What I can tell you is that my time should open up again, my Monday Ustream should become more regular again and I’ll be more able to focus on developing more classes. While I’m a little freaked out at the step I’ve taken I know it will lead to far more productivity and a more balanced life in the long run.

This of course goes with the month’s theme of “following your passion.”

 

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Gulfsprite Layouts

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Flurrsprite on YT does a whole series of layout videos for your art journal. With the suggestion that you take some time to prep some pages in advance, a useful tip if you are on the go.


 

Following the Passion

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The topic of following your passion has come up in many conversations lately. Jonathan Manning and I discussed it a few months back when we did our dress rehearsal for his show, I’ve discussed it with my friend Jane, a couple of coworkers and then my friend just wrote about it on her blog.

The reality of following your passion, the one thing you really enjoy in life is that it doesn’t come easy to all of us. For me I’ve had a passion all my life- art but life and reality made it hard for me to follow that passion. My entire life I’ve called myself in some manner an artist but was unable to follow that passion through its natural and inevitable course. In my case I needed to find my niche.

I’ve painted and drawn my whole life. Behind the scenes I’ve written my whole life. Granted I know I’m not a great writer, I’m sure I’ll always be adequate but never great. I’m cool with that. As I’ve embraced the art journal as not only a primary art form but also to wrap my secondary career around I’ve found what is in part my passion. Not just art but a specific part of art- the sketchbook/visual journal/ art journal and the making and keeping of them.

Find that passion, that solitary goal, fills my life with purpose. Teaching the art classes online, doing the UStream show and now working long wonderful hours on the zine has filled my head with hopes and dreams and drive, long dormant ambition wells up when I think about these things I’m doing. I think to myself “I will win at this.” It’s a cool feeling after not really caring about much these last few years.

When Jonathan and I chatted he put into my head about how pursuing your passion can open doors* in your life that were seemingly unattainable. Pursuing your passion makes you happier, more energetic and life seems more vibrant.

On the flip side of that is that sometimes the current situation can be almost unbearable. You can feel stuck in the rut of your current life. For me, though I love my DayJob Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s are nearly unbearable reality checks. Monday night I normally have my UStream show. I spend the evening talking about art, demonstrating art and immersing myself in art. Then Tuesday evenings I have my drawing class. I spend that evening discussing drawing, the zen-like state one can achieve from drawing and again immersing myself in art culture. I love all of that. I won’t tell you about Thursday’s zine meetings.

For me spending the evenings working on the pursuit of my passion, my dream of spending my days working on art and art related things it both a gift and a curse. I see how wonderful the evenings are personally then to return to the constraints of my DayJob is difficult though I enjoy the actual job and the people surrounding the job. I just hope that the next year of DayJob remains as enjoyable as it’s been in the past.

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