paint cut paste

there’s something so satisfying about peeling away artist’s tape from borders of paper when a piece of art is finished. i always tape off the edges of my paper when i watercolor or use chalk pastels in my own art, and i’ve discovered that it really bumps up the sophistication level of kid art, too.

N made this at 14 months old (i did the rainbow at the bottom)

just wanted to share the technique, as it creates a wonderful container for the scribbles of your wee littles. using watercolor tape ($$$), blue painter’s tape ($$), or masking tape ($), you can tape around the border of a piece of paper, or divide a large sheet of paper up into several sections. (you’re paying for a gratifying peel-away without ripping your paper.)

setting boundaries. ah, what a metaphor for parenting a 2-year-old

let the coloring begin! coloring up to and across the borders makes a really great effect. here, N colored with crayola washable markers and crayons.

scribble fest!

once the tape is peeled away, the results are so satisfying!

clean edges

it’s as if they’re already matted. all you need now is a frame (or a clothespin!)

Related posts:

1. the initial reveal
2. color saturation
3. woven watercolor blessing