Take Your Hobby Up a Notch: Coloring with an Edge

In recent years, I’ve started creating projects using a product I particularly love: washi tape. I especially like it because there’s an endless variety of patterns and colors available on the market. So before I walk you through the process, here is some information about washi tape, and I’ll also talk about the materials, since there are a few very important points to keep in mind when it comes to them.

Washi tape comes from Japan, where it was invented in the mid-2000s using washi, a traditional Japanese paper made from plant fibers. It is a decorative adhesive tape known for its lightness, a certain degree of transparency, and its versatility in crafts. It is easy to tear by hand and is sold in rolls of various widths. Japanese designs are crisp, neat, and some are created by renowned artists. Japanese washi tape is more expensive, but in the U.S., well-known and reliable brands produce some very interesting options at very reasonable prices.

What You Need

Washi Tape

They are not all created equal, some are more sticky, more transparent… Try a few things out to see what you like best.

Craft Knife

The blade must be razor sharp because you need to cut the washi tape with precision.

Paper

You need cardstock (65 lb). It’s perfect for any type of printer, but it’s really thicker than regular paper. This is important so you can cut it with a craft knife without tearing the paper and end up with a finished product that holds its shape well.

*You can use a black fineliner marker for touch-ups.

Tips

Since many types of washi tape are great for decorating but are a little too sticky for our kind of project, I highly recommend taking a minute to watch the following video, because it works really well to solve the problem.

See how to remove washi tape without ripping the paper.

Steps to Follow

To create an original work of art using washi tape, you can stick the tape onto some parts of a drawing and then cut along the outlines with a craft knife. I created some coloring pages for you, two of them specifically for the month of October, feel free to use them, or create your own design.

Step 1: Prepare the base by printing or drawing a simple design on cardstock.

Step 2: Apply the washi tape: Cover the areas of the drawing you want to fill in by slightly overlapping the strips of tape.

Step 3: Cut along the outlines: Carefully use the precision knife, following the black lines of the design that remain visible through the washi tape.

Apply light pressure so as not to pierce the paper underneath.

Step 4: Remove the excess: Gently peel away the tape from the areas you don’t want to fill in, this will reveal your textured design.

Step 5: Coloring: Now it’s time to color the other areas with your favorite medium (markers, watercolors, coloring pencils, computer, etc.). In the finished piece I joined here, I colored with my drawing app, but on my blog I added some examples made by Olivia, my granddaughter, and me. Those are made with markers and watercolors. And, don’t forget, adding a few shadows to your drawing when you’re coloring always makes the result more interesting.

Step 6: Finish the piece: You can add details with a marker or go over certain lines of the drawing again if necessary.

Playing with washi tape patterns is so much fun, I hope you’ll have hours of discoveries and creativity!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you use washi tape for any projects? What do you think about using this different kind of drawing to expand your creativity?