Look!: Wall Art Made With Electrical Tape

Over the weekend we visited a friend in the Mission. Our friend is an artist, and is always trying new, "unconventional" ways to decorate his apartment. Case in point: His Woody Allen black electrical tape portrait.

Granted, we know we could do this (we can barely draw stick figures), but it was cool how it was electric tape, so when our friend gets bored of it (is that possible!) he can just take the tape down. Also, you can't beat that price!

Comments (20)

Why not just paint the image on the wall? Electrical tape is definitely not going to be easy to "just take the tape down" when your friend gets tired of it, as you suggest. No.... the tape will take the underlying paint AND the drywall paper off with it. When your friend gets tired of it, he's also going to have to patch and mud that wall and then paint it too.

When your friend gets bored and decides to take the tape down, can I help??? That portrait is so hip and cool I can hardly stand it...I WANT ONE!!

I wonder if painters tape could work, too. I know you're not supposed to leave it on for long, but would the consequence be that it took off paint or left a residue? If it's residue, that can at least be cleaned off.

The electrical tape isn't necessarily ruinous to all walls. I have wood panelling in my basement bedroom and although the landlords tried to "freshen it up" by painting it white, I still hate all the seams. However, their seemingly asymmetrical feel gave me an idea -- I covered each seam, floor to ceiling, with a strip of electrical tape, alternating between red and black (the colors of my bedroom). I hung empty frames at random intervals, and I absolutely LOVE it. Plus, it was much faster (and yes, will be easier to remove) than painting. Pictures can be found on my blog: http://texannewyorker.wordpress.com

actually electrical tape isn't that sticky

looks great

I agree, electrical tape seems least likely to ruin the wall. Cool idea!

Electrical tape is the least likely to ruin the wall. It barely sticks (but sticks just enough).

I did this in art school in my dorm and didn't have a problem taking it off the walls. I fact it was much less disasterously hard to remove all traces of than the prior year's portrait done in liquid tide that would glow under blacklights (yes, rave culture was in when I was in college =) and yes it was a glowing alien head.)

It does get a bit gummy though, but the residue isn't that hard to remove. I've since also tried using artists tapes. They have the same no too stickiness of drafting tape so shoulnd't give you paint peeling problems, but come in a lot of colours and widths and are less gummy than electrical tape.

The portrait is pretty awesome, but what about that couch?? Hubba-hubba.

Awesome work but...Woody Allen? Giant? On my wall? Yikes.

I am in love with that sofa. Better yet is the colour combination of the purple with the turquoise chalkboard to the right. Awesome.

Great marketing idea: Wall-size DIY vinyl decal kit, $10. Includes roll of electrical tape and a pile of line drawings. :-)

http://www.tapeart.com/

some more tape-art, all done w/ painters tape, a great art group out of providence, ri!

the electrical tape portrait is a cool idea, it definitely rocks....but the couch??? its ruining the whole look...
an absolute no no !!

Very cool, but I wouldn't want Woody Allen on my wall.

i don't see anything wrong with the couch. sets up an interesting tension. more interesting than putting a modern 60s pop couch there or something like that.
and the sofa is not ugly. it's cool.