We got a job last summer to fix a wall that a car drove through in the front of an office building. After putting in new brick, a new window etc.. it was time to paint. We needed to tape off some windows. Blue painter's tape or Frog Tape? It was a tough decision. We debated using it because it was so expensive. It was an odd conversation. Why else would you spend $10 on a roll of tape, if not to use it? After weighing the pros and cons we decided that this was an important enough job to justify using it (it was a $16,000 job). After finishing, I went inside to get something and this is what I saw:
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I have been fascinated with the way light transforms common subjects for a long time. I immediately knew that this was going to be used at some point in my work.
The attraction to this tape is connected to my father's response to how great it is, the marketing campaign that attracted him to buy it in the first place, and its color as light passes through it.
Masking tape was created in 1925 by a 3M employee. It was developed out of the frustration of painters using butcher paper with an adhesive that pulled fresh paint off of cars. It is rated by the number of days it can remain on a surface and still be removed without damage. Personally, I have never used it very much. I prefer just making a nice clean line with my paint brush. On the few occasions that I have used it, it either bled or took more time and effort than free handing.
My dad rarely uses tape for paining. Introducing Frog Tape. Sold!
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