<p>There are a few tricks of the trade for using tape on drawing paper. Here are some of them:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use good quality paper.</li>
<li>Try using different types of tape to see which kind works best with the type of paper you're using.</li>
<li>Stick the tape to your pants one or more times before sticking it to the paper.</li>
<li>Don't leave the tape on the paper for more than 24 hours.</li>
<li>Remove the tape slowly, pulling away from the illustration instead of straight upwards.</li>
<li>Use a blow dryer or heat gun to heat up the tape slightly and soften its glue before removing it.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-15T05:10:49.217Z
The pants trick is something I learned both in my drafting, and my print classes. I still use it today for any tape that is too strong to avoid damaging a material. It takes a little practice with a specific tape to know how much holding strength you lose, but it's a good skill to have.
Logarr
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-17T12:07:24.860Z
Yep. It works like a charm.
Little Girl
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-14T18:43:40.987Z
2020-08-14T18:43:40.987Z
Little Girl
<p>Don't worry about drafting tape if you can't find it in your area.</p>
<p>A common hack - peel masking tape, stick it a couple of times on another surface (say, your hand) to remove some adhesive, and then use it on the paper. Make sure the initial surface is clean, though, we don't want dirt on the paper ;)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-15T17:58:25.650Z
2020-08-18T12:30:45.600Z
2020-08-18T12:30:45.600Z
Bojan Krkic
<p>Masking tape is the general term for  a kind of tape for masking off parts of a range of materials (wood, stone, glass, concrete, &amp;c.). The glue will need to have a certain level of bonding (often pressure-bonding) with the surface for it to stay in place and keep the paint from covering - or seeping in on - that surface.<br />
The amount of bonding is dependent on the surface it is intended for.</p>
<p><strong>What you need is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drafting_tape" rel="noreferrer">drafting tape</a></strong>, a masking tape specifically aimed at taping paper, which has a weaker bonding. It is similar to kraft tape, which you can also use.</p>
<p>Depending on your application, an alternative to tapes can be masking fluid, a liquid that cures into an aquaphobic latex layer which you can easily peel off of the paper. It is often used by watercolour artists to mask areas that need to keep the colour of the paper.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-14T18:09:58.553Z
@Aquarius_Girl, you could also try repositionable or removable tape.
fixer1234
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-14T14:55:22.410Z
2020-08-14T14:55:22.410Z
Joachim
<p>Well, I thought masking tape is used for painting on paper because it can come off easily. I simply put masking tape on a drawing sheet and just to see whether it comes off easily or not, I started peeling it from paper - slowly.</p>
<p>It tore paper. A layer of paper came off with the tape.</p>
<p>Is there some particular way of putting masking tape on drawing sheets?</p>

<drawing><painting><tool-usage>
Masking tape tears paper off!
Aquarius_Girl
# Masking tape tears paper off!

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-14)

Well, I thought masking tape is used for painting on paper because it can come off easily. I simply put masking tape on a drawing sheet and just to see whether it comes off easily or not, I started peeling it from paper - slowly.

It tore paper. A layer of paper came off with the tape.

Is there some particular way of putting masking tape on drawing sheets?

**Tags:** drawing, painting, tool-usage


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-08-14. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Masking tape is the general term for a kind of tape for masking off parts of a range of materials (wood, stone, glass, concrete, &c.). The glue will need to have a certain level of bonding (often pressure-bonding) with the surface for it to stay in place and keep the paint from covering - or seeping in on - that surface.  
The amount of bonding is dependent on the surface it is intended for.

**What you need is [drafting tape](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drafting_tape)**, a masking tape specifically aimed at taping paper, which has a weaker bonding. It is similar to kraft tape, which you can also use.

Depending on your application, an alternative to tapes can be masking fluid, a liquid that cures into an aquaphobic latex layer which you can easily peel off of the paper. It is often used by watercolour artists to mask areas that need to keep the colour of the paper.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: @username_0, you could also try repositionable or removable tape.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2020-08-14. Score: 8

There are a few tricks of the trade for using tape on drawing paper. Here are some of them:

* Use good quality paper.
* Try using different types of tape to see which kind works best with the type of paper you're using.
* Stick the tape to your pants one or more times before sticking it to the paper.
* Don't leave the tape on the paper for more than 24 hours.
* Remove the tape slowly, pulling away from the illustration instead of straight upwards.
* Use a blow dryer or heat gun to heat up the tape slightly and soften its glue before removing it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The pants trick is something I learned both in my drafting, and my print classes. I still use it today for any tape that is too strong to avoid damaging a material. It takes a username_1 practice with a specific tape to know how much holding strength you lose, but it's a good skill to have.  
> **username_1**: Yep. It works like a charm.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2020-08-15. Score: 2

Don't worry about drafting tape if you can't find it in your area.

A common hack - peel masking tape, stick it a couple of times on another surface (say, your hand) to remove some adhesive, and then use it on the paper. Make sure the initial surface is clean, though, we don't want dirt on the paper ;)


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