Today we interviewed Michael Budd, an artist from across the pond in Aylesbury, in the United Kingdom.
He reached out to us through our Photo Submission page and shared the amazing portrait and landscape tape art paintings he and his students create using Pro® 46 crepe paper tape.
We asked him a few questions about his process and the workshops that he runs.
Q: Do you have a website or any social media sites you’d like for us to share with our audience?
I’m not on Social Media, but I do my tape art workshops at Queens Park Arts Centre, Aylesbury, Bucks, UK (visitors can click here to visit their site.)
Q: How long have you been practicing art, and in what capacity?
I’ve been practicing for just over 10 years. I’m a retired gentleman and enjoy doing artwork in my spare time, so I would consider myself an amateur artist.
Q: How did you discover Pro® 46 tape, and what made you decide to try using Pro® 46 in your artistic process?
I was using ordinary decorator’s masking tapes with acrylic paint, when I realized that the colour and texture of the tape could be left behind and included as part of the painting. I then searched the internet and found Pro® 46 website, which had all the qualities I was looking for!
Q: What does Pro® 46 allow you to do that other media (paint, spray paint, etc.) does not?
Pro® 46 tapes allow me to lay down colours, which, if not suitable, can be removed, and so give me more scope to experiment.
Q: What are some other qualities of Pro® 46 tape that you appreciate the most? What other media do you use alongside Pro® 46 to create your tape art, and how do they work together?
I use Pro® 46 tapes as a foundation to my art work. I find that the tapes adhere well to most hard surfaces. The tapes offer a smooth surface on which I can use acrylic paint and acrylic marker pens on top to complete the picture. Pro® 46 is not messy like paint, which means I can create art in the house without a lot of equipment – and it can be mastered easily by people of all ages. The tapes have a limited choice of colour which means they offer more of a challenge in using the right colour and tone.
Q: How long have you been teaching? Where do you teach from (your own space, or part of a larger educational foundation)?
I have been doing the tape art workshops for about 3 years at my local arts centre, Queens Park Arts Centre. I have done many workshops using Pro® 46 tapes.
Q: What made you decide to use Pro® 46 in your workshops? Do you run classes for adults as well as children?
Children and adults of all ages attend my tape art workshops. I wanted to show people who perhaps were a little reluctant to start using paint that they could start creating images straightaway with just a little skill, preparation and equipment.
Q: What have your students said about using tape to create art? Are they surprised when they first use it?
Students are surprised that the tapes are so versatile! That with their hands or a small bladed knife, a cutting mat and any kind of stiff support, they can create art! I call what I do TAPE AND CREATE.
Q: If someone has never used Pro® 46 in their artwork before, what are some of your tips for getting started?
I would advise someone using Pro® 46 for the first time to just try creating abstract shapes and see how they fit together and on top of each other, and how having a limited choice of colours makes it less daunting than being confronted by a lot of paint, brushes and water!
To learn more about Michael’s workshops in the UK, you can visit the Queens Park Arts Centre website here or contact him with the info below:
