Painted cassette tapes
1. Attach the cassette tapes
- Mix a neutral pastel shade (e.g., Pastel Rouge) into your modelling paste for the background colour
- Spread a layer of paste evenly across the canvas with a large palette knife
- Gently place the tapes onto the wet Modelling Paste, adjusting the layout as needed
- Once satisfied, press each tape firmly into the Modelling Paste
- Let the paste dry completely before painting
2. Canvas preparation
- Apply a white basecoat to each cassette tape to ensure the pastel colours stand out
- Add multiple layers for full opacity and allow them to dry
3. Painting cassette tapes
- Choose retro pastel colours and paint the tapes - we've got a cheat-sheet table below if you like our colours!
- Use three shades per colour (e.g., orange, yellow, pink, purple, green)
- Arrange the brightest hues in the middle column for balance
- Let the tapes dry and apply a second coat for added vibrancy
- Paint the edges of each tape with a contrasting shade (e.g., orange with green, yellow with purple)
- This step adds depth and visual interest to the piece!
4. Final touches
- Match the centre areas of each tape to the pastel background colour on the canvas
- This ties the entire design together
- Feel free to add retro patterns or mixtape titles for a personalised touch
Once dry, your upcycled art is ready to hang and brighten up any space!
Our colour cheat-sheet (but you can pick any colours!):
Left Column | Middle Column | Right Column |
Tape Body: Pastel Apricot Tape Edge: Pastel Pear | Tape Body: Pastel Blood Orange Tape Edge: Pastel Ocean | Tape Body: Pastel Marigold Tape Edge: Pastel Chartreuse |
Tape Body: Pastel Yellow Tape Edge: Pastel Iris | Tape Body: Pastel Lemon Tape Edge: Pastel Mauve | Tape Body: Pastel Naples Yellow Tape Edge: Pastel Purple |
Tape Body: Pastel Blush Tape Edge: Pastel Apricot | Tape Body: Pastel Bubble Gum Tape Edge: Pastel Blood Orange | Tape Body: Pastel Hot Pink Tape Edge: Pastel Marigold |
Tape Body: Pastel Iris Tape Edge: Pastel Yellow | Tape Body: Pastel Mauve Tape Edge: Pastel Lemon | Tape Body: Pastel Purple Tape Edge: Pastel Naples Yellow |
Tape Body: Pastel Pear Tape Edge: Pastel Blush | Tape Body: Pastel Ocean Tape Edge: Pastel Bubble Gum | Tape Body: Pastel Chartreuse Tape Edge: Pastel Hot Pink |
- 15 cassette tapes (any old tapes will work)
- Single Thick Canvas Signature 40 x 50 cm
- Acrylic Paint Pastel Colour Set 36pc (or your favourite acrylic colours)
- Modelling Paste Premium
- Easy Clean Palette
- Clear Handle Acrylic Paint Brush Set (or similar taklon brushes)
- Large palette knife