Cassette Tape Art

Blue eyes linear tape illustration. (Click for larger image)

Linear art (also called continuous line art or contour art) has seen a resurgence in the last five years or so in our industry. I've personally done linear illustrations for clients like a grocery store chain, magazine editorials, coffee companies, medical industry, Kleenex box packaging, and a Banks animated TV Ads.

I've had the idea of doing an illustration such as the one above for a few years now but just haven't found the time to do so. Well a couple weeks ago someone shared the art of iri5 with me (Cool art!) and I realized I better hurry up and do my linear take on the same genre before it becomes old hat.

Creating the Artwork

Drawing linear art.

Growing up my parents had a nice size LP collection filled with big band and the classic crooners like Frank Sinatra. So naturally I still love his music and decided to base my tape illustration on "Blue Eyes" himself.

I drew out my art based off a classic reference, and I'll use it to help guide me as I build my artwork.


A sticky situation.

I used my xacto and scraped off small amounts of glue stick to affix the tape to the paper and keep it in place.


Inch by inch.

Placing small amounts of glue stick on the paper I then pressed the tape down. I did this on my light box so I could see my drawing underneath and follow it. I repeated this process for the next several hours until I completed the entire linear art.


Eyeing the details.

Tape is flat so I had to bent, fold and twist it to follow the form I wanted. I almost broke the tape a few times along the way and it got tangled on my desk since I was constantly rotating the paper too.


Antique audio = Art.

It was a slow process but it was fun. I almost did Elvis for the iconic aspects of his image but I decided to go with Sinatra instead since I actually listen to his music more often.

Another idea hit me as I was working on this though. I'd love to get my hands on a real Watergate tape and do a tape illustration of Nixon. Now that would be cool! (If someone at the Smithsonian is reading this lets talk.)

Serious though, I'd love to do a linear illustration of John Wayne using rope, just not sure when I'll get around to that?