Duct Tape School Projects
Art does not necessarily require expensive tools and materials. Encourage your students to see the artistic possibilities in even the most mundane objects. Most homes have a roll or two of duct tape in the toolbox. It is typically used to patch and repair everything from plumbing to backpacks -- but do not overlook duct tape as an artistic and functional medium.
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Textile Art
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Traditional textile arts of weaving and sewing involve natural and synthetic fibers, but you can apply many of these techniques to duct tape. To create a woven duct tape cloth, carefully lay a 6-inch to 12-inch strip of duct tape, sticky side up, on a flat work surface. Cover it with a second strip of equal length, placed sticky side down. You should have a double-sided strip of duct tape. Repeat this process until you have enough strips to weave. Try using contrasting colors to create a checkered effect. Display this woven duct tape cloth as it is, or use it to make a place mat or bag.
Duct Tape Sculpting
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Duct tape's stiffness makes it an ideal sculpting medium. Fold 2-inch strips of duct tape into petal shapes to create duct tape flowers. For each petal, lay a 2-inch strip of duct tape sticky side up on a flat work surface. Fold one corner of the strip onto itself, leaving a strip of sticky material showing along the bottom and side. Fold the opposite corner over the petal to create a triangular point. Apply this petal to a straw, then create more to build up a flower in full bloom. Add these as embellishments to key chains, backpacks, and other items. Use duct tape in place of papier mache to make masks, props and scenery for your class play, or functional objects such as pottery.
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Duct Tape Painting
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Duct tape comes in a wide variety of colors and prints, making it an ideal way to cover large areas of space with color. Instead of painting scenery for a class play, cover the facade with colored duct tape. On a smaller scale, encourage your students to layer various colors of duct tape to create abstract art. Remind them to create interesting angles by crossing the lines of duct tape.
Wearable Duct Tape Art
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As part of a lesson on fashion design, encourage your students to create wearable art out of duct tape. Show images of prom dresses and accessories made of duct tape, and point out how the designer worked the specific traits of duct tape into their designs.
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