ScotchBlue Original Painter's Tape
Low-tack masking tape that pins paper to the bed without tearing it — the cheapest upgrade to plot registration and clean edges you can buy.
Our verdict
Unglamorous and essential. Tape your paper down properly and half of your alignment problems disappear.
Best for: Keeping paper flat and registered mid-plot
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What we like
- Holds paper flat so plots don't shift or cockle
- Low tack lifts off without tearing even thin stock
- Doubles as masking for multi-pass color work
- One roll lasts months
What to watch
- Very cheap papers can still tear — test first
- Not a substitute for a truly flat bed
The least exciting item on this site fixes one of the most common beginner frustrations: plots that drift out of registration because the paper moved. Low-tack painter’s tape pins your sheet to the bed so it stays put through hours of pen travel, then peels off without shredding the edge.
Why low tack matters
Regular masking tape will hold paper down — and tear it when you remove it. ScotchBlue’s low-tack adhesive is the sweet spot: enough grip to resist the pen dragging the sheet, little enough that it releases cleanly, even from lighter paper. Lay a strip along each edge and your sheet stays dead flat.
The masking trick
Beyond holding paper, it’s the simplest tool for multi-pass color work. Mask off a region, plot one color, move the tape, plot the next. It’s crude compared to layer-aware software, but it’s instant and it works.
Buy the 1-inch width
Skip the wide rolls. A 1-inch (24 mm) width gives you enough hold along an edge without wasting tape or intruding on your drawing area. One roll will outlast several pens.
Specifications
| Tack | Low — lifts cleanly |
|---|---|
| Width | 1 in (24 mm) recommended |
| Removal | Clean for up to 14 days |
| Use | Securing paper, masking layers |
Ready to plot?
Prices and availability change often — check the latest on Amazon.
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