Artist creatively uses cassette tapes to create astounding portraits of famous musicians

Creativity is a novel characteristic that makes humans create art and music, see things from a different perspective and deal with life with a dash of spice and a hint of sweetness.

One artist, photographer and music head Amy Corson saw cassette tapes as not just a medium of music but also a medium of something more. The artist employs magnetic black tape within cassettes to create portraits of famous musicians. The artist pays tribute to figures ranging from rock stars like John Lennon and George Harrison to country legends like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.  

Corson started making cassette tapes about ten years ago. She shared with Bored Panda, "This project started almost a decade ago when I was cleaning out my closet and found a bunch of old cassette tapes. With no way to play them anymore, I wondered if they could be used in another way." Bob Dylan was her first portrait.

"I picked up a cassette of Bob Dylan’s 'Blood on the Tracks' and pulled out some of the tape," she recalled while talking to My Modern Met. "It reminded me of his curly hair and the rest is history. I spent the entire weekend making a portrait of Dylan using just the cassette tape and some glue."

She then decided to make portraits of musicians she admired or was inspired by, using either a tape from that artist or a blank one. She has since imitated the likenesses of several singers, including Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Garcia and Merle Haggard.

"I then started making other musicians that I’ve admired or have been inspired by, including local musicians... Unless it’s a commission piece, I usually portray musicians that I like or that have inspired me. I generally listen to a lot of the person that I’m working on when making each portrait so I like to think that their music, message and spirit somehow gets absorbed into each piece of tape that I glue down," Corson shared.

Magnetic tape's texture proved to be so versatile that it could perfectly replicate the fringes on Loretta Lynn's and Elton John's outfits, Willie Nelson's signature braids and Bob Marley's dreadlocks. When perfectly flat, it acts like ink to capture the shades and contours of each musician. This endeavor, according to Corson, has helped her get closer to her passions. Her detailed work helps her encapsulate and depict the personality of the musician better.

Explaining her process of work, she shared: "I start by sketching an outline of the design onto the paper and then cutting each piece of tape to fit exactly where it needs to go and gluing it down. Once the general outline is completed, I add additional tape to give it a 3D-like effect. That’s when the design really starts coming to life. Music, like art, is a powerful force that has the ability to move you, challenge you, and uplift you. I love being able to combine both of these things together."

She also revealed that she loved working with unconventional and unique materials even while growing up. "Growing up, I made things out of whatever I could find around the house or in nature, making origami paper flowers and gluing them onto branches that I would then put into a vase. Things like that. I love the idea of creating something beautiful out of everyday objects. I think that’s why I keep coming back to the cassette portraits," Corson said. "Being able to use something that someone else may think is worthless and create something of value out of it is an incredible thing. I would love to explore new materials in the future. I’ve been toying around with the idea of creating portraits of actors or directors out of old movie stubs. I think that could be cool."