Painting 33

Watercolor.- Working with masking fluid some tips:

1. Plan Thoroughly
2. Dilute to Taste
3. Handle with CareNever shake the bottle of masking fluid. This can cause the masking fluid to coagulate, resulting in a ‘stringy’ lump of masking fluid that, if used directly from the jar, can land in a blobby mess right where you don’t want it! 
4.Choose Different ToolsI use a variety of tools to apply the masking fluid to the paper, dependent on the effects that I wish to achieve. It can be applied using a brush, dip pen, a colour shaper, toothbrush, stencil brush or rolled up paper. Allow masking fluid to build up on a ‘grotty brush’ and you will end up with a unique tool that offers the artist a number of exciting application possibilities, useful for adding sky holes to trees or highlights to stones or pebbles on seashores and riverbanks
5. Soapy water is invaluableWhen choosing a brush to apply the masking fluid, I will go for an old brush that has lost both spring and point; a nylon-haired brush will stay cleaner than one made from natural fibres. I will also have a jar of soapy water to hand, into which I dip my brush, removing any excess with kitchen roll before I dip it into the masking fluid. Coating the hairs of the brush with this weak detergent solution helps to prevent the masking fluid from clinging to them, making dispersal much easier. It also helps to prevent the masking fluid drying out too quickly and clogging the brush in mid application
6. Vary your ApplicationMasking fluid can be painted, drawn, spattered, dabbed or flicked on to your painting surface.
7. Don'tWork WetMake certain that the paper is thoroughly dry before applying the masking fluid, otherwise you run the risk of the masking fluid penetrating the top layer of the paper. This could result in the paper being torn when the masking fluid is removed
8. Remove it CarefullySome artists use a soft rubber to remove the masking fluid from the paper. I remove it by gently rubbing with my fingertips, but only when I have checked that the paint and paper are both completely dry
9. Soften the EdgesMasking fluid can leave hard-edged marks on your work. If the wash painted over a masked area is not a staining colour, then once the masking fluid is removed the edges of these marks can, if desired, be softened by gently lifting out with a damp brush

                               Ref 805   SUNLIGHT IS PAINTING