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Lithe-Fider — Watercolor Masking Tutorial
Published: 2009-02-09 19:45:38 +0000 UTC; Views: 30729; Favourites: 405; Downloads: 329
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Description
FULLVIEW this is a Tutorial! About masking with misket fluid on your watercolor paintings.
Also tips / advice about color use for shadows and lighting, paper choice, technique, and using under layer colors to create glow.
This is the final image used from this tutorial: [link]
PS: I forgot to say in the tut but I traced my sketch onto my paper using a lightbox and a HB mechanical pencil. I don't recommend sketching on the paper you'll wreck it with all the erasing.
Be LIGHT with your lines.
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Comments: 47
While I just started using Masking fluid, this gives me a better ideal of how to handle it. I much appreciate this. Especially because it's giving me more confidence to use colors and stray away relying on black.
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I used Incredible White Wash Liquid Frisket and when I took it off, it tore some of the paper 
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Hiya, I have a question. Would the masking fluid work on regular sketch paper?
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the glowing ♥ totally adds a feel to the image. I'm in love.
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You know what.. I wish I knew about this before i started my water colour picture in art class.. The teacher didn't even show us how to use it properly and i ended up stuffing the whole thing up xD
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Hi...
How did you...well...
Always when i use Masking fluid in my paintings, when i try to peel of it, it just...damage so much the paper...what i can i do? i use Winsor and Newton Masking Fluid...
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I use masks all the time 
but I hate the Windsor-Newton masking fluid! I buy Incredible White Mask liquid frisket or Utrecht brand liquid latex mask, and apply it with different size plastic squeeze bottles, the ones with a tapered tip. It makes great lines and if I need a solid area masked I use the tip of the bottle to smoosh it around to cover the area. (it's basically liquid latex)
No more ruined brushes or having the mask dry too quickly while I'm still applying it.
Also the Masque Pen, if anyone has ever used that (a pen-type applicator with a super thin line) if it ever clogs, you can never clean them successfully - at least I never have
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I work with masking now, too. The only problem I have is that it sometimes ruins parts of the paper. It'll peel the top layer of the paper along.
Got a solution for that?
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This tutorial is awesome, thank you! I was wondering about using masking fluid but didn't get any because I wasn't too sure how well it would work, yay for things that peel easily like they're supposed to! Love the colors in this.
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what is this magical misket of which you speak of?
I MUST HAVE IT.
this is a really good tutorial, it is practical and even try-hard amateurs like me wouldn't fail with this technique. Thank you very much for this :3
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it's like watered down rubber cement, you can buy it at art stores! It's also called masking fluid. :3 Your very welcome!
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I saw it in the art store near my place its P300 =_=
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Amazing, thank you very much!
I didn't know that there is something like such a masking fluid!
So cool!
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thank you very much! This is such a great tutorial! Its very helpful!
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Questions:
Are those in any art places?
And what did you mean when draw "lighter line" on paper when painting? Why not dark?
Thanks for thinking of magic! (:
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you should be able to find them in the art stores.
darker lines are harder to get rid of where you can work with 'lighter' lines and increase the tensity once you know that's what you want. same goes with water colors when you paint with them.
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Honestly i never knew that you could do such a thing
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'don't eat it' I guess. XD
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Nice tutorial. Very helpful indeed. Thanks for taking the time to share it..
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Did you know:
If you wet a brush and then work liquid handsoap into the bristles before using the misket, it'll will wash right off? (of course, you need to wash the brush thoroughly as soon as you finish masking your painting - if it dries, it's as dead a brush as one used without the soap prep.)
Also, if you wind up with a brush that's got some misket residue dried on it, a good scrubbing in Master's Brush Restorer and Cleaner will actually render it as goos as new? I swear by that stuff, it is seriously magical - I have restored brushes that were solid with dried oils ._.
Together, these things save so much money - even those shitty packs of childrens' plastic brushes add up after a while.
C:
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Brush Restorer !!!
Now how the hell can I get those ?
*sigh*
little town, little town ..
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You can try online - [link] and [link] are both great.
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oh! very useful
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'Couple of things- First of all, you should mention to NEVER USE OLD MASKING FLUID :c
I just did. It ruined my painting. Ruined.
Secondly, do you recommend mixing the fluid with water? Some people do that, but I worry.
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whoaaa wait D:
i'm new to this masking fluid stuff. how am i suppose to know if its old or not? and what does it do to you're painting?
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Well hmmm. I used some older masking fluid and you really can't tell until after you stir it and you notice that it's still not liquid-looking. The older stuff just won't rub off as well and might stick to your paper. If it does come off, it might take the drawing underneath with it. D:
but yeah, you should be fine, depending on where you bought it and how often you use it.
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oh snap. thanks for the advice o_o;
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The fluid is not water soulble ot my knowledge, it'd be pointless if it was cause then the WATERcolors would probably dissolve it and it'd not do it's job. :3 It's like rubber cement, which I know you can't mix with water. Just don't put it on too thick, then it can not come off properly.
I'm sorry to hear that
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Damn. Ahahahaha, my fault! Thanks for the help! Jeez, I guess I need to try that one again. 'Doh!
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I can't draw/paint/anything artistic at all... but it was interesting...
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:3 Very useful <3 I just bought some masking fluid and hope to use it soon ;w;.~
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I never heard of such fancy art wizardry! I always had trouble with watercolors running all over the place on me anyway..but was a fun read.
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Wow, that stuff seems SUPER handy. o: *did not know such a thing existed*
Bah, you and your amazing EVERY MEDIA EVER skills. *jealousface*
You are like the freaking Batman of the art world.
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oooh my gosh thank you.
How much does that masking stuff cost?
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Like 10-12 bucks for that little bottle. :U But it lasts forever (I've only ever owned the one bottle. XD ). Also DO make sure to spend the extra dollars for a good brand like shown, the cheap stuff doesn't last as long and does not come off as clean.
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=A= cheap stuff. Bah. I used cheap stuff in my art class for a watercolor painting of a forest of aspen trees. It did not come off easy and clean and I was a lil upset by that.
XD Guess when I get money and a job I'll have to buy me some o the good stuff.
:3 Thanks for the tutorial, btw.
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That's not too bad. I didn't know this suff existed, and it's a great help. Thank you!
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Wow awesome tutorial!
I forgot all about that stuff!
Thanks for sharing
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