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martinacecilia β Masking Fluid Tutorial
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Published: 2009-06-21 22:16:29 +0000 UTC; Views: 28362; Favourites: 484; Downloads: 351
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Description
I decided to do a tutorial about liquid mask after many people asked me how to use it. At first I thought it was easy, just apply it with a brush, colour over it and when dry remove it with fingers, but actually there are plenty of things you should care and be aware of and none of the tutorial I saw actually talks about these sort of things.Masking fluid is right now the most powerful tool a watercolour artist has available, of course beside the watercolour and a sable brush! You can do wonderful things with it if you just try and if you're careful about few things...
The pic I've used for this tutorial features Ian Curtis (Lead singer of Joy Division) and here's the final deviation:
pics I did using masking fluid:
[link] <-- Stina Persson is a fashion illustrator who uses liquid mask A LOT. Check her website, is amazing.
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Comments: 96
This might be an odd question, but if you have white masking fluid and it's hard to see when applying to the picture (like what spots are covered and what ones aren't) is it okay to add food coloring or something to the masking fluid to give it a color you can see? Or is it better to just buy masking fluid that might be more expensive but has a color already?
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I've heard from professional water color artists that a small amount of food coloring will do the trick in being able to see the masking fluid. All the best!
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hey ... what happen if we mix water in the liquid masker 0.0aa???
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no idea whatsoever. let me know about the results if you experiment.
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the liquid melt , after i put color on it a and let em dry, its attach on the paper make it rip
but my liquid mask kinda thick .. and it placed in glass bottleΒ
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this is a pretty good tutorial.. I have a quick question for you.. have you ever tried using a color shaper to put the mask on?Β
these lil do hickies?
www.dickblick.com/products/douβ¦
they work SUPER great with Β mask.. and NO bristles or hairs to ruin!
just wipe em off when your done! check it out
thanks for the great tutorial!!Β
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Your tutorial has been featured in an article Watercolor Equipment II - Additional Tools. Thank you for sharing it with all of us
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Oh, I just have one question: Can I use masking fluid on colored part? For example, I draw a girl, color her hair with watercolours (let them dry) and apply masking fluid on hair, to protect them? Is it possible (without ruining)?
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uhm, you should best avoid it. It doesn't really tear the paper if the color is completely dry but it will remove a bit of pigment so the color will be lighter once you've removed the masking fluid. Unless that's not a problem.
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Oke, thank you very much! ^^
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Thank you for this usefull tutorial! I just got masking fluid for Christmas and I want to try it right now. :3
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How does masking fluid hold up with Copic Markers?
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never tried but I don't see why it shouldn't. it's a plastic waterproof cover, nothing should get past it, Copic markers should work just as well.
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Ok cool 
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Laid it on too thickly today (literally)
Paper tore - 3 hours of work hit the fan...
:-/
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This tutorial is great.
A few hours ago, I got a bottle of Winsor and Newton Art Masking Fluid, and decided to try it out. I tried to spread it on my paper, but it came out very thick and did not spread well at all. Do you know what can possibly be causing that, or am I simply not applying it correctly? Is it supposed to be that thick? It had the consistency of very thick white glue. I'm sorry for pestering you with my questions. <'xD
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this is such a wonderful tutorial! thank you so much for sharing this! I wanted to ask, have you ever used liquid frisket over a drawing that you've inked? (India ink or pigment liner, because i use both). I have frisket but I've never used it and I'm trying to learn as much as I can before applying it XD
thank you so much for your help in advance!
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I don't know if it really possible to use liquid mask on all papers. I used it once on the Arches paper with high "grain" (I don't know the english word for, but I mean it's like a hard texture) and probably made with cotton. And it tore the paper surface when I removed it. But yeah, it ruins the brush ! In fact this is the limit of masked fluid : it's difficulte to do tiny details with maske fluid, due to the fact it dries quickly. But it's a good tool anyway, and thanks for the tutorial
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Fico.... nemmeno sospettavo che questa tecnica coinvolgesse una maschera di qualche tipo. Insomma: colorazione complementare. Fico!
Quando da bambino facevo modellismo usavo tecniche simili; ma la mia ignoranza nelle tecniche di illustrazione mi stupisce sempre di piΓΉ.
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oh, so that's how masking fluid works~
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Β°.Β° never heard of it.
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haha, ok, thanks^^ just checking.
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hi, I want to ask you. I have a masking fluid. honestly I bought it since 2 years ago, but I haven't use it since that time. And now I see that mine is jelled, not frozen yet. So I want to ask can I liquify the masking fluid be liquid again? Thx a lot
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Nope. sadly once solidified you can't do anything.
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ow I see, but it's become thick so can I still use it?
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I've had some masking fluid for a few months (the same as the one in this tutorial) and previously it's been ok, but just recently it actually stained the paper slightly yellow.
Have you had this problem before?
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Β°_Β° no, I actually haven't. You could try shaking it (maybe some part of it deposited on the bottom and in the upper part remained some staining substance)...
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I'll try shaking it up more next time.
Thanks anyway
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OOH! I must share my discovery in how to remove the masking fluid!
I was so excited when I figured it out. But first you must know all my brushes are the cheap kind. It was one of my favorites, though so I was frustrated that it had this masking fluid all over it. It's a 1/4 angular brush, the white synthetic kind. So I get this crazy idea to use some Goo Gone. The brush is already ruined so what more could I do to it. I put some Goo Gone in it's own lid and propped the brush up in it and let it soak for a few hours (I don't know how long because I was painting). But it worked! I scrapped most of the fluid mask off with my fingernails and the washed it in that B&J brush cleaner and voi-la! I could use the brush again.
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.... T_______T I don't think that goo gone is sold here where I live (italy)
I should find some valid alternative. Γ²_o now that I know it can be done I'm going to find out!
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Thank you for the great tutorial! I've been working with masking fluid before but I still found a lot of useful tips.
Just one remark: there is such a thing as ammonia free masking liquid which does not stink at all. Mine is from a german company called Schmincke and was quite expensive (100ml for 10 Euro). It works quite well (although I lack the comparison with other types of masking fluid). The only time it teared the paper a bit was when I had been impatient and it wasn't completely dry.
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Oh! never found it! Actually I know schmincke's watercolour and acrylics (both really good) but I don't think I ever found the masking fluid here...
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I see, I have looked for online sellers who ship to Italy as well and found some on ebay. But the shipping costs are much higher than the price for the masking fluid itself so that would be no good deal.
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No problem at all. 
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Erm, just a question. Will it be okay to use over an area you have coloured, say in pencil or pastel? Or will it tear when you take it off that?
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No it won't tear the paper, but it will lighten the underneath coulour a bit... both with pencils, pastel and watercolour itself.
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Ah ok then, thank you for your advice
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This is a great tutorial- can;t wait to use it!
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Your tutorials are a great help! Thanks for them! ^_^
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helpful!.......I've used it,but it always seems such a bother...this has some good ideas in it though,might give it another try
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