Watercolor Artist - USA (2020-04)

56 Watercolor artist | APRIL 2020

Watercolor Essentials

The Great

Masker-aid

Apply this simple solution to prevent

masking leaks.

By Mary Elle

T

o mask or not to mask, that

is the question for the water-

colorist when it comes time

to “save the whites.”

While it’s certainly possible just

to paint around an area you wish to

save, masking can be a good option

for covering an area to prevent it from

being painted. It’s ideal for preserving

details; likewise, a bigger portion can

be masked when the paper surface

around it is large and the shape is

For Launching

the Tender (above;

watercolor on paper,

25x26), I wanted to

paint the blue sky

and water in single

passes so that the

color would be even.

I masked everything

that wasn’t going

to be blue, with the

exception of the

black cables and

ropes, to achieve

the desired effect

(opposite).