58 Watercolor artist | APRIL 2020
Watercolor Essentials
Let the White Shine
Maskingfluids,filmsandwaxarethemostcommontypesofresists
usedtoday,eachwithitsinherentadvantagesanddisadvantages.1
MASKING FLUIDS
You have several different
kinds of masking fluids
from which to choose. The most
common option is commercial
fluid mask—available in clear,
yellow, blue or neon—which is
easy to use because it’s thin and
flowing, making it easy to paint
into a particular shape.
Another option is permanent
masking fluid, which, as the
name implies, is permanent and
non-lifting. Even though paint
may settle on the masking fluid,
it can be wiped off easily. You can
apply paint over the permanent
fluid after it dries, although the
color may appear different than
its true hue.
There are also lifting pre-
parations that act as a resist
by preventing paint from
penetrating the paper. Without
damaging the paper, the dried
paint can be scrubbed off,
leaving the original color
to show through. The lifting
preparation will create
a duller, less bright white
than the basic masking fl uids.
Masking fluids should be
applied to dry paper and left
to dry fully before any paint
is applied. If you want to
create a solid shape, apply
the medium in a uniform
layer. If some areas of the
fluid are applied too
thinly, the paint may
reach the paper.
If you’re pouring paint,
masking fluids are ideal, because
you won’t have to worry about
painting around small shapes or
having paint leak into areas that
were meant to be light.
To remove the masking fluid
from your painting, simply rub
the application areas after
everything is completely dry. The
masking will peel off in lumpy bits
and reveal the white color. If
your fingers are clean, use them
to rub off the mask. Erasers, old
clumps of used masking fluid and
commercial removers also can be
used to remove the dried mask.2
MASKING FILM
Masking film comes in
sheets or rolls. It’s great
for covering an exact shape
because you can use the masking
film to create a precise stencil.
Another benefit is that the film is
transparent, so you can see your
whites while painting.
To create the desired
shapes, an X-Acto knife or
scissors can be used to cut
the film. One side of the
film has a waxy paper that
you peel away, leaving just
the clear plastic. This film
features a sticky surface
that adheres to the
watercolor paper and acts
as a barrier against the
paint as you move your
brush over the intended area.
The adhesive isn’t very strong,
so you don’t have to worry
about damaging your paper
when you peel off the layer.
The film’s weak adhesive
doesn’t lend itself to really wet
washes or pouring techniques,
however, as water has a ten-
dency to slowly seep underneath
the plastic.3
WAX RESIST
Wax has been used as
a resist/mask in watercolor
for more than 100 years, and its
practitioners have included such
master artists as Sargent and
Homer. Wax yields a more tex-
tured look than other methods,
and it’s often used in painting
rough textures, such as foliage
or bricks.
As with the other methods,
the application of white wax
resists the paint while preserving
the whites. The wax, however, is
permanently affixed to the paper.—Featured on ArtistsNetwork.comTurn to page 60
for a demo