MASKING FLUID

What is masking fluid?

Masking fluid is a liquid rubber that allows you to preserve the white of your paper. It speeds up the process of painting around difficult shapes.

some have a strong smell of ammonia

Which Masking Fluid Color?

Yellow - easy to see, but tends to stain the paper more often

Blue - less visual staining

Colorless - harder to see, but no chance of staining

How is masking fluid applied?

Step 1: Apply masking fluid to dry watercolor paper wherever you wish to preserve the white of the paper or a previous wash underneath. If the paper is wet, the masking fluid could seep into the paper and never come out.

Step 2: Make sure the masking fluid is completely dry before applying a wash of pigment to the painting.

Step 3: When the painting is finished, wait for the paint to dry fully before removing the masking fluid

Clearly, the most important thing when working with masking fluid is patience. It is tempting to want to speed up the process, but avoid using a hair dryer because heat will burn the rubber in the liquid and make it difficult to remove from the paper. Likewise, don’t lay your watercolor painting in the sun while it is drying

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

What tools are used to apply and remove masking fluid?

Truth be told, you can use just about anything to apply masking fluid, but keep in mind that whatever is used could potentially be permanently damaged by the medium. There is a masking fluid applicator on the market which works well, but limits how the medium is applied to the paper.

Avoid using good paintbrushes since the masking fluid will not be easily removed from the bristles afterward. If any paintbrush is being used, dip it into liquid dish soap, rub it in, and wipe it off before beginning to mask. Then thoroughly clean the brush immediately when finished.

Fluid Applicator

Old (synthetic) Paintbrush

Ruling Pen

Sponge

Dip-pen

Toothbrush

How to remove Masking Fluid Medium?

Pros and cons to each: rubber block (recommended), eraser (kneadable and art) wipes off too much pigment resulting in lighter colors, fingers (most tempting) will smear paint because of the oils in skin.

How long can it be left on the paper before removing it?

don’t leave on the paper for too long because it can stain and be difficult to remove later.

How should masking fluid medium be stored?

Store the masking fluid bottle upside down on its cap. When ready to use, gently turn the bottle upright being careful not to shake the bottle too hard and create bubbles. Bubbles will create pinholes in the rubber coating as it dries. Return the cap immediately when not in use.

While the masking fluid is still in place, the painting and bottle should be kept out of bright sunlight. Heat will change the chemistry of this medium, making it harder to remove from the paper.