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Watercolor Flowers

Watercolor Painting tricks - Masking over

Most art supply stores carry a product called masking fluid (mask) that saves white. You apply the liquid to your paper where you want to preserve the white. You can then paint over the protected area — slop, spray, drip, whatever — then peel off the mask to reveal fresh, white paper underneath that is unaffected by your work on top.

Masking fluid is an acid-free product that's archivally safe for your paper. Rubber cement would work, but it's very acidic and will discolor your paper.

Most masking fluids come in a jar with a screw-on lid, and you apply it like paint by using a brush. One type of mask, however, comes in a bottle with a hypodermic needle–like top that allows you to apply thin lines of mask easily. No extra application tool required.

Masking fluid comes in clear, blue, gray, orange, pink, and yellow, depending on the brand. There's even a permanent mask designed to remain on the paper. Colored mask makes it easier to see where you applied the mask, but I have seen some sad results where the colorant stained the paper. I recommend the colorless masking fluid because if you're saving white, it's difficult to judge color values when the white is saved as orange, gray, or some other color.

If you use colored mask, look at the bottom of the mask container to check that the color is even before using. You shouldn't see any bright dots of undissolved color. Shake up the product to mix the color if needed. However, try not to shake the bottle unnecessarily because air solidifies the product. Shaking and introducing air to the mask causes it to harden prematurely.

Mask dries in your brush quickly, and if it dries completely it won't come out. So don't use your very best brushes to apply masking fluid. If you do get mask stuck in your brush, you can purchase a masking fluid cleaner product.

To use masking fluid to save white, just follow these steps:

1. Dip a cheap synthetic round brush in liquid dish soap or swirl it on a bar of soap to coat the hairs. This aids in rinsing out all the mask. If your brush starts to solidify, rinse it out in water, recoat with soap, and start again.

2. Dip the brush coated in soap (no rinsing out the soap) into the jar of masking fluid. Cover the hairs but try not to cover the metal ferrule, which makes it more difficult to clean the brush.

3. Apply the mask to your paper. Apply enough of a layer to protect the paper. If the mask is too thin, it won't resist liquid painted over the top.

4. Allow the mask to dry before painting over the top. Gently touch the mask to see if it's dry. If it doesn't come off on your finger, it's probably dry. The mask remains slightly tacky because it's a rubber-like product. Be patient! Sometimes overnight is a good amount of time to make sure it's dry, especially if you use thick mask. Resist the temptation to use a blow-dryer to speed up the drying time on masking fluid. The heat can cook the mask into the paper and create a permanent bond.

5. Clean your brush in water and lay it flat to dry when you're finished.

6. Paint over and around the masked area.

7. Let the paint dry completely.

8. Rub your finger over the dried mask to peel it up. You can feel with the palm of your hand when all the mask is removed. Remove the masking fluid within six months or it may become permanent.

Practice the masking technique a couple of times before committing the method to a time-intensive artwork. Keep in mind that you can use mask to protect colors too. Paint mask on top of a flower, let it dry, and then loosely paint over the masked flower to make a background. Peel the mask off when the background is dry; the flower has been protected.

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Am I supposed to wet the paper pre-painting?

I'm a completely new at watercolor painting, so I don't know.
I'm just going to paint a simple flower, but I don't know if I'm supposed to wet the paper in water or if there are alternatives to doing so.

Some painters wet and stretch watercolor paper, tape or staple it to a board then let it dry before painting. That keeps the paper flat while painting. If you use 140 lb. paper, you usually do not need to stretch it. I never do.
There is a watercolor technique called "wet in wet" where the paint is brushed on while the paper is damp, either the entire paper or areas to make what's called a "wash". There isn't a rule or a "best" way, just which effect the painter wants to achieve. Painting wet into wet will create more of a soft look, while painting wet onto dry paper will make a crisp, sharper look. Combining the two techniques can be used effectively. Watercolor painting is all about controlling the "wetness" of the paper and paint and takes practice to learn.

Painting Flowers in Watercolor - Neadeen Masters

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 10:49 pm and is filed under paintings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.