Remember that masking fluid applied on top of a previously painted area will very likely lift off some of the paint when removed. You can limit the amount of paint lifting by using at least artist-grade watercolor paints with higher staining power.

The time you can safely keep the masking fluid on the paper depends on a number of factors, including the brand, external temperature, and paper. Arches NOT paper is the most robust to deal with masking techniques. 4. How do I apply masking fluid?How long masking fluid takes to dry can depend on a number of factors, such as the brand, the environment you’rein and the paper you're painting on. Don’t try to speed up the drying process of either the masking fluid or subsequent washes with the use of a hot hairdryer.If you use a hairdryer, keep it very gentle. How long can you leave masking fluid on? White masking tape is an interesting method to use to create lines or shapes in a painting. If you require a horizon edge on a lake or sea scene, simply attach a piece of tape gently on the line. 2. How do I remove masking tape?

Using a masking fluid pen will be similar to using a paintbrush to apply masking fluid, only you do not want to dip your pen/marker into soapy water to prevent it from gumming up. Instead, you can use a rag or paper towel to wipe off the nib or tip whenever it becomes gummed up. You may need to shake the marker or prime the nib before use but this will depend on the brand. Well, it did because it was still wet down there. Got a really nice, fine line. Turn it to the side so you get a nice, nice flow of masking fluid. Let's do a few more of those. So you can see how to pull that out. Turn my brush to the side and then I can pull that masking fluid out.My favorite masking fluid is a product by Pebeo known as “drawing gum”. This is a liquid latex frisket like many other brands but it has the advantage of being tinted with a blue color which I find makes it easier to apply precisely. On top of that it’s one of the few brands that come in a big 250 ml bottle which makes it great value. Also it doesn’t smell as bad as some of the other products I’ve tried ! This method of applying masking fluid provides some amazing texture effects. You can use any kind of sponge, however, many prefer using a natural sponge. Make sure to dampen the sponge before placing it into the masking fluid. Apply to your surface and clean directly after you are finished. The latex in the masking fluid does tend to accumulate on the sponge, however, you should be able to still use the sponge without problems. Before using masking fluid, plan your painting so you know exactly where the highlights or areas you will want to preserve are. This fluid is used to create striking white highlights or to mask areas for overpainting at a later stage. It forms a fast-drying, water-resistant film on watercolor paper and board, and is easily removed when dry. A little wax was also rolled across the paper under the tree, which helped to create sparkle and light in the snow.

The advantage of masking fluid is that you can preserve numerous complicated shapes without having to paint around them. You can use any other watercolor techniques in conjunction with masking. The downside is that masking fluid produces hard edged shapes, so if you want soft blended edges to any white shapes this may not be the best solution. You can use an old brush to apply the fluid as it will ruina good one, however, I prefer to use a Colour Shaper angle chisel, No. 0, firm. This has a grey rubber pointed tip, looking rather like a brush. When finished, leave the masking fluid to dry on the Colour Shaper and then rub it off. And you can see that masking fluid repels the color. So it's repelling all that watercolor off my paper. TIP: If you wash the brush with soapy water, prior to dipping it into masking fluid, you will be able to remove dried masking fluid.the green and brown paints come off easily with a light scratching and buffing. This ultimately gives a better finish. Dried masking fluid should peel off easily, and you can simply lift it off as slowly and gently as possible. The masking fluid should ultimately have a creamy, thin consistency that is not too watery and is easy to control. It's got two different ends on it, kind of a flat one, and then kind of a sharp one. Dip your brush in masking fluid. And then you can add that right onto your paper.