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Update: Masking fluid keeps damaging my watercolor paper
Lately, I've seen a bunch of painters at our local art group apply masking fluid to keep white areas in their work. I tried it myself, but when I pull it off, it often tears the paper. For example, I was painting a beach scene last month, and the fluid ripped right through where I wanted smooth sand. Has anyone run into this problem before? I make sure the fluid is fully dry before I paint over it, and I peel it off slowly with my fingers. It's annoying because all my friends have great results with it. What can I do to stop the paper from getting ruined?
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paulwilliams7mo ago
Yeah cooper.kai saying they were "putting it on way too thick, like painting it on" totally flipped my view. I used to blame the brand of fluid or just accept some paper loss as normal. I'd slather it on trying to make absolutely sure it sealed. Watched a demo last year where the artist just tapped it on, barely a layer, and it hit me. I was basically gluing the paper shut. Now I dab it, it looks almost spotty, and it comes up like a sticker. Changed everything.
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cooper.kai7mo ago
Torres.pat's question about the right kind of paper hits home. I used to be totally convinced it was just about using cheap paper. Then I kept having the same ripping problem, even on my good 140lb sheets. My turning point was a lighthouse painting where the fluid wrecked the cliff texture. I realized I was putting it on way too thick, like painting it on. Now I use an old brush and apply the thinnest layer I can, just enough to seal the spot. It peels off clean almost every time.
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torres.pat7mo ago
Wait, but I've never had masking fluid tear my paper. Are you using the right kind of paper for watercolor?
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