Yeah, small towns and obscure art supplies often dont mix. Thinning the rubber cement makes it far easier to apply using a fine-tipped brush or even the end of a sharpened stick, a knitting needle, a quill or a bamboo skewer. . Did you ever give it a try? There is a way to make your own masking fluid at home. I like to use baby bottle sterilising bleach since it feels less aggressive and typically smells a bit better. they wanted to charge me $22 at the art supply store for masking fluid! It will, unsurprisingly, bleach out the colour and make it white. This is super useful in watercolor paintings. Nice solution to replace a very expensive art item one thing when using masking fluid for those who maybe dont know if you wet your brush and rub the bristles on a bit of dry hand soap then dip and use the masking fluid where you want it, the brush is a lot easier to clean when your done with the fluid just work the bristles under running water to get it clean. Like this one. :0). Good luck! I tried to do some research on the differences between the liquid latex that is used for makeup effects and the liquid latex that is used for masking fluid. Art materials here in Phili ppines are a bit expensive, but the materials you had suggested are cheap and easy to find here. http://www.acminet.org/. They sell commercial rubber cement thinner. Ill also tell you how to alter values in watercolour and tell you something about the colour wheel that just might surprise you. Apparently, over time, the rubber cement will cause the watercolor paper to discolor. Disclaimer: Before you try this, be sure you educate yourself about the dangers associated with using acetone and rubber cement. Learn the basic watercolour techniques and some key painting tips for beginners including, composition, value, paint properties and working with reference photos. Ive got Elmers Rubber Cement & Walmart acetone, which has 5 other ingredients in it, which might be messing it up. My paper is very sensitive and masking fluid is dangerous. If the cosmetic stuff was white that might make it a little harder to use. Sometimes the full effect of the bleach takes a minute or two so dont give it a second spray too soon! Best wishes! And if you want to try this out for yourself in a painting, I have a step by step tutorial that will show you exactly that. And it is also easy to end up with a bit of an overworked painting. ____________________________________________. It just wouldnt mix. Gosh, I dont know whether or not rubber solution would work as a replacement. Or you will just find out when you try it out for yourself. It is quite easy to introduce a cauliflower or bloom at this stage. Rather than having to carefully paint around tiny highlights or intricate details, you can simply cover them with masking fluid and then apply paint directly over the top of them. So your highlight will only disappear if the paper was damp and the paint you applied connected with the damp section. Now of course you need to be a grown up when it comes to bleach, as you know. The whiskers in this cat were scratched out with a craft knife once the watercolour was dry. I use this with my Brusho watercolours. Its often cheaper, and will get the job done just as well as pure acetone. Masking fluid is extremely pricey where I live. To find out how to create this masking fluid watercolor painting, check out the video below: Tell me what other watercolor tutorials would you like to see on Page Flutter? Is it the same thing? All pigments are different. The paint is probably removed. Thanks for the idea/information! Once the paint is dry you can pull off the packing tape to reveal the white shape below without damaging the paper. She is enthusiastic about helping others find their creative voice. You only need a handful of supplies and about an hour to create this piece from start to finish! It opens up alternatives for me. Has anybody tried it? Then you have to wait until it is completely dry before you can start painting. Alas, the white of the paper must be reserved and NOT painted! Youll have better results if you buy a brand that doesnt list water first in the ingredients list. Malen ist nicht alles im Leben - aber ohne Malen ist alles nichts! Through process videos, blogging, and teaching online workshops, Torrie is passionate about sparking creativity in others. An image can convey so much in an instant and each of us has our own unique response. Lets review them and figure out the best approach to painting from two or more reference photos. Want to try this out in a painting? The fumes from the ammonia in liquid latex can irritate the eyes when used as special effect makeup on the face. Dont get too carried away because the wax cannot be removed. What makes good art supplies? I do hope these alternatives to masking fluid have given you some fun options to try that will be way less bother! I have 7 practical tips and ideas to share with you. Acetone can also cause damage to polished surfaces and certain types of plastic. Did you know that there are at least 7 reasons you DONT need masking fluid? your recipe saved me $18. Believe it or not, good old packing tape, either the clear or brown one, removes cleanly from the watercolour paper. Of course, once you factor in the cost of shipping, you may find that its not much cheaper than actual masking fluid. Maybe it was the brand of nail polish remover you used? I just wanted to post this disclaimer at the beginning so you know what you are getting into. Next, dip a wet brush into a water color paint, then into the container. But you can also just use a bit of candlewax. I hope it works out for you so you can save some driving time! The sharp tip of the knife will take the very top fibres of the paper and the paint thats on them out, leaving a white mark beneath. It only moves with water. Meet Torrie, the artist behind Fox + Hazel. $8.49 seems a reasonable price for a pint if this also works. In my area products are called differently in our language. One way to make a very fine white highlight is to gently scratch out the paint with a sharp craft knife. You often hear people bemoaning the appearance of muted or muddy colours in their paintings. So you can tape down sections that you want to mask and obviously the paint will not be able to get to that surface of the paper. Like, say for cats whiskers. Other than that, the only thing I can suggest is maybe trying a different brand of glue or nail polish remover to see if that makes a difference. (masking fluid alternative). They stayed separate like oil and water. The label on the paint tubes will declare the degree of staining to be expected from the pigment. Lifting colour describes taking a clean damp brush and dampening an area you want to return to white. Its such a loaded question. It seems unlikely since most brands are essentially the same, but thats the only thing I can think of. With the tip of a sharp knife (or even say a sharp toothpick) you can flick in the whiskers with much the same action you would use if you were drawing them with a pencil. AS for the Drawing GUM grey formula, based on LATEX, this is the adult users version which is skin irritant and therefore CL rated under the Lhama CPSIA norm ASTM D-4236. You are more accurate with your brush than you think. Muddy colour is the affectionate name given to muted (dull or grey) colour. Great directions! Or just paint another. Your brush will last a lot longer! Im not sure why it wouldnt have mixed. This time shes making masking fluid watercolor art thatssooo easy, even beginners can do it. Malen ist nicht alles im Leben - aber ohne Malen ist alles nichts! Rubber cement:http://www.elmers.com/msds/me904.htm Acetone:http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927062. How can I make my own masking fluid or rubber cement? Im glad you found it helpful. Learn everything you need to know to begin your watercolour adventure. Here are 7 alternatives to masking fluid (none of which involve white gouache paint). Today I have another really great beginner watercolor project. This is so that no paint will be absorbed by the paper. This NEW formula does not contain any natural latex. no, sorry I never have. Thats exactly how I feel about it, too. Beth. Try using masking fluid for DIY cards, negative space art, hand lettering, or to make your very own motivational wall art. Now this alternative is a bit newer to me. It has rubbery feels. After a little frustration with wilful watercolour that seems to go where it pleases, the new painter inevitably discovers masking fluid and believes their problems are over! All you have to do is apply it to the paper wherever you dont want the paint to go, allow it to dry and then paint over it. The Drawing gum blue formula is non allergenic, and AP rated under the Lhama CPSIA norm ASTM D-4236. Excellent tip thanks so much for sharing! applying a damp brush to soften edges in a dry painting requires a bit of skill and practice. The sea is never just one colour, but since it is that colour that draws us into wanting to paint the sea in the first place it feels like something you really want to get right. This is very helpful. Typically art stores or hobby shops carry it. Rubber cement is transparent and it easily comes off of paper. You are going to see it with the most impact if it is adjacent to a very dark area. . I just dont want your work getting ruined because of this suggestion! Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. It sounds scarier than it actually is. It is time consuming, but it does work. its of great help. Hi Beth, firstly, thanks for sharing this tip. thank you. If anything, they would probably be safer to use since they would give off fewer fumes. I looked up the stuff that you were asking about and it is definitely not the same thing. Thank you so much Beth. Why wouldnt a product like this work in a masking fluid pen? I agree with the recipe of mixing latex fabric cement and water, and stirring it up. This is because one of the properties of watercolour is that it reactivates with water. Masking fluid is painted on to your paper and it dries to a rubbery finish. Watercolour paint stays where you put it if the paper is dry. If you have one of those abrasive little white eraser sponges (brands may have different names in different countries of course) but I mean the ones that are made to take stains out of walls and other household surfaces. The masking fluid creates a seal on the top of your paper. She is an artist, graphic designer, wife, & mother of three kids 4 and under. Read more about the certifications AP and CL at this link. thanks. This is because of the nail polish remover you have added to the rubber cement. Update: I am no longer recommending using rubber cement (even when thinned) as a masking fluid. Sometimes the prices are outrageous. https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Liquid-Latex-Creates-Zombie/dp/B00YQBYO1K/ref=sr_1_1_a_it? Its awful stuff, but luckily there are may alternatives to the dratted masking fluid that allow you to preserve the white space in your watercolour paper with ease. Most of the time you can pretty much remove paint by blotting quickly. Thanks for the additional insight . Colour might attract as to paintings and definitely calls to the painter, but it is not what makes the painting make sense - value does that. http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927062, https://lirelyn.com/blog/techniques-and-tutorials/using-gum-arabic-masking-fluid-initial-observations/, https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Liquid-Latex-Creates-Zombie/dp/B00YQBYO1K/ref=sr_1_1_a_it. (As long as it is not a very staining colour). So when you pick your bottles yourself on a store shelf, you can know which is which. For this reason, it is recommended that liquid latex be allowed to vent for several minutes before being applied in this way. You can get a wax resist crayon (colourless) from some art supply stores. Now fill this with the nail polish remover and take a paintbrush to start mixing it. You can try diluting the bleach a little too for fun effects. I tried to find an alternative to the expensive masking fluid sold at my art supplies store and I came across your blog. Your article will let me try out some ideas without having to feel like I need a second mortgage. You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Is amazing. That is part of the danger though. Heres a blurb about it from Wikipedia: Cosmetic liquid latex contains approximately 0.3% ammonia to increase shelf-life. Its like oil & water. Smelly gloopy stuff like masking fluid ruins your brush! I have to throw them away every time. , Thanks for sharing this info, im still a newbie in watercolor painting, still trying new things. Comment below to ask all those burning art questions!If you just cant wait, you can find even more beginner watercolor tutorials over on Fox + Hazel. Bleach will ruin your brushes too, so please dont use your favourite for this! So, without further ado, lets get started. Again you want to be gentle because you don't want a big hole in your paper but the slightly damp eraser sponge will remove your paint from the surface of the painting. 105Posts, Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! I thought I would like to revisit my watercolors and nearly had a heart attack over the $14 price Joanns had on a tiny bottle of masking fluid. That happens - we are just human. What art supplies are best for beginners. Thanks again Mary. That means if you buy something we may possibly get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I try to close the can tightly. I have used rubber cement and thinner for 50 years ,completing over 13,000 paintings using it as a frisket . Good luck with it I hope it works out for you! Do a bit of research and you are sure to find plenty of contradictory opinions. Heres what you need: Here are some step-by-step photos showing the process: I hope this is helpful. Removing Masking Tape From Tinted Windows? Let me know how it turns out for you if you try it. Luckily there are many alternatives to masking fluid. One of my visitorswas kind enough to email me about a problem that I was unaware of. Keep dipping until the color of the masking fluid is satisfactorily dark, or the masking fluid will be clear and difficult to see on the canvas. Sometimes you can do this to varying degrees ie to just slightly lighten a section rather than returning it to white. Hopefully you learn this before you dip your beloved paintbrush into the masking fluid. I use masking fluid so rarely that it seems silly to spend a bunch of money on it. If you try this, you do so at your own risk. So far none of the pieces that I personally have used this on have discolored. You can also use a craft knife to very carefully cut around shapes in the masking tape. 949Feedbacks. But is tremendously appreciated by artist and art teachers for adult classes for the perfect results it offers. You can buy masking fluid at just about any art store. But this I think I can try. Thanks for being so understanding, Ken! This is not a field I'm familiar with but after researching I also feel there are some things that maybe should not be 'homemade'.If you are a beginner then I would suggest you do some research on this subject and you may find better/different ways to accomplish the effect you're looking for. And if you have questions about other sorts of watercolour supplies and what you ACTUALLY need to paint with watercolour, I have a whole class on watercolour supplies that is sure to answer them. You will notice that the color of the masking fluid has a yellow tint to it. In the spirit of homemade solutions, heres a tip if ever anyone needed a easily available & cheaper product to use as a fixative to set their artwork, especially chalk drawings- use hairspray. My simple tips will bring you all the fun with none of the frustration. Some artists think the childrens version is not a high quality but I havent found any difference. Your email address will not be published. Interesting idea. This definitely defeats the purpose of using it to maintain the white of the paper. Thanks so much Candela! The point is to just leave a little bit of unpainted paper showing, right? You are definitely in the right place because painting in a loose expressive style is my favourite thing to do. Although rubber cement and nail polish remover may seem like common household products, it is important to remember that anytime you use chemicals there are potential hazards. Now this is one of my favourites. Hopefully you will be able to find something affordable that will work! I do not know what exactly is rubber cement. You might be able to thin it with Acetone (not sure, never tried it). Craft and mold making latex can contain more than double this amount and as a result, has a much stronger odor. It doesnt get much easier than that. You are slightly damaging the paper here but as long as you dont slice right though the page this method might give you the fine lines you are looking for. How marvellous is it that looking at a picture can instantly change your mood? Its also pretty expensive, which can completely defeat the purpose of making your own masking fluid. You can probably still salvage it if you can drain off the nail polish remover and try just using the rubber cement on its own. Wow Marialena, this technique is excellent! Like this Watercolor Mothers Day Card Tutorial! In my experience most watercolour painters fall into two camps, those that are ready to try masking fluid and. Of course it will also disappear if you accidentally plonk a bit of paint where you didnt mean to. Masking fluid requires planning and patience. Figuring out what art supplies are best can be a bit of a minefield, especially for beginners! And speaking of fun effects - if you have a tiny mister bottle and you put a little bleach in there you can spray it onto a dry dark wash for a galaxy effect. I love the wax because it is fun to use - like a kids wax crayon. Fantastic tip thanks for sharing it!! Here in the U.S. you can usually find it at stores that sell office supplies. I didnt use the whole bottle, just a smidgen of it in a glass jar n experimented with it. Gosh, Im sorry it didnt work! When the paint is dry, just gently remove the rubber cement to reveal the paper underneath. I used a birthday candle, you know the skinny kind meant for the top of a cake, for many years before I found the crayons. Give the paint a few seconds to soften up and then blot it out with the kitchen towel. The reason we love art is that it stirs an emotional reaction - it makes us feel something. So far this has been working really well for me as an alternative. Good on what level? Before I get to those, let me share my thoughts on why Masking Fluid is more painters bane than salvation. Press the dry towel into the area you wanted to be unpainted for a second or two and then lift it off. Was there something I didnt do right? Thanks for this info, I am living in a small town and have to drive a hour to the nearest hobby lobby. Ok so what if it goes a little awry and you end up with a whoosh of colour where you wanted a highlight. lol I know what you mean about needing to take out a loan for art supplies! Technically, if you want to keep things really simple you can just use rubber cement as masking fluid. And for the USA retailers ordering to us, the reference number is different one from the other, so it is easy to make the distinction between the two for them. You'll be joyfully splashing the watercolour paint about while confidently creating your own loose interpretation of your favourite painting subjects in no time! A spritz of baby bottle bleach created the sparkle on the water in the foreground of this Brusho Watercolour. But it stucks to papers like hell. {Affiliate Disclosure} As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.I also participate in other affiliate programs and may earn commissions if you shop through the links used on this website. Im completely new in watercolor. You have plenty of other alternatives but I include this final one in case it is something you fancy trying. Of course use with good ventilation, too. How do you go about choosing colours for painting the sea? NEW low odor formula, with synthetic latex. Thankful, Your email address will not be published. This topic has 26 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated. In fact, your blog is very helpful! Might be worth a try, definitely cheaper than commercial masking fluid. I enjoyed getting this info & the sharing discussions that followed about frisket. Masking fluid is amazing for preserving the white of your paper or protecting details while you paint. Required fields are marked *. First, lets remember why that happens. Combined with layered watercolor shapes, it creates a really fun art piece! I will leave this post up in case you still want to try it. Will keep a lookout for other brands of acetone. Looks BLUE. It has a very weak ammonia smell (nothing like the other brands Ive used) and I dont react to the latex in it since it is synthetic. So at the very least you now need an extra tool on hand. Not sure if it will work well for watercolors, but Ive used liquid latex as a cheap alternative in place of masking fluid (which is basically thinned liquid latex) for weathering props and armor. Have you ever tried something called gum arabicum as a masking fluid? After your painting is dry you have to remove the masking fluid. Thanks so much, and sorry for not knowing any better when I posted this. When you were hoping for clean vibrant colours, muddy or muted ones can be disappointing. Tah-dah - highlight reinstated! Each has its pros and cons of course, but if masking fluid is causing you any frustration please dont think it's your only option! And they do not even dilute. Birthday Card Envelope with Masking Tape Bow, Bronze Post Medal for All Time! Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Indigo. can i replace it with rubber solution? Meine Seiten - My website Fortunately, however, there is another option. Now you apply the masking fluid to a piece of paper and allow it to try. Discovering that white paint is not typically included in a watercolour paintbox can cause some alarm for a new painter! If you have an attention span like mine, you probably started a Netflix binge session right after you struggled to get the lid off the dratted masking fluid before and now painting seems too hard. Still a bit of a pfaff if you ask me but anything is better than masking fluid in my book. Fairness disclaimer : masking fluid is now available in pens, like an acrylic paint pen sort of thing which does make it a little easier. I am off to get rubber cement now. The Beginners Guide to Watercolour Supplies. A very old brush, a stick - yes a skewer or something might work, a rubber spatula that is small enough or generally any kind of applicator that you are not too fond of. But these muted tones are not poor cousins of the vibrant ones - far from it. However, there are a few potential pitfalls to avoid. Make sure your mister produces a fine mist or you will just end up removing your painting completely! Thank you Beth! You are saving me tons of mones. This formula is very convenient for non adult users, as elementary schools students.as many children are sensitive to latex these years! Id be curious to hear how well it worked. You will have to figure out where all your highlights need to be and mask them all out after any sketching but before starting to paint. Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 27 total), Experimenting with chalk resist. I hope this works out for you! I tried it with nail polish remover and Elmers rubber cement. If you are a detailed, realistic painter with a lot of patience, masking fluid is perhaps an aid. There are other ways to scratch the surface and reveal the white paper below. Yeah, it should just peel right off after it dries. Remember its just paint and paper. Buy one that is higher in alcohol, because it wont warp/wrinkle the paper like water will. those that are disappointed with masking fluid. Another fairly tiresome and slightly messy step in my opinion. However, there are a couple of reasons you might want to try making your own. They have a beauty all of their own and can be used quite effectively to tell a part of the story in your watercolour painting. If you cant find it locally, you may be able to order it online. There seems to be a tremendous amount of YouTube videos on this subject but after watching several it seems these teachers are the most thorough and easy to follow. The quicker you are blotting, the better this works. I havent tried masking fluid yet because its just so expensive when Im not even sure how much Ill use it. Do you have a solution? Luckily, it is possible to combine multiple references to create the image that you are after. Another keeper. This sounds so easy! Sometimes you can lift colour with what we like to call a thirsty brush. But I do have something that you use to patch, say, leaky rain gutter. That solves problem one in my list above but not the rest. Will this come off my skin easily if I get it on me? Did you know my Grace Girls have their own books? If the colour is non-staining this can be done even after the paint is dry. Liquid latex is used for body paint and special effects/halloween type makeup. I live in a relatively small town, too, so I know exactly where youre coming from. I know there are some parts of the world where it is difficult to find masking fluid and this may be the only option. Painting is not everything in life - but without painting everything is nothing! Heres a great blog post from someone who has, thoughquite informative: https://lirelyn.com/blog/techniques-and-tutorials/using-gum-arabic-masking-fluid-initial-observations/. And if you are wondering, number 4 is my personal favourite. I live in a remote part of Indiathese are hard-to-find items. Never had a problem with it unless you dont get it all off- Rub your fingers over the area that was covered after using the Pick-Up, to make sure all is off-, This is great to know! So lets ignore those and figure out which art supplies are going to be best for you. If you read my last watercolor post, then youll be familiar with layering watercolors to create a fun abstract effect. Let me show you how. Making Fluid alternatives - I like this one - simple/great ideas. This masking fluid watercolor painting is great for beginners and novices alike. This happened to mine today also. You will need some rubber cement and some nail polish remover. Happy painting! And thats when you see that your nice loose painting has these very formal hard edges wherever the masking fluid was (assuming you got it all off ok). Appropriate liquid latex safety guidelines [1] should be followed before the cosmetic use of liquid latex.. I do remove it within a day but did do an experiment where I left it for a couple of weeks and still not damage to the paper. These links are not really answering your question but if you are just getting into painting maybe one of these will give you some new ideas. You can thin rubber cement using acetone. However, plain rubber cement has one major drawback its really thick and gloppy, which makes it difficult to use for protecting fine details such as hair, tiny highlights in eyes or flower stamen. Empty about 1 to 2 tablespoon of rubber cement out of the jar so you can leave room for the nail polish remover. If you mess it up you can fix it. Acetone is cheap and easy to find at any store that carries nail polish. Glad you found it helpful hopefully itll work out for you! Thank you for sharing.. thanks for sharing this info. When paint is still damp you can take a kitchen towel or any sort of absorbent cloth and blot it up. I cannot wait to try this out! Usually you can see through the tape which is another bonus here. on Homemade Masking Fluid for Watercolors, Outdoor Art at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. In general, we all want clean vibrant colours. And there is less dry down time. Let me know if you decide to try it. This is much more in keeping with my loose painting style. Its called aquaproof. I have a few step by step tutorials using the wax technique that you might enjoy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Actually im in a remote corner of my country and even rubber cement is not known to the shop keeper. Hello again! Masking fluid is like a vote of no confidence in yourself, I think. That means you can stick a bit of tape over your leaf/flower/childs head that you are painting and then cut around the outside of the shape you want to mask so that you can pull off the excess.