Masking fluid

Masking fluid is a wonderful addition to the repertoire of the watercolourist!  Much as I love to see what the paint does of its own volition it is nice to have a sense that I am actually able to control where the colour goes. All the excercises do that to some extent but the masking fluid is especially satisfying because you can add it, take it away, paint a different pattern, add some more…. and the removal of the fluid once dry is satisfying in itself, once you get the hang of it! (see Sketchbook 1; 16-18).

 

Lines with wax

started with a little sketch of the outlines (in sketchbook)

tried various ideas to see what would look effective

here the tree is like a negative; in the second one the lines are not in wax, though they do resist in a different way as they are waterproof.

again the clouds are not strictly lines, they did look like lines originally but the wash did away with that notion. The white crayon is both whiter but less waterproof than the candle. Because it is white and can be seen more easily I applied less pressure and so it appears more transparent.

the black crayon I purposefully left grainy as I wanted to see if the wash would still take. It does, though the degree to which it does depends on a number of factors including the paint colour, quality etc.

Reserved shapes from resists

Plain areas with wax

 

The colours are distorted again. It makes me wonder whether it is usual for watercolours to be ‘misrepresented’ in photographs. Must investigate… also if there is a way to correct this.

Patterns with wax

In my sketchbook, applied Cadmium red, then wax, then Purple Lake. This is fun! Seems to me there is no right or wrong and I like the surprise reveal when the paint goes on.