8 Excellent Alternatives to Masking Fluid

Although you can create beautiful artwork with it, not every artist likes to use masking fluid in their painting! It can ruin brushes, requires careful planning, and can produce sharp edges that look unnatural.

If you are searching for alternatives to masking fluid then you have come to the right place!

There are several alternatives that you can use in your watercolor painting. These include: Masking tape, Wax resist, oil pastel, Gouache, blotting, lifting, splattering, scratching, rubber cement, and finally you can avoid wetting the area you want to preserve.

Alternatives to Masking Fluid

What is masking fluid used for?

Masking fluid is a liquid used to preserve or mask white areas of the paper. It can be very handy when painting waves, reflections, or mountains with snowy peaks!

To use the masking fluid you have to apply it on the areas of the paper you want to preserve and wait for it to dry. Once it’s dry you can paint over it like normal. To remove the masking fluid, you have to wait until the paint has dried then you gently rub it off.

Learn more here: How to use masking fluid

What Can You Use Instead of Masking Fluid?

The method you choose will depend on what you’re painting and the desired effect. The diagram below shows examples of different alternatives to masking fluid and their effects.

Diagram of different alternatives to masking fluid for watercolor painting
Diagram of different alternatives to masking fluid for watercolor painting

Masking tape

You can cut up pieces of masking tape in different shapes to mask the desired area. Once the paint has dried, you simply have to peel it off. Masking tape works great on large areas or elements with strong edges such as buildings.

However, I wouldn’t use it to mask water reflections. This is because it can be frustrating to cut up tiny strips of tape.

Wax resist

Wax resist works wonderfully with reflections and water. You can get them in the form of a stick and all you have to do is apply it over the paper. It’s usually clear so you don’t have to worry about your work looking chalky.

The disadvantage of using wax resist is that once you apply you can’t remove it and paint over the area like masking fluid. You can however apply it on top of a dried layer for water reflections. For example, if you paint a light wash of blue and let it dry then apply the wax and paint over it with a darker blue.

Oil pastel

Oil pastel is another alternative to masking fluid that works similarly to wax resist, however, it can look chalky.

Gouache

If you’re unfamiliar with it, gouache is a painting medium that is similar to watercolor but thicker and opaque instead of transparent.

Although you can’t use it to preserve the white of the paper, it can still be effective if you paint over the dried layer. It’s useful when painting white areas like sea foam or ocean waves.

Blotting

Blotting is when you take a dry paper towel or sponge and soak up the wet paint, leaving a lighter spot. This works well for snowy scenes or clouds.

Lifting

If you require more delicate lines, then you can lift off the paint using a damp brush while the paint is still wet. The issue may come if the paints you are using are “staining”. This means the pigment won’t come off as easily.

Splattering

Spattering clean water to cause intentional blooms can also work to reveal lighter spots or areas. This is very useful when painting fields, especially fields with flowers because you can get lighter spots.

Scratching

Instead of using masking fluid, you can also scratch off some of the dried paint to reveal white lines. This technique works well with reflections, however, you need to be careful not to damage the paper too much.

Rubber cement

Rubber cement works just like masking fluid! Simply cover the areas you want to preserve, let it dry then paint over it like normal. Once your painting is done, gently rub off the rubber cement like you would masking fluid.

If you’re using rubber cement make sure not to use any heat tools or leave it on for too many days as it can harden and tear the paper.

However, I tend to avoid it because it has very strong fumes and yes it’s flammable. Other artists have also mentioned how the paper can become discolored over a long time.

At the end of the day, it also depends on personal preference. Just make sure to use it in ventilated areas and away from fire. If you plan on making a painting to last a long time then you’ll be better off using regular masking fluid!

Avoid the area

This method is an obvious one, but it works! Paint won’t spread to areas where it’s dry, all you need to do is make sure to keep the area you want to preserve dry.

Disadvantages of using masking fluid

Here are some of the reasons why some artists may not want to use masking fluid:

1. Using masking fluid will ruin your brushes, which is why some artists use toothpicks or old brushes to apply it.

2. Masking fluid requires a lot of planning, you need to be able to map out the highlights before you begin painting. If you’re not careful, you can mask the wrong area causing an unwanted spot or two after completing the painting.

3. It produces sharp edges that can look unnatural so you have to go back and soften some of the edges.

4. If you’re not careful or you remove it before the painting has dried, it can rip the paper.

5. The smell can be off-puting.

Those are the different alternatives to using masking fluid! I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful.

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8 thoughts on “8 Excellent Alternatives to Masking Fluid”

  1. If you add a little soap to your brush before the masking fluid, it will help protect your brush as the masking fluid will not attach itself to the bristles, Then wash off thoroughly after. 😁

    Reply
  2. I enjoyed your list. I was wondering if rubber glue had any pro’s and con’s. I have not used it but thought it might work in some cases.

    Reply
    • Hi susan! Yes, you can use rubber glue/ rubber cement the same way you would masking fluid. Just make sure not to leave it on your paper for too long (days at a time), or use any heat tools as this can harden it making it difficult to remove without ripping the paper. I’d say the biggest con is the strong odour. You can always try it out on a small piece of paper and see if the smell bothers you. Otherwise it works fine. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  3. I am wondering if I can use rubber glue/cement on a heavy cotton fabric or on a painting canvas. I have tried masking fluid on canvas and it worked well but it will be too expensive for the project I am starting soon.

    Reply
    • Hi Stephanie! You can use rubber cement on canvas and cotton, although it has been known to cause yellow stains overtime. If you’re masking off larger areas you could try using frisket film, just make sure you get the extra tack version and not the all purpose low tack. It’s an adhesive that you can use to temporarily mask areas of your artwork. The extra tack version works on watercolor paper and should work on canvas. Even better if you can test it out beforehand. I hope this helps!

      Reply

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