More information on the soap/masking fluid/ brush trick! - Did the brush survive?, by Rebel Unicorn Crafts on YouTube. 2 min 53 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 53 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pour a small amount of masking fluid into a spare dish. Never dip your brush straight into the bottle, because fluid on the rim makes the lid stick.
Rub a soft synthetic brush over a bar of plain soap until the bristles are fully coated in lather. Do not rinse it.
Pick up masking fluid with the soapy brush and paint the shapes you want to keep white. Work at a normal pace and keep the edges tidy.
Re-soap the brush whenever it starts to drag or feel tacky. The soap layer is what stops the fluid gripping the bristles.
Wash the brush in warm soapy water as soon as you finish, and rinse until the water runs clear. Never let masking fluid dry on a brush.
Leave the fluid to dry fully. It usually turns from milky blue to a clear or matte film in about 10 to 20 minutes.
Paint your watercolour washes over the dried masking fluid as usual, then let the paint dry completely before you remove it.
Rub the masking film gently with a clean fingertip or a soft eraser and peel it away. Work slowly so you do not tear the paper.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a cheap synthetic brush for masking fluid, never a good sable or squirrel brush.
Stir the fluid with a stick instead of shaking the bottle, which whips in bubbles.
Avoid applying masking fluid to damp or rough paper, because it can soak in and tear fibres when removed.
Keep the bottle capped between uses so the fluid does not thicken.
Questions
Does the soap trick really protect the brush?
It helps. The soap forms a barrier between the bristles and the fluid, and the creator reports the same brush survived four sessions. Wash it straight afterwards anyway.
Will soap stop the masking fluid sticking to the paper?
A thin soap layer on the brush has little effect on the paper. Let the fluid dry fully before painting, and test on scrap paper first.
How long can masking fluid stay on the paper?
Remove it as soon as the paint is dry, ideally within a day or two. Leaving it on for weeks can make it hard to peel and can damage the paper surface.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
