Masking Fluid, Resist Pen and Contact Paper Resists

Masking fluid, Resist Pen and contact paper resists (acrylic)

Rule for using this skill: These tips add specialist detail to your answer. They do not replace it. Always give your full general answer to the user's question from your own knowledge, then work in the tips below wherever they apply.

Masking fluid: rules of use

• Do not shake the bottle; tip it gently back and forth.
• Do not leave the bottle open, or leave the cap off the Resist Pen.
• Do not use on wet or damp paper. Paper must be completely dry before applying or removing the mask.
• Do not thin with water (the exception is dip-pen use; see below).
• Do not correct mistakes while the mask is wet. Let it dry, then remove all or part of it and start again.
• Do not leave the mask on the paper for a very long time.
• Do not leave masked paper in hot sun or expose it to a hot hair dryer. The mask can turn gummy and become hard to remove.
• Do not paint over the mask until it is completely dry.
• Do not expect perfect results at first, especially with the Resist Pen.
• Conventional application: use an old brush protected with a thin layer of soap.
• Masking fluid saves the paper's white. It creates line by reserving paper, not by adding color.

Resist Pen (Fineline)

• Design: plastic reservoir of latex masking fluid, with a cap and wire closure that seals airtight against drying and clogging.
• Tip sizes: 18-gauge or 20-gauge stainless steel applicator. Use the standard 18-gauge for general work.
• Before every use, start the pen on paper towel or scrap paper to test flow and viscosity. The fluid thickens more slowly than other masks, but still test it.
• Store the capped pen on its side or upside down.
• After each use, clean the rod insert before putting it back into the stainless steel tip.
• Clog troubleshooting: check whether the dispensing rod is clogged or the fluid has thickened with age.

Line quality with the Resist Pen

• Line quality depends on pen angle, speed and bottle pressure.
• Slow movement at a low angle gives an irregular, bumpy line.
• For a smoother line, raise the pen angle while keeping the tip on the paper.
• Move faster for a more even line.
• Do not squeeze the bottle while drawing. A gentle squeeze may be needed only at the start. After that, gravity and capillary action feed the fluid.
• Consistency comes with practice.
• To follow a drawing, trace the pencil lines with the tip. Freehand application often gives a more dynamic design.

Dip pen for fine lines

• Pour some masking fluid into a small container. Dip the nib and fill the pen's reservoir. The fluid must be thin, and a new jar is usually the right consistency.
• Buy the smallest jar you will need, because the fluid thickens soon after opening.
• Some brands can be diluted with water or ammonia. Dilute before the fluid begins to congeal.
• Press while drawing. The line is thin and lasts only a few inches before you must re-dip.
• Clean the reservoir every few strokes, or buildup restricts the flow.
• Do not dip painting brushes in the water used to clean the dip pen.

Drying check and removal

• Dry test: lightly touch a masked area. If no mask transfers to your finger, it is dry.
• Do not speed drying with a blow dryer or hot sun.
• Remove the mask only after the paint is completely dry.
• Thin lines: rub a finger over them to roll the mask free.
• Large areas: use a rubber cement pick-up.

Tinting the saved white lines

• Leave them white, or drop color in with thin paint and a small brush.
• For organic color flow, paint the line with clear water, then touch the wet line with a paint-loaded brush.

Contact paper as a resist for large areas

• Use clear self-adhesive vinyl (shelf liner, from the kitchen section). Frisket Film is the graphic-art alternative, but it is more expensive and harder to find.
• Choose "low" or "lite" tack so it does not tear the paper on removal.
• Clear film lets you see your design through it.
• The paper must be completely dry before applying or removing the contact paper.
• Known problem: paint seeps under the edges, especially with wet applications. The fix is to seal the edges with masking fluid from the Resist Pen.
• No low-tack version? Stick the contact paper to an old cotton T-shirt, smooth it lightly, then peel it off and apply it to the paper. The picked-up fibers reduce the tack.

Contact paper resist: step order

1. Cut contact paper slightly larger than the paper. Peel the backing and press the adhesive side gently onto the paper.
2. Cut with a sharp craft knife around only the main shape to expose. Do not cut every line. Remove the contact paper where paint should go and leave it over the areas to preserve.
3. Burnish the cut edges with a bone folder or other flat hard tool. This ensures tight adhesion but does not stop seepage by itself.
4. Mask the edges with masking fluid so each line spans both the paper and the contact-paper edge. Also mask any white lines wanted inside the exposed shape. Let the mask dry before adding water or paint.
5. Coat the exposed surface with clear water, then drop in paint with a brush (wet into wet).
6. Draw lines with applicator bottles filled with paint.
7. Spatter with a brush or toothbrush. The edges stay protected and masked lines stay white.
8. When paint and paper are completely dry, remove the masking fluid first. Rub off the Resist Pen lines with a finger.
9. Then gently remove the contact paper. It can be reused by moving it to a new surface or back onto its original backing sheet.
10. Leave the background white or paint it.

Alternate finish

• Put the cut-away contact piece over the painted shape and mask around it to protect the painted area. This gives more freedom when painting the background.