Liquid Mask

[Aliengod3]

I just tried using liquid mask from vallejo for the first time and I ran into some trouble. After I applied several layers of paint over the areas I had masked and began peeling off the mask, I guess the paint around the mask built up over it because when I took off the masking fluid the paint formed a lip that hung over the area where the fluid was (just the perimeter). Has anyone else had this problem that found a good way to stop it? I am beginning to think that the only way to really prevent this is to use masking fluid with an airbrush and not brushed on paint.

 

[Hendarion]

An airbrush will not help. Sometimes if a color is too fluid (especially problem of acrylics) when using an airbrush, the color starts to run into the edge between masked and nonmasked area - because the mask stands a bit in height - and causes hyper-colored "borders" or lines. That's really nasty.
Masking is a general problem with brush and airbrush. Other problems that might occur with (fluid) masks (once they are dryed):
- On removal it does not entirely get off the model and causes color to lap into the masked areas
- On removal, you notice a difference in height between masked and non-masked area
- On removal, you rip off color from areas which had not been masked (in case the color sticks better to itself than to the lower surface - acrylics often tend to that if too thick in layer)

So masks are a tricky problem and often its better to avoid wherever possible.

 

[Einion]

Has anyone else... found a good way to stop it?

No, 'fraid not. It's kinda inherent to the process. What I do is try to minimise it (by applying the least amount of paint that'll do the job as well as choosing not to mask at all sometimes) and when it occurs (not if!) I carefully rub as much of it off the surface as I can. Since I use a solid blob of mask as a rubber this does help remove a lot of it, but sometimes you have to resort to scraping carefully with a sharp tool, or pressing it down to flatten the surface.

I am beginning to think that the only way to really prevent this is to use masking fluid with an airbrush and not brushed on paint.

It helps, but doesn't solve the problem I'm afraid - most of my experience with this has been when airbrushing.

An airbrush will not help.

Er, yes it will. It doesn't solve it but it does help, in two basic ways.

Einion

 

[Hendarion]

Er, yes it will. It doesn't solve it but it does help, in two basic ways.

Agree. Might help in the right hands, but won't solve.

 

[Aliengod3]

sounds like liquid mask is a waste of money

 

[Einion]

@Aliengod3, well if you want to sharply mask a complex 3D surface it's pretty worthwhile!

To a degree there's the same basic issue if you use Parafilm, masking tape, even frisket (which is really thin). It's just one of the inherent problems with masking. Only complete solution is not to mask, which is not much of an alternative :smile-big:

Einion

 

[Dragonsreach]

sounds like liquid mask is a waste of money

Not really it does have it's uses... but like all goo tools you need to learn how to control it properly.

Since its main use is in Canvas painting, I've seen Watercolour painters dilute it with water in order to get a diffused edging.
Didn't work when I tried it BUT that was definitley MY fault in the way I tried to use it.