Hand lettering is more popular than ever, and lettering enthusiasts are always looking for ways to add to their repertoire. In the July Lettering Lesson, Alexandra Snowdon uses masking fluid to create crisp white letters within watercolor shapes. I loved the look, and decided to give it a try.
I chose two simple shapes for my lettering project: a sun and a star. After drawing the shapes, I added the lettering in a chunky font as Alexandra suggested. This gave me room within the letters, making erasing easier and also offering space for embellishing if I chose to do so. I also added some decorations within the shape.
After shaking the masking fluid, I poured a small amount onto a plate and, using a silicone brush, I painted inside the letters with masking fluid, working right up to the pencil lines. Once the letters were done, I added a ¼” line of masking fluid around the outside of the shapes. This would help contain the watercolor in the next step. The masking fluid had to dry before I could continue, so I set them aside for about an hour.
I applied a wash of water to the star first and then painted it with a slightly dilute yellow watercolor. Working wet-on-wet helped guarantee a nice even coverage. I did the same for the sun. I let them dry for a few minutes, and decide they needed a little something more. I added a little orange here and there on the sun, dabbing the paint with a paper towel, and did the same to the star, adding some blue. I think that was a nice addition.
After allowing the paint to dry for a while, I rubbed the masking fluid with my finger, peeling up an edge, and removed it from the outlines and the lettering. It peeled off easily and the letters and other drawn elements really stood out.
Time for some more color! I chose to outline the small stars on the large star shape, and colored in the tiny dots with a dark blue colored pencil. I also traced over the lines within the letters. On the sun shape, I colored in one heart with red colored pencil, and traced the other heart and decorations with the same pencil.
I really like the look I was able to achieve with the masking fluid. I did have a little trouble erasing some of the lines because I went over them with paint, but next time I’ll be more careful. I look forward to doing more lettering with this technique.