Frisket and Stencils Background

Close up image showing the layers of stenciling and resist created using frisket (masking liquid).
Close up image showing the layers of stenciling and resist created using frisket (masking liquid).

Hello! I’m in the middle of taking an awesome free online art course which has encouraged me to use materials that I’ve owned for ages but haven’t used in a while (or never!). For me, that product is frisket (liquid masking fluid, I’m using one made by Windsor and Newton). It’s a latex liquid which acts as a protective layer for the work underneath and is typically used with watercolors, however it can also be used with other art products too. When it’s dried, you peel it off, and anything put over it comes off too, while everything underneath it is safely preserved and untouched. It’s so fun to use, and I hadn’t used it in ages, so I got it out and here goes!

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

I decided it would be fun to create a background using multiple stencils and colors, and add some frisket circles to each of the layers to see what the end results would look like once I peeled it off at the end. I decided to play it safe and stick to an analogous color scheme (colors next to one another on the color wheel). For the first layer, I used stencil TCW905 Leaf Emblem mandala with a foam roller and acrylic paint.

Two close up images. The image on the left shows the stencil taped to the paper. A foam roller sits adjacent to the stencil, the paint has been applied through the stencil. The image on the right shows the stencil removed and the stenciled image on the paper.
Stencil TCW905 Leaf Emblem mandala was applied using a foam roller with acrylic paint.

I took a cosmetic sponge and acrylic paint (pounce off the excess first), then dabbed vertically up and down through stencil TCW450 Art Deco Leaves in random places on the page.

Image showing stencil TCW450 Art Deco Leaves with a cosmetic sponge containing paint. The stencil has been applied randomly onto the page.
Stencil TCW450 Art Deco Leaves was added using acrylic paint on a cosmetic sponge.

Next came the frisket, which is also known as latex liquid or masking fluid. Masking fluid is used mostly in watercolor painting, but it can also be used with other mediums too. It acts as a protective, removable, layer. When it dries, it seals the page and the layers below to protect them from future layers which are applied over the top. Once dry, it can be peeled off to reveal the preserved layers, colors and lines below. I love using it, and I’d forgotten how fun it is to peel it off! I used this technique on each of the following layers to create more interest, contrast and depth.

Close up image showing the Colourless Art Masking Fluid also known as Frisket. The inside of a tape roll was used to dip and stamp the liquid randomly onto the page.
The inside plastic ring from a tape roll was used as a tool, dipped in frisket, and stamped randomly onto the page.

I nearly always have to use ColorSparx powders in everything I do, I just love them. For this project, I really wanted a bright pop of color, and knew that the Lime Green ColorSparx powder would suit that task perfectly! I sprinkled it onto the page, then spritzed it with our spritz bottle.

Lime Green ColorSparx powder was sprinkled onto the page, then spritzed with water to activate it.
Lime Green ColorSparz powder was sprinkled then spritzed with water to activate it.

I decided I wanted to add some depth using darker colors, so I used sap green and cobalt blue hue acrylic paint, dabbed randomly with a cosmetic sponge through stencil TCW885 Cut Outs.

Two images: The left image shows sap green and cobalt blue hue acrylic paint tubes sitting on the TCW885 Cut Outs stencil on the page. The right image shows the paint that has been applied through the stencil onto the page.
Acrylic paint was applied using a cosmetic sponge through stencil TCW885 Cut Outs.

Now I wanted to add some bright highlights. I decided to use my new favorite stencil TCW187 Mini Vines with TCW9001 White Gesso. I chose to use white gesso because it’s matte and opaque, yet use it lightly so that the layers below could still be slightly seen.

Close up image showing TCW9001 White Gesso, a cosmetic sponge, and stencil TCW187 Mini Vines sitting on the page over an area that has been stenciled using these products.
TCW9001 White Gesso was lightly applied with a sponge through stencil TCW187 Mini Vines.

I also love using acrylic inks to add bright color to my works. I spritzed the page with water using our spritz bottle, then added a few random drops of acrylic ink in places.

Close up image showing a bottle of yellow ochre Daler Rowney Acrylic Ink, which has been applied to the page randomly and spritzed with water.
Acrylic ink was dropped into spritzed water on the page.

And now it’s finally time to peel off the frisket stamped circles to fully reveal the circle shapes that were stamped in the layers below. The left image, below, is before the frisket is removed, the right image, below, is after the frisket circle stamps have been peeled off and removed.

Two images: The left image shows the completed work containing the stamped frisket circles. The right image shows the completed work with the frisket removed.
Frisket circles – before the reveal of peeling off, and after they have been removed.

I’ve added some close up photos so you can see the frisket results in greater detail.

Four close up images showing the stamped frisket circles details.
Close up images showing the details of the stamped frisket circles in the completed background work.

If you’d like to watch a super quick fly-by video (51 seconds) of this process, please hop on over to my YouTube Channel @TealHareCreations.

Michaela Butterworth
The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team Member

PSSST! I’m really trying to grow my following. Will you please help me by hopping on over and following me on my blog and social media accounts? Thank you so much!
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