How to Paint Watercolor Lace
Lace is a delicate material usually made from small threads. The threads are sewn into an intricate pattern that may take many hours to create. Watercolors are a type of painting. Watercolor painting uses pigments that have been suspended in a water-based solution. Using lace in a watercolor painting can be done if a few essential steps are followed.
Instructions
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Start with several doilies. A doily is a piece of paper that has been cut to resemble lace. Inexpensive doilies are widely available in many stores. Lay the doily on a piece of watercolor paper. Watercolor paper is paper that has been created especially for the purpose of making watercolor paintings. Watercolor paper has many varieties including different weights, sized, edges and surface textures. For this project choose watercolor paper with a smooth edge and a medium thickness.
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Choose a maskoid. A maskoid is a liquid used in watercolor painting. The maskoid dries quickly and forms a protective coating on a surface. The result is called a frisket. Maskoid can be easily rubbed away with a gentle tugging. Fill up a paintbrush with the maskoid you have chosen. Hold the paper doily down with one hand. With the other run the brush gently over about a third of the surface of the doily. Pull up the doily from the paper and note the results. Place the doily back on the watercolor paper. Paint in the areas with the maskoid you may have missed on the first try.
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Hold the paper doily down and continue painting the rest of the doily. Hold it down with one hand and work with the other hand. Use a blotting motion to get the best results. Do not worry about getting maskoid on the rest of the doily. Use more of the liquid to fill in areas with gaps in them. Try to alternate between larger spots, medium-size spots and very small ones. This will give the attempt more realism and add visual interest to the finished result.
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Let the maskoid dry. This should take less than 10 minutes. You should be able to tell when the result has dried by noting a change in the shine on the painted surface.
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Paint over the doily with the paint you have chosen. An ideal color will let you see the underlying lacy pattern on the white paper. Fill in the areas around the dot pattern to give the lace a defined edge. Let the paint dry.
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Clean your hands. Hold the watercolor paper in one hand. Use a single finger from the other hand to pull up the areas where the maskoid has settled on the watercolor paper. The result will be a lacy pattern that is easily discernible. Add additional lacy spots, if desired.
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