I was searching for a less noxious alternative to latex-based masking fluid when I heard of people using gum arabic as a mask or resist. Gum arabic, a plant resin used as a binder in watercolors and also a food ingredient, would certainly be less noxious. But how well does it work?

I made two paintings to assess the challenges of using this water-soluble mask. One with acrylic—my long-time medium of choice—and one with watercolor, a medium still new to me. You can see the steps and results of both paintings below, as well as an early test.
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I learned about poured watercolor from Youtube videos. It’s a time intensive process as you have to wait for the paint and masking fluid to dry thoroughly between steps. You don’t get the full appreciation of this by watching a condensed video!

This moderately simple 8×10 painting took me an entire workday. More, considering I’d already made and refined my drawing. It’s too soon for me to speculate whether I’ll use this technique again, but what I learned from the attempt I’m happy to share:

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