This page covers the basics of masking - it is really just like stencilling.  You can get similar effects using resist techniques which I have put on another page.  The techniques have been combined with stamping - but it is not a necessity.  There are several different ways to create a mask.

Thanks to Jackie Okey-Dokey for her project.  

The stamping section on the forum has lots of advice on techniques: rubber stamping forum

Using Masking Fluid 

Masking fluid is a medium that is available in artist shops, and you may not find it in a craft shop.  You apply it where you want the background paper to show, once it has dried and you have finished inking/painting you just rub it off with your finger.

Jackie has shown us some 'before and after' pictures using it - firstly here it just shows dribbled and scribbled masking fluid on ivory card.

Leave it to dry.

Jackie sprayed glimmer mist to colour and also an additional mask using  sequin waste.  To use the glimmer mists you must shake the bottle really well to get all the tiny bits separated, then spray onto your project.  You can just let it dry or give it a blast with a heat gun.  Masking works well with the mist - you can hold it in place or if you have some repositional glue you could use that on your mask.

 You can colour it in other ways such as using a sponge or even the pad direct to paper, but you need to be careful as the masking fluid rubs off.  Leave to dry then rub the fluid away.

Here you can see the end result after the masking fluid has been rubbed off.

It shows the original card colour where it has resisted the spray.  Now you can cut and use it on your project as Jackie has done on the sample above.

Using a pre-cut masks 

I made this one using a mask that I bought from Scrap Revolution.

I sprayed the lmask with repositional glue as I thought it would be easier to keep in place.  I then used two glimmer mists - a gold and a red (the red was a Cosmic Shimmer Mist).  I let the ink dry before removing the mask.  I also stamped the swirls with the mask still in place.

The little bird is stamped and he is actually cut out and mounted on 3d foam pads.

This has been made using a Heidi Swapp mask, they are already sticky.

I just positioned the mask onto some pink card, and then bubbed over a pink chalk ink pad, taking a little care when I rubbed over the mask.

Then I just cut it out - I actually used a Coluzzle template that I have had for many years - then added it to a card.