Quick question about watercolour painting

[Campions]

Posting here for traffic, sorry. I started watercolour classes just before lockdown so didn't get very far with learning the techniques. Am doing ok, but need help with one specific query.

How do I go about painting a small fiddly item in a large wash? For example, a kite in the sky? The kite has a long tail with tiny ribbons/bows
. Do I really carefully paint the wash all around the kite's tail? Do I need to mask it and paint it later? Or do I paint the kite (it's a pale colour) first and then take the sky wash to the edges of the kite?

Sorry if this a really basic question

I think use masking fluid.

My memory of my mother doing this (trained at Edinburgh College of Art, impeccable technique, professional portrait painter and art teacher) was wash first then detail. White space would be left for the bulk of the object to be painted in later.

You could use making fluid

You could cover with making tape that you have put on some clothing and pulled off a few times to remove some of the stickiness so that it doesn't rip the paper when you remove it

You could do the wash then get some kitchen paper and dab the area to remove the wash

You could draw in the shape then carefully wash around it

You could do the wash and leave to dry then add the detail over the top, you have to build watercolours in stages anyway.

Assuming the sky will be quite pale, I would apply the wash first and allow to completely dry, then paint the kite in a strong colour over it, but just re-read that the kite is to be pale too. In which case, masking fluid very carefully applied should do the trick. Just make sure not to leave the masking fluid on too long, as it can be difficult to remove cleanly.

You could of course, do the sky wash, and when dry, carefully remove the kite area with a damp brush, as long as you aren’t using a staining sky colour.

Have to disagree with build in stages. Too many washes and you will end up with a muddy mess. Ideally one, two at a pinch, three if you really must, beyond that you will completely kill the painting stone dead.

If by "in stages" you mean like a jigsaw puzzle, gradually doing each patch of colour and letting it dry, that makes sense.

I didn't mean wash after wash, put the wash first allow to dry then go in with the details, you may need to allow this stage to dry then add tones etc.

Waah all over and use opaque gouache for the kite.

@starfishmummy

Waah all over and use opaque gouache for the kite.

I'd agree with this. Even just white gouache mixed with watercolour will give you an opaque colour.

Oh thanks everyone, only just had chance to read the replies. Think I'll have a go with the masking fluid for this one, and then try the other techniques on my next pictures. It'll be great to learn new techniques as a complete beginner, so thank you all.