Fixative is an important part of ensuring the longevity of artwork for those who love to work in pencil, charcoal and pastels. Spray fixatives are the easiest and most convenient way of setting your work to ensure that it doesn’t smudge, or contaminate other works of art. As most of us know, working in soft drawing media such as charcoal, pencil and pastel can be a very messy business. Fixatives help to give us more control when using these media. Here are some tips and tricks for using aerosol fixatives:
Tips and tricks:
- Shake the fixative well and keep the can upright when spraying. Always make sure you don’t spray too close to the surface of your artwork as this can create pools of wet fixative. Rather spray from about 30 cm away and move around the artwork to ensure an even coverage. Usual drying time is about 5 minutes.
- It is best to spray light, even layers of fixative rather than one heavy layer, as this could warp your paper or create an uneven finish.
- Use a ‘mask’ to block off areas that you don’t want to fix – you can create a stencil or even just use a few sheets of paper to cover up areas that you don’t yet want to spray with fixative.
- There are many different types of fixatives – some are re-workable, some are matt and others gloss. Some are made for using over a specific type of medium, others are universal. Some fixatives also offer UV protection which will prevent colours from fading over time. It’s a good idea to consider these things carefully before purchasing a fixative as these properties will affect the final finish of your artwork.
- Make sure you use fixative in a well-ventilated area as the fumes can be hazardous to your health.
Fixative available at The Deckle Edge
We stock a wide range of aerosol fixatives at The Deckle Edge which you can view online or come and check out at one of our stores!
