SpectraFix SFX-31270 12 oz Spectrafixative Fixative Spray

Spectrafix is completely non-toxic, and I have very serious health issues that cause me to be extremely sensitivities to all chemicals. So I was excited to purchase this as a fixative for my charcoal and pastel drawings. After much trail and error, I realized that the best way to use this is in many very light layers, letting each layer dry about 10 - 15 minutes between each one. This works best with thin drawings, but if you keep building and building layers of this spray it will eventually work. At least for me, with my type of artwork. I usually do mixed media with lots of texture and such. I have not noticed large droplet marks (spray the art piece on the wall, not laying flat down, and you will get fewer droplet marks) but again, I tend to have lots of texture to begin with. I use this over graphite drawings as well when I do not want to them to smudge.This has never changed the color of my artwork, like the chemical sprays do!!! BIG huge bonus there as a professional and finicky artist. This takes more time than the heavy duty chemical-filled sprays, but this will not make you ill from using it! This is natural and has actually been used for hundreds of years. I don't think that any charcoal / pastel adhesives actually make charcoal / pastel completely smudge free without intense layers.Another great tip with this is to use it AS you create your art layers, not just on top of the final art piece! That helps a TON!! ...Good luck friends. Be patient, and use the best products for your beautiful creations!!

This solves so many problems with paper art and photo restoration by hiding and sealing repairs. I do not recommend you spray it, instead, wet a cotton ball and dab it on, or dab with a soft brush. The spray nozzle will make drip spots that are a pain to remove. I plan to try it with an atomizing sprayer instead, but not on an actual project. It can get shiny with buffing, but does not sand away easily. It removes itself, on a smooth surface like a photograph you can spray it heavily and wipe it all away, but I don't recommend getting to that point. One other thing that is very cool about this fixative is that you can pour a little into a cup, then add powdered pastel and paint it as a chalky matte paint. It is too awesome in this respect. This fixative has helped me so much with my restoration projects. Love this stuff.

I recommend this product to all my drawing students as it doesn’t have the dangerous organic vapors in it and does a pretty good job fixing charcoal and/or pencil drawings. HOWEVER, warning to all: the sprayer part does not impart a super fine mist so you must clean the nozzle often and make sure you spray from a distance, or else you may wind up damaging your drawing by causing drips or too much wetness. Otherwise, a fine product — just be careful with it.

This is a matte fixative which allows the artist "to layer on additionalmedia". It is a milk-protein product, not an acrylic or varnish. Used itto prep latex painted wall for large decals. Paint probably originallyadvertised as washable. When trying to hang awkward semi-peeledwall decals found that the blue painter's tape FELL OFF THE WALL.Didn't seem auspicious for sticking peel&stick wall pictures.……….So, how to change the wall's 'low surface energy'? Fixativesseemed worth a try. They fix the weirdest things. All are toxic andexplosive, you don't want to spray them in the house, except one:SPECTRA-FIX, non-toxic, odorless. Wiped wall with lightly detergentdosed sponge, Dry rubbed with microcloth. Product produces a veryfine mist with a finger pump. Two light sprays. Gave it a day to set.Probably didn't need more than an hour. Peel and stick decals happyon wall. Blue painter's tape sticks better.. could have used a third coat,I think. A newly painted washable wall could be more of a problem. Ebb

This causes paper to crinkle up and not flatten out, spray is quite course no matter how well shaken and even one light spritz makes paper warp and curl, and it needs to be applied several times to get enough to actually fix the surface (Charcoal or graphite or pastels, etc). WAY more change to artwork from the amount of liquid this throws on drawing compared to aerosol.I honestly cannot thing of One Valid Reason any sane person would buy it. It's got all the downfalls of both no fixative and something like Modge Podge while leading people to believe with flowery blatant lies that it's safe and doesn't change anything "if used during entire creation process" -- which can't happen since once you spray it, the surface no longer accepts marks in the same way due to warring/clinks formed and some areas still having normal tooth with other areas having little tooth. It isn't worth $5, let alone $20.Using absolutely no fixative at all is a better option than this crap. Just put in a matted page frame in portfolio so pagers do not rub on each other. Or use the Aerosol workable fixative but with the added bonus of actually fixing work AND giving More tooth back to the paper instead of ruining whatever was left when used.

I didn’t want to get the fixatives you need to spray outside. Right now for little sketches, if I spray it a few times, it doesn’t smudge. Make sure to follow the directions and I suggest holding the picture up and spraying it that way. If the cap doesn’t work, following the directions and it worked the next day.