I used to take commissions and make portraits of people and pets in pastel and pastel pencils. I tried all available fixatives and all of them were ruining pastel. Especially soft skin colors I put in a very thin layer were worst. Those thin layers practically disappeared on the color paper I used. The only thing that was much better, but not perfect - cheap hairspray. But I didn't use it on commissioned artworks because of the perfume smell. I used it on my sketches and studies. To keep my sketches safe and not to spend money on extra supplies I used glossy fashion magazines. I just put my sketches between pages. Works perfectly.
Thank you for doing this video! My friend recommended hairspray because I had issues with watercolor smudging and rubbing off on stuff. I came here looking for a tutorial and found this lovely thin!
Thanks so much for making this video. I have been wanting to preserve this art work I have that's in chalk. This video came at the right time, thanks for you explanation and taking the time. I cant wait to frame it. 🥰
This is a great alternative for the temporary type of crafting that are not meant to last through decades for family members to enjoy as years go by, but hairspray will yellow like the dickens over not so long a time, so I would not use it on something you would like to have around years from now. The art fixative is expensive for a reason. It's lightfast. But for most crafty projects, hairspray is a super, inexpensive option.
True, for most, anyway. I used to be able to buy hairspray in bulk - refill the pump bottle. Some were yellow and some were clear. For quick sketches it is perfect. I've ruined sketchbook sketches by not using a fixative. I have some Blair that is very low odor.
CatTalesCrafts I have canvases that I have use hairspray on and they have lasted for years .I seal them with a brush on varnish and I haven't had any problems with yellowing. I've had some of my canvases. for over 10 years now. lots of the master painters that we love so much didn't have access to expensive art products and their art has lasted for hundreds of years. they used inexpensive alternatives or they made a lot of their own products for instance gesso modeling paste. if I was selling an art piece I would not use this option. but its good option for art journal pages, canvases that are going to be hanging up in my house , gifts for friends and I don't think you have to worry about it . hairspray is great to use for layering multiple art mediums.
Good to know! I will experiment again. I am assuming it wasn't like the early AquaNet that kept my bouffant stable for hours back in the '60's. It could be sticky!
I cannot use fixative. I live with people who will complain about every smell and fixative DOES smell incredibly nasty. In addition to that, we do not have a garden and "seasons" which means that six months out of the year we have nasty weather. You are not supposed to use it inside. So it's not the cost, it's all of the other stuff that makes me not want to use it.
I know you did the idea awhile ag....but I cud you...I was searching for the fixate problem of products NOT working. Let me tell you you DID IT!! I am new to pastels....used an overlay on a collage piece...actually lots of pan pastels. Which I was sorry I used. So I got a can of Krylon fixative. I sprayed it two different I es..I took precautions spraying thank goodness. It was awful. After drying I touched tge pastel and it really didn’t do anything. And thank goodness I found you .after several videos......and your hairspray suggestion works!!! OMG...it worked....thank you soooo much, I am now following your other videos. You are just the cutest!! Thank you so much.......keep on do8nl you do!! I am so grateful for the hairspray video,,, You get the gold star,,, Charlotte
I just watched one of your videos about how to use hairspray as a fixative thank you for making that I'm going to try it with colored pencils and see how that works. after watching that video I subscribed to your channel excited to watch your other videos 💕
Great video! I had hear about using hair spray but I didn't even think about the fixer having a harsh smell. Save a couple bucks, save your nose, and find it nearby. Good stuff. Thank you!
Lazy Llama no it will not wrinkle don't worry about it just spray a light coating maybe about 5 or 6 inches from your work and I promise that your paper won't wrinkle
Thanks for the video. I did a bunch of alcohol ink projects and was going to seal them with the stuff I bought, but was dreading having to do a set up outside. This is an excellent alternative. Thanks again.
I picked up some oil pastels around Christmas time. It's not my usual medium. After a bit I noticed the pastel was lifting. I'll definitely give a coat of hairspray and see if I can do an additional coat over the top.
Thank you. But did you notice some thing like a glossy texture over the painting after spraying it by hair spray or its a matt or normal? Thank you again very nice video
OMG! AWESOME! Thanks so much, Shemi. I have a can of fixative that is so smelly I can't use it. So cool to have this as an option AND to know where to get it! :-)
I think that fixative create a waterproof layer over painting. But hair spray I think is not. What is your opinion? Also I am using hairspray more than fixative according to the price. Its cheaper and better
Thank for sharing... great tip Shemi! I have use the expensive archival fixative on some art that will probably be going to my kids ... I didn't want it to yellow but for just playing and experimenting this sounds great! I wonder about the pump hairspray is if it works just as good as the aerosol hairspray? I try not to buy things that are aerosol...hmmm I may have to play/ test with my pump hair spray😃
I know this is five years later, but I tried using pump hairspray, and it came out in rather large clumps of spray, not the fine spray of an aerosol, unfortunately.
The problem with pastels is the way the fixative changes the color or darkens the color. I'll have to do an experiment at home to see if it changes the original color of the pastel. I could afford a $1.00, right? :)
I was surprised to find this actually works BUT I also found using the hairspray caused the pastel to bleed through onto the other side of the paper. I may have used too much, but it definitely bled through so do test this before using on one of your favourite pieces
Regular fixative can bleed through too. Teoh Yi Chie's post on fixatives gives the same caveats we should apply here. Test every time because not everything is compatible (ball pens, Sharpies.) He demonstrates some interesting fails he encountered. I will definitely try and test the hairspray option, even though I am more concerned about the lack of UV protection, living under the hot Caribbean Curaçao sun.
I guess my only concern is will it fade or discolor as time passes? i'm making a charcoal drawing for someone and I want to make sure the fixative wont weaken and eventually erode.
Do you have to use a blow dryer? Or can you just spray it with hairspray? And let it air dry? I am going to try soft pastel for the first time. I usually use acrylics so i am trying to do research before i buy anything.
I do this to all my drawings. It was annoying that my drawings were changing every time touched them. So I lightly cover them in hairspray & store them in my tracing paper books.
I just finished a drawing it’s a combination of Graphite and some Charcoal. I laid the drawing flat and sprayed Aqua Net on it (6-7 inches away). How long should I let it dry for??
PLEASE ANSWER!! If I hair spray my collage can I watercolor on top? Please help I don’t want to ruin my project but I want to add it my collage. Thanks in advance🙏🏻
Hello sorry I don’t think that the hairspray will act as a sealant. You will definitely need to use clear gesso or a watercolor ground if you want to watercolor over your collage
i discovered art journalling a year ago, and have wasted so much time trying to work out how to seal water based products to avoid them smearing....So many of the things available are water based, so it makes it really confusing - thanks for sharing!
So I painted something and few days later wanted to add glitter but didn't want to repaint the painting, can I just sorta hair spray over the glitter for hold it?
Don't use hair spray to fix your work. It is not designed for artwork, it is designed for hair. It yellows quickly and will eat into your art work and your paper because it is acidic. Your art is safer without any spray if you find artist fixative too expensive.
LPS PineApplePastries Galaxy if you plan on doing serious artwork, I would recommend using actual artist quality fixative. Search lachri fine art to see reasons why. Long story short this method is not archival/ and will not last.
Please reply.. I have just finished a plastic pot with acrylic color. I wanna put a plant on the pot.now How can I fix the color from water. Please reply
Shalom Sherri I follow your tutorial covering Altoid tines and when I add glitter it comes off. I was wondering can I use hairspray as a fixative on top of the glitter?
This is a terrible idea for art one hopes to sell or gift - it will remove any archival feature to the art by breaking down not only the surface but the medium itself! Please educate your viewers about that.
OMG i tryed it whit my non smell hairspray on my soft pastels. I can not believe it. This hack realy works. I can not thank you enough for this hack. It saves me so mutch money. Fixing sprays are super expensive. I payed for my non smell hair spray 1,09. I am so happy that this hack works. OMG i am super happy. Greetings from the netherlands
So I painted something and few days later wanted to add glitter but didn't want to repaint the painting, can I just sorta hair spray over the glitter for hold it?
I would use a Krylon K01306 Workable Fixatif Spray Clear, 11-Ounce Aerosol. or a spray acrylic sealer amzn.to/2UjjzVy and spray acrylic sealer amzn.to/2QA0NtN Thanks
I would never mark down anyone who was trying an experiment, but I've heard soooo many people say that it goes Yellow over time. So I would put a lot more stock in this possible fixative replacement test if you started filming (but not uploading) half the video of it working wonderfully etc etc, but put it on the shelf and revisit the results at least a year later and then upload the video. Even though you may not be able to finish and upload that particular video for over a year or more. If you still do Art Videos in a year, great, but if you don't (for whatever reason), just can the whole video. Oh! What was that stuff you were applying with a brush to check if it would move it - was it something called either Gesso or Mud Podge? Because I've heard them mentioned but idk what they are used for yet, so I'm interested in that 👍
This is okay for work that isn't important or isn't for sale but please, don't use hair spray on commissions or artwork for sale. It's not professional and will eventually yellow.
I used to take commissions and make portraits of people and pets in pastel and pastel pencils. I tried all available fixatives and all of them were ruining pastel. Especially soft skin colors I put in a very thin layer were worst. Those thin layers practically disappeared on the color paper I used. The only thing that was much better, but not perfect - cheap hairspray. But I didn't use it on commissioned artworks because of the perfume smell. I used it on my sketches and studies. To keep my sketches safe and not to spend money on extra supplies I used glossy fashion magazines. I just put my sketches between pages. Works perfectly.
Thank you for doing this video! My friend recommended hairspray because I had issues with watercolor smudging and rubbing off on stuff. I came here looking for a tutorial and found this lovely thin!
My someone who gave art lessons at my school taught me this a couple of years ago and I just remembered it.
She taught me some great art hacks lol
Thanks so much for making this video. I have been wanting to preserve this art work I have that's in chalk. This video came at the right time, thanks for you explanation and taking the time. I cant wait to frame it. 🥰
This is a great alternative for the temporary type of crafting that are not meant to last through decades for family members to enjoy as years go by, but hairspray will yellow like the dickens over not so long a time, so I would not use it on something you would like to have around years from now. The art fixative is expensive for a reason. It's lightfast. But for most crafty projects, hairspray is a super, inexpensive option.
True, for most, anyway. I used to be able to buy hairspray in bulk - refill the pump bottle. Some were yellow and some were clear. For quick sketches it is perfect. I've ruined sketchbook sketches by not using a fixative. I have some Blair that is very low odor.
CatTalesCrafts I have canvases that I have use hairspray on and they have lasted for years .I seal them with a brush on varnish and I haven't had any problems with yellowing. I've had some of my canvases. for over 10 years now. lots of the master painters that we love so much didn't have access to expensive art products and their art has lasted for hundreds of years. they used inexpensive alternatives or they made a lot of their own products for instance gesso modeling paste. if I was selling an art piece I would not use this option. but its good option for art journal pages, canvases that are going to be hanging up in my house , gifts for friends and I don't think you have to worry about it . hairspray is great to use for layering multiple art mediums.
Good to know! I will experiment again. I am assuming it wasn't like the early AquaNet that kept my bouffant stable for hours back in the '60's. It could be sticky!
CatTalesCrafts ii
I cannot use fixative. I live with people who will complain about every smell and fixative DOES smell incredibly nasty. In addition to that, we do not have a garden and "seasons" which means that six months out of the year we have nasty weather. You are not supposed to use it inside. So it's not the cost, it's all of the other stuff that makes me not want to use it.
Awesome!!!! TFS I just did a project with chalk paint and crayola chalks and I can't wait to give this a try!!!!
#24 Deborah Endsley Great!Have a great day.Thank you so much for watching
I know you did the idea awhile ag....but I cud you...I was searching for the fixate problem of products NOT working. Let me tell you you DID IT!! I am new to pastels....used an overlay on a collage piece...actually lots of pan pastels. Which I was sorry I used. So I got a can of Krylon fixative. I sprayed it two different I es..I took precautions spraying thank goodness. It was awful. After drying I touched tge pastel and it really didn’t do anything. And thank goodness I found you .after several videos......and your hairspray suggestion works!!!
OMG...it worked....thank you soooo much, I am now following your other videos. You are just the cutest!! Thank you so much.......keep on do8nl you do!! I am so grateful for the hairspray video,,, You get the gold star,,,
Charlotte
I'm so happy to hear that! thank you so much for your comment and I'm so glad that this technique worked for you. Have a wonderful day 😀
I just watched one of your videos about how to use hairspray as a fixative thank you for making that I'm going to try it with colored pencils and see how that works. after watching that video I subscribed to your channel excited to watch your other videos 💕
I will definitely be using tbis method on my pastel art pieces. Thanks for sharing ☺
Great video! I had hear about using hair spray but I didn't even think about the fixer having a harsh smell. Save a couple bucks, save your nose, and find it nearby. Good stuff. Thank you!
What happened after a year on the drawings you sprayed with this??
please do comparison of fixative and hair spray year after spraying it
I'm glad this works. I think this will work for some coloring pages that I did for fun, but hate the smudging of oil pastels etc. thank you!
Please reply. I just finished a charcoal drawing and I absolutely love it. I want to save it. But I'm worried the paper will wrinkle?
Lazy Llama no it will not wrinkle don't worry about it just spray a light coating maybe about 5 or 6 inches from your work and I promise that your paper won't wrinkle
Thanks for the video. I did a bunch of alcohol ink projects and was going to seal them with the stuff I bought, but was dreading having to do a set up outside. This is an excellent alternative. Thanks again.
This hack i am gonna try for my soft pastel sketchbook drawings
I picked up some oil pastels around Christmas time. It's not my usual medium. After a bit I noticed the pastel was lifting. I'll definitely give a coat of hairspray and see if I can do an additional coat over the top.
Thank you so much for that! Was it at all shiny? Was it more Matt or kind of in-between? Which would you categorize it as matte or glossy?
Exactly the information that I needed. Thank you so much for your excellent research and reporting!
What an amazing way to do it !!!
Thank you. But did you notice some thing like a glossy texture over the painting after spraying it by hair spray or its a matt or normal? Thank you again very nice video
I just started using this today, it works pretty good, thank you very much for the tutorial
Love your moxie and energy...great tip and well demonstrated.
This is a really good art hack to try
Wowsa! Great tip and love your enthusiasm👍🏼👩🏻🎨
Hair cell is made from NC laquer and goes yellow and is not light fast... You need poly vinyl chloride or solvent Polyurethane
Ty so much for this! I've just started using watercolor n charcoal n the smearing was maddening! Ur awesome! Gratitude 😘
Thank u for your video. Nice paint hack.
OMG! AWESOME! Thanks so much, Shemi. I have a can of fixative that is so smelly I can't use it. So cool to have this as an option AND to know where to get it! :-)
Yay! Have tried 3 or 4 things but not hairspray -- if this works on Bristol board and charcoal you have saved the day ! -)
Do you choose extra firm hold for the hairspray? I’m so glad you put up this video!
Oops you answered that question in the video!
I think that fixative create a waterproof layer over painting. But hair spray I think is not. What is your opinion? Also I am using hairspray more than fixative according to the price. Its cheaper and better
Thank for sharing... great tip Shemi! I have use the expensive archival fixative on some art that will probably be going to my kids ... I didn't want it to yellow but for just playing and experimenting this sounds great! I wonder about the pump hairspray is if it works just as good as the aerosol hairspray? I try not to buy things that are aerosol...hmmm I may have to play/ test with my pump hair spray😃
I know this is five years later, but I tried using pump hairspray, and it came out in rather large clumps of spray, not the fine spray of an aerosol, unfortunately.
@@morna45maybe you could transfer the fluid spray to an atomizer spray bottle.
The problem with pastels is the way the fixative changes the color or darkens the color. I'll have to do an experiment at home to see if it changes the original color of the pastel. I could afford a $1.00, right? :)
Hello Shemi,
Can I use more than one layer after letting dry the first one?
i will definitely try this hair spray
I was surprised to find this actually works BUT I also found using the hairspray caused the pastel to bleed through onto the other side of the paper. I may have used too much, but it definitely bled through so do test this before using on one of your favourite pieces
Regular fixative can bleed through too. Teoh Yi Chie's post on fixatives gives the same caveats we should apply here. Test every time because not everything is compatible (ball pens, Sharpies.) He demonstrates some interesting fails he encountered. I will definitely try and test the hairspray option, even though I am more concerned about the lack of UV protection, living under the hot Caribbean Curaçao sun.
I guess my only concern is will it fade or discolor as time passes? i'm making a charcoal drawing for someone and I want to make sure the fixative wont weaken and eventually erode.
What about acrylic paint, colored pencils too? Ty
Does it yellow over time?
Do you have to use a blow dryer? Or can you just spray it with hairspray? And let it air dry? I am going to try soft pastel for the first time. I usually use acrylics so i am trying to do research before i buy anything.
I do this to all my drawings. It was annoying that my drawings were changing every time touched them. So I lightly cover them in hairspray & store them in my tracing paper books.
Thanks 👍
Yes good idea.. thanks for sharing
I just finished a drawing it’s a combination of Graphite and some Charcoal. I laid the drawing flat and sprayed Aqua Net on it (6-7 inches away). How long should I let it dry for??
Is it okay to use it on fabric to seal fabric marker?
Could you use it on alcohol ink on yupo paper? I sure hope it works. Thank you for your info. 🌼
Does this work over crayon or crayon pen. I was going to try clear coat like car enamal paint.
I made a charcoal drawing on the wall in my room. I want to seal it, but I don't know if this will work on a wall? Does it work on anything?
Will it go yellow/ruin the painting overtime? :/
What is the best for sealing a finished piece of water based pen art?
Does this method work with pencil and fabric?
When you rubbed your finger against the wateecolor, it shouldn't come off.
Does it make it yellow overtime?
PLEASE ANSWER!! If I hair spray my collage can I watercolor on top? Please help I don’t want to ruin my project but I want to add it my collage. Thanks in advance🙏🏻
Hello sorry I don’t think that the hairspray will act as a sealant. You will definitely need to use clear gesso or a watercolor ground if you want to watercolor over your collage
@@ShemiDixon ...Thank you so much for replying🙏🏻
The hairspray darkens the colors which is a problem with fixative. But does it do this less?
i discovered art journalling a year ago, and have wasted so much time trying to work out how to seal water based products to avoid them smearing....So many of the things available are water based, so it makes it really confusing - thanks for sharing!
Very cool, tfs Shemi
Thank you so much for sharing this great tip.
So I painted something and few days later wanted to add glitter but didn't want to repaint the painting, can I just sorta hair spray over the glitter for hold it?
Can it be used on graphite drawings🤔🤔🤔?
Great. Thank you😀😀😀
Thank you for the great tip.
Any tips for sealing chalk pastels on plastic? Used for weathering models. Matt varnishes and hair spray just brings the pastel off :(
What are you painting over the sprayed colored art?
Wow, I've never seen unscented hairspray before, and I know what you mean with the fixatives at the craft stores are expensive, I will try this :-):-)
Can i used hair spray on wall painting done by acrylic colour?
Hmm I was thinking if I use chalk powder will the hairspray still work.
HO CAN YOU TELL ME IF I CAN GET A SPRAY LAMINATING COATING OR A CLEAR POLYMER SPRAY CAN ???? ANY INFO PLEASE
Don't use hair spray to fix your work. It is not designed for artwork, it is designed for hair. It yellows quickly and will eat into your art work and your paper because it is acidic. Your art is safer without any spray if you find artist fixative too expensive.
Read this article: littleredwindow.com/how-to-preserve-your-chalkboard-drawings/
Can I use aqua net spray ?? Or white rain ?
Thanks^-^
Can you use this for doll repaints?
You made my life 100% easier
LPS PineApplePastries Galaxy if you plan on doing serious artwork, I would recommend using actual artist quality fixative. Search lachri fine art to see reasons why. Long story short this method is not archival/ and will not last.
I'm about to see if this works with markers....lol wish me luck. ( i'm gonna use Aussie)
IT DOESN'T WORK WITH MARKERS...just fyi. If it gets wet it just runs like it would have ; (
I know acrylic paints doesnt need fixing spray so i am good there. I use soft pastels and acrylic paint together
Please reply..
I have just finished a plastic pot with acrylic color. I wanna put a plant on the pot.now How can I fix the color from water. Please reply
Sumaiya Mahin Hi no you’re going to have to use an acrylic sealer hairspray will not work.
Thanku shemi 🥰
ok ok but will this seal ACRYLIC paintings???
Thank you for sharing your tip :)
What brand of fixative is this?
Does the hairspray give the art piece a satin, matte or glossy finish?
In my experience it gives it a matte finish.thanks for watching
Will my coloring book pages turn yellow??
Shalom Sherri
I follow your tutorial covering Altoid tines and when I add glitter it comes off. I was wondering can I use hairspray as a fixative on top of the glitter?
LaSharown You should use Mod Podge for the glitter; hair spray won’t work with that.
This is a terrible idea for art one hopes to sell or gift - it will remove any archival feature to the art by breaking down not only the surface but the medium itself! Please educate your viewers about that.
Do the colors darken?
Can I use hair Spray on oil painting on canva?
NEVER DO THIS!
thanks
I have found using 2-3 lighter layers works better than one heavy coat.
Thanks for sharing! Great tip
Thus this hack work for soft pastels too?
Yes, it does work for pastels. I usually do a couple layers. . Thanks
O thats asome. Thank you so mutch. You saved me so mutch money i can not thank you enough👍🏾😁🖐🏾
OMG i tryed it whit my non smell hairspray on my soft pastels. I can not believe it. This hack realy works. I can not thank you enough for this hack. It saves me so mutch money. Fixing sprays are super expensive. I payed for my non smell hair spray 1,09. I am so happy that this hack works. OMG i am super happy. Greetings from the netherlands
Can i use it to seal glitters on papers? Thank you!
You can’t
It isn’t made for that. It will degrade your work.
Can someone tell me if this trick work as effective on poster colour paintings? ??
I'm afraid that it'll ruin my whole painting 😕
I've been using hairspray for years for my art super cheap!
So I painted something and few days later wanted to add glitter but didn't want to repaint the painting, can I just sorta hair spray over the glitter for hold it?
I’m seeing all the responses to your suggestion...maybe a certain brand works better than others...give it a try...at least your trying to help.
Got a question I used soft pastel on canvas and tried hair spray but it didn't work it still smudge what can I do about that?
I would use a Krylon K01306 Workable Fixatif Spray Clear, 11-Ounce Aerosol. or a spray acrylic sealer amzn.to/2UjjzVy and spray acrylic sealer amzn.to/2QA0NtN Thanks
I would use a spray acrylic adhesive.
I would never mark down anyone who was trying an experiment, but I've heard soooo many people say that it goes Yellow over time.
So I would put a lot more stock in this possible fixative replacement test if you started filming (but not uploading) half the video of it working wonderfully etc etc, but put it on the shelf and revisit the results at least a year later and then upload the video. Even though you may not be able to finish and upload that particular video for over a year or more. If you still do Art Videos in a year, great, but if you don't (for whatever reason), just can the whole video.
Oh! What was that stuff you were applying with a brush to check if it would move it - was it something called either Gesso or Mud Podge? Because I've heard them mentioned but idk what they are used for yet, so I'm interested in that 👍
How about yellowing?
I wouldn't use hair spray on commissioned artwork! If you value your artwork, you'd invest in a name brand fixative...well worth it.
it's left greasy stains on my art...
This is okay for work that isn't important or isn't for sale but please, don't use hair spray on commissions or artwork for sale. It's not professional and will eventually yellow.
It kinda ruined my picture. I used it on soft pastel not good