This was so helpful--thank you. I am so glad you said nothing will ever seal pastels completely, as I thought it wasn't working when I did my test. Also, thanks for the tip about transferring it to a mister.
Great question. So yes you absolutely can keep using it over and over . Infact the more layers of spray and pastel the better the adhesion to the surface . When you've layered to the point you are having a hard time getting the pastel to stick a layer of this fixitive will absolutely allow you to layer more once its completely dry
@@nicolemartinart5819 Precisely what I wanted to hear, thank you Nicole. Its really the only way to emulate the true Degas look. Layers and layers. I'm going to pick up a bottle of this. The only information I've found on his process was that he would use steam to seal the layers of pastel. Maybe he used fixative as well idk.
You could but honestly its not necessary to invest in an airbrush for that . i picked up an ultra fine mister bottle at hobby lobby for under 10 bucks that works great . thanks so much for watching ☺
@@nicolemartinart5819 Did transferring the fixative to a fine mister bottle stop the blobs and drips from the Spectrafix bottle? That drives me crazy and I'm afraid it's going to leave marks on my painting.
@@betsyellis9883 no problem. And thanks so much for watching ! Yes you definitely need to upgrade the bottle cause theres is terrible but they have a top notch product so I dont mind.
Great question! Thanks for asking , so you can tape down the edges of your paper on all 4 sides before spraying . This will help it dry flat . Then remove the tape carefully.
I'd suggest transferring it into a ultra fine mister bottle. That's what I do and it works great . The fixative likely will clog the airbrush, it's really not worth the hassle of cleaning and honestly completely unnecessary to use an airbrush but the good news is its completely non toxic if you wanna try it in your airbrush. Just be sure to clean it out right away 🙂
I have been experimenting with Spectrafix and just used it on a new painting. It looks like the force of the spray made pastel dust move around the work and now I have "dust" covering the painting. Should I somehow be brushing the painting before spraying? I'm not sure how to do that, but with soft pastels, I seem to have a pretty heavy coating on my canvas. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Yes I do have some suggestions for you . So like I said in my video the sprayer the bottle comes with is really just awful sadly . I transferred mine into an ultra fine mister bottle . It really improves the results because you get the most gentle , even application that way. Also try standing back about 18 inches from the work before spraying . It sounds like you maybe a bit too close to the artwork as your spraying and it blasted the pastel . Especially if your working with super softies ( like terry ludwigs or schmincke) it can be more of an issue . You can also try laying the artwork flat on a table and spraying the fixative up just above the artwork and let the mist fall down on to the painting . You’ll get the most gentle application that way . Good luck 👍🏼 hope this helps and if you have anymore questions just let me know . I’m happy to help 😊
Hello Nicole I have just started working with pastel pencils recently and went to use the Spectrafix fixative and it comes out in blotches alot sadly it removed some of my artwork with these blotches big and small. I held the picture up rather than flat and it still blotched. I then placed some of this fxiative liquid into a smaller aromatherapy spray bottle sadly it blotched my pastel drawing again. Can you help please? Thank you
Yea so like I said in the video you really do need an ultra fine mister bottle to transfer it into . The sprayer on it really sucks. But the product I love . I got mine at hobby lobby but blick sells a good one too. Just make sure you dont over spray the artwork and it's better to do several light layers of spray in between layers of pastel than one heavy layer of spray at the end. ( this is were issues come in and it is user error.) Layering fine spray and pastel layers in this method will ensure superior adhesion to the substrate and avoid darkening and loss of details. Any further questions just let me know hope this helps :) I'm thinking of doing a follow up video on fixative techniques and trouble shooting .
Hair spray will work but bare in mind that it is not acid free or archival. So it may cause yellowing/ browning and uneven discoloration over time. Thanks so much for watching .
It wont hurt anything ... but for canvas you would really want more of a final varnish spray product. Your not talking about pastel work on canvas right ?
@@gila1959 just to be very clear , your pastel work should always be matted and framed behind glass . I do not recommend spraying your pastel work with acrylic varnish. It will most likely ruin it . Also canvas is absolutely the wrong substrate for soft pastel. Youd be much better working on a surface like pastelmat, or a sanded paper that can really grab the soft pastel . Then frame behind glass. If you like working on canvas and it's your preference that's fine I dont mean to discourage you but you need to protect it behind glass somehow with a small space between the work and the glass so dust doesn't collect on the glass. Hope this explanation helped .
@@nicolemartinart5819 thank you soooo very much for taking the time to answer this one, it shourly make me think . i work on canvas always and i saw that all of you painters who worked with pastel doesnt work on canvas. you have explained it bfuly. again- much appreciated.
I used it on a finished piece and all my details disappeared and the painting was darkened. I am now trying to restore it to it's original beauty. I don't recommend this for anything but underlayers!!
@@nicolemartinart5819 actually no....I barely sprayed any before it was noticeable. I think it might be okay with a simply landscape.....but not on detailed animal fur!!
Thanx a lot for a great video . Loved it.
Your very welcome so glad you found the video helpful
This was so helpful--thank you. I am so glad you said nothing will ever seal pastels completely, as I thought it wasn't working when I did my test. Also, thanks for the tip about transferring it to a mister.
So glad I could help
Thanks, just the review I was looking for!
Glad I could help !
I use it, it's fantastic- I don't have to cover my gouaches with glass
Great video! Really helpful thank you :)
Im happy to help :)
I’d like to see how it works with oil pastels.
Does this allow you to build many layers on top of each fixative layer? Can you keep using the fixative over and over?
Great question. So yes you absolutely can keep using it over and over . Infact the more layers of spray and pastel the better the adhesion to the surface . When you've layered to the point you are having a hard time getting the pastel to stick a layer of this fixitive will absolutely allow you to layer more once its completely dry
@@nicolemartinart5819 Precisely what I wanted to hear, thank you Nicole. Its really the only way to emulate the true Degas look. Layers and layers. I'm going to pick up a bottle of this.
The only information I've found on his process was that he would use steam to seal the layers of pastel. Maybe he used fixative as well idk.
how about acrylic airbrush medium or a good airbrush with the spectra fix
You could but honestly its not necessary to invest in an airbrush for that . i picked up an ultra fine mister bottle at hobby lobby for under 10 bucks that works great . thanks so much for watching ☺
@@nicolemartinart5819 Did transferring the fixative to a fine mister bottle stop the blobs and drips from the Spectrafix bottle? That drives me crazy and I'm afraid it's going to leave marks on my painting.
@@nicolemartinart5819 Sorry, I just saw the answer at the end of the video! :)
@@betsyellis9883 no problem. And thanks so much for watching ! Yes you definitely need to upgrade the bottle cause theres is terrible but they have a top notch product so I dont mind.
Hi, I use it on my coloring pages but it makes the page curl….is there any way to avoid this?
Great question! Thanks for asking , so you can tape down the edges of your paper on all 4 sides before spraying . This will help it dry flat . Then remove the tape carefully.
Can I use this in an airbrush ??? Thanks for the vid very informative 😊
I'd suggest transferring it into a ultra fine mister bottle. That's what I do and it works great . The fixative likely will clog the airbrush, it's really not worth the hassle of cleaning and honestly completely unnecessary to use an airbrush but the good news is its completely non toxic if you wanna try it in your airbrush. Just be sure to clean it out right away 🙂
I have been experimenting with Spectrafix and just used it on a new painting. It looks like the force of the spray made pastel dust move around the work and now I have "dust" covering the painting. Should I somehow be brushing the painting before spraying? I'm not sure how to do that, but with soft pastels, I seem to have a pretty heavy coating on my canvas. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Yes I do have some suggestions for you . So like I said in my video the sprayer the bottle comes with is really just awful sadly . I transferred mine into an ultra fine mister bottle . It really improves the results because you get the most gentle , even application that way. Also try standing back about 18 inches from the work before spraying . It sounds like you maybe a bit too close to the artwork as your spraying and it blasted the pastel . Especially if your working with super softies ( like terry ludwigs or schmincke) it can be more of an issue . You can also try laying the artwork flat on a table and spraying the fixative up just above the artwork and let the mist fall down on to the painting . You’ll get the most gentle application that way . Good luck 👍🏼 hope this helps and if you have anymore questions just let me know . I’m happy to help 😊
Hello Nicole I have just started working with pastel pencils recently and went to use the Spectrafix fixative and it comes out in blotches alot sadly it removed some of my artwork with these blotches big and small. I held the picture up rather than flat and it still blotched. I then placed some of this fxiative liquid into a smaller aromatherapy spray bottle sadly it blotched my pastel drawing again. Can you help please? Thank you
Yea so like I said in the video you really do need an ultra fine mister bottle to transfer it into . The sprayer on it really sucks. But the product I love . I got mine at hobby lobby but blick sells a good one too. Just make sure you dont over spray the artwork and it's better to do several light layers of spray in between layers of pastel than one heavy layer of spray at the end. ( this is were issues come in and it is user error.) Layering fine spray and pastel layers in this method will ensure superior adhesion to the substrate and avoid darkening and loss of details. Any further questions just let me know hope this helps :) I'm thinking of doing a follow up video on fixative techniques and trouble shooting .
@@nicolemartinart5819 thanks so much Nicole that was helpful and yes please do a follow up video too :)
@@smilingblissgoddess your very welcome . Subscribe so you wont miss the follow up video .
Hi Nicole, will this work on pen (ink) and gel pens? thanks
Great question bob . This product really isn't designed for that I'm afraid. It's more for pastel , charcoal and dry media . Thanks for watching:)
@@nicolemartinart5819 thanks.
Could this be used on Neopastels?
@@patsydeal1898 do you mean prismacolor nupastels? Or the neocolor wax pastels?
used dollar spray woman hair wor great is no toxic
Hair spray will work but bare in mind that it is not acid free or archival. So it may cause yellowing/ browning and uneven discoloration over time. Thanks so much for watching .
What about spraying on Canvas will it be ok ?
It wont hurt anything ... but for canvas you would really want more of a final varnish spray product. Your not talking about pastel work on canvas right ?
@@nicolemartinart5819 yes i am. i mostly work with Acrylic paints and use varnish for that. i didnt know if it the same varnish for both.
@@gila1959 I've absolutely never heard of using pastel on canvas. It's not advisable
@@gila1959 just to be very clear , your pastel work should always be matted and framed behind glass . I do not recommend spraying your pastel work with acrylic varnish. It will most likely ruin it . Also canvas is absolutely the wrong substrate for soft pastel. Youd be much better working on a surface like pastelmat, or a sanded paper that can really grab the soft pastel . Then frame behind glass. If you like working on canvas and it's your preference that's fine I dont mean to discourage you but you need to protect it behind glass somehow with a small space between the work and the glass so dust doesn't collect on the glass. Hope this explanation helped .
@@nicolemartinart5819 thank you soooo very much for taking the time to answer this one, it shourly make me think . i work on canvas always and i saw that all of you painters who worked with pastel doesnt work on canvas. you have explained it bfuly. again- much appreciated.
I used it on a finished piece and all my details disappeared and the painting was darkened. I am now trying to restore it to it's original beauty. I don't recommend this for anything but underlayers!!
Sounds like you sprayed it far too heavily . Try using much less. And always test it out on a scrap piece first. Good luck
@@nicolemartinart5819 actually no....I barely sprayed any before it was noticeable. I think it might be okay with a simply landscape.....but not on detailed animal fur!!
Thanks for the review .... appreciated. I'd be concerned about what you put on your nails .... surely nasty!!!
God bless you
We see more your nails than this fixative!
Lol