would appreciate advice

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Permalink Reply by 05ue98hr2bmf9 on December 30, 2011 at 1:24am

I share your dislike of fixatives as I am a charcoal/pastel lover. The spray on fixative just dulls the colours down and I dread using it too. But I can't abandon pastels, such a gorgeous medium. I put things I want to keep under glass or at least in a plastic sleeve in a portfolio, I know it's not ideal as things smudge, but seems better to me than drowning the lovely colours with spray on varnish.

Sorry I can't come up with an alternative but preserving your pastel work is worth researching I am sure. There are some old masters of pastel (e.g.de la Tour) whose works have survived for centuries, and I am sure he had no access to spray varnish!!

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Permalink Reply by Bill Knott on December 30, 2011 at 2:43am

thanks for your thoughts ... yes I too especially like the effects I can seem to get only with charcoal/pastel,

and when I was younger I had less antipathy to the fivatives, but lately it's been more and more of an effort to

spray, so much so that my production level has declined . . .

I've tried ink and various markers as replacements for charcoal/pastel, but without much luck...

I'm hoping there are some mediums I can find to use that would be as effective as charcoal/pastel/graphite without having to deal with the hassles of fixativing . . .

I live in a small town and have to buy my supplies via the internet, so it's hard to research new products . . .

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Permalink Reply by Diana on December 30, 2011 at 3:36am

So far there seems to be no solution to the problem of fixatives changing pastel colors -- but I have read about Spectrafix, which is supposed to be a natural casein.  I read that Degas used casein on his pastels.   There is a great site called amien.org which researches chemical components of painting materials and here is a thread on Spectrafix:

http://www.amien.org/forums/showthread.php?1688-Casein-Pastel-Fixative

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Permalink Reply by 05ue98hr2bmf9 on December 30, 2011 at 4:42am

Thanks Diana, that's really interesting!

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Permalink Reply by Jan Jackson on December 31, 2011 at 8:25am

try hairspray, readily available anywhere, and i know pastel artists who use it to great effect

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Permalink Reply by Diana on December 31, 2011 at 9:14am

well, remember that you want a really fine mist. and you don't want hairspray with any kind of conditioners. i'd MAYBE use a little sample hairspray in the field, but not in the studio. But this all begs the question of an alternative to fixatives, and I guess the answer is no.  Now- didn't some artists used to steam the underside of their charcoals/pastels to fix them? seems i've heard that, but who knows how well that works (or why).

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Permalink Reply by 05ue98hr2bmf9 on December 31, 2011 at 6:44pm

The steaming idea is interesting too. That could well work - of course you can paint over your pastel work with water (which fixes it more firmly to a paper surface as you are activating the gum binder) and it becomes more like a watercolour then - although of course it changes that lovely texturey grainy look of pastel. But steaming it - yes could well work!! Thanks again Diana, I might just try that!!!

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Permalink Reply by Diana on January 3, 2012 at 2:12am

here are some interesting thoughts from artist/teacher Richard mcKinley:

  " One of the techniques Degas employed was the application of steam. A kettle of boiling water provided the fine water vapor and he reportedly applied it—in a variety of combinations of pastel and mixed-media—to produce different effects. At times, the stream was gently misted over the pastel surface to settle the outer layer of pastel. This didn’t produce a hard “fixed” surface like an application of resin-based fixative. Instead, it helped to bind the delicate outer pastel layer, making it less prone to migration and less fragile. He also applied the steam to thick passages of pigment, creating a pastel paste. This was then manipulated, either with a painting knife or brush, as the paste dried. Spraying water would have created a similar effect but steam was easier to regulate, allowing him to create a viscosity that met his needs. At other times, he would combine charcoal, watercolor or gouache with the dry pastel and then steam them together, creating interesting textures.

     Today, instead of a kettle of boiling water, we can utilize a travel steamer or the steam function of a clothes iron. These appliances can be positioned next to a studio easel, providing ease of access while painting. It’s best to use distilled or filtered water; otherwise, impurities may be embedded into the pastel that can lead to eventual discoloration and mold or mildew. Remember to test the steaming process on a failed painting before trying this out on a precious masterpiece to see how it will respond. Different surfaces will react in various ways to the addition of water, even the minimal amount produced by steam. Don’t be surprised to see a slight darkening of the pastel surface when the stream is applied. This should dissipate as the water evaporates but some diminishing of subtle nuances may occur. Steaming is not meant to replace or duplicate the usefulness of workable fixative. No matter how wet the pastel surface is made, once the water evaporates, a soft layer of pastel will emerge."

   

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Permalink Reply by Danielle Evans on January 5, 2012 at 9:51pm

I assume you have tried ordinary waxy coloured pencils.  I have a friend who does lovely work with coloured pencils.

I don't recall problems with smudging.

I would love to see a sample of what you have done.  Kinda difficult to think of what might suit your style if I can't see it lol.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Knott on January 6, 2012 at 1:51am

thanks for suggestion—  waxy colored pencils?   I'd appreciate a brand-name suggestion, live in a small town and have to buy supplies online—

to see a sample of my work, there's about 400 thumbnails posted on my art blog:

http://billknottartblog.blogspot.com/

thanks for the suggestion— I'll try it

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Permalink Reply by Diana on January 6, 2012 at 5:43am

Nice paintings bill!

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Permalink Reply by Brian on January 9, 2012 at 11:32pm

Just a thought for fixatives ... have you tried clear spray paint?  I used to hate drawing mediums as well ... until I abandoned fixatives for an actual clear coat ... won't go glossy as it will absorb into the paper ... but keeps the vibrancy.

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